Erini Restaurant, Ewing Township, NJ: A Dining Review
Erini Restaurant --- one of the best New Jersey restaurants for magical outdoor dining
Erini Restaurant1140 River Road
Ewing Township, NJ
609-882-0303
Website
Erini Restaurant Highlights
Fare: Contemporary American, Mediterranean infused
Price: Expensive
Food Quality: Well executed menu, artfully presented, using healthy, quality ingredients
Service: Professional, friendly, attentive without being intrusive, unpretentious
Ambiance/Decor: Upscale yet casual atmosphere, especially outdoor dining during the warmer months
Overall Rating: 3 Stars
Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 Star =Poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Moderate
Dress: Business Casual
Recommended For: Upscale diners who enjoy healthy, artfully prepared food, in a festive setting
Not Recommended For: Cost conscious diners who enjoy a casual family setting with many comfort food items
Recommended dishes: When available, The Lobster weekend special; The King Crab Legs, a pound of succulent crab steamed to perfection and dusted with old bay served with french fries and spinach; and The Char-Grilled Center Cut Filet Mignon w/ Bordelaise sauce, portobello mushrooms, garlic chive mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, and rutabagas.
Alcohol: Full service bar with excellent specialty cocktails and an extensive wine list.
Restaurant Review
Erini Restaurant, perched on a sloping hillside above the meandering Delaware River, is an upscale, yet casual restaurant, popular with diners who enjoy a well executed, creatively prepared menu in an attractive festive setting. It is especially festive during the holiday season and during the warmer months with outdoor dining on their huge patio --- one of the best in New Jersey. Erini is an ideal place to celebrate a special occasion.
Erini is family owned, run by a father Chris and son Nick Fifus, both of whom received their formal culinary education at the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America. After graduating CIA in 1976, Chef Chris Fifus honed his culinary skills at the family's Ponzio restaurant and later in 1999 at Steamers Bar & Grill.
Chef Cris Fifus purchased this restaurant in 2007 and renamed it Erini after his mother who passed away in 2005. The style of cooking and festive atmosphere is partly due to his mother's influence who shared her love of cooking and the flavors of her Greek heritage with her family. "Erini" in Greek means "Peace"
Chefs Chris and Nick are committed to using seasonal ingredients from local farm to table sources.
Their seasonally changing menu with daily specials consists of a variety of choices with an emphasis on seafood.
Erini is vegetarian friendly with vegan and gluten free options.
Enjoy Lobster? Call ahead to to find out about their lobster weekends. When available, pre-order their special lobster entree. This a rare treat.
Menus are available with QR Scanning codes
The grounds are beautiful featuring two huge attractively outdoor dining patios with a Tiki bar. This is outdoor dining at it's best
The outdoor dining patio, open (weather permitting) May-September, is done-up with lots of greenery and plants. During the evening this is becomes a magical setting with sparkly lights and space heaters reducing the chill on cooler late spring and early fall evenings.
The interior dining area includes a spacious 80-seat main dining room and a second, smaller room that seats 30.
The entrance lobby opens to an attractive gas fireplace leading to the main dining room with lots of windows in a comfortable spacious setting but with a bit of a banquet hall vibe. The bar area is attractive and cozy, dark with blue lights, large screen TVs, a fish tank, and high tables.
During the winter months, while waiting for a table. order a cocktail at the bar and sit near the fireplace in the lobby.
Weekend reservations highly recommended.
Erini is open 6 days/week: Tue-Thu: 11:30AM-9:00PM, Fri-Sat: 11:30AM-10:00PM, & Sun: 3:00PM-8:00PM
Open for Thanksgiving dinner
(updated; May 2023)
How Do We Review (analyze) Restaurants?
New Jersey Leisure Guide strives to provide analytic restaurant reviews.
The methodology used is research, analysis driven --- as opposed to that of a single restaurant critic or a social media platform, viewer comment posting board.
