Buzby’s Eatery & General Store — Restaurant in Woodland Township

Chatsworth New Jersey is a sleepy town in the center of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The only thing that was there since the early days was Buzby’s General Store and a few houses. That hasn't changed. I first started going to Buzby’s when I was a kid exploring the Pines. I would stop by to pick up something to drink or grab a snack. At that time it was just an old store frequented primarily by the locals and a general store in the true sense of the name. Buzby’s General Store. It lasted in that configuration from 1895 run by the Buzby family. Eventually it closed and sat vacant until a woman named Marilyn Schmidt moved in and sold her self-authored books, antiques and Pine Barrens memorabilia. She had a complete unused kitchen in the back and we considered that maybe I would reopen it but it never happened. Jump to present day and some folks actually did reopen the kitchen and then some. It’s now “Buzby’s Eatery and General Store”. The new owners did an awesome job of keeping the authentic feel of Buzby’s but with a clean, more modern flair. Nothing fancy but well laid out with a small number of tables and a counter with stools. The real deal is the food. They have a very updated menu with things like Eggs Benedict, omelets, breakfast combos and skillets. The lunch menu has favorites like classic club sandwiches, and wraps and some specialties like the Muffuletta sandwich. I ordered the Eggs Benedict as I always do for a taste test comparison. My test standard as I have eaten Eggs Benny all over the USA. I am happy to say that in comparison with Parc in Philadelphia which is my favorite they are second to none and definitely tied for top honors. The eggs were perfectly poached with cooked whites and liquid yokes topped with a nice slice of ham and obviously homemade Hollandaise that was delicious. They even managed to cook the home fries to crispy perfection. I can’t say enough about how impressed I was. The staff are very friendly and prices are reasonable for excellent food. They even sell miscellaneous items in the “store” area that include some of Marilyn’s books. So…if you are wandering the Pines or just taking “the back way” to Long Beach Island and want a great meal definitely stop in to Buzby’s and tell them...

My wife and I had a Sunday morning adventure to check out Buzby’s Eatery and General Store, as they say “Good Food and the Rest is History!” The Chatsworth General Store is a local landmark that opened in 1865 and was owned by the Buzby family from 1891 to 1992. Known as the “Capital of the Pines” for its wide selection of goods along with being the social center for the surrounding area. Buzby’s not only provided food, clothing, and essential supplies to nearby residents, at times it was where taxes were collected, letters were mailed, phone calls were made, teachers were paid, and hunters brought their deer to be weighed. It closed in 1992 and again in 2017. For a restaurant that reopened in October 2022, it’s remarkable how it still feels like an old time establishment. As soon as you walk in the door, you get the sense that these friendly patrons have been coming here for years! Luckily there were seats open at the counter so we sat down and ordered breakfast. I had the western omelette and my wife had the farmhouse frittata skillet. The food was delicious! The highlight of our adventure was the atmosphere. It was so relaxing to watch the cars drive by as the locals talked on the front porch! Buzby’s Eatery and General Store definitely lives up to its name as the Capital of the Pines with Good Food and the Rest is History! 🌲🛒📖🍳 #adventuresinsouthjersey #buzbysgeneralstore #chatsworthnj...

Pass by here all the time! Finally stopped today, without disappointment! Waitress was friendly and informative. She asked for our drink orders to give us time to look at the menu. I asked if they had sweet tea? To my surprise she said yes we do! Normally this would lead to disappointment! Not today best sweet tea I have ever had in NJ! Both ordered the chicken sandwich w/ spinach, bacon , cheddar, honey mustard and a raspberry sauce that was delicious! Overall; great food, great service great sweet tea and reasonably priced! Charming building, small town, friendly people, great experience!

Update1: Stopped in again for a second visit was promptly greeted and chose a table no wait! Had to have another Sweet tea, this time I chose the Philly cheesesteak which has 12oz. of thin sliced sirloin, as I was informed by one of the owners (Ed ..who always makes it a point to stop by and make sure everything is ok with your experience). We also had the two patty smash burger which was juicy, delicious, and a handful! Update 2: Decided to try breakfast today! Today's choice was the Piney Skillet w/ overeasy eggs, 4 meats, potatoes and cheesy goodness melted on top! Also had the Busbys combo 3eggs, bacon, pancakes, potatoes, and toast! Everything was great! Can't wait to see what is in store...