An Afternoon in New Jersey

Of all the states in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, the one I have spent the least amount of time in is New Jersey. As a true backyard traveler, this needs to change! Recently, I spent a fun afternoon in New Jersey eating lots of food, visiting a farmers market, and watching a baseball game. It’s hard to beat that!

Harold’s New York Deli

Although “New York” is in the name, Harold’s is in Edison, New Jersey. My afternoon in New Jersey started here. I visited Harold’s with friends eighteen years ago and have never forgotten it. Why may you ask? Well, first of all, the sandwiches can feed a whole table. Second of all, the matzah ball in the matzah ball soup is as big as a softball. Around here bigger is certainly better.

Looking for a place for lunch, I set my GPS to Edison and didn’t tell the rest of my party about Harold’s. Looking at the menu and seeing sandwiches in the 20 and 30 dollar range must have been shocking for them. I soon explained that a large would fill three of us. My wife’s “Junior” size should at least be for two. 

My parents and I split a large corned beef sandwich (goodbye diet). It was not only humongous but also absolutely delicious. It was piled high with tender meat, open-faced, with a splattering of cheese on top reminiscent of whip cream on a sundae. My younger son’s hot dog was the size of a baseball bat. 

We divided up the sandwich and then grabbed more and more slices of the leftover corned beef. It was perfect topping it with Russian dressing and mixing it with the pickled veggies that come with lunch. The pickles they serve at Harold’s are also fantastic.

The Harold’s Experience

Not only is the food memorable, but so is the restaurant. Pulling up to it, it looks nondescript if not foreboding. Located in a roadside motel next to busy Route 95, the facade is misleading. Inside, the dining room is spacious and filled with New York and New Jersey memorabilia including photos of the Rat Pack, New York Yankee greats, and local celebrities. Watch the cooks prepare the sandwiches and other meals through the open kitchen.

Harold’s is located at 1173 King Georges Post Road in Edison, New Jersey. 

The Farmers Market at Duke Farms

Heading south to Hillsborough Township, our afternoon in New Jersey continues. I had been excited to visit Duke Farms, the estate of the Duke Family who were tobacco moguls. This is best known as the primary home of Doris Duke, the heiress to the fortune. 

Her mansion was located on-site but demolished in 2016. Although at 67,000 square feet, it was astounding, the house was deemed not important historically and razed. On today’s Duke Farms the public is allowed to wander around the property, taking in the trails, out-buildings such as the administration building which was once a barn, and gardens. Except on Sundays or Mondays, since the property is closed on those days.

Of course, my visit occurred on a Monday. I was bummed but found out that a farmers market takes place there weekly. I like farmers markets and was excited to explore what I could. The farmers market is good-sized with many vendors. From Polish food to produce, a BBQ food truck to craft coffee, this market is extensive. 

For dinner, I had tacos from the Oink and Moo BBQ food truck which were excellent. The kids had hot dogs (what a surprise). After picking up a few peaches and listening to a folk group sing Willy of Winsbury, we ate our food on the steps of an outbuilding on the Duke Farms estate. After poking around a few trails nearby, it was time to head back into the car.  

Somerset Patriots

For the final event of our afternoon in New Jersey, it was time to head a few miles down the road to Bridgewater Township. Here we caught a ball game at TD Ballpark, home of the Somerset Patriots, the Double-A farm team of the New York Yankees. 

From the road, the brick facade of the ballpark was striking. This is a comfortable, family-friendly minor league park. The promotion that night was a free Patriots baseball. To add to the fun, Yankees pitcher Luis Severino was pitching for the Patriots that night. 

After Rita’s Water Ice, and Mr. Softtee’s soft serve, everyone was stuffed from a long day of eating. The kids loved the two mascots, Slider and Sparkee, named for longtime coach of the Patriots, Sparky Lyle (to boot, the mascot is a Schnauzer!) Although a Yankees affiliate, I easily found myself rooting for the Patriots! 

In the end, the game was incredible. Severino and two other pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter–absolutely one of the coolest events I’ve ever seen in a live sports game. (Almost as good as the minor league hockey game I went to which set a record for total penalty minutes!)

An Evening in New Jersey

That evening we stayed at the nearby Hampton Inn in Bridgewater which was really nice. The staff was friendly, the rooms were clean, spacious, and modern. 

Although our afternoon in New Jersey came to an end, our trip certainly left us with pleasant memories. We also learned that the Garden State is nicknamed that for a reason. Plus, not everyone from New Jersey is a Soprano’s cast member or a cast-off from Jersey Shore, the TV show.