I found a place in Scotch Plains so good that I feel the need to tell people about it, even if it means I’ll get a later reservation on a random Wednesday night. bernadette has all the feels of a restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but without, you know, all the hipsters. It offers a seasonal menu of Mediterranean-inspired shareables and signature plates.
Well-coiffed mixologists with tatted forearms craft drinks with the skills of a baby-faced Tom Cruise in Cocktail. And the open-floor dining room blends itself into a posh lounge and bar area. This all happens under the careful eye of Ms. Bernadette, a hanging portrait of the restaurant’s namesake and the beautiful mother of one of the owners.
A Holiday-Movie-Channel Kind of Origin
You know those Hallmark movies that usually star someone who was once on Full House and have a storm or other catastrophe that brings the main characters together? That’s how the idea for bernadette came to be.
According to the website, Melody DeGaetano, owner of Black Drop Coffee was determined to save her recently opened shop from the damage caused by Hurricane Ida. Seeing her struggle, Ryan Hampton, a regular customer, dropped off a much-needed bottle of wine and jokingly suggested that “the town could use a place to go drink.” Unlike those movies, however, where the characters ultimately fall for one another, this obligatory love story became Melody and Ryan’s passion and shared vision for delicious food and amazing cocktails. And like that, they teamed up to create bernadette. And the restaurant has lived happily ever after.
Sumptuous Sips
This spot is not your typical neighborhood bar. It features a rotating list of local Jersey breweries on tap as well as a choice of two ready-made cocktails steeping in glass decanters. The first is a serrano-infused Pueblo Viejo Tequila. The other is a house-made Boulevardier made with Brooklyn-distilled, Fort Hamilton double-barrel bourbon, Contratto bitters liqueur, and Cocchi di Torino vermouth.
Mixed in among classics like Paper Planes and Sazeracs, the drink menu features several signature cocktails like the sparkling College Dropout, made with vodka, vanilla, passionfruit, and cava. Or you can choose to put your faith in the barkeep and get his Dealer’s Choice, aka the gin and tonic of the week. And there’s always my personal favorite, a Ford’s Gin martini with Manchego-stuffed olives. Delish!
The wine list offers over 50 bottles of lesser-known European red and white varietals chosen specifically to pair perfectly with bernadette’s elevated cuisine.
Fantastic Fare
According to Melody, the original concept of Bernadette was to be a cocktail parlor. But after they hired an amazing kitchen staff, they knew they had something special. Now the menu is as descriptive as a Bret Easton Ellis novel. I recommend ordering at least three dishes per person, to share. If you’re like me, you’ll probably start thinking about your fourth dish halfway through your first course.
Honestly, I’ve yet to have a lackluster dish. But if you are looking for suggestions, check out the chorizo-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates in a spicy diablo sauce. You’ll find three options of seasonal croquetas. These include my current fave: melted leeks and raclette with a crunchy exterior and luxuriously cheesy inside. The restaurant serves them over a tarragon aioli. And be forewarned, the fried Castelvetrano olives stuffed with Cabrales blue cheese in a Calabrian chili sauce are certifiably addictive.
If you really want to indulge, order the 32-oz, dry-aged, bone-in ribeye with shoestring potatoes, pickled red onions, and a sherry chimichurri.
My first visit was incredible, but it could have been simple luck. My second visit confirmed the first wasn’t a fluke. And after this last visit, I can officially say bernadette is my new favorite Jersey spot. And it doesn’t hurt that it’s in my backyard. Put this Scotch Plains gem on your radar. And add the address to your Uber app. You’ll want to try multiple cocktails.
You can make a reservation online up to one month in advance. Some items on the menu can be tailored for a vegetarian or vegan diet as well. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Hours and menu items are subject to change.
bernadette
387 Park Avenue
Scotch Plains, NJ
