Melanie & Steve
Our Recommendations for Princeton
Palmer Square
It's so much fun to explore everything Palmer Square has to offer! Located in the heart of vibrant downtown Princeton, Palmer Square boasts a unique collection of shopping and dining that is not to be missed. You’ll find both brand name stores and one-of-a-kind local boutiques, along with a plethora of restaurants and specialty food shops. We've listed some of our favorites here, but we encourage you to wander and find some favorite spots of your own!
Princeton University
Princeton University campus is just a few short blocks from the Nassau Inn. It's a great place to wander and take in the stunning Gothic architecture. (Bonus for fantasy fans: some areas give major castle vibes!)
The Bent Spoon
Just across the square from the Nassau Inn, this small ice cream spot boasts a multitude of creative flavors. Make sure to have a taste! (Spoiler: they're all delicious.)
Jammin’ Crêpes
This delectable spot has been featured by Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-in’s & Dives”, hosted by Guy Fieri! Guy Fieri and his co-host for this episode, the famous rapper Run of Run-D.M.C., took over the restaurant for two full days of shooting. Jammin’ Crêpes has an ever-changing menu that highlights the very best local ingredients at their peak of freshness. In addition to crêpes, they also offer a daily selection of scratch-made seasonal soups and salads and a variety of home baked goods, an assortment of regional, all-natural juices and drinks, as well as specialty coffee and tea drinks.
Tipple & Rose
This adorable shop specializes in loose leaf tea and light meals. They also highlight housemade scones in various flavors.
Labyrinth Books
If you're looking for your next great read, be sure to stop in this beautiful independent bookshop. They offer a large selection of books in all genres, as well as gifts and stationery.
Lindt Chocolate Shop
Just around the corner from the Inn, discover an array of delicious Lindt chocolate offerings not found anywhere else, including an extraordinary assortment of over 20 Lindor Truffle recipes, seasonal varieties, exclusive European Specialties and more! One of our favorite truffles is the milk chocolate maple!
Princeton Record Exchange
Step inside this old-school record shop and get lost in nostalgia. It would be easy to spend hours in here searching for records and CDs from your favorite musicians.
PJ's Pancake House
PJ's is a Princeton staple! The menu is huge and so are the portions. PJ's boasts a large selection of pancakes--you can even get a sampler plate to try multiple flavors. Our favorites are banana, chocolate chip, and caramel apple cinnamon.
Morven Museum & Garden
A National Historic Landmark, Morven is situated on five pristine acres in the heart of Princeton. The home of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and former New Jersey Governor’s Mansion, Morven showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Garden State. Along with a number of permanent exhibitions, the Morven will feature "Striking Beauty: New Jersey Tall Case Clocks, 1730–1830" during the timeframe of our wedding weekend. This first exhibition of its kind will showcase more than 50 clocks from public and private collections along with artifacts and ephemera related to important New Jersey clockmakers. Often overlooked in early American decorative arts, New Jersey was home to dozens of important clockmakers. These highly-skilled craftsmen worked throughout the state in craft centers such as Elizabeth, Burlington and New Brunswick.
Grounds For Sculpture
The truly unique Grounds for Sculpture is located very close to Princeton (approximately 30 minutes by car). Grounds for Sculpture include a museum, sculpture garden, and arboretum. Outdoors, nearly 300 contemporary sculptures are sited across 42 landscaped acres. Indoors, temporary exhibitions from established and emerging artists are featured in six galleries. The collection contains sculpture by 150 artists, including Clement Meadmore, Anthony Caro, Beverly Pepper, Kiki Smith, George Segal, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Isaac Witkin, Joyce J. Scott, Willie Cole, and founder Seward Johnson. If you have the time, Grounds for Sculpture is absolutely worth exploring!