Krave Cafe + Caterer

Food is delicious, innovative, and varied. The décor is beautiful, although the outdoor area is a bit weak with the main road out front. Expect a loooooong wait for chow. Servers are nice, but disorganized and slow. It’s a great place for a birthday or special occasion, but way too slow for a normal dinner. Worth it for the great food!

Been suggesting this place to my GF for quite some time. Somehow we never end up here. So glad we finally did. The décor is very nice. We were greeted by a friendly host who sat us immediately. Our sever was friendly and attentive. We started out with the scallops s (special) They were one of the best scallop dishes We have ever eaten! We ordered the short rib burger and medium (I like medium rare) It was cooked to perfection and was really tasty. We also ordered the lamb meatloaf grilled cheese. This was well made. The only thing about this is that I felt the caramelized onions were a bit too sweet and over powered the sandwich. TI scraped off some of the onions and made a big difference. We then ordered the Chocolate eggnog fondue YUM! Over all the place was great. We definitely will be back!

This place is a hidden gem. On the outside it sits next to a Quik Chek but on the inside the atmosphere is modern and casual. There are original art works displayed and for sale. The staff is excellent. The menu is not simple comfort food, it is a great variety of stylish dishes. I have eaten here several times ordering different dishes and have never been disappointed. This is NOT the typical Sussex county pub/​family restaurant.

Krave was a revelation, the first, and only, truly excellent restaurant that I have found in Sussex County.
AMBIANCE: The first thing you notice is that, despite being in a strip mall, the restaurant inside is very tasteful, elegant and understated. An excellent setting for a date, a family dinner, or any event where you want to feel taken care of, but relaxed, comfortable and welcomed. The restaurant is fairly small and intimate inside, with a large outdoor patio.
STAFF: Lovely and charming come to mind. Professional, but also unpretentious, almost affectionate, knowledgeable and helpful. I think some are, and make you feel, like family, in a good way.
FOOD: Superb. My date and I shared the scallop appetizer (she thought she did not like them). We were told that one of the kitchen staff was simply a genius with scallops. They were right. My date was converted on the spot. I had the rack of lamb, ordering slightly rare of medium rare, which is exactly how it came. It was well seasoned, and had appropriate vegetable and grain on the plate, to make a satisfying dinner. My date enjoyed a steak. After dinner dessert and coffee sealed the deal.
BEVERAGES: Krave is BYOB, which is always a great extra, so that even though we had scallops, rack of lamb and a classic steak, the meal was very reasonable.
EXTRAS: Occasionally Krave has live music. It did the night we went. Even though it is small inside, the music was very good, and gentle. We could easily converse and enjoy each other’s conversation. After dinner we just hung out and enjoyed ourselves, until they started closing, enjoying a very enjoyable evening.
CONCLUSION: A great choice.

We were going to The Newton Theatre to see Gordon Lightfoot and decided to try Krave Café. This was a culinary delight!!! The pan-​seared scallops appetizer was cooked to perfection, had beautiful little red cherry tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes, crispy kale a drizzle of balsamic and confetti of fresh herbs! SO good!!! The dinner was Cajun spiced mahi-​mahi over risotto with grilled asparagus. The chef finessed the flavors fabulously. The fish was juicy and succulent. Delectable!!! My iced tea was refreshing and thirst quenching. I wish we had time for dessert, but we needed to get to the concert… which brings me to the best part of the meal… our waitress, Christine, was an absolute gem! She made sure to keep us updated on the time so that we wouldn’t be late for the show. She was very friendly and efficient. This was an excellent dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant!!! Thank you!!! (P.S. The show was phenomenal!)

We decided to have lunch here on a Saturday and it set the tone for a great day. We started with the crab empanada and it was so good my wife and I are still talking about it. Who would think to combine crab with guava? It doesn’t sound like a good combo but they totally pull it off! I then decided to have a burger and it was superb. My wife had the salmon salad with goat cheese and warm pita and enjoyed it. Not only was the food great but so was the service. If I’m in the area again I’m definitely coming back.

Wonderful. The place looks great and the food is great. The only problem is getting a reservation. Book early especially for a party of 2 or more but don’t let that stop you! (It’s BYOB so bring your favorite bottle.)

Disappointing experience. This place was recommended by some friends and the reviews did not lead me to think we could have a poor experience, but we did.
The place looks great. It is clean and they have a nice looking patio for outdoor dining. You can tell there was some thought into the appearance.
Menu was interesting. Not your everyday menu… creative ideas that captured my imagination.
It stopped there. The service was okay… nice enough staff until there was a problem. Ordered the filet special medium… came out rare… very rare. It was brought back and cooked it a bit longer… at least they got it to medium rare… not medium, but a slight improvement. It was served on a sweet potato hash… basically shredded sweet potato that was kind of heated… I think. The filet was barley seasoned and the glaze had little flavor.
It seamed as though once there was a problem, the service did not come around much.
The imagination on the menu did not translate to the plate. Bland meal… par to sub-​par service. There are better choices in the area.

We came here here for brunch on the weekend. It’s a cute location and presentation was pretty great — the blueberry lemonade was delish. Unfortunately, the food was only so-​so — the dishes sound like they will be great but missed the mark.

I don’t like writing bad reviews, but man, this was so, so disappointing. My parents have been raving about Krave for years, and I was really excited to go.
We were seated promptly and given citrus water, which was really nice. Our waitress came by after waiting for a few minutes and told us the specials. The one item on the menu I was most interested in – the duck confit – they were out of. Yes, at 7:30pm on a Saturday night, they had somehow already run out of this dish.
Another ten minutes passed before the waitress showed up again, this time to take our order. We got the dipping plate, which I really enjoyed! I was looking forward to the rest of the meal.
Next was the kale salad, which wasn’t notable. We asked for the parmesan on the side, but they forgot it, so I had to ask. The dressing was okay, but the kale was really raw – not what you expect from a kale salad.
Dinner, though, was where it really went downhill. My dad ordered the shrimp burrito, which was fine, but they forgot his side (another strike on service) of sweet potato hash. The rice on the side was cold.
My pork medallions with sweet potato hash and grapefruit-​black bean salsa were just not good. It was lukewarm, but somehow overcooked. If I sent it back to heat it up, it would’ve been even tougher. The pork was fatty and wasn’t seasoned. It was also two thin pieces. This may be my own ignorance, but to me, a «medallion» has always been a thicker cut of meat, usually circular.
My sweet potato hash was ice cold on the outside and warm in the middle. The grapefruit salsa was bland.
Our waitress tried to push the cappuccino, but given the rest of the meal, I didn’t want to try my luck. When my dad noted they forgot his side, the waitress explained «well, with someone else bringing out the dish, stuff can get left.» It’s your job to be communicative.
I suspect I’ll go back, mainly because I really trust my parents’ taste in food and assume this was a slip-​up. If that wasn’t the case, though? I probably wouldn’t return.

I enjoy meals at Krave regularly. The food and service are consistently excellent. Reading over the reviews, it is important to note that the prices are very reasonable, not high, as the menu has been updated, and continues to be refreshed seasonally. You would spend more at a mediocre box restaurant for a much lesser quality meal. Portions are more than adequate, in fact, I usually take a doggie bag home for the next day’s lunch. Krave is a generous supporter of the arts, proudly offering the works of artists on the walls and providing a great venue for musicians. They also support local farms. There is nothing better in the area. The food and overall experience here are top-​drawer yet the atmosphere is comfortably chic. I’m waiting for it to warm up a bit so I can «Bring My Own» and enjoy the patio. Highly recommend. Oh, and they also do takeout and they have a great little market wall with fresh baked goods. Great spot!

Been here a couple of times over the last month. Everything from the food to service is great.

Great yummy food and service was Awesome. Its a BYOB spot. Omg try the desserts also yummy yummy. Everything on the menu was WOW.

The food is always good, the amount of food is not. You pay hefty for the food and your portion is not large. Don’t think you will be fed a lot and consider appetizers prior to your meal to help make up for it. I love the variety of foods and enjoy the different appetizers they serve. My entrees are always on the small side, but the quality of that food is good. I’ve eaten there many times, and usually the experience is good. I have been there when the server was terrible, and hope she is now gone as she ruined the meal for all 8 of us. They now offer outside dining and can accommodate a late afternoon lunch which is rare is a restaurant with quality food like theres. I often treat myself to their cappuccino when I am finished. Its a good size and comes with a rock sugar stirrer, nice touch. Over all I would recommend this restaurant and do eat there. On a budget with a big appetite… go elsewhere. Bring your own bottle for this one, which I prefer anyway! Nice place to take a date as well!

All I have to say is «You will CRAVE not to come back».

I thoroughly enjoyed my 1^st experience at Krave… I was craving (no pun intended) a good spot for brunch on a recent Sunday and this place hit the mark. As others have shared the décor is smart, service friendly and the menu choices interesting. Yes they have the standard items like eggs benny and French toast, but also a sweet potato burger… Deviled eggs… And a tilapia-​based burrito. I ordered the scramble w/​shrimp and grits and the winter salad and was pleased. I do not live in Sussex County but grew up here and welcome adding Krave to my list of places to dine out whilst in the 7 860.

This place is terrific. Décor is chic and trendy. Service is fabulous. This is the best dining value I’ve experienced in a very long time. Try the lobster pasta.

Tough call.
Catering: 100% Satisified! I would highly recommend Krave for catering!
Now my restaurant review–
Décor: Very nice. Trendy.
Atmosphere: Relaxing and comfortable.
Food: Very good, but wayyyy too pricey. My husband and I ate here last night (March 2013), our bill with tip came to just over $ 100 for 1 appetizer and two entrees! We had tap water to drink.
Service: We sat at the coffee bar, our server was very pleasant and helpful. I got the impression she was new and we enjoyed her service. However, while sitting at the bar we were able to watch a lot of interaction between her and the other servers. Some of the other servers were outright rude to her which ultimately made me lose some respect for the venue as a whole.
What I Would Change: Prices! We will most likely not have dinner here again, $ 100 for 1 appetizer and 2 entrees just isn’t worth it when we could find equally tasty food for less money in the area.

I used to love this place, and have gone here for years since the day they first opened. It was my favorite restaurant until the last 2 times (about 6 months ago now). Last time I went for dinner the portions were hilariously small. I ordered fish which was portioned to a two bites and gone, costing me $ 24. I was with 3 other people which all got equally pathetic portions. I get the «artistry» and design of the food, but this was down right insulting.
This business has let success go to its head and thinks its to «cool» for its own good. A little Zagat rating and new building and everything has fallen apart. The wait staff although very nice– seems to work in fear of the tyrant chef running this place. I was there one time and observed the wait staff talking and giggling a little (nothing disturbing to the guests)… and 1 minute later the chef shushing them in the back as I walked by the door to the kitchen. I am 99% sure he was telling them talking is not allowed. I absolutely deist this kind of treatment towards employees and especially young ones that Krave likes to hire and apparently take advantage of.
I have also noticed every single time i’ve tried to make a reservation at Krave they will never give you the time you ask for. It makes no difference how many days or weeks ahead of time you call, you will never get the time you ask for. This has been true the 10+ times i’ve done this. Has a very icky weird feel about it.
This is a failing business in my eyes, I just catch on to things a little quicker than most. Don’t get me wrong, the food is very good as long as you make plans to go some place else to eat afterwards and eat the rest of your meal. Krave needs to step back and take a good hard look at how they treat people and the portions they serve to the customer.
I will never set foot in this place again.

Located in the armpit of NJ that is Newton, this place is a god send!
The décor is modern and very upscale feeling. The ambiance is great, very intimate and classy.
The menu rotates seasonally and is always very well thought out. You can see the effort that went into creating each dish; I’ve been to Krave several times and every time I declare that I’ve found my new favorite dish (e.g. duck quinoa, butternut squash ravioli, mushroom ravioli with some kind of cream sauce)! The complex flavors work in perfect harmony that will have you «Krave-​ing» your next meal there before you even finish the one your eating.
The desserts and coffee are both exquisite. There is a coffee bar where the barista takes care in preparing your beverage. The desserts are also on a rotating menu… pro tip: the best one, if they have it, is the baked pudding. It has a fluffy yet rich texture… it is so decadent and delightful– the ultimate indulgence. Pair that with a hot coffee and you’re on a one way train to dessert heaven — a perfect end to an evening.
The staff is top notch, super friendly, very knowledgeable, attentive, and very accommodating.
Another plus is that this new location has outdoor seating, perfect for mild summer days.