Alright, now that part one of my summer vacations is covered, let's move on to part two. We are heading to Bordentown to Old Town Pub, located at 135 Farnsworth Ave. oldtown.pub. The historic Farnsworth House, after two decades of charm, was sold in 2017 and transformed into one of Bordentown's finest casual dining spots in South Jersey. Their menu is absolutely incredible, featuring a fantastic variety of craft beer from both local and national breweries. They boast a 20-tap draft system upstairs and a 30-tap draft system downstairs, along with a wine tap system and even a root beer tap system—super cool!
Now, back to the menu—the food is phenomenal! The chicken nachos were absolutely outstanding, and the BBQ wings, oh my goodness, perfection! Add in the potstickers and shrimp cocktail, and it's pure deliciousness!
The next stop in Bordentown is The Ice Cream Boutique, located on 216 Farnsworth Ave., theicecreamboutique.com. Known as the sweetest and happiest spot in town, it truly lives up to the hype with its rich and creamy ice creams and gelatos. They specialize in empanadas, baked goods, and a variety of delicious drinks, both hot and cold, all at very affordable prices.
Our Bordentown trip continues with a brewery called Tindall Road Brewing Co., located at 102 Farnsworth Ave., tindallroadbrewery.co. It is an up-and-coming microbrewery that offers a variety of craft beers made with top-quality ingredients to ensure customer satisfaction. While sipping on a craft cold brew, you can enjoy Shuffle-Bowl arcade games, board games, live bands, and other exciting events.
Now, from Bordentown to Collingswood, my bestie Lynn scored tickets to an event sponsored by South Jersey Food Scene and its founder, Marilyn Johnson (big shoutout to her), to a new Italian restaurant named Michael Coastal Italian Grille, which was formerly Nunzio Ristorante Rustico, located at 706 Haddon Ave. michaelcollingswood.com Michael's serves the most spectacular, authentic Italian cuisine in South Jersey. They offer Sunday brunch and a children's menu. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are required by phone or online. The event we attended offered free tastings of octopus, pork belly with watermelon and sweet chili powder gnocchi, shrimp cocktail, pita bread with hummus and corn, a roll with sundried tomatoes, and ladyfingers with sweet cream vanilla sauce and strawberries. Michael's is also BYOB.
After dinner at Michael's comes the drinks at a new brewery, which used to be Devil's Creek, now called Swedesboro Brewing Company, Racoon Taproom. Located at 1 Powell Lane, Collingswood, and the main location 95 Woodstown Rd. in Swedesboro, raccoontaproom.com, or swedesborobrewing.com
Founded in 2020 by Marvin Bowe, this venture reflects his passion for brewing beer and his decades of expertise in homebrewing. SBC has garnered prestigious awards from BevTest and UNTAPPD. They offer a diverse selection of craft beers and seltzers to cater to various preferences. Plus, the establishment is BYOF (Bring Your Own Food). They also host private parties and special events, ensuring everyone has a great time.
The next stop on my adventure is West Orange, the hometown of one of the most industrious inventors of the 20th century, Thomas Edison (1847-1931) was an inventor, family man, and entrepreneur who played a pivotal role in bringing about the modern age of electricity. Today, his remarkable achievements are showcased at The Thomas Edison National Historic Park, located at 211 Main Street, West Orange. nps.gov. The park is divided into two sections, each highlighting a different part of Edison's life: the Laboratory and the Glenmont Estate. Together, they house over 300,000 items, including documents, historic artifacts, and a natural history collection featuring plant specimens gathered from the Glenmont Estate as part of the 1955 plant inventory. It boasts the third-largest museum collection in the National Park Service.
The Glenmont Estate, where Edison and his wife, Mina, spent much of their lives, is a 29-room Victorian mansion designed by Henry Hudson Holly, the pioneer of the Queen-Anne architectural style in the U.S. This mansion was Holly's crowning achievement. Glenmont was part of a working estate that included six outbuildings, such as a barn, greenhouse, auto garage, and potting shed, which still exist today. The interior of the Glenmont home is a rare example of Pottier & Stymus designs, a New York decorating firm that lost most of its records in a devastating fire in 1888. Glenmont features the firm’s modern Gothic-style furniture suites and decorative arts, carefully chosen to reflect true Victorian style. The Edison family appreciated the original interiors, making only minimal changes to Glenmont's décor during their residency. When visiting the national park, start at the visitor center where a park ranger will greet you. Admission is $15.00, and be sure to request a timed ticket for the Glenmount house tour. After paying, you'll receive a pass for the Glenmount estate to display in your car; without it, you won't be able to enter since the surrounding area is a residential community If you miss the house tour, you'll only have access to the grounds and greenhouse. Behind the house, you'll find the final resting place of Mr. and Mrs. Edison.
If all the touring has worked up your appetite, our next stop is a beautiful Peruvian restaurant called Lena y Carbon, located at 68 Washington St., Bloomfield. lenaycarbonus.com Lena y Carbon serves exceptional Peruvian cuisine like no other, making it a must-visit destination. The restaurant's interior is absolutely beautiful, and don't miss the stuffed llama!
