Across from the Mall at Short Hills is an oasis away from noise and crowds. A place to get together with girlfriends, have a bite to eat and enjoy a cocktail. The Retreat Bar & Terrace and the Patio Bar and Grill at the Hilton Short Hills offer all of this, plus a serene view of woods and a glistening pool. You’ll feel like you’re taking a mini vacation in the middle or at the end of your day.
“It’s an amazing environment with great food and live music,” says John Bruton, director of sales and marketing for the Hilton Short Hills. “It's a nice, relaxed atmosphere to hang out.”
Adds Josh Adams, its food and beverage supervisor, “When you think about summertime, there's nothing better than gathering with friends outside. You can sit on a nice couch in front of a fire pit and have a delicious cocktail made by one of our mixologists.”
Experienced, friendly bartenders serve up these tasty concoctions. “We incorporate juices that are freshly squeezed in-house and go organic as much as possible with all of our cocktails,” says Josh. “We keep beehives in the back of the hotel and two times a year we harvest the honey.” This honey is infused into a few of its cocktails such as the Honey Cosmopolitan and the Honey Paloma.
“We have a dynamic kitchen staff that comes up with various fruit syrups, and with the honey component, they’re less calories than your typical drink made with simple syrup. We also have a garden in the back where we grow herbs, which we use in the drinks as well.”
While everyone is welcome in its restaurants, if you and your friends book one or more of its gorgeous rooms, you’ll also have access to food and drinks served poolside beginning in July.
The ingredients in all of its menu items from charcuterie boards and salads to burgers and sweet potato fries are fresh from local purveyors. Every Saturday and Sunday, a fabulous breakfast buffet is skillfully laid out to impress not only the palate but the eye. Along with typical breakfast fare, there are cured meats with a choice of mustards, healthy shakes, an omelet station, and many other savory and sweet offerings.
“Our in-house pastry chef is fantastic and so creative,” says Josh. “Our buffet usually features five or six different types of breads, so we’ll have strawberry bread and blueberry bread, plus cinnamon rolls right out of the oven.” If you want a special place to pamper mom on Mother’s Day, this is the place.
Just walking into the hotel, which was renovated in 2018, is an experience. “It's got a European hotel style, so a lot of wood, and a beautiful chandelier and large art installation in the lobby,” says John. “It's ornate, but also very comfortable.” The Hilton Short Hills also holds events like weddings and corporate meetings.
For more, go to Hilton.com/en/Hotels/ewrshhh-Hilton-Short-Hills/.