GOOD EATING BEFORE A GAME IN NEWARK – MERCATO TOMATO PIE

If you happen  to  be  doing a 30 Plus  Teams  Tour  of  New  York  City  /New Jersey  and you’re  looking for a place to eat before you go to  a New Jersey  Devils  game at Prudential  Center ,  you have a couple  of  options . 

You could go to the Newark  branch of  Dinosaur  Barbecue , which some people  do.

You can’t  miss  it , it’s  right across  the  street  from the place affectionately  known by hockey fans in New York and  New Jersey as “The Rock “.

It’s  right in front of  the  huge grey statue  of a hockey player in Championship  Plaza.

There is however, another place to eat before a Devils  game, and this is the place where most of them go.

It’s  called Mercato Tomato Pie, and in spite of the huge wood fire ovens cooking pizza  non stop, you’ll  find more than pizza there . 

There’s  salads, mozzarella  sticks ,  chicken  wings, and some of the biggest and juiciest  looking hamburgers you’ve  ever seen . 

Now, if you’re  vegetarian or don’t  eat beef, they’ve  got you covered too with Veggie and Turkey burgers.

They also serve  fountain soda  drinks as well as alcohol, not to mention  those mouth watering  old fashioned  milk shakes.

The restaurant  is located at 212 Market  Street  in Downtown  Newark and it’s  open every day from 11 am until 10 pm.

It’s  a few blocks away  from Newark ‘ s Penn Station  and right around the  corner  from the arena.

If you walk to the exit door that’s  in the back of the restaurant ,  you’ll  see the parking  lot.

That building  right across the street  with the pictures of the hockey players on it, is the place you want to be if you’re  going to  see  New Jersey’s team.

There are tables and  chairs  plus booths to sit in, but wait for the host or hostess to seat you.

If you’re  lucky ,  one of  the  owners of this very friendly  establishment  will seat you himself.

The atmosphere  is very friendly  here and everyone  seems to know everyone . 

If you go to the restaurant  enough, the waitstaff will greet you by name and say hello  among other pleasantries . 

They’ll  even ask you if you want what you usually  order when you come to Mercato.

Prices are very reasonable ,  something  you don’t  see at some of  the restaurants or sports bars across the river in New York  City . 

Of course, since this is across the street  from a sports  arena, there are televisions  set to different  sporting events.

One word of warning though, if you go to Mercatos and the Devils are playing either  the Rangers, Pittsburgh  Penguins ,  Philadelphia  Flyers ,  New York  Islanders  or Boston  Bruins . 

PLEASE GET THERE EARLY!

You might be waiting  a long time to be seated anywhere in the restaurant . 

As I mentioned  before, if you’re  going to a game at the arena, or just happen  to  be in downtown  Newark and want a friendly ,  inexpensive  place to eat , get yourself  to Mercato  Tomato  Pie.

You’ll  definitely  come back again and again . 

Mercato  

Tomato  Pie

212 Market Street

Newark ,  New Jersey  07102