Best food Instagrammers: 6 North Jersey accounts to follow

In North Jersey’s diverse dining scene, figuring out where and what to eat can sometimes feel daunting. To cope, more food lovers are turning to Instagram to answer a craving, find a new recipe or discover a just-opened dining destination – or simply ogle over-the-top food photos.

That's because there are thousands of accounts on the photo-sharing platform, which boasts more than 600 million users as of last month, dedicated solely to food – from food bloggers and home and professional cooks posting their recipes, to accounts that exclusively post ice cream, pizza or pasta photos, to amateurs simply documenting their favorite restaurants and eats.

Some of these food Instagram accounts have thousands or even millions of followers and are changing the food scene, from the way restaurants design their spaces to the way they present their food.

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North Jersey has its own slew of food Instagrammers clicking away at hot spots or sharing photos of their own kitchen creations. Here are six accounts – and the food-loving photographers behind them – that are worth keeping up with, if only for the drool-worthy photos alone.

And of course, don’t forget to follow us @northjerseyeats for NorthJersey.com’s best food and dining content, and hashtag your own food adventures on Instagram #northjerseyeats so we can check them out, too!

Brian Juarbe, My Inner Fat Kid is Out, @myinnerfatkidisout

Juarbe, a Bergenfield resident, has racked up more than 13,000 Instagram followers who clearly love his photos, mostly of heaps of mac and cheese, loaded-up burgers and desserts. Juarbe, who manages a service company when he’s not checking out doughnuts, bacon-topped entrées and more, started out posting on his personal social media accounts. But around two years ago, friends and family suggested that he start a public page. Juarbe, who enjoys exploring restaurants with his fiancée and his teenage son, is a self-described “influencer”; restaurants reach out to him to try their food or attend events. “It's given me the opportunity to try so many different types of foods that I might never have the chance to try,” he says.

Current favorite North Jersey restaurant: "Brooklyn's Brick Oven Pizzeria in Hackensack and Glaze Donuts in New Milford is a regular stop for me. I'm always swinging by for a cannoli or strawberry Nutella doughnut."

Matt Savage, Inkaholic, @inkaholic__

Matt Savage’s job as a night nurse at Hackensack University Medical Center for the last decade has left his days free to explore local food spots, and in 2012, the Garfield resident started posting his favorites on Instagram. Unlike many Instagram accounts where food is the only subject of the photos, the bearded, tattooed registered nurse appears in a lot of his posts, holding a plate of pancakes, a platter of doughnuts or a cheesy slice of pizza. He tries to share a photo at least once a day with his 12,000-plus followers and says he loves connecting with North Jersey restaurant owners (some of whom also invite him to dine and post) and capturing a hunger-inducing shot. “I love eating food but enjoy food photography even more.” Savage’s wife is due with their first child in February; perhaps a mini-foodie will appear on his page soon. Fair warning: some of Savage's photo captions are a bit off-color.

Current favorite North Jersey restaurant: Denaro’s Submarine Sandwiches in Dumont. “My favorite sandwich from there is what they call their ‘Crispy,’ which is their breaded chicken cutlet. I personally top it with cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, honey mustard and, for fun, I throw sliced pastrami on top, too, all piled on their delicious bread.”

Lara Dominianni, Little Miss Foodie, @_littlemissfoodie

For those looking for lighter meal inspiration and health-conscious restaurant choices, Lara Dominianni’s account, which has 10,000 followers, is a good bet. The 25-year-old Ringwood native is an elementary school teacher. All her free time goes to “experimenting in the kitchen or scouring the aisles in specialty food stores looking for interesting new products,” she says. Dominianni got interested in cooking when she developed food intolerances in college, and today she documents her healthful meals, posting her kitchen creations (from eggplants topped with figs to veggie bowls and hearty skillets) and sharing her excursions to local restaurants. “I keep up my account by simply creating recipes and dishes that I love to eat and share with family and friends.” Dominianni hopes her account inspires others to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Current favorite North Jersey restaurant: The Sensible Fork in Ridgewood. “They have amazing options for any eater that leave you feeling good about yourself when you leave.”

Maggie and Bryan, Two Dopes from Jersey, @twodopesfromjersey

This married couple, originally from North Jersey, now live down the Shore, in Ocean County. Their first date was a New Jersey pizza crawl, so it’s no surprise that sharing food is a big slice of their lives. Finding themselves frequently recommending restaurants to friends and family, they decided to start an account, and then a food blog as well. With more than 16,000 Instagram followers, the Two Dopes from Jersey hit up restaurants from all over the state, making their account great inspiration for a food-focused day trip. Their over-the-top home creations, like ramen made from scratch, are pretty impressive, too. The pair say running the account has been “a ton of fun,” and it shows in their light-hearted posts. “It has given us the opportunity to meet so many new people in the restaurant and small-business industries, as well as get to know New Jersey on a whole new level. We are constantly going on adventures and seeking out new places and hidden treasures.”

Current favorite North Jersey restaurant: The “two dopes” couldn’t narrow it down to just one choice. “One of our favorite places in North Jersey is Tony Da Caneca in Newark for amazing Portuguese food, and Mario’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in Clifton for one of best, most underrated thin-crust pizzas in the state (The Emma Pie). Another favorite spot is Ani Ramen in Montclair for some amazing – you guessed it – ramen.”

Alyssa DiPalma, Finicky Foodie, @finickyfoodie

You might not guess it from her photos of desserts, pizza, tacos and more, but Alyssa DiPalma has been considered a picky eater most of her life, hence the name of her page, Finicky Foodie. DiPalma, a public-relations professional in the hospitality industry, lives in Rockland County, but her posts cover a good mix of Bergen, Rockland and Westchester County restaurants (another account good for local day-trip inspiration). DiPalma’s posts are followed by more than 11,000 food lovers, most of them local, she says. “I love managing the page and seeing the comments from followers that actually know the places I am posting about and get excited about them – it's great having a local following.”

Current favorite North Jersey restaurant: “The North Jersey dining scene is huge, and my fiancé and I have barely eaten our way through it yet. We have a lot of exploring to do still, but two of our recent favorites included Sofia in Englewood, where we enjoyed a really delicious brunch with friends, and Fink’s BBQ in Dumont.”

Adam Baranker, NJ Food Dude, @njfooddude

Adam Baranker, who is from Livingston, started NJ Food Dude to prove a point – that you don’t need to go to Manhattan for good grub. “When I graduated from college, a lot of my peers moved into the city, while I stayed in the suburbs. I started this account to say, hey, you don’t need to run to NYC for amazing food.” Baranker, who has a soft spot for brunch and ice cream, is a newer poster (his account is less than a year old), but is dedicated to proving that point.

Current favorite North Jersey restaurant: De Novo European Pub in Upper Montclair. Baranker’s favorite dish there? The tuna tartare crispy rice appetizer.