Having grown up in Short Hills and having been a Realtor in the area since 2006, downtown Millburn has been my long time stomping ground. However, until I made the actual move from living in Hoboken to Millburn Township this past October, I couldn’t fully appreciate all it has to offer and how much it has transformed over the years.
I was somewhat apprehensive about moving from a vibrant city like Hoboken, where I felt like I had access to almost everything within walking distance, but was pleasantly surprised to find that I had even more just outside my door in Millburn! Within just a few blocks of Millburn’s downtown I have everything I need (and more).
Let’s start with my morning neccesity: coffee. Of course, like any proper city, Millburn has a Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts practically next door to each other. But I like to switch it up, so you can often find me set up with my laptop at Rockn’ Joe Coffeehouse & Bistro or stopping by The Coffee Mill Roasters, which are also within a block. If I’m in the mood for a proper breakfast with my cup of Joe, I’ll head up the street to The Bagel Chateau to get an everything bagel with cream cheese or around the corner to the Millburn Diner to get an omlette.
But coffeehouses aren’t all Millburn has to offer: it also has some incredible restaurants, bars, pizzerias, ice cream shops, and even a make your own salad place! As far as restaurants go, within a mere one block radius from the center of town, you can choose from American, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Deli, Greek, or French cuisine. While most of the restaurants have their own liquor licenses, there are several exceptional BYOs such as Cafe Luna (Italian) and 12 Islands (Greek). Basilico is one of my family’s favorites, and one of our regular spots to celebrate special occasions. Ms. Lin (formerly Ling Ling) provides top-notch Chinese food and down the street, Samurai Sushi is a go-to for Japanese (try the Teriyaki Tofu — it’s the only tofu dish I like!). For pizza, you’ve got two great choices: La Strada or Pizzeta. If you’re in the mood for a sloppy Joe, head over to the top-rated in the state Millburn Deli. And finally, if you’re just looking to go out and get a drink after work, stop by Martini (live music on Thursday nights) or Moonshine (phenomenal food).
In addition to food and drink, downtown Millburn provides so much more. For one, it has a beautiful movie theater with stadium seating throughout. It also has a FlyWheel (similar to Equinox Soul Cycle, which, by the way is 5 min away in Short Hills) which provides spin and barre classes. Millburn is also home to Taylor Park, which has a huge playground, basketball court, tennis courts, baseball fields, and a huge pond where you can spend spring and summer feeding ducks and geese. There’s also plenty of shopping, a hardware store, post office, police headquarters, fire station, hair salons, banks, and numerous nail salons. Also, if you want to run to the market, you have your choice of Shoprite, Kings, Trader Joe’s, or Whole Foods, all within 5 minutes from the center of town.
Days after moving here, I realized how much more convenient suburban life really is than city life.
