Anything cool near Englewood, New Jersey?
December 10, 2019 12:39 PM Subscribe
My wife and I are flying out there this weekend so she can do her final interviews for a job and we can check the area out to see if we would possibly want to live there. Looking for recommendations for good restaurants/shopping/cultural stuff that will make for a fun weekend -- and help us decide if Englewood would be a good home for us. Of course open to nearby cities (Hackensack?) as well. Thanks!
If you like Korean food, go to Fort Lee. Just one town south from Englewood.
posted by spilon at 1:47 PM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by spilon at 1:47 PM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Can confirm, the Korean food in Fort Lee is solid.
I hate to be the first “Just cross the river to New York City” guy, but being that close to the George Washington bridge, Manhattan and the Bronx are certainly within reach.
The Met Cloisters, for example, is ~15–20 minutes by car.
posted by D.Billy at 1:59 PM on December 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
I hate to be the first “Just cross the river to New York City” guy, but being that close to the George Washington bridge, Manhattan and the Bronx are certainly within reach.
The Met Cloisters, for example, is ~15–20 minutes by car.
posted by D.Billy at 1:59 PM on December 10, 2019 [3 favorites]
Best answer: My mother grew up there and I can say they have an exceptional public library system in case that is helpful. The only thing I remember from visiting as a kid which is still there is the Butterflake Bakery, the best kosher bakery in the entire world, in Teaneck.
posted by jessamyn at 2:27 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn at 2:27 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: That is one thing I forgot to ask -- how easy is it to get into the city from there? Is driving the best way, or are trains/ferries easier?
posted by Clustercuss at 2:30 PM on December 10, 2019
posted by Clustercuss at 2:30 PM on December 10, 2019
From there, driving or a 30-40 minute bus to Washington Heights. The bus would connect you to anyplace you could get by subway.
posted by LizardBreath at 2:43 PM on December 10, 2019
posted by LizardBreath at 2:43 PM on December 10, 2019
Englewood is super convenient to NYC. There will be NJTransit and private buses that will go into the city. Visit the Mitsuwa supermarket in Edgewater- delicious Japanese food court in a Japanese supermarket.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:01 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:01 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
Jerry's is a great, inexpensive grocery store in Englewood.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 4:53 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 4:53 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I grew up next to Englewood. There's no shortage of good restaurants in and around the town. In Englewood, there's a terrific little pizza/Italian restaurant 'U Pie & Lobster Company', very convenient if you're going to a show at BergenPac theater.
And, yes, Englewood is very close to NYC. As a daily commute it would be kind of a slog - when I was still living at my parents' and working in Manhattan, the bus commute was an hour-plus since it went via the the Lincoln Tunnel, but if you're just going in occasionally for entertainment, it's a short drive up and over the George Washington Bridge. Or, you could drive down to Edgewater, park in the NY Waterways lot and take the ferry across.
Englewood being in Bergen County means there are some idiosyncratic blue laws in effect on Sundays -- so, like, the Hackensack Costco is open on Sundays, but all the sections selling electronics, clothing, housewares, and other non-essentials are roped off. But you just get used to driving a little further out to one of the other counties if you need to get to a mall or Apple store or something on a Sunday.
On the negative, property taxes are pretty super high, so, beware of that when looking at real estate options.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:57 PM on December 10, 2019
And, yes, Englewood is very close to NYC. As a daily commute it would be kind of a slog - when I was still living at my parents' and working in Manhattan, the bus commute was an hour-plus since it went via the the Lincoln Tunnel, but if you're just going in occasionally for entertainment, it's a short drive up and over the George Washington Bridge. Or, you could drive down to Edgewater, park in the NY Waterways lot and take the ferry across.
Englewood being in Bergen County means there are some idiosyncratic blue laws in effect on Sundays -- so, like, the Hackensack Costco is open on Sundays, but all the sections selling electronics, clothing, housewares, and other non-essentials are roped off. But you just get used to driving a little further out to one of the other counties if you need to get to a mall or Apple store or something on a Sunday.
On the negative, property taxes are pretty super high, so, beware of that when looking at real estate options.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:57 PM on December 10, 2019
omg Jerry's is the fucking best, it's outta control
posted by entropone at 5:26 PM on December 10, 2019
posted by entropone at 5:26 PM on December 10, 2019
Best answer: Hello! I work in Englewood and live in NYC. The commute via bus is very easy, with NJ Transit buses that can take you to the GW Bridge bus terminal or Port Authority. How easy? My bus drops me in downtown Englewood ten minutes after leaving the GWB bus terminal in the morning. (It looks like the bus trip to PA takes about an hour.) You could drive in, but unless you are comfortable with apocalyptic traffic and all the fun that comes with parking in NYC, I'd stick with mass transit.
You are about three miles from the bridge, so you could also bike into the city (this accounts for the majority of my commuting trips, so I may be biased).
Englewood has many good restaurants, but they are in general Manhattan pricey, as the rents are really high. My favorite places are Patisserie Florentine for coffee and pastries, Schnitzel for Middle Eastern-inspired sandwiches and platters, and Cassie's for pizza.
Balthazar's main bakery is less than a half mile from downtown, and a little further south than that is the aforementioned Jerry's, a fantastic Italian grocery store. You'll never want to buy fresh mozzarella or ravioli anywhere else.
Englewood is a segregated town, with the POC living on the west side, and the whites living more on the east side (Englewood goes most of the way up the hill, then you're in Englewood Cliffs).
If you drive out to Route 4/17 toward Paramus, you can find any major chain/discount/big box store you could ever think of, but be advised that these routes get effed up with traffic a good chunk of the day, so you'll need to learn all the local streets to get around.
If you like to hike or bike, there are ample spots to get outside, such as Palisade Interstate Park, or Overpeck County Park. While you are in the thick of old-school suburbia, it's a relatively short drive to get to more open country.
I haven't been to the PAC, but my boss has seen shows there, and it seems like they book a lot of good shows.
It's a nice place to work and live. Like oh yeah! said, the rent and the taxes are expensive, but that's how it is in Bergen County. Good luck!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:30 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
You are about three miles from the bridge, so you could also bike into the city (this accounts for the majority of my commuting trips, so I may be biased).
Englewood has many good restaurants, but they are in general Manhattan pricey, as the rents are really high. My favorite places are Patisserie Florentine for coffee and pastries, Schnitzel for Middle Eastern-inspired sandwiches and platters, and Cassie's for pizza.
Balthazar's main bakery is less than a half mile from downtown, and a little further south than that is the aforementioned Jerry's, a fantastic Italian grocery store. You'll never want to buy fresh mozzarella or ravioli anywhere else.
Englewood is a segregated town, with the POC living on the west side, and the whites living more on the east side (Englewood goes most of the way up the hill, then you're in Englewood Cliffs).
If you drive out to Route 4/17 toward Paramus, you can find any major chain/discount/big box store you could ever think of, but be advised that these routes get effed up with traffic a good chunk of the day, so you'll need to learn all the local streets to get around.
If you like to hike or bike, there are ample spots to get outside, such as Palisade Interstate Park, or Overpeck County Park. While you are in the thick of old-school suburbia, it's a relatively short drive to get to more open country.
I haven't been to the PAC, but my boss has seen shows there, and it seems like they book a lot of good shows.
It's a nice place to work and live. Like oh yeah! said, the rent and the taxes are expensive, but that's how it is in Bergen County. Good luck!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:30 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
A Taste of Greece in River Edge, delicious Mediterranean food
It's Greek to Me in Englewood itself is also very good but I slightly prefer ^
Peck Peck Chicken in Teaneck, amazing Korean fried chicken, gets crazy on weekends
Other:
King Spa in Palisades Park is a super huge and fun Korean spa where you can hang out all day
Tenafly Nature Center (enormous park) is really nice but moreso in other seasons.
BergenPAC is an performing arts center, you could see if there are tickets for any shows that weekend?
posted by rachaelfaith at 1:15 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]