The Frog and the Peach

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Forty Years in a Former Factory

The Frog and the Peach has occupied the same address on Dennis Street in downtown New Brunswick since 1983, when Rutgers graduates Jim Black and Betsy Alger chose an 1876 industrial building — once home to printing presses for The Home News, later a leather suitcase handle factory — and carefully gutted it into a multi-leveled contemporary restaurant that still reflects the spirit of its industrial roots. The name, for the curious, comes from a Dudley Moore and Peter Cook comedy routine about a restaurant in the Scottish moors that served only frogs and peaches — a concept never seriously considered here.

The Chef Behind the Kitchen

In April 2012, Executive Chef Bruce Lefebvre purchased the restaurant from its founders. Lefebvre's path to ownership was anything but straight: a Wake Forest English graduate who found his calling on a cross-country road trip, he trained at The Culinary Institute of America, staged at Daniel and Lespinasse in New York, and worked under Charlie Palmer at Aureole before returning to The Frog, where he had started as a young cook the day after graduating from the CIA. He became Executive Chef in 2001 and owner a decade later.

His cooking is rooted in what he calls "modern American cuisine," with a deliberate commitment to New Jersey's own agriculture and fisheries. "The Frog has always been proud to highlight local ingredients," he says, pointing out that the restaurant's very first menu featured an arugula salad with Hunterdon County goat cheese, walnut oil, and champagne vinegar — at $4. That sensibility hasn't changed, even as the cooking has grown more ambitious.

The Wine Program

The cellar is a serious operation in its own right. Wine Spectator has recognized The Frog and the Peach with its Best of Award of Excellence, and the restaurant's own site notes that recognition has continued year after year. Wine Director and Sommelier Donaciano "Donny" Betancourt — featured in Wine & Spirits for his thoughtful purchasing decisions — oversees a list described as educational and fun to browse, with photos and commentary alongside the selections. Regular wine dinners, such as a recent evening with the owner of Valle Reale exploring wines from Abruzzo, reflect how seriously the team takes the pairing side of the American dining experience here.

The Room and the Rhythm

The space divides into distinct areas — the Garden Room, the Alcove, the Wine Room, the Balcony — each offering a different atmosphere within the same industrial shell, complete with a Brothers Grimm chandelier. Private events scale from intimate gatherings of eight up to a full restaurant buyout, with dedicated packages for weddings, corporate entertaining, and pharmaceutical clients.

Day to day, the rhythm runs from Thursday–Friday lunch through dinner service, a renowned Sunday brunch with bottomless beverages at the bar, and a happy hour Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 PM featuring half-shell oysters and seasonal cocktails. A seasonal five-course tasting menu anchors the dinner program, with wine pairings offered at 50% off every Friday — a straightforward way to explore one of New Jersey's most decorated American dining rooms.