Emerging in the 1980s, this category of cooking reshaped menus and marked a shift in American dining across the country by introducing international influences, seasonal ingredients, and chef-driven creativity to the American landscape. At its core, it honors regional food heritage while continually reinventing itself with new techniques and cultural perspectives. Located on Park Avenue in the heart of Rutherford, my partner, our friends, and I determined to start 2026 for brunch as first-timers. The reservation was easily made by calling the restaurant. Upon arrival at Sonoma Bistro, we were greeted by the staff and got a table by the back wall decorated for the holidays, evoking a festive, warm, casual, and inviting vibe with music playing throughout. For some of us as a starter, we decided on the beef empanadas. As a main meal, we opted for Steak Sandwich, Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Veggie Omelette, My Big Breakfast, and Bistro Omelette. Washed down a Hugo Spritz for toasting to the New Year. Each dish felt like a work of art, as it was beautifully presented, bursting with flavor, and deliciously tasty. The chef focused on sourcing local, seasonal ingredients to ensure freshness. Our service was attentive and super friendly. Our server was George. The price was reasonable. This establishment checked all the boxes! One doesn't just come here to eat. One comes for an experience that leaves one feeling inspired, which we can recommend. read more

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This ambience is amazing. You just don't even feel like you're in a restaurant. It is a small on the corner restaurant. The ambience may feel like you feel crammed in, but it actually is nice and cozy. Highly suggestion of making reservations before you go are waiters and waitresses were a delight. The food is amazing like it was just so fresh and there was things that I didn't even think we're gonna be on the menu that we have to return because my mom wants to try the Ropa Vieja also didn't realize that this has a Latin flavor to it, which is pretty awesome so again don't forget to make your reservation read more

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Had lunch during the week. Menu is interesting, food was fresh, service was attentive and the place is nice. Would go back the next time I'm in Rutherford. read more

A standout cafe restaurant, beautifully appointed and a popular spot for ladies brunch or couples dinner. The service was first rate, never rushed and very attentive. The food will not disappoint you and there are options for gluten free, vegetarian, and the sweet tooth. The food presentation will get the mouth watering instantly. It's a smaller restaurant and can be a little loud but the standout bar quickly calms the mood! Enjoy! read more

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I had an amazing breakfast at Sonoma Bistro!!! The smoked pork belly eggs Benedict was scrumptious! I love the arugula salad touch and the hollandaise sauce was outstanding. My Mrs had the fluffy French toast and she ate most of the huge portion. That's saying a lot because she usually hates everything. The hostess and waitress were fabulous. There was a gentleman waiter who also checked in on us and the owner chef visited our table. The decor is cool! Check out the festive tree in the dining room. The only down side is how loud it is. The place is fine and was jam packed with patrons and it was difficult to hear my companion or the server. Overall this place is magnificent and a must try!!! read more

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Went during a random weekday for brunch. My friend and I came close to opening, so it was empty. While we ate, 2 more groups entered a little after 12pm. The restaurant is very clean and was very aesthetically decorated. The big tree in the middle really brings the whole place together. Also the entrance was nicely decorated for Fall! Food was great! I ordered the lemon ricotta pancakes. Usually, flavored pancakes just have the toppings on top, but these pancakes actualllly tasted like the flavors! They were delectable. The sausage was also great! Fries at brunch is a must and they were crispy and a good amount. Coffee was good, but the food was the standout! Definitely will be visiting again, hopefully to try their dinner menu! read more

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The food was amazing! Loved the meatball appetizer as well as the brie with fig! The entrees were amazing! I had the shrimp pasta! Delicious! The service was top notch! Just a bit noisy - music was too loud for a spot that small but they adjusted when we asked. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

Everytime I come to Sonoma Bistro I have a good experience. I have been here for lunch during the week and brunch on the weekends. I never make a reservation (but if you have a party of 3 or more on the weekend I recommend booking a reservation) typically I can be seated immediately or I sit at the bar if they are crowded. Drinks are always 10/10! I most recently came here for Valentines day brunch and their specialty drink menu came with festive presentations. Food is always delicious and the atmosphere is always welcoming. Located perfectly on a corner with plenty of street parking. read more

We were in town and looking for a place to have some food and a few drinks . We went into a few places but they either didn't have a bar , didn't serve alcohol or were closed until we found this place . They are located in a corner and the decor alone made you wanna go in . We go in and sit at the bar where we were greeted by Brian , he was the most helpful and pleasant bartender , after a little while his shift was over and Esther took over and she was just as friendly and pleasant to be around . It made you just want to stay there , enjoy your drink and have great conversation . The ambiance was great and the decor is simply so beautiful inside and out . The food : well well well , I had the Pappardelle Pasta with grilled chicken , asparagus , cherry tomatoes in a wine garlic sauce and OH MY GOD !! That was simply amazinggggggg , it was so good , the sandwich was also very good and freshly made . I definitely RECOMMEND this place , it's an all perfect ambience, food and service all in one place . Two thumbs up and extra stars to this great place . read more

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We went here for brunch on JAN 1st. Service was really good and we loved the food. We also got cocktails mimosa and pineapple. Bellini both were really good. It had music. We went there with Baby so it was Baby friendly. We reserve the table beforehand. Loved the decor. It was a very good fun vibe overall. read more

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Returned back and have two things to note. - Food is good - portions are terrible Ordered a Cesar salad wrap - basically a salad wrap with three pieces of chicken. Very disappointing. The French toast special was over priced and had one piece of toast. How does a place do that? Typically it's two. It felt like it was a kids meal. It was delicious, but I was shocked when it arrived .. For the prices they are charging, they need to up the portions so guests don't leave hungry. In sum, the food itself is good, but way too small. The ice coffee - was fantastic. That alone, I'd return back for. Staff - extremely kind and attentive. read more

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I had a great time at Sonoma Bistro. Lunch on a weekday was great as it wasn't too busy. The food was delicious and the service was good. I am happy and will be returning read more

Sonoma Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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This place has great breakfast, lunch and dinners! You can't go wrong with a meal here and they now have a liquor license and great mocktails. The plating for every dish is beautiful and artistic and the flavors just come together so nicely we shared the Barata watermelon salad that was unbelievable. The penne with grilled chicken had a nice light vodka sauce on it and the salmon over cilantro lime rice was delicious my husband save some room for the Tres Leche Nutella bread pudding, and I had a few bites and it was decadent Great service , One server is nice than the next! The decor has floral arrangements throughout and also has outdoor seating that is pet friendly. read more

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100000000/10 - this place is so good! We got the empanadas appetizer and lemon ricotta pancakes w: bacon to share. The empanadas were SO saucy and so flavorful. The pancakes were super light and airy and the bacon was cooked to PERFECTION - perfectly crispy. For my entree, I got the smoked salmon eggs Benedict with french fries. This whole dish was so good, I would have it once a week if I could. The egg was perfectly runny and the sauce on top was so good with the salmon lox. The serving size looked small to me when it first came out but it was filling when paired with the appetizers. The restaurant itself is very clean and modern but the seating does feel a bit tight. I will say that the waiters were very quick about cleaning up our dishes and I did feel a little bit rushed but I guess they were trying to open another table up. For reference, we showed up with a 12pm reservation and still had to wait ~10 minutes. TIP: Make a reservation! This place looks like it's packed all the time. Also, it's all street parking so may take some time to find. read more

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Such a cute place! Came with friends for brunch and enjoyed our food and drinks. The menu also looked great for dinner so will probably be back! I was a little disappointed that the waiter misunderstood my order but I didn't let it ruin my meal. I ordered the egg white omelette which was supposed to come with mushrooms, arugula, tomato, and goat cheese. I asked for him to do cheddar instead of goat and also add onion. Instead, I just received a cheddar and onion omelette. My friends got the carnitas breakfast taco special, lemon and ricotta pancakes, and avocado toast which all looked good and they enjoyed it! I am only giving the restaurant 4 stars since the waiter misunderstood my order and I ended up with just onion and cheese. I thought he would've comped the omelette or even my mimosa due to his error but he did not. Otherwise this would've gotten 5 stars. read more

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Located in downtown Rutherford on Park Ave. Great brunch place. Huge variety of eggs Benedict's (my breakfast fave). I plan to come back until I've tried all of them. I started with a Cesar salad. Probably the best one I've had in ages. Anchovies were plentiful and they used brioche bread to make the croutons. Sooo good. Perfectly dressed with creamy dressing. I ordered the truffle mushroom eggs Benedict. The home fries were bland but the eggs Benedict was lovely. I also ordered a side of crispy bacon and a small plate piled high with the most perfectly crisped bacon! Was what I got. Great service. They were able to make appropriate recommendations, were friendly and attentive. I have no complaints and will happily return! read more

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First time here. Made a reservation online for a nice dinner with my dad while we were in Rutherford (our former hometown), sadly for a friend's funeral. It's one of the few restaurants in Rutherford with a full bar, which shocked us because historically (like 75 years+) Rutherford was a dry town! But I honestly welcome the change because I enjoy a nice cocktail or glass of wine with a good meal. Dad ordered a scotch and I had a cocktail (it's name escapes me) with a pear puree and a cinnamon stick that was lit by our server and gave a nice smoky essence. Very tasty and lovely presentation. We had the fried calamari to share as an appetizer. It came with fried/breaded jalapeño peppers which we didn't really touch (we are "heat" wimps), but the calamari and marinara were both very good. I had the chicken saltimbocca which had a cream sherry sauce, mushrooms, and risotto. The chicken was a little tough, but the flavor of everything was very good. Dad had the seafood risotto which had all manner of shellfish with a lobster cream sauce. He seemed to have enjoyed his too. For dessert we each had a cappuccino and shared the zeppoles for dessert. The plate came out with 4 enormous puffs of zeppole, which seemed intimidating, but unlike the traditional Italian street fair variety we were used to, they were hollow inside and not balls of thick dough. So it was like a deep fried crispy "skin" with drizzled chocolate but totally hollow inside. Not heavy at all, but also not what we were expecting. Service was very good. Our server left us to talk and attended to our needs all at the right time. The interior was quite beautiful with this gorgeous illuminated tree adorned with white lights and icicles for the holiday season. Bathroom was very clean, well equipped, well decorated and inviting. Parking was convenient; we parked right on the side street, and due to the holiday it was free parking! Bonus! I will most certainly return next time I'm back in town! read more

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Sonoma Bistro has been in the Food-centric town of Rutherford for approx 10 years and I finally tried it out. Why? Because they now have one of the new liquor licenses that Rutherford started selling last year. And I am so glad I did. I love this place! Located on a corner in the center of town; plenty of street and municipal parking nearby. Very friendly staff. An approx 12 stool bar with an open, airy floor plan with big windows. Outdoor dining available. Back to the bar: very nice bar set up; very cool glassware for the various drinks it offers on its very creative cocktail menu. Good stock of top shelf spirits but not overly done. On the evening I went, Ester was the bartender and she is a very good mixologist. Drinks I had were great. Thursday is Margarita night; there are happy hour specials too. THE FOOD; I love menus like this, not too big, but everything on it has some serious thought put into it. Specials are also available. Apps-- --They had a special that consisted of (from bottom to top; see pic) large, lightly fried portobello cap, with arugula, prosciutto, charred small chunks of butternut squash, a huge ball of burrata cheese, and toasted pistachios served with focaccia bread. I could eat this every day! DE-lish. FYI- if this isn't available, there is a menu item very similar with watermelon & burrata. -- Cuban Ropa Vieja Empanadas or Mexican Chicken Tinga Empanadas served with Queso frito, garlic mojo, and avocado crema were both tried and thoroughly enjoyed ( 4 pieces to an order) --entree SB Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with Oxtail braised ragu, peas, and mushrooms was A-mazing! It was so good I cannot even recall what my dinner companion had that night. Another new all-time favorite entree of mine ala "One of the best things I've ever eaten". We skipped the delicious sounding desserts and opted just for coffee and dinner drinks. There is a sister restaurant in Nutley which should be considered. But for me, I cannot get enough of Rutherford and at the top of that list is Sonoma Bistro. HIGH-ly recommended. read more

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Loved this spot so much! Super cute inside and floral doorway upon entering. Also great outdoor seating where we enjoyed the nice weather with our pup and fun music. Fast service throughout- not only refilling our waters but our pup's water, too! Food was incredible. We got the truffle benedict and nutella churro waffle. Both delicious and worth coming back for! read more

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Sonoma is a very aesthetic place to eat. Super cute and chic ambience. Bar was cute too! Everything I had was delicious. That being said, prices are definitely higher than usual for the size of the plates. To start, we had the Mexican chicken tinga empanadas $14 for 2, cut in half empanadas. They were tasty, but as Latinos anything over $3 for empanadas is too expensive and overpriced - IYKYK. The churrasco was $40 elsewhere it'd be around $30 and more flavorful. My husband (butcher) said for the price and the uneven cut of meat he received - it was not worth it. I tasted his black beans and they were definitely overcooked. We could've got the same plate at Rumba Cubana for less $, more flavor and portion size, and not overcooked beans. The burrito bowl, great option especially for picky eaters and kids - but as the same size of chipotle bowl....save your money and go there. My son who is a foodie himself said chipotle is better - yikes and $10 cheaper. With that being said, I really enjoyed my chipotle short ribs but was alarmed by the 4-5 carrot sticks in my bowl and the lack of garlic flavor in my garlic mashed potatoes. Again, for $36 I was expecting a much bigger serving. We ended our dinner with the tres leche Nutella bread pudding knowing it was going to be over $10 and small. And indeed it was the size of my small palm and $15. It was delicious but wow the prices are too steep for us to want to come back compared to the many places we've been to with much bigger servings, and lower prices. As for beverages, my son and husband said their lemonades were too sour. My son didn't even finish it all which is not usual, that's his favorite beverage. My Easter special cocktail was okay, sounded better than it tasted and had I known it'd be $16, I would've skipped it but the prices weren't reflected on their specials menu...not their dessert menu, either. Service was good, attentive and welcoming. Parking is metered street parking but there is a pay for parking lot a couple blocks away if you prefer not to look for street parking. read more

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First timer here and I was pleasantly surprised! I've been to the Sonoma in Nutley (same owners) a few times and each time have left disappointed (cold food, service, etc). This location is amazing. The decor is so nice. It's a small space, but they offer outdoor seating which is nice, too. We went for Sunday brunch as a group and everyone was more than satisfied. We all had espresso martinis! Those were tasty as well as the Petal Perfection and Aperol Spritz. The chorizo guacamole eggs benedict was so delicious, I could've licked the plate after I was done I'll definitely come back for brunch again. read more

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Pleasantly surprised with the service and ambience. But the food stole the show. The garlic shrimp and chorizo had an amazing sauce for dipping and made us happy. The ny was perfectly medium rare. The wine selection isn't great but is priced pretty fairly. read more

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The Ambiance. WAY TOO LOUD!!! I have stopped going to this restaurant because of this issue. Haven't been in a while and thought I would try it in the afternoon, but it was terribly loud. Owner needs to put acoustic panels around the Restaurant to absorb sound. Would be much nicer to hear yourself speak. Service: please hire individuals who can speak English and Spanish. We had two people yesterday, one in training, who described one of the dishes as "cashew shrimp avocado." She and her fellow employee said it several times and it sounded delicious. Except that there was not one cashew to be found. However, the shrimp was made Cajun style so I think she meant Cajun shrimp avocado, not cashew. Little things like this make a difference. Not to mention that with one drink and one salad, the bill came to $100 for subpar lunch. Sonoma Bistro has become extremely expensive. I will no longer choose to eat there. It's really not worth it. No bang for your buck, terribly loud, and waiters who can't really speak or read English. read more

Food: delicious, portions were fair; I had the Mexican omelette without beans and it was tasty, nice and thick, cooked well Service: straight-forward but the staff was very busy on a Saturday afternoon so we had to ask for water refills Ambiance: cute, tight bistro atmosphere read more

This place is not clean. The kitchen workers are not sanitary at all. Do not eat here if you want the cooks to wash their hands, not cross contaminate or have foreign objects in your food. Skip! read more

Went for Sunday lunch. This place has decent food, but it's very "snooty," for lack of a better word. Service is lacking, as all 6 servers (the amount we could see on the floor) spent most of their time huddled talking behind the bar. Most of the times you ask for something small (water refills, napkins, etc), there's a 10 minute wait. I did dock a star because they go so far as to not allow free refills on club soda, which my party and I have hardly ever experienced at any restaurant. Also, it's $6 for a side of scrambled eggs that didn't even fill a full tiny side plate! $17 martinis. Disclaimers at the bottom of the menu include - 4% up-charge for using a credit card, which isn't entirely abnormal but is objectively above the average 3% credit surcharge from vendors, so we paid cash. The next disclaimer on the menu was that if you break a glass, you have to pay to replace it. That's just horribly tacky. We didn't break anything, but be careful if you're bringing your kids! The stars I gave are for the food and ambience. It's got a very pretty interior, and the food was nice - very flavorful. Still, probably won't return due to the service and general tackiness of the disclaimers and pricing. read more

Wow! Just look at that photo. A girlfriend and I went to Sonoma for breakfast and the place was packed and lively. The flavor combinations made it hard for us to resist a sugary, carby start to our morning but we did not regret a thing. I ordered the guava & cheese French toast while my friend ordered the Nutella waffles. This place was a brunch/ breakfast lovers dream! This is a HIGHLY recommend from me. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Guava Cream Cheese Croissant French Toast Nutella Churro Waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

My parents and I had a delectable brunch and Pedro's service was superb! We would definitely come back! read more

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Even though pricey the desserts were out of this world. In the apple crumb you can taste the sambuca and the caramel. Delicious, warm, sweet apple strudel with the creaminess of vanilla bean ice cream. Dessert was $15 but would definitely go back for more. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Dessert - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

Our server Pedro was friendly and helpful. We weren't fans of the potato hash special but everything else was wonderful. read more

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Sonoma is still one of the best restaurant along the Park Avenue strip in Rutherford. They have recently renovated the space and they now serve liquor. Food is amazing and ambient looks great. Outdoor seating is a plus (keep in mind that it might a bit noisy due to proximity to the street). Overall a great place for brunch or dinner. Keep up the great work guys! read more

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OH! this place was a 10/10. Everything from service to FOOD to pricing to aesthetic to cleanliness to drinks. Definitely will be back. And I love that they let me be ahah will all my photo taking :) read more

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Located on a street full of restaurants and businesses. They have a few seat outside under umbrella's. It can be quite noisy outside as it is a busy street. The food was all right nothing to craze over. We ordered the chicken empanada which was tasteful but semi cold for my liking when there meat inside and empanada are meant to be warm. My friend enjoyed her veggie burger. I thought the grilled chicken sandwich lacked taste so I wouldn't recommend it. Ice tea was delightful and tasted homemade. I would give this place another try to see if the breakfast items are any good and maybe I just ordered what they aren't known for. The service was okay and our waiter didn't recommend any options besides read special for the day. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Chicken Empanadas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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I go here every Sunday for brunch. The Bloody Mary is out of this world as well as the food and the staff.

I was here sometime ago but I remember it was excellent. Everything was fresh and on the money. I'm planning on getting back when I'm in the Meadowlands area. Service was as good as the food. Try it. You won't be disappointed. read more

First time diner but my Dad dined here before and decided to bring me to try it out. I came for Brunch the recently renovated and the place is so beautiful. Just truly enjoyed the ambiance very clean and bright. Service was amazing staff are friendly knowledgeable on the specials and your table is always taken care with tender love a care. The drinks were delicious I had this mocktail that I saw being made at the bar and had to try. We ordered 2 out of the 3 specials for the day the crab cake and the French toast. The crab cake was so tasty. I really enjoyed the food and my visit... read more

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They use good quality ingredients here but the food they serve in terms of taste and portions is very mid. The chicken sandwich had an extremely stingy amount of chicken....what they put on the whole sandwich was maybe good for half of it but not the whole thing, you taste way more bread than chicken. We also ordered guacamole and the watermelon salad which was ok. The desert was the best part....the peach cobbler and the Nutella bread pudding were both really good. Not sure if I'll come back, I have a hard time spending my money at businesses that skimp their patrons the way this place does. read more

If it wasn't against etiquette I would have licked my guava cream cheese croissant plate . My cousin and I came for brunch and also had the chorizo guacamole Benedict (a little salty but wow so good). We ordered home fries and were served French fries instead, but it was a serendipitous mistake because they were delicious. They've stepped their brunch game up a ton and the restaurant looks beautiful after the renovations. read more

The meal at Sonoma Bistro was very good. This business is strategically located on busy Park Avenue. It has plenty of outdoor seating, that wraps around the corner, and has nice decor adorning the curbside. We sat inside and enjoyed viewing the wall decor, the large windows, where you could look out onto the street, and each table had a good amount of separation from the others. The orange juice was freshly squeezed and very refreshing. Our entrees were delicious and the portions were large. I really enjoyed how they saturated the chips with all of Huevos Ranchero ingredients. I recommend this restaurant and will definitely add it to our list when we're in the Rutherford area. read more

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We were seated right away. Waiter told us 3 specials of the day. Our entrees were very small portions. I had the big breakfast but the portion was for a child. My eggs were undercooked. Pancakes had no flavor and no butter was served. Very overpriced for this area. Burrito was $18. and the big breakfast (not big) was $19. Our check took forever to get and then they presented the wrong check. I guess Sonoma is dog friendly too? There was a dog inside and it kept barking. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey