"It took longer than expected," Vaneet Chopra told South Jersey Food Scene in September. He was explaining why Banjara Indian Bistro, first announced back in February, was only now opening for takeout and delivery on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with dine-in following on Thursday, September 10. Part of the wait came from where Banjara ended up. The restaurant was announced for one storefront on Berlin-Cross Keys Road and opened in another a few doors down. A different restaurant moved into the first one.
That one change of plans explains most of the past year at the corner of Berlin-Cross Keys and Johnson roads in Sicklerville. Most of the new names on this block arrived because another business retired, moved, or switched addresses. Open one map and the openings line up like dominoes.
One Storefront, Two Plans
Start at 673 Berlin-Cross Keys Road, in the shopping center with Wine Warehouse, Tractor Supply, Jersey Goat and Friendly's. For years that storefront was Matteo's. The Matteo family retired from the business in the fall of 2025, 42 Freeway reported.
The first plan for the space was Indian food. South Jersey Food Scene's original February report placed Banjara Indian Bistro at 673 Berlin-Cross Keys Road, "the former Matteo's Deli location." The newest concept from Chopra, it promised a modern take on Indian cuisine. Chopra also owns Cross Culture in Haddonfield, which has been serving Indian food for more than 17 years. By March, the publication's update said plans for that location had fallen through.
Crabcakes went in instead. Bobby Chez Famous Crabcakes opened at the Johnson Road center at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in the storefront Matteo's had occupied. 42 Freeway described the opening as effectively a relocation of the company's Sewell/Washington Township restaurant, a short drive away. The owners moved to this stretch for more visibility, easier access and nearby residential neighborhoods. So a Sewell business moved here because it saw what Sicklerville drivers pass every day.
Where Banjara Landed
When the 673 plan fell apart, Banjara stayed nearby. In March the owners signed a lease for the former Rustico Italian Restaurant property at 687–689 Berlin-Cross Keys Road. South Jersey Food Scene said the new space fit their vision better. June brought a July target pending final inspections, and then the September opening dates.
Banjara's new neighbor was already established. Gouldsburger's opened at 685 Berlin-Cross Keys Road in October 2025, 42 Freeway reported. Its menu is built on prime beef and includes a cheesesteak roll topped with everything-bagel seasoning. That puts a year-old burger spot and a two-month-old Indian bistro side by side, on a block where neither was open two Octobers ago.
Here is the full run of handoffs on this block:
| Address on Berlin-Cross Keys Rd | What was there | What's there now | When it changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 673 | Matteo's, until the family retired in fall 2025 | Bobby Chez Famous Crabcakes | Opened June 11, 2026 |
| 685 | n/a | Gouldsburger's | Opened October 2025 |
| 687–689 | Former Rustico Italian Restaurant | Banjara Indian Bistro | Dine-in from September 10, 2026 |
| 651 | Storefront in the strip behind Friendly's | Tiny Township Play Cafe | Grand opening Friday, December 4 |
The Strip Behind Friendly's Has Its Own History of Moves
The bottom row of that table sits in the row of stores behind Friendly's. The shop with the longest local history there is a business that moved in itself.
K-9 Kakes started in the former Wawa shopping center across the road. Around the start of the pandemic it moved to the Friendly's-adjacent strip, 42 Freeway's 2023 profile reported. The same profile described it as a mom-and-daughter operation that bakes its treats in-store. 6abc's 2021 segment covered its celebration cakes for dogs.
Next door, at 651 Berlin-Cross Keys Road, Tiny Township Play Cafe is the newest piece. 42 Freeway's October 7 visit found signage that had been up for a few months, though the play areas were still to be installed. At that point the owners, a Washington Township couple, were estimating a November opening. The Tiny Township website now gives the grand opening as Friday, December 4.
The concept is an indoor play village for kids from 6 months to 8 years old. They can run a post office, stock a pantry, and care for patients at an animal hospital. Characters are built into each area: Maple in the garden, Marnie with the mail, Hugo the resident doctor, and Clove for building. The adult side gets as much attention. Lounge areas are planned with Endgrain Coffee a few steps away and local bakery pastries on the menu. A separate party room in the back keeps birthday cake and presents out of the open play space. A visit is either a two-hour session or a full day, memberships cover unlimited play, and bookings run through a custom mobile app. Before the doors open, the site's Founding Families offer adds up to 35 percent in bonus value to gift card purchases.
The opening date has already moved once, from the November estimate to December 4. Check the business's own Instagram before you plan a morning around it.
The Rest of the Corridor Moved Too
The Johnson Road cluster wasn't the only change on Berlin-Cross Keys Road this year. Farther along, the Chick-fil-A at 481 Berlin-Cross Keys Road reopened on July 2, 2026. It had been closed more than four months for an expansion and remodel. 7 Brew opened at 528 Berlin-Cross Keys Road on March 2, 2026. So on the busiest stretch of the road, 2026 brought a new drive-thru coffee stand, a larger chicken restaurant, a relocated seafood counter and a new Indian bistro, all before the play cafe opens.
The Johnson Road block also gets more use out of a single stop. 42 Freeway pointed out that with Wine Warehouse steps from Bobby Chez, a commuter can pick up crabcakes, shrimp or chicken parmesan and a bottle of wine without moving the car. The same center has Tractor Supply and Jersey Goat. Add Banjara and Gouldsburger's a few doors up, and one parking stop now covers seafood, burgers or Indian food, wine, farm supplies and pet treats.
The Dates on This Block Through Mid-December
- Now: Banjara Indian Bistro at 687–689 has been serving dine-in since September 10, and Bobby Chez at 673 since June 11.
- Friday, December 4: Tiny Township Play Cafe's grand opening at 651 Berlin-Cross Keys Road.
- Wednesday, December 9: Tiny Township's first listed Low-Sensory Morning.
- Saturday, December 12: The township's fifth annual Christmas Village at Veterans Park runs 3 to 8 p.m. The Mainstage choir sings at 6 p.m., the tree lighting is at 6:30 p.m., and December 13 is the rain date.
In the second week of December you could have an early play session at 651 on Wednesday and Banjara takeout on the way home, then the tree lighting at Veterans Park that Saturday evening. Last December, two of those three weren't open yet.
When a block turns over like this, it changes how the homes around it get used and valued. That is the kind of local detail we track for clients at Amber Cruse Realty Group. If you're wondering how the new lineup on Berlin-Cross Keys Road affects your corner of Sicklerville, Request Your White‑Glove Consultation and we'll go through it with you.
