One of the top 10 must-try restaurants in NJ happens to be haunted

New Jersey sees new spots opening regularly and NJ Monthly just came out with its yearly list of their favorite restaurants that opened their doors in the Garden State, spanning North, Central and South Jersey.

One of the top 10 is actually haunted. New Jersey’s restaurant scene never ceases to surprise—and this one comes with a twist. Imagine dining in a historic three-story mansion, where every room tells a story and even the ghosts seem friendly.

Welcome to Spring House in Tenafly, a New American restaurant tucked inside the Demarest-Lyle House, one of Tenafly’s oldest homes and a registered National Historic Place.

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Spring House isn’t your typical eatery. It has 2 beautiful dining rooms and an Art Deco lounge upstairs that creates an amazing ambiance that feels like another era.

Originally, the building operated as The Spring—a cafe serving coffee, sandwiches, and smoothies. That’s when customers first started whispering about odd happenings, remnants of the building’s past as a school.

Legend has it that the little ones once spoke of a mysterious woman, Julia Lyle, whose presence filled the halls.

According to the story Julia lived here with her husband John in the early 1900s. John died in 1912 and Julia in 1939. The mansion later became Tenafly’s town hall in 1940 before eventually turning into office space.

Fast forward to 2023, when the current owners purchased the building and discovered vintage photos of Julia Lyle while planning to transform The Spring into a full-blown restaurant. The spookiest part is that the owner’s wife is also named Julia.

Regulars even talk about a “lady ghost” that has always been a part of the building’s charm—polite, mysterious, and always there. You can even dine in the “ghost room,” a space dedicated to Julia Lyle with photos that honor her legacy.

If you’re craving a dining experience that blends rich history, innovative cuisine, and a touch of the supernatural, Spring House is ready to welcome you.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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