A Clothing Store Becomes a Steakhouse
In 2006, the first Roots Steakhouse opened in Summit, NJ, inside the former home of the iconic Roots clothing store. Rather than gut the building and start over, the new owners kept a piece of its past intact: the old vault that once held the store’s mink coats is still standing inside the restaurant today, a strange but memorable holdover from the building’s retail days.
That first location was successful enough that five years later, in 2011, Roots Steakhouse Morristown opened as the second location in what was still, at the time, just a two-restaurant idea. Nobody could have known then that it would eventually grow into a six-location group spanning two states.
How Morristown Fits Into a Bigger Story
Roots Steakhouse Morristown wasn’t the end of the expansion, just an early chapter in it. A third location opened in Ridgewood in June 2014. In 2019, the company introduced a new concept, Roots Ocean Prime, in Princeton, leaning further into seafood alongside the steak program. A Darien, Connecticut location followed under that same Ocean Prime banner, and in 2026, Roots announced a sixth location coming to Rumson, NJ, replacing the former Salt Creek Grille.
That timeline puts Roots Steakhouse Morristown in an interesting position within the group. It’s not the flagship (that’s Summit, where the story started), and it’s not the newest experiment (that’s the Ocean Prime locations, which shift the menu balance more toward seafood). It’s the steady middle chapter, the location that proved the original Summit concept could work somewhere else, which paved the way for everything that came after.
Through all of that growth, Roots Steakhouse Morristown has remained one of the busiest and most consistent locations in the group. It carries the same identity the company built from day one: USDA prime, center-cut beef, sourced from some of the best ranches in the Midwest and cooked at 1,800 degrees for the kind of crust a serious steakhouse is judged on.
A Family-Owned Story, Still
Despite growing into a multi-state group, Roots Steakhouse Morristown describes itself as family-owned and operated, a detail the company highlights directly on its own booking pages. That framing matters. It’s easy for a restaurant to lose its original character once it expands past two or three locations, but the same emphasis on prime beef, tableside energy, and a dark wood, old-fashioned steakhouse feel has carried through from the original Summit vault to every location that’s opened since.
What’s on the Menu Today
The Roots Steakhouse Morristown menu runs deep on steak: a 12 oz petite prime NY strip, a 16 oz prime NY strip, filet mignon in two sizes, a 20 oz dry-aged cowboy steak, a 16 oz prime ribeye, and a 42 oz prime porterhouse built for two. Beyond beef, the menu extends into seafood, including a Roots Tailors Plate surf and turf, a true Dover sole, and a full raw bar selection for tables that want something lighter to start.
A few dishes are explicitly limited rather than always available. The Beef Wellington, built around filet mignon, mushrooms, and asparagus with a hollandaise finish, is marked limited availability on the menu. If a specific dish is the reason for your visit, it’s worth calling ahead to confirm it’s being served that night.
The Dress Code
Roots Steakhouse Morristown asks guests to dress the part. Hats, tank tops, flip flops, and team athletic attire are considered too casual for the dining experience the restaurant is aiming for. It’s not a strict jacket-required policy, but it leans toward smart casual to dressy, and Yelp lists the restaurant under “dressy” as one of its defining attributes. For a special occasion dinner, business meal, or date night, business casual or better is the safe move.
Making the Most of a First Visit
For a first visit, deciding on the cut ahead of time helps, since the menu spans everything from a petite filet to a 42 oz porterhouse. If you’re torn between options, staff are generally happy to walk you through the difference between the dry-aged cowboy steak and the more classic prime ribeye, which come out noticeably different despite both being popular choices.
If a limited item like the Beef Wellington is the whole reason for your visit, call ahead the same day to confirm it’s on the menu. Limited dishes can rotate or sell out depending on the night.
How Roots Steakhouse Morristown Compares to Nearby Options
Morristown has other strong dinner options, but few compete directly with Roots Steakhouse Morristown on formal steakhouse territory. Compared to a casual spot like The Committed Pig or a Mediterranean restaurant like Fig & Lily Garden, Roots is built for a different kind of night, one with a dress code, tableside service energy, and a menu priced to match the experience.
Common Questions
Does Roots Steakhouse have a dress code? Yes. Hats, tank tops, flip flops, and athletic team wear are discouraged. Smart casual to dressy is the expectation, especially for dinner service.
Who owns Roots Steakhouse? Roots Steakhouse Morristown is family-owned and operated, a structure that’s stayed in place as the company grew from one Summit location in 2006 into six locations across New Jersey and Connecticut.
How limited is the prime rib at Roots Steakhouse? Certain feature dishes, like the Beef Wellington, are explicitly marked limited availability on the menu. Since limited items can vary night to night, it’s best to call ahead if your visit is built around one dish in particular.
When did Roots Steakhouse Morristown open? The Morristown location opened in 2011, five years after the original Summit restaurant, making it the second location in the group’s history.
Plan Your Visit to Roots Steakhouse Morristown
- Address: 40 W Park Pl, Morristown, NJ 07960
- Phone: (973) 326-1800
- Dress code: Smart casual to dressy
- Reservations: Book via Resy
- Menu: View the Morristown menu
- Private events: Inquire here
- Best for: Special occasions, business dinners, serious steak
Why It’s Worth Booking
Roots Steakhouse Morristown carries nearly two decades of history in every visit, from the mink vault in Summit to a menu built on the same prime beef standards the company started with. For anyone looking for a proper steakhouse experience, the kind with real tableside energy and a wine list to match, it remains the standard-bearer downtown.
Explore more regarding what’s happening in Morristown here.
