Here on Jersey’s Best Podcast we are devoted year-round to highlighting New Jersey's exceedingly diverse food and dining scene. But as February is recognized as Black History Month, we wanted to spend an episode specifically on Black-owned restaurants, which are one of many pillars of our culinary landscape. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com food and culture reporter Chris Burch to discuss how Black-owned restaurants in New Jersey go far beyond soul food, the definition of soul food, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant in Camden, the history of New Jersey’s barbecue scene and more. Then Jeremy puts Chris through the Garden State Gauntlet, Black-owned restaurant edition! 

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Follow Chris Burch at @swishburch 

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The Grammy Awards are coming up! And while Jersey’s Best Podcast was somehow snubbed for any nominations, New Jersey has a rich history of winning the biggest awards in music! SZA and Jack Antonoff are both up for Grammys this year, but the Garden State's musical history goes far beyond trophies.  Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com music writer (and Jersey’s Best Podcast producer) Bobby Olivier to break down why New Jersey has such an amazing music scene, the 51 best albums in New Jersey history and crown the best record from every decade. Everything from Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston and Fugees come up in the musical discussion. There was so much to cover we had to do a double episode. Like a double album! Then Bobby goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, Grammy edition!  

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Follow Bobby Olivier at @bobbyolivier 

Listen to the Spotify playlist of NJ.com’s 51 best New Jersey albums here

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Jersey’s Best Podcast is paying its respects — because it’s the end of an era in Central Jersey. Brunswick Square, the East Brunswick mall that was a Middlesex County staple for more than 50 years, officially closed on January 10. While New Jersey’s mall culture is well-established, technology is changing shopping habits, and that means less malls. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com senior political reporter (and Brunswick Square’s biggest fan) Brent Johnson to discuss what he loved so much about Brunswick Square (3:33), some of his best memories from growing up going to the mall (4:50), the mall’s slow decline (12:42) and why New Jersey malls are fading in general (25:19). Then Brent goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, mall edition (38:03)! 

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. Read his eulogy for Brunswick Square here .

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How long can we take this chance not to celebrate... the most important New Jersey band of the 21st century? This week Jersey’s Best Podcast is leaving the podcast studio and headed for a New Brunswick basement show, to talk about one of the most influential bands in Garden State history — Thursday. The emo/screamo/post-hardcore/post-whatever band from Central Jersey helped shape the scene in the early 2000s, and influenced countless other groups. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com music writer (and Jersey’s Best Podcast producer) Bobby Olivier to discuss anything and everything about Thursday — from Jeremy’s memories of seeing them live for the first time at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville (5:50) and what makes Thursday timeless and iconic (8:20) to which of their albums reigns supreme (20:28). Bobby and Jeremy then draft their favorite Thursday song (26:40) before Bobby goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, Thursday edition (49:26)!  

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Follow Bobby Olivier at @bobbyolivier

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Everyone knows the Taylor Provisions Company as the biggest name in Taylor ham and pork roll — they literally invented it all the way back in 1856, and their cherry red packaging is as synonymous with the stuff as eggs, cheese and kaiser rolls.  What you don’t know is the family behind the company is rife with enough scandal, infighting and legal drama to make the Taylor ham/pork roll name controversy look like a footnote. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com enterprise writer Brianna Kudisch, who wrote "The untold story of Taylor ham: Inside a N.J. family legacy tainted by scandal, cruelty and a tawdry affair," the story that details the drama that surrounds the company. Jeremy and Brianna break down the history of the company and how it invented Taylor ham as we know it and why the government made them change the product's name (5:51), the woman who has taken over the company and ushered in an era of scandal (9:45) and multiple harassment lawsuits (15:00). Then Brianna goes through the Garden State Gauntlet, Taylor Provisions edition (38:40)!

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Follow Brianna at @BriannaKudisch

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Happy New Years from Jersey’s Best Podcast! While 2025 may have been the year this podcast launched, we’re just as excited for 2026! And as New Jersey prepares for the New Year, we have some New Year’s resolutions for the Garden State. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by comedian Jourdan McKinley to prepare for the New Year with pledges related to the 2026 World Cup coming to MetLife Stadium, some of New Jersey’s best movie theaters and the food trends we want to see (and not see) in 2026. Jourdan also explains the biggest issue facing New Jersey in 2026. Then Jeremy puts Jourdan through the Garden State Gauntlet, New Years edition! Happy New Year!

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Follow Jourdan McKinley at @jourdanmckinley 

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Merry Christmas Eve, fellow Jerseyans! Jeremy is off throwing bagels at elves so we are re-running one of our favorite episodes of the year! We'll be back with a new episode next week — happy listening!

Our, uh, colorful New Jersey language unites us, even if it separates us from the rest of the country. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by comedian and noted Bennie dissenter Allie Mae to break down all their favorite Jersey slang, from saltpepperketchup (7:34) and 20regularcash (14:42) to the more obscure Jersey Slide (16:29) and Goosey Night (22:38). They also bond over which New Jersey highway has not yet been lost to corporate America (13:36). Then Allie takes on our trickiest Garden State Gauntlet yet, identifying Jersey town nicknames (41:38). 

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Follow Allie Mae at @defaultprogrammer 

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This week, Jersey’s Best Podcast is going out to eat! Because of all the myriad things New Jerseyans adore about the Garden State, there’s one thing we love above it all — food. We’ve done a delicious job of documenting New Jersey’s culinary obsession on Jersey’s Best Podcast. And this week is no different — we’re breaking down the best things we ate in New Jersey in 2025. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by Michael Barreto aka Mikey Mortadella, the manager at Judy & Harry’s in Asbury Park, as they go down the list of the best meals of the year. From pop-up smash burgers down the Shore (16:26) and Vietnamese egg coffee in Bergen County (21:51) to a final meal at a legendary New Jersey diner (24:42), an Iberian pasta dish that showcases why anchovies are so overlooked in cuisine (31:23) and why the dining scene is a pillar of humanity in New Jersey (40:37), Jeremy and Mikey break down a very tasty year in Garden State eats. Then Jeremy puts Mike through the Garden State Gauntlet, 2025 food edition (49:45)! 

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Follow Michael Barreto at @Mike_Barreto 

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Happy Holidays from Jersey’s Best Podcast! The holiday season is in full swing, and what better place to be for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Years than New Jersey. But we know the holidays can be stressful as you look for things to do with your family — and fine, thing to do to get away from your family. So we’re here to help! Host Jeremy Schneider is joined by NJ.com data reporter Katie Kausch to discuss all the funnest things to do in New Jersey during the holiday season. Jeremy and Katie draft the ultimate New Jersey holiday experience, ranging from snowshoeing in one of New Jersey’s most scenic state parks (6:25) and visiting holiday-themed aquariums (9:30) to building menorahs while eating latkes (12:38) and hitting the mall to meet Santa, even if it’s the worst time of year to be there (15:11). Then Jeremy puts Katie through the Garden State Gauntlet, holiday edition (35:16)!    

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NJ.com’s intrepid food team just released its biggest story ever, the 99 best restaurants in New Jersey! The list covers every county in the state, every type of cuisine you can think of and runs the gamut from fine dining to divey greasy spoons. Host Jeremy Schneider is joined once again by NJ.com food writers Pete Genovese, Lauren Musni and Chris Burch to break down everything that went into the story and some of their favorite spots that made the rankings, everything from a food truck in Morristown (6:29), a sandwich shop in a shipping container (15:21) and one of the state’s elite diners (16:49) to elite Korean barbecue (24:33), soothing ramen (22:44) and the best Iberian restaurant in the state (27:15). Then Jeremy and the team break down the top 10 of the NJ.com 99 best restaurants list (30:55), including crowning the No. 1 restaurant in the great state of New Jersey (50:30)!

⁠Read the full list of Jersey's 99 best restaurants here! ⁠

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Follow Pete Genovese at @petegenovese on X and @peteknowsjersey on Instagram. Subscribe to Pete’s newsletter, Jersey’s Secret Sauce, here. 

Follow Lauren at @laurengisellemusni

Follow Chris Burch at @swishburch 

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