NJ Monthly Magazine's 2010 “Best of NJ” South Orange, NJ winners!

CLOTHING BOUTIQUE/WOMEN'S
Denim, diamonds, and dresses, oh my! At Robyn Ross in South Orange , you get the selection of a high-end department store with the personal attention of a boutique. Besides showcasing premium denim and designer clothing and accessories, owner Robyn Fields, along with her husband, Ross, have created a custom line of engagement and wedding rings. “Robyn Ross is the only place I will shop for my wife,” writes reader Christian Talbot of Montclair . “The unique designers and expert help make shopping there a no-brainer.” 67 South Orange Ave , 973-913-1100, www.robynrossdesigns.com

KITCHENWARE
When Ben Salmon opened Kitchen a la Mode almost two years ago, he says he wanted to “put the fun back into cooking.” Downtown South Orange seemed the perfect spot to start. “I felt this downtown was gonna pop,” explains Salmon, a self-taught cook like most of his clientele. “It's urban, it's hip—it's like Brooklyn with a house and yard.” With more than 3,000 hand-selected items packed into 1,000 square feet, Kitchen a la Mode is the place to find everything you never knew you needed, including a knife-sharpening service. “Culinary life in South Orange seemed more primitive in the days before Kitchen a la Mode,” writes South Orange reader Michael Bressman. “I honestly don't know what I would do without my stainless steel toothpick dispenser and squirrel-shaped nutcracker!”. 19 South Orange Ave , 973-821-5145, www.kitchenalamode.net

GOURMET SHOP
“Eden Marketplace is South Orange 's answer to Zabar's—it's a food circus,” writes reader Chick Bisberg. A very genteel circus with a cosmopolitan European green-market aesthetic. Every aisle is a jaw-dropping tableau of gorgeous produce, meat, cheese, fish, and gourmet products, many imported from Europe . The store is big, but the friendly staff makes it feel cozy and responsive . 1 South Orange Ave , 973-762-5200, www.edengourmet.com.

TOY STORE
Stop into Sparkhouse Kids in South Orange for toys that stretch the imagination. Owner Michael Casaren, a father of two, says he opened the bright downtown space nearly two years ago because parents and kids alike are looking for toys that are “more interesting, engaging, and creative.” There's an always-expanding book section (with readings), and an awesome collection of robots (a personal favorite of Casaren's). 15 Scotland Road , 973-821-5227, www.sparkhousekids.com .

BAGELS
A direct line can be drawn from the golden age of Newark Jewry and its fabled small, crusty Watson bagel to the winner of this category, Sonny's Bagels in South Orange . The late Sonny Amster, who learned bagel making from his father, was a partner in Watson and used the same traditional method of boiling before baking when he opened his eponymous shop in 1971. 123 South Orange Ave , 973-763-9634.

NJ Monthly Magazine's 2010 South Orange, NJ - Runners-up

BREAD

Cait & Abby's Daily Bread, 15 Sloan Street , 973-763-2229

BRIDAL BOUTIQUE

Designer Loft West, 7 Sloan Street , 973-821-5316, www.designerloftnj.com

BUTCHER

Eden Gourmet, 1 Sloan Street , 973-762-5200, www.edengourmet.com

DELI SANDWICH/ITALIAN

Town Hall Deli, 973-762-4900, www.townhalldeli.com

FRENCH FRIES

Stony's, 10 Sloan Street , 973-763-3330

JEWELRY

Robyn Ross, 67 South Orange Ave , 973-913-1100, www.robynrossdesigns.com

PET STORE

Pro Pets, 154 Valley Street , 973-761-6121

EXERCISE STUDIO

South Mountain Yoga, 9 Scotland Road , 973-763-4433, www.southmountainyoga.com