It’s a new year and time for a new look at the ever-evolving Princeton restaurant scene. Here are the new arrivals of 2024 as well as a few who closed their doors for the final time.
30 Burgers
While the burger spot with a dozen locations across the state is not new to Princeton, it has undergone a change of scenery. Its original location at 124 Nassau Street closed — and is now occupied by rival burger chain Diesel & Duke — but in February of last year 30 Burgers opened anew at the Princeton Shopping Center.
As its name implies, the menu features 30 burgers, ranging from classic beef burgers to chicken, turkey, and vegetarian options, along with a selection of salads, hot dogs, milk shakes, and side dishes. Unique burger options include the “Trenton Burger,” topped with grilled pork roll, American cheese, and ketchup; and the “Maui Burger,” with grilled pineapple, smoked ham, and teriyaki glaze.
30 Burgers — Princeton, Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street. Open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 609-718-3111. www.30burgers.com.
Alfalfa
The fast casual chain specializing in made-to-order salads and wraps has spread from its North Jersey roots to a brand new location in the Nassau Street spot last occupied by Ani Ramen and Mochinut, both of which closed in 2023.
The menu primarily comprises salads and wraps built on a base of “Alfalfa Mix,” or romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, and kale, and a range of additional vegetables, starches, and proteins that come in preset combinations or added a la carte into a build-it-yourself salad or wrap. The counter-service spot also offers a selection of breakfast burritos and homemade gluten-free desserts.
Alfalfa, 140 Nassau Street, Princeton. Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. 609-285-5560. www.eatalfalfa.com.
Ayat
The restaurant offering an extensive menu of Palestinian fare opened last fall in the Spring Street space previously occupied by the Planted Plate vegan restaurant. Ayat is named for the wife of the restaurant’s owner, Abdul Elenani, who first established his bistro in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, before expanding to additional New York City locations and a Princeton outpost.
See The Echo, December 2024, for a full story.
Ayat, 15 Spring Street. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 609-356-0674. www.ayatnyc.com.
Belle Journee Bakery
The new French bakery is taking over the space previously occupied by the Indian restaurant Chennai Chimney. A December 2024 opening was planned, though it was not yet open as of press time.
A mission statement on its website reads: “Belle Journée rises as a beacon of taste and harmony, a bakery that has woven the elegance of French baking tradition with the threads of modern innovation to create a timeless and contemporary brand. The inception of Belle Journée was not just the opening of a bakery but the birth of a brand that encapsulates the art of French living — savoring each moment and finding joy in the simple pleasures of life.”
A menu posted online promises baked goods and beverages as well as a small selection of salads, sandwiches, soups, and “plates” including French toast, quiche, shakshuka, and tteokbbokki.
Belle Journee Bakery, 19 Chambers Street. www.bellejournee.com.
Capriotti’s
Coming soon to Princeton Shopping Center is Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, a deli chain offering subs and sandwiches that first opened in Delaware in 1976. The menu includes a huge range of sandwiches, including breakfast subs with eggs, cheese, and meat; classics like Italian, BLT, and tuna salad; seven different cheesesteaks; vegetarian options; and more.
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton Shopping Center. order.capriottis.com.
The Graduate Hotel
The newly opened hotel on Chambers Street offers two dining options for both hotel guests and hungry passersby.
The main restaurant, Ye Tavern Restaurant and Bar, is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner offering pub fare and cocktails from the early 20th century. Its name, according to the hotel website, was taken from a restaurant that occupied the same site during the 1930s.
The Lobby Cafe offers a casual setting to enjoy a hot beverage while chatting with friends or getting some work done.
The Graduate by Hilton, 10 Chambers Street. Ye Tavern Restaurant and Bar open daily, breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m.; lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Lobby Cafe open daily 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.hilton.com/en/hotels/pctgpgu-graduate-princeton. 609-436-9400.
J.S. Foodies
Tucked away on South Tulane Street is a recent addition to Princeton’s breakfast offerings. J.S. Foodies, which opened in April, specializes in kiseki pancakes, an extra fluffy soufflé-style brunch specialty. In addition to a selection of pancake flavors and other breakfast foods, the restaurant also offers assorted lunch items including burgers and BLTs.
J.S. Foodies Tokyo, 14 South Tulane Street. Open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 609-285-5625.
Madras Dosa Company
Madras Dosa Company first introduced its South Indian cuisine in Boston and has expanded to 180 Nassau Street in Princeton, where it replaced KBG Korean Barbecue Grill after it closed its doors earlier in 2024.
The Princeton spot, opened in November, specializes in its namesake treat the dosa, a savory crepe typically served warm with chutney and a choice of vegetable or meat fillings. The menu also includes a selection of idli, a savory rice cake traditionally eaten as a breakfast food, and other South Indian treats.
Madras Dosa Company, 180 Nassau Street. madrasdosaco.com 609-728-9400.
Triumph Restaurant & Brewery
The long-awaited reopening of Triumph Brewery in the former Post Office building in Palmer Square finally came in 2024.
The restaurant now has two distinct sections: a downstairs bar area with sports on TVs and the elevated pub fare the brewpub has traditionally featured, and a more upscale upstairs dining room with fancier menu options to match. Of course, Triumph’s rotating selection of beers brewed in house are features of the drink menus both upstairs and down.
Triumph Restaurant & Brewery, 20 Palmer Square East. Open Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. www.triumphbrewing.com. 609-924-7855.
Xi Bei
Coming soon to the former home of Sakura Express on Witherspoon Street is Xi Bei, a restaurant offering noodles, dumplings, meat skewers, and a range of entrees and other specialties from the northwestern region of China.
Xi Bei, 43 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonxibei.com
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