A new Mediterranean and Turkish restaurant opened in Jersey City! EFES Mediterranean Grill has opened at 515 Jersey Avenue, which was where former Vietnamese restaurant Al Pho & Vermicelli used to operate.
There are two other successful locations in New Jersey that might be familiar already to locals. One location is in New Brunswick {at 32 Easton Ave} and the other is in Princeton {235 Nassau St}.
{Photo credit: @jc_upfront}
The photos shown on the restaurant’s Instagram are packed with delicious-looking dishes – we can’t wait to try! If the Jersey City menu is anything like the menu for their other locations, we can expect to see “exquisite Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine,” and as they state, it’s all “extraordinary food at unbeatable prices!”
The Food
{Photo credit: @efesmediterranean}
For appetizers, they have stuffed grape leaves, mixed eggplant, baba ganush, Sigara Boregi {Turkish fried feta rolls}, Mucver {zucchini fritters}, and Falafel with Hummus. For sandwich offerings, they have shish kebab, gyro, fish, chicken, and many more. The entrees include Shish Kebab, Adana Kebab, Lamb Chops, Chicken Over Shephard Salad, Efes Mixed Grill, etc, along with seafood options such as Sea Bass and Royal Dorado.
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There is also have a mix of vegetarian options such as Vegetarian Casserole, Falafel Plate, Okra Casserole, and Spinach Manti Dumplings. For desserts, there is the Efes Special Baklava, Keskul {creamy milk and almond pudding}, Sutlac {Turkish baked rice pudding}, and Kunefe {a sweet cheese pastry made with syrup} among others.
{Photo credit: @efesmediterranean}
The Origins
{Photo credit: @efesmediterranean}
Fun fact about where the name of their restaurant, EFES, came from! According to their website, the name is the Turkish name for the Greek city of Ephesus located on the coast of Ionia. Ephesus was famous for the Temple of Artemis {built in the 6th century BCE}, which was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It contains the largest collection of Romain ruins East of the Mediterranean, which are a favorite among international and local tourists.
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The Ephesus Archaeological Museum, the Celsus Library {a historical landmark built in 117 A.D.}, House of Virgin Mary {a shrine located on the top of the “Bulbul” mountain}, the Basilica of Saint John {constructed over the burial site of John the Apostle by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century}, and the Grand Theatre {which has a width of 145 meters – over 475 feet!} are all famous attractions. So along with authentic cuisine, EFES is bringing a bit of Greek history to Jersey City.
For the latest updates on EFES Mediterranean Grill, make sure to visit the website or follow on social media. And, of course, stay up-to-date with the latest local businesses opening by following us @thejerseycitygirl and @thehobokengirl!
