Exploring New Jersey: Cranford

Just 20 miles from New York City lies Cranford, NJ. Cranford has been described as “charming,” “a foodie destination,” and “looks like it’s right out of a Hallmark movie.” In addition to offering a variety of restaurants and retail stores, the town is constantly busy with community activities and events

Cranford’s dining scene is a mix of established and new restaurants and food spots. Italian restaurant Garlic Rose Bistro opened in Cranford 19 years ago and has a loyal customer following, as well as a reputation for friendly and welcoming service. Perrott’s Quality Meats was opened by brothers David and Mario Perrotta in 1967, and the butcher shop continues to operate as a family business on South Union Avenue. Meanwhile, business owners consistently seek out Cranford as the town where they want to open their doors. The owner of Folklore Taco chose Cranford as the 3 rd location for his restaurant after specifically searching for space in town. Delice Macarons opened early in 2020 and quickly became known in the area for its selection of delicious French pastries. The dining scene will be expanding even more in the next few months with the opening of a Cranford branch of Ani Ramen and the new business Yumpanadas. Like many business owners in the past few months, Downtown Cranford restaurant owners found themselves having to adjust to a new reality. Outdoor seating and parklets began to pop up throughout town and were quickly filled with eager customers.

To celebrate the diversity of cuisines available in Cranford, the Downtown Cranford Office and Cranford Community Connection teamed up on the 1 st Annual Taste of Cranford in September. The Taste of Cranford event allowed people to try bites from a variety of restaurants in town. Greek, Italian, Mexican, Moroccan, and Indian were just a few of the cuisine options available during Taste of Cranford.

One of the biggest events to take place in Cranford each year is the Scarecrow Stroll. Scarecrows are created by local residents, businesses, community organizations, teams, and schools, and line the streets of Downtown. The event brings people from all over the area as they gawk at the incredible creations and vote for their favorites. This year is the 13th Annual Scarecrow Stroll and it promises to be a very special one. 2020 has been a difficult year in many different ways, and the opportunity to have an event that brings people together (in a safe, socially distant way) is so important, now more than ever.