6 Great Nights Out In Morris And Essex
Resist the end-of-summer blues and have a great night out with your crew at one of these local hotspots.
Though summer doesn’t officially end until the Fall Equinox on Sept. 22, let’s be honest: We’re ready to celebrate autumn. Stop by some seasonal festivals, for instance, or sample the pumpkin spice confections popping up at all your favorite local eateries.
One thing you shouldn’t do? Let the end of summer get you into a slump. There are places all around Morris and Essex where you can grab your significant other or your entire crew and enjoy a great night out no matter the season. And we know the very best.
Our 2025 Readers’ Choice Award winners are here, and they can help you keep the good times going. Check out these spots for great food, great sips and amazing vibes, and then browse the rest of our winners!
Calandra’s Mediterranean Grill. The winner of our Best Girls’ Night Out category, this Essex County favorite has a fantastic ladies’ night on Wednesdays with discounted drinks, a special happy hour menu and live music long into the night. The standard happy hour menu is offered until closing time on Mondays and has special late-night hours throughout the week, meaning there’s never a bad time to stop by.
*118 Rte. 46, Fairfield, 973.575.6500
Il Vecchio Café. Not only does this family-owned restaurant have a beautiful dining area, it’s also the winner of Essex’s Best Happy Hour. Specials, which include flat breads, pasta, wraps and more, go from 3 p.m. until close on Mondays and from 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday. Also available: wine flights and charcuterie, cocktails, elevated apps and much more.
*234 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, 973.226.8889
MoonShine Modern Supper Club. Retro-classic and always chic, MoonShine took second place for Best Girls’ Night Out. Enjoy an extensive beer, wine and cocktail menu, the option of a four-course prix fixe dinner and a wide dinner menu with something to please anyone. Have a crew that prefers daytime gatherings? Take advantage of the Sunday brunch menu.
*55 Main St., Millburn, 973.218.6042
Ombra. The winner of Best Craft Cocktails in addition to being a nod for Best Girls’ Night Out, you’ll find much to like at this Boonton staple, which bills itself as “a modern twist on the traditional Venetian wine bar.” Check out a special drink menu and local talent at the new Martini Mondays, a menu filled with elevated light bites and an always-innovative drink selection.
*516 Main St., Boonton, 973.367.1196
The Laundromat. Not only was this speakeasy-style bar named the Best Happy Hour in Morris, it was also a runner up in our Best Girls’ Night Out and Best Craft Cocktails categories. Stop by for live music every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and a rotating menu of seasonal cocktails that keeps the flavors fresh. And, yes, it’s styled so you need to walk through a “secret” entrance in a laundromat.
*4 Dehart St., Morristown, 973.745.3508
Stirling Tavern. As fitting a nod in our Best Craft Cocktails category, this Morristown restaurant has a colorful and innovative menu (right now, the special is a Dubai chocolate martini, with pistachio and white chocolate liqueur). But don’t skip out on the dinner menu, which boasts wild boar ragu, mushroom glass noodles and loaded crab fries.
*150 South St., Morristown, 973.993.8066
Want to see the winners of 70+ other categories? Check out the September issue of MORRIS & ESSEX.
