New Jersey has many restaurants throughout the state that offer private dining rooms for special events and parties. At some of these restaurants, the wine cellar is available as a private dining room. Dining in a restaurant's wine cellar provides guests with a unique experience and maximum privacy. Here are four restaurants in four New Jersey cities whose wine cellars are available for private parties.
Stage Left Restaurant in New Brunswick is a contemporary American restaurant with several private dining rooms available. The 408-square-foot wine cellar located downstairs seats up to 18. The dinner menus for private dining range from three to five course options. Also available are hors d'oeuvres and cocktail stations, which can be added on to dinner service or chosen alone. Opened in 1992, its wine list has been awarded the "Best of Award of Excellence" badge by Wine Spectator.
The Knife & Fork Inn is a steak and seafood restaurant housed in a 1912 four-story Flemish-style building. Located in Atlantic City, the building was originally a men's club that served alcohol during Prohibition. The restaurant today still has a Prohibition-era ambiance. A third floor apartment has been transformed into a wine cellar and private party dining room. The room features exposed brick, hardwood floors and views of the ocean. The restaurant's extensive wine collection can be seen by guests through windows. One long table can accommodate 22 people. Other configurations allow for accommodation up to 40 people. Private menu options are named after Prohibition-era characters, such as The Flapper and The Bootlegger. The restaurant also offers cocktail party menus.
Highlawn Pavilion is a fine-dining establishment built on top of Eagle Rock Reservation, a forest reserve and recreational park in West Orange. The building, which resembles an Italian country dwelling, dates to 1909. It is now a popular venue for weddings and special events, particularly because it has panoramic views of the New York City skyline. The wine cellar is directly on top of Eagle Rock, with the rock forming the eastern wall of the room. Guests dine at a table with the restaurant's collection of wine stacked along the walls as the backdrop. The restaurant offers special cocktail, dinner and dessert menus.
Located in Rocky Hill, ONE 53 serves up American and European Bistro cuisine in a contemporary setting. The menu changes with the seasons, using fresh and local ingredients. The wine cellar can seat up to 28 guests for dinner and up to 35 for standing cocktail receptions. While there is no room charge, there is a minimum food and beverage bill amount that varies depending on the night. Guests can dine at long tables set in the middle of the cellar, with the bottles of wine surrounding them on three sides. ONE 53's wine list features many wines from California and France.
