To spot Elements, look for a sleek, modern building on Witherspoon Street, with a minimalist design and a stylish "e" logo-just like the one in front of you now.
Welcome to Elements-Princeton’s very own culinary phoenix! Now, picture this: you’re standing where cars used to get their tires changed and engines fixed, right next to a gas station. But don’t worry, the only thing firing up here now is the kitchen! Elements was dreamed up by Steven Distler, a private equity wizard who saw magic where others just saw grease stains. He took an old, rough-and-tumble garage and transformed it into this elegant restaurant, where you’ll now find glinting silverware instead of wrenches and the scent of truffle oil instead of gasoline.
Steven roped in a not-so-secret weapon, Chef Scott Anderson. Scott’s a Rutgers grad whose kitchen journey began without any fancy culinary school credentials. He learned by doing-six years slaving away at the legendary Ryland Inn, becoming head chef, always tweaking and experimenting. Scott teamed up with savvy wine guy Laurent Chapuis, who runs the cork-popping Princeton Corkscrew Wine Shop. Together, they turned up the heat in Princeton’s dining scene.
The first location of Elements wowed taste buds over on Bayard Lane, but in 2014, they closed up shop for a bold move. Here at Witherspoon, the team gutted the old garage, built a restaurant fit for gastronomic adventures, and-fun fact-shared the space with another foodie favorite, Mistral. While hammers swung and sawdust flew, Mistral kept the aroma of good food floating down the block.
Inside, the menu changes like the seasons-one day it’s chicken liver pâté, another it’s Laughing Bird shrimp or locally sourced grits. The wine? Enough bottles to make you dizzy before you even take a sip-ranging from thrifty to “I hope you’ve got a good reason to celebrate!” Critics across New Jersey and even Forbes have showered praise here, with Scott coming close to snagging a James Beard Award.
So, as you stand here, imagine whispers of the past-the clatter of auto repairs traded for the clink of elegant cutlery, and the thrill that you might just be about to try the best bite in town. Now, who would’ve guessed a garage could end up so delicious?
