6 biggest restaurant openings of 2023 so far

Lots of restaurants have opened so far this year. We're not complaining. We are always thrilled to try someplace new.

However, not all restaurants are created equal. Some are better than others. And some are so good that we food lovers can't wait to let you know about them. After all, food fans don't just love great food — they love letting other food lovers know about great food.

Therefore, here are the biggest restaurant openings of 2023.

Pasta Ramen, Montclair

Reservations are nearly impossible to get at Pasta Ramen. The menu is nearly impossible to decipher. And the conventional-signage-free spot is difficult to find (the signage is digital and on the sidewalk). But don't let any of that deter you from doing whatever you need to to snag a seat at what may be North Jersey's, if not all of New Jersey's, most buzzed-about restaurant opening this year.

After all, the chef and co-owner is none other than Robbie Felice, the tattooed, man-bun-sporting guy who heads award-winning Italian restaurants Viaggio in Wayne and Osteria Crescendo in Westwood (and both are darn good) and the guy who was nominated for a James Beard Rising Star Chef award in 2020 — before COVID put the kibosh on the year's awards.

And the cuisine? It's called Wafu, a melange of rustic Italian and refined Japenese that you can find in a mere five(!) restaurants in the U.S.A. So, honestly, how could Pasta Ramen not make this list?

If you're a fan of wildly delicious, highly creative, boldly different and beautifully plated dishes, odds are you'll be a fan of Pasta Ramen. Highly recommended dishes include the teriyaki-sauce injected burrata topped with caviar (not cheap — $49 — but so good); shrimp scampi lavished in a garlicky-buttery ponzu sauce; and the umami-rich kitchen katsu ramen. Bring a bottle of sake or wine or beer with you. Pasta Ramen is a BYOB.

Go: 6 S. Fullerton Ave., Montclair; pastaramen.com

Gioia Mia, Montclair

Food lovers were understandably heartbroken when they learned that Montclair staple Fascino was closing. It had delighted North Jersey diners for 20 years. But cheer up. Gioia Mia, which replaced it, is, ahem, a joy. (The name Gioia Mia means my joy in Italian; it is well named.) The 100-seat BYOB is owned today by managing partner Mary Cumela and executive chef Logan Ramirez, two former employees of Fascino.

While the look hasn't changed any, the menu has. It is less Italian-centric and more global. And the food pretty darn terrific.

No matter what else you order, don't pass up the super-tender pork chop atop a shallow pool of velvety corn puree turned a gorgeous orange-red as a result of the Latin American condiment annatto. It's gorgeous, scrumptious and an absolute must. Other terrific dishes include the liver mousse topped with a stunning pinkish-red layer of strawberry gelee, the delectable hamachi crudo and the sweet and the golden-crusted scallops with crispy rice squares.

Oh yes, desserts should not be neglected either, certainly not the rum creme brulee nor the flourless chocolate cake, though they may soon be replaced by other delightful treats. Chef Logan told me that he's set to change the dessert menu. Considering how skilled and talented he has proven to be already — and he's a mere 26 years old — odds are your sweet tooth will be profoundly pleased.

Don't forget to bring along a good bottle of wine. A meal this good deserves to be properly enjoyed.

Go: 331 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair; 973-233-0350, fascinorestaurant.com.

F1rst, Hawthorne

It's been way too long since I've had the pleasure of eating the food of award-winning chef Adam Weiss. His last gig was at Rail & Stone, a gastropub in Glen Rock. Given that Weiss is a certified fine-dine chef — he is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America — and a former chef of high-end Esty Street in Park Ridge, where he wowed both diners and critics, a casual burger-sandwich-and-beer spot was hardly the best fit for the two-tine Ultimate Chef Bergen County winner.

So F1irst is a big deal. While it's still in its infancy — it opened a mere days ago — the menu looks terrific. How do crispy crab cake "BLT," grilled steak frites, and Cajun jumbo shrimp and grits sound to you? What about creme fraiche whipped potatoes, crispy calamari and artichokes and mussels in a wine garlic broth?

Sounds darn good to me. As for dessert...Weiss is a magician when it comes to ice cream. So here's my advice: get any one of his housemade ice creams and also get his signature Montrachet brulee cheesecake. Yes, two desserts. You can work off the calories at the gym the next day.

Go: 112 Lincoln Ave., Hawthorne; 973-830-2119, firstrestaurantnj.com/

Boots and Bones, Jersey City

Who says New Jersey doesn't have great barbecue? Boots & Bones, a barbecue joint in Jersey City headed by executive chef Kenny Callaghan, is out to prove all those ingrates wrong.

Need an intro to Callaghan? Here goes: He worked at beloved Union Square Cafe in Manhattan for eight years and served some of the best barbecue in New York City as executive chef and pitmaster at Blue Smoke & Jazz Standard. (I'm no jazz fan, but I used to happily accompany my jazz-loving husband to the Jazz Standard cause I knew I'd eat well.) Callaghan also co-founded the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, a two-day nationwide BBQ event.

And it's not just New Jersey barbecue aficionados who love Boots & Bones. Robert Sietsema, the restaurant critic for Eater New York, is a huge fan too. Just read his write-up, entitled Your Next Stop for Really Good Barbecue Might Be in Jersey City.

What's on the menu? The chef's famous pimento cheese, brisket-loaded potato, deviled eggs with crispy bacon, smoked beef brisket and St. Louis ribs.

And now there's also a speakeasy in the basement of the restaurant called Under the Boot. End your night in a sultry, dimly lit space, nursing a cocktail as you digest all that charred protein.

Go: 116 Newark Ave., Jersey City, 201-706-3237, bootsandbonesjc.com.

Sparo’s Deli, Ramsey

Gotta thank Sparo's Deli for opening an outpost in Ramsey this year. It's not always convenient to drive to Montclair for the hefty and delicious sandwiches Mike Sparacino and Adam Rose offer at their four-year-old Montclair location. As of this year, there's a Ramsey location too.

If you love chicken cutlets, try Sparo's Belle, crisp cutlets garnished with American cheese, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes and a slathering of mayo. Or consider the Mama Cici (named after Rose's mom) that showcases those crisp cutlets adorned with nutty broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers and silky mozzarella. Would rather go vegetarian? Get the Mama Ree, Sparacino's mom's own concoction of fried eggplant cutlets topped by fresh mozzarella, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and arugula.

If you decide to eat your sandwich at the joint, take a good look at all those family photos. Kind of warms the heart.

Go: 94 E. Main St., Ramsey; 973-509-0807; sparosdeli.com.

Bischoff’s, Teaneck

How many tears did you shed when you heard that Bischoff's, the beloved near-90-year-old ice cream shop, had closed its doors?

Three friends of Steven Mather, Bischoff's owner — T.J. Quinn, Edward Pierce and Rony Alvarado — didn't cry. They did something more productive. They convinced Mather to launch a pop-up at the Cedar Lane location this summer and then a full-on restaurant this fall.

As a result, North Jersey ice cream lovers can once again dig into Bischoff's homemade ice cream. And food lovers can also enjoy some sliders, chicken nuggets and, yes, even French fries. Bischoff's finally has a fryer.

Go: 468 Cedar Lane, Teaneck; 201-836-0333. bischoffs.community.

More: Pasta Ramen in Montclair is the hottest restaurant in NJ. Is it really that good?

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More: This new JC BBQ joint has chef Kenny Callaghan of Blue Smoke in NYC at its helm

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: North Jersey's biggest restaurants openings of 2023 so far