Oscar's Gourmet Café (Califon)

Oscar's is a gem. My family's favorite place. We live 35 minutes away, but it's worth the drive. Amazing food, friendly staff, and great value. Each entree comes with a salad. The salad is huge and really really good. They have so many items on the menu and the portions are HUGE. Add that Oscar can cook and everything tastes incredible. Try it out. You will love it. FYI its BYO if you want a drink drink.

Oh, man. What a great place. Oscar, the owner, is one hell of a guy. Instant friend. Really. Love that guy. And his food? Ridiculously good. We had the California Burger and the hot Pastrami Rueben. Jeez, Louise. Absolutely delicious. We got them to go and parked near a field, watching the sun set over the ridgeline, but I highly recommend dining in. The vibe he's got going on inside is awesome. This is the kind of local business that really deserves repeat business and lots of it. Give it to him. And tell him Shelly said hello. Fist bump.

Very cute diner like place but with totally homemade delicious food. My husband had the crab cakes and you get three big ones, made from scratch. He said they were delicious. I had the capellini with scampi sauce but subbed salmon instead of shrimp and they added spinach for me. It was so good with huge chunks of garlic and a craveable lemony sauce. There must have been a pound of salmon in the filet, it was so big. The service is incredible too. Vicky is a doll and Oscar the cook is super sweet as well. Will definitely go back when we are in the area either camping or dropping off or picking up kids at camp.

My brother and I had dinner tonight at Oscar’s Gourmet Café in Califon, and we’re still talking about it — because that ribeye was unforgettable. From the moment the plate hit the table, we knew we were in for something special. A generous portion of perfectly cooked ribeye, juicy and tender with a flawless sear — easily one of the best steaks I’ve had not just in New Jersey, but anywhere. The mashed potatoes were rich and buttery, smooth with just the right texture, and the vegetables were vibrant and fresh - like they came straight from a local farm that morning. Everything on that plate was done with care, heart, and serious culinary skill. You don’t just taste the ingredients - you taste the pride. We’ve eaten at plenty of steakhouses across the state, but this? This was next level

We've been going to Oscar's since we moved to the area around 6 years ago. Not only is the food fantastic, Oscar and staff make us feel like we're over at a friend's house for a family meal. Our son can't get enough of the marinara sauce with pasta or lasagna (Oscar's grandma's recipe, with tomatoes and herbs from his own garden). I love the Portuguese pasta dishes & salmon lemoncello(sp?). My husband gets the meatloaf almost every time (huge portion, with delicious grilled fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes). Our daughter's favorite is the homemade chicken soup. Prices are more than reasonable, not just for the area. You can get your typical diner fare, but do yourself a favor and try one of his specials. You're welcome. :)