Vibrant Downtowns and Communities
Downtown Morristown
Combines Local History
With Cutting-Edge Restaurants
By Mike Danahey
Offering lots of local lore, particularly about George Washington, a diverse range of shops and restaurants and the Mayo Performing Arts Center, there’s plenty to see and do in Morristown.
“It’s a fun town, where there’s a mix of history with the cutting edge,” said Karen Roettger, Director of Development, Morristown Partnership.
The eclectic dining scene includes Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, with its energetic oyster bar; Roots Steakhouse and Raul’s Empanadas Town that’s been open for decades.
“We have Greek and Indian places and a growing number of Mexican restaurants including NOM Mexican Table & Tequila Bar,” Roettger said. “While everyone in northern New Jersey has 1,000 Italian places, we have 1,001.”
The feather in the cap for local dining, Roettger said, is having establishments run by celebrated chefs within walking distance from each other.
1776 by David Burke, featuring Topgolf Swing Suite, serves Burke’s take on modern American cuisine. It’s just off the Morristown Green and not far from a statue depicting a meeting between George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette and Alexander Hamilton.
Leia Gaccione is the chef and owner of South+Pine American Eatery on South Street. Her spot features casual dining and a menu full of locally sourced ingredients and seasonal items.
Among Morristown’s places to grab a locally made beer is Glenbrook Brewery, Roettger said.
Glenbrook Brewery’s website notes the establishment pays homage to the area’s ties to the Revolutionary War and Washington’s encampment there.
“Washington had his headquarters during that first encampment at Jacob Arnold’s Tavern. The tavern was located in the center of Morristown, an area known as the Green,” the site notes.
Glenbrook is known for its trivia night, and Roettger noted kids of all ages can have fun playing the retro arcade and pinball machines at Morristown Game Vault.
For live entertainment, the Mayo Performing Arts Center offers more than 200 events each year and features classical music comedy, dance, speakers, theater and big-name pop music acts. It’s also home to the annual Morristown ONSTAGE, an annual fundraiser for the Morristown Educational Foundation that showcases local, amateur talent, Roettger said.
What’s leading to more vitality downtown, Roettger said, are projects that are bringing companies and their employees to the walkable heart of the city.
Headquarters Plaza, a complex just off Morristown Green holds retail, office space and the recently renovated Hyatt Regency Hotel. According to the plaza’s website, it’s “poised to undergo a massive renovation of its mall concourse and first floor facade.”
Retail and apartments buildings are being constructed as part of the Morris Street Redevelopment Plan Phase II. There’s also the big M Station project, where in March, big French pharmaceutical and healthcare company Sanofi announced it would be moving its office from Bridgewater, bringing about 1,900 workers to the M Station West building. Already, Big Four accounting firm Deloitte has relocated from Parsippany to M Station East.
For history buffs, Roettger mentioned the Washington Headquarters Museum as another local attraction. The museum at the Morristown National Historical Park is run by the National Parks Service. The museum is housed in the Ford Mansion, which Washington used as his headquarters during the winter of 1779-80.
Roettger mentioned Morristown also is home to the annual Grand Harvest Festival at the Fosterfields Living Historical Farm. And Morristown Partnership stages events throughout the year that showcase local businesses and highlight the downtown.
Those include Morristown Restaurant Week 2023 Monday, April 24 through Friday, April 28; Meet Me in Morristown 2023 Thursdays, May 25, June 29, July 27 and Aug. 31; Morristown Farmers Market 2023 on Sundays, June 18 through Nov. 19; Morristown Festival on the Green 2023 Sunday, Oct. 1; and Christmas Festival at the Morristown Green 2023 Sunday, Nov. 26 through Sunday, Dec. 17.
