Published October 8, 2023

While August’s visit to the winery was for relaxing and socializing, September was a month of foodie adventures. I visited 4 new locations — from cafes and bakeries to restaurants and food courts. Check out my 4 favorite foodie spots from September!

1. Dinner at Smoke Shack BBQ & Burgers

While looking for a new restaurant for dinner, my boyfriend and I came across Smoke Shack BBQ & Burgers in Pompton Lakes. Smoke Shack BBQ & Burgers has three locations — two in New Jersey and one in Florida. The Pompton Lakes location spans two storefronts across the street from Thatcher McGhee's.

Smoke Shack Interior

The orange entryway was wide and open with a few chairs lined the wall on the right for takeout orders. Drink coolers lined the walls going back to the kitchen. A tall, thin woman in a Smoke Shack hoodie greeted us and told us to sit wherever we wanted in the dining room.

Stepping through the entryway, we took the first wide two-top table on the left. Our black and white checkered tablecloth matched the black chairs of the dining room. The room was a light gray color with hardwood-looking laminate floors. My chair faced a massive floor-to-ceiling mirror. Equally-large canvases displaying desert canyons hung down the room, which held four-top tables on the left and smaller tables on the right. There were already several customers seated for dinner.

The Smoke Shack BBQ & Burger Menu

Despite being one page (front and back), the menu took some time to digest. Small boxy sections grouped offerings by sandwiches, meat platters, speciality sandwiches, tacos, salads, baskets, sides, desserts, and more.

I was surprised to see that there was no dedicated section for appetizers. Though it would be possible to split an order from the “Smoke Stacks” or tacos for an appetizer, we decided to order our entrees and sides.

BBQ Chopped Brisket | $13.95 + toppings 

I ordered the BBQ brisket sandwich with sautéed onions and cheddar cheese. I loved all of the options that could be added to customize the sandwich. I stuck with toppings I knew I would like, and would also allow me to enjoy the brisket itself.

The sandwich came on a brioche roll with a pickle spear. We also ordered a side of mac and cheese (which is a classic with BBQ), and our own orders of tater tots. The tater tot sides were larger than I expected; we could’ve ordered one and shared it. The mac and cheese was also a large portion which we shared.

Overall, I loved my sandwich. It was juicy and tender with pieces that were crispy and seasoned. The bread was squishy on the outside and golden on the inside. The cheddar cheese added some additional flavor and the onions were perfectly caramelized.

The mac and cheese was not my favorite, though the noodles had a good texture. I felt like it needed more of a cheesy flavor or some additional toppings to give it some punch. The tater tots were crispy and hot from the fryer. I ordered a side of black truffle sauce for dipping and it gave an extra richness to the already filling meal.

We skipped dessert, but I would love to return to try more of Smoke Shack’s menu, including their deli-style offerings. The portions were fair, as was the price, and the restaurant was clearly popular with all of their takeout traffic and packed dining room.

2. The Magpie Bakery

My boyfriend recommended we visit The Magpie Bakery for breakfast on a cool Saturday morning.

The Magpie Bakery lives in the back corner of a strip mall off of Main Street in Bloomingdale. It is across from the Methodist Church and Day-Care and has a large parking lot.

I already loved the branding on their sign, box truck, and glass storefront. The inside of the space was quaint. Three circular white marble-top tables lined the windows. Sage green walls provided a pop of color with plants and magpie branding. Small handwritten boards celebrated seasonal flavors and weekday deals (like a coffee and a donut for $2.00). Fancy coffee machines lined the counter and black and white digital menus offered drink selections.

The register sat next to two pastry cases — the first case was lined with sweet pastries like turnovers, cruffins, scones, danishes, and more. The left-hand case had savory hand-pies and pastries.

There were two young women working and the one gave us an overview of Magpie’s offerings and what we could select from the cases. We ordered several sweet and savory options, including drinks, which she warmed and packaged for us.

While we waited, a couple picked up a large cookie order and several other customers came in for breakfast pastries. Frozen bread was available for purchase in a case on the left hand side of the room. On the right, glass front cases showed small cakes and pies.

Savory Hand-pies | $7.95-$8.50 each

We brought the warmed hand-pies home to try. We selected the Steak and Ale, Shepherd’s Pie, Spinach and Feta, Leek and Parmesan, and Tomato and Olive hand-pies.

I loved all of these flavors and I thought they were even better warmed. My favorite of the group was the left-hand ones that look like Hot Pockets — they were the Steak and Ale and Shepherd’s Pie hand-pies. I couldn’t believe how much flavor they had and how tender and filled they were. It was literally like a steak and ale or Shepherd’s pie dinner filled into a crisp pastry.

The other pastries on this dish were light, more like phyllo dough. The Leek and Parmesan one was my favorites, though spinach and feta is a classic combination too.

Pastries | $4.25 each

We selected a raspberry cruffin and an almond turnover to share. We also ordered a pumpkin spice latte and a caramel latte but I forgot to take a picture of them. Both of our coffees were prepared well, hot, and had good flavor.

I adore almond paste and this almond turnover had a fair amount of filling. The raspberry cruffin had a bright bold flavor and was surprisingly moist.

I love everything we ordered from The Magpie Bakery and I would 100% visit again to try even more of their treats and coffees.

3. Mitsuwa Marketplace

We spent an afternoon visiting Daiso, Little Japan USA, and Kinokuniya Book Store — the shops parallel to Mitsuwa, before we weathered the weekend shoppers for lunch.

The food court was packed, so my boyfriend and I divided and conquered. I ordered ramen from Santouka and he ordered Kaisendon from a new stall that opened closer to the pastry shops and boba. It took us each about 20 minutes to get our food, but we managed to find a two-top table to sit at and enjoy our lunch.

Shoyu Ramen (Large) | $16.50+

We weren’t sure if we would be able to find a seat inside, so we ordered our food to go. Luckily, we found a table, so I deconstructed the layers to my ramen and combined them all together. The broth was burning hot and I had a massive layer of noodles to stir in.

Ramen from Santouka is always incredible. The broth is rich and delicious, the sliced pork melts in your mouth and the ramen noodles are cooked to perfection. This was a massive amount which I could barely finish and was so satisfying after a day of shopping.

Deluxe Bowl Set | $19.98

My boyfriend’s lunch bowl had huge, thick slices of tuna, salmon, hamachi, with tobiko, tamago, cucumber, and seaweed, plus a side of miso soup.

My boyfriend also ordered the “Evergreen Roll” ($10.98) which is avocado, cucumber, Takuan, and Ume. It was delicious and refreshing and a nice “appetizer” before our lunches. We also bought a few snacks and drinks from the grocery-side of Mitsuwa like a pineapple black tea, which I loved.

4. Umacha

While we were tempted to get macaroons and pastries from the stall in Mitsuwa, we decided to get bubble tea instead.

Following the sidewalk past Mitsuwa and the shops is a building for hot pot (on the top floor) and Umacha, which is a bubble tea cafe.

We followed the paver path under the metal archway (which noted “Cheese Cream and Bubble Tea”) and around the side of the building. I was shocked by Umacha’s chic interior, it reminded me of Tatte Bakery’s bright space.

The line to order drinks stretched down and around the counter and through the entire cafe. We claimed a spot in line, inching our way closer to the menu and register.

We heard dozens of whispered, “What is cheese cream?” as we waited to order. I had no idea what it was, so I googled it: Cream cheese, whipping cream, milk, salt, and sugar.

#1 Don-Chan | $5.85

My boyfriend ordered the cheese cream drink, which was #1 on the menu called, “Don-chan.” It was cheese cream, milk, and brown sugar boba. 

#6 Brown Sugar Milk Tea | $5.25

I kept it classic with a brown sugar milk tea (which I had previously at Thai Corner Bistro and knew that I would like it).

We claimed the last indoor table alongside this neon Umacha sign. We were order 95 and waited for our name to be called. The line to order continued to extend across the room and I noted a few people who returned to the counter and asked for a remake of their drink.

My drink, as you can see, was also incorrect. I received the matcha brown sugar tea. It was a tasty drink, so I didn’t bother to reorder it. The matcha added a nice bitterness to mellow the sweetness of the drink.

I also tried the cheese cream in my boyfriend’s drink. I didn’t like it — it wasn’t sweet enough for me and the saltiness with the somewhat savory cream cheese flavor did not work. My boyfriend didn’t mind it and thought it was worth trying.

What was your September Highlight?

Overall, September was full of fun foodie experiences. I was glad to add some new favorites to my list of cafes and restaurants to visit, and I was glad to have tried some new dishes and ingredients.

Did you try a new restaurant, cafe, or recipe in September? Tell me about it in a comment below.

If you’re looking for other restaurant recommendations, check out my full list of reviews here.