6 Best Restaurants to Try in Sussex, NJ

Looking for the best restaurants in Sussex, NJ? Our team rounded up six open spots in and around Sussex Borough, the compact Main Street town surrounded by Wantage Township, from a tavern in an 1843 building and a Texas-style barbecue joint to a from-scratch breakfast counter, a billiards bar and grill, modern Indian food and locally sourced burgers on Route 23. Addresses, phone numbers and hours below come from each restaurant’s own website.

Four of the six sit within a short walk of each other on Main Street and Mill Street, and the other two are a quick drive out Route 23 in the Sussex and Wantage area. If you are visiting this season, pair a meal with our guide to the Green Valley Farms BBQ & Harvest Festival in Wantage. Heading east? See our picks for the best restaurants in Vernon.

Early American Tavern

Photo: Early American Tavern via Google Business Profile.

Early American Tavern at 9 Main Street anchors downtown Sussex from a building with real history. According to the tavern, Gabriel Coykendahl built it in 1843 as Frank U. Dixon’s Union House, it served as a recruiting station for Union soldiers during the Civil War, and it was renamed The Sussex Inn after a 1904 sale. Today the kitchen sticks to American comfort food, with burgers, fried chicken, cheesesteaks, Cobb salad, prime rib, wings, chili and pulled pork, and it now serves breakfast too. Hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with takeout, curbside pickup and reservations for sit-down meals. Call 973-875-3000.

Bearded Baby Que

Photo: Bearded Baby Que via Google Business Profile.

Bearded Baby Que at 52 Main Street is a family run Texas-style barbecue restaurant from pit master Brian and his wife, Cyndi, who grew the business from backyard cookouts to a food trailer and brewery residencies before signing the lease on their Main Street dining room in the summer of 2025. Meats are cooked in an offset smoker over real hardwood. Start with the best sellers: Smoke-a-Fried Wings, which are Cajun rubbed, smoked and finished in the fryer with house Alabama white sauce, the Smash Burger with Moo Mayo, or the Taste of Texas sampler of brisket, pulled pork and burnt ends with two sides. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 7 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. Call 862-351-6120. Catering is available.

Old Stone

Photo: Old Stone via Google Business Profile.

Old Stone at 13 Mill Street is a family run breakfast and lunch eatery named for a 174-year-old oven that, the owners say, the local blacksmith once used to forge parts for the community. The team bakes daily, makes its soups by hand and roasts green coffee beans in house. Breakfast covers eggs, omelettes, pancakes and French toast, including the double decker Stoner French Toast sandwich with eggs, meat and cheese for $16.99. Lunch brings burgers, a Philly cheesesteak, the Stoner Reuben and a 10 inch club sub, and Old Stone also makes 3 and 6 foot submarine sandwiches for parties. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Call 973-702-2379 to order.

The Sussex Saloon

Photo: The Sussex Saloon via Google Business Profile.

The Sussex Saloon at 15-17 Main Street is a billiard-themed restaurant, bar and cafe with seven pool tables, and it bills itself as family friendly. Come for burgers, wings and a huge pretzel with beer cheese, or newer additions like a NY strip steak and The Boro Bar Pizza Pie, with beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks at the bar. The Saloon shows NFL Sunday Ticket and Thursday Night Football, hosts pool leagues, darts, live music and karaoke after 9 p.m., and books pool table parties. It opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and is closed Monday. Call 862-351-6160.

Indian Spice Route 23

Photo: Indian Spice Route 23 via Google Business Profile.

Indian Spice Route 23 at 455 Route 23 blends traditional Indian cooking with modern fusion dishes, handcrafted cocktails and a full bar. First-time guests should look at the house favorites: butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, mango chicken, goat biryani, mushroom truffle naan and palak paneer. Spice levels run from mild to very spicy on request, there is a large vegetarian selection, and several dishes can be made vegan or gluten-free. The weekend lunch buffet runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $19.99 per guest, dine-in only. Reservations are taken online and at 973-298-0252, and catering is available.

Cow Patty’s

Photo: Cow Patty’s via Google Business Profile.

Cow Patty’s at 154 Route 23 in Wantage, a few minutes from downtown Sussex, has served its “Burger Experience” since 2020. Every burger is Certified Angus and flame grilled, the beef comes from nearby Green Valley Farms, and each burger also comes in a turkey or veggie version. Signatures include the Pineapple Jalapeño Burger with pepper jack and chipotle mayo, the Border Burger with chorizo, avocado and cilantro mayo, and the Brie & Apple Turkey Burger with fig puree on a multigrain bun. The menu also covers hot dogs, wings, sandwiches, salads, kids meals, shakes and desserts. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Tuesday. Call 973-997-7515.

How to Plan a Food Stop in Sussex

Make Old Stone your breakfast or lunch stop, since it closes at 1:30 p.m., then walk Main Street for dinner at Early American Tavern or Bearded Baby Que. Bearded Baby Que and Cow Patty’s both close on Tuesday, so save the barbecue and burger runs for later in the week. For a night out, The Sussex Saloon pairs dinner with pool and football. Indian Spice Route 23 is the pick for a weekend buffet lunch on the way to or from High Point.

Featured photo: A curry with naan and rice at Indian Spice Route 23 in Sussex. Photo: Indian Spice Route 23 via Google Business Profile.