As someone who absolutely loves New Jersey's fine dining scene, I have a couple of tiers of restaurants I love. There are the affordable local restaurants I'll visit at least once a month, and the old favorites I'll visit a few times a year. And then there are the special event restaurants that I'm lucky to get to once a year for a special event - but I know I'll be dreaming about them every day until I get back. Picking the best fine dining in New Jersey is next to impossible - we might be the most culinarily diverse state in the country - but there's a good case that Elements in Princeton tops the list. Serving an innovative, seasonal tasting menu out of a beautiful corner restaurant, this restaurant is masterminded by Chef Scott Anderson and is over ten years into its run as the crown jewel of Princeton's dining scene. And if reviews are any indication, the team at Elements keeps raising the bar.
Elements isn't exactly hidden, but its face is subtle on the Princeton landscape. But inside, it's anything but.
Inside, this is a beautiful and romantic restaurant that's the perfect setting for the most innovative tasting menus in the state.
Elements serves both a five-course tasting menu and a more elaborate 10+ course Chef's Tasting Menu. No matter what, you can expect dishes celebrating the best of local produce...
As well as innovative pasta preparations that stand up well to NJ's reputation for excellent Italian food.
The seafood dishes tend to be the lightest of the meal - letting the bounty of the sea stand out.
But if the meal has a signature course, it's definitely the smoked Wagyu ribeye, which is both eyecatching and delicious.
Dessert might be a little more straightforward, but packed with an incredible amount of flavor and nuance.
Love the look of this restaurant but not ready to commit to a tasting menu? Elements does offer a la carte dishes at the bar to give you a small taste of the culinary wonders here.
Have you dined at Elements in Princeton? Do you think it's the best fine dining in New Jersey? Let us know in the comments section! You can visit the Elements website for a look at a sample menu and to make reservations, and make sure to follow the Elements Facebook page for a first look at upcoming special events. If this restaurant wasn't amazing on its own, it's central to some of the best spots in Princeton - you're across the street from this beautiful public library, and only minutes away from NJ's best ice cream and the historic Nassau Inn, both located in Palmer Square.
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