Inside Sofia's Cigar Lounge: One of NJ's Rare Indoor Cigar Experiences
Key Takeaways
- A true cigar lounge in NJ where you can smoke indoors is rare — the state banned indoor smoking in 2006, and only a small number of grandfathered venues remain. Sofia in Englewood holds one of those licenses.
- Sofia's lounge sits downstairs, separate from the main dining room, in a ventilated speakeasy-style space built for cigars, spirits, and conversation. It pairs a real cigar selection with a deep scotch, bourbon, and port list.
- You can buy a cigar on-site or bring your own (a cutting fee applies to outside cigars), and the lounge works equally well for a quiet solo smoke, an after-dinner round, or a group gathering.
Most people who want to enjoy a cigar indoors in New Jersey run into the same wall: there's almost nowhere left to do it. The state's smoke-free air law closed indoor smoking in bars and restaurants nearly two decades ago, and the handful of venues that held onto their licenses became a small, quiet club. Sofia, the fine dining Italian steakhouse in downtown Englewood, is one of them — and its downstairs lounge has become a destination for cigar smokers across Bergen County and beyond.
What does that actually mean for someone planning a visit? It means you can sit down with a proper cigar and a glass of something good, indoors, in a room built for exactly that — without ducking outside, without weather ruining the evening, without the experience feeling like an afterthought. Below is a full look at the lounge: why it's rare, what's inside, what to smoke, what to drink, and how to plan a night around it.
Why Indoor Cigar Lounges Are Rare in New Jersey
New Jersey passed the Smoke-Free Air Act in 2006, banning smoking in nearly all indoor public spaces — bars, restaurants, offices, and most everywhere people gather. The law reshaped where smokers could light up, and indoor cigar lounges, once common, mostly disappeared overnight.
A narrow set of exemptions allowed a small number of existing cigar bars and lounges to continue, provided they met specific requirements and held the proper license. As Cigar Journal noted in its feature on the state's cigar-friendly venues, places like Sofia became valuable precisely because the 2006 ban made new indoor lounges nearly impossible to open. The license itself is the rare asset.
What Makes Sofia's License Notable
Sofia occupies the former site of Smoke Chophouse and has held its indoor smoking license through the transition. Per Sofia's own description, the restaurant "continues to hold one of NJ's few indoor smoking licenses — with smoking allowed only in its ventilated speakeasy-style cigar lounge and bar, completely separate from its main dining room." That separation matters: diners upstairs get a smoke-free fine dining room, while the downstairs lounge serves the cigar crowd.
Why This Is Hard to Replicate
A new restaurant can't simply decide to add an indoor cigar lounge in New Jersey today. The licensing framework that followed the 2006 ban makes these venues effectively a fixed, shrinking set. When one closes, it generally doesn't get replaced. That's what gives a venue like Sofia its standing among cigar smokers — scarcity built into the law itself. For a broader sense of how Sofia distinguishes itself in the region, our casual vs. fine dining guide covers the wider positioning.
Inside Sofia's Speakeasy-Style Lounge
The lounge sits downstairs from the main dining room, reached through the restaurant — a deliberate descent from the bright, window-lined dining room above into a darker, more intimate space below.
The Atmosphere
The downstairs room is built in a speakeasy style: low lighting, comfortable seating, a bar of its own, and the kind of enclosed, clubby feel that a cigar lounge is supposed to have. The design separates it completely from the dining experience upstairs, so the room has its own mood — quieter, later-running, built for lingering rather than turning tables.
The Ventilation
The single most important piece of infrastructure in an indoor cigar lounge is the ventilation, and Sofia runs a state-of-the-art filtration system. Without serious air handling, an indoor smoking room becomes unpleasant fast. A well-ventilated lounge keeps the air clear enough that you can enjoy your own cigar without the room turning into a haze. It's the difference between a proper lounge and a smoke-filled basement.
Separate From the Dining Room
Because the lounge is physically separate from the main dining room, the two experiences don't bleed into each other. You can have a smoke-free dinner upstairs and then move down for a cigar, or head straight to the lounge for the evening. The arrangement respects both crowds — diners who don't smoke and smokers who want a real indoor room.
The Cigar Selection — From Mild to Full
Sofia's cigar menu runs across the full strength spectrum, organized so that newcomers and seasoned smokers can both find something that fits.
Mild
For those starting out or wanting a lighter smoke, the mild tier includes names like Arturo Fuente Chateau, Ashton Double Magnum, and Montecristo White Series Toro. These deliver a smoother, less intense experience — a good entry point for someone newer to cigars, or anyone wanting something easy alongside dinner.
Medium
The medium section is the heart of the menu. It carries the house Sofia cigar, plus Arturo Fuente Seleccion Privada, Tatuaje Havana VI, Montecristo Espada, several Davidoff options, and an extensive Padron run — including the 1964 and 1926 series and the Padron 50 Years. Medium-bodied cigars offer more depth than the mild tier without the full intensity of the strongest smokes.
Full
For experienced smokers who want the most intensity, the full-bodied tier includes options like Plesencia Alma Fuerte and Oliva Melanio. These are bold, rich cigars best enjoyed slowly, ideally with a spirit that can stand up to them.
Flavor-Infused
For something different, the lounge also stocks flavor-infused cigars — Tatiana in vanilla, rum, and other profiles. These appeal to smokers who enjoy an aromatic, sweeter note, and they can be an approachable option for someone who finds traditional cigars too intense.
Bringing Your Own vs. Buying In-House
A common question among cigar smokers heading to a lounge: can I bring my own, or do I have to buy theirs? At Sofia, you can do either — with one caveat.
The Cutting Fee
Sofia sells cigars on-site across the full range described above. If you prefer to bring your own, you can — but there's a cutting fee for cigars not purchased at the lounge. The current menu lists this fee at $15 per cigar. The fee is standard practice at cigar lounges, where on-site cigar sales are part of how the room operates.
Why Lounges Charge It
The cutting fee isn't unique to Sofia — it's common across cigar lounges. The economics of running an indoor smoking room (the license, the ventilation, the staffing, the space) are supported partly by cigar sales. The fee on outside cigars balances the cost of providing the room to someone bringing their own product. Knowing it's there lets you decide in advance whether to bring a favorite or buy from the menu.
The Case for Buying In-House
Buying from Sofia's menu has its advantages beyond skipping the fee. The cigars are stored properly, the staff can recommend something based on what you like and what you're drinking, and you can try something new rather than defaulting to your usual. For a special occasion, letting the lounge guide the selection is part of the experience.
Pairing Cigars With the Right Spirit
A cigar is only half the equation. The right drink alongside it changes the entire experience — and Sofia's lounge carries the spirits depth to make serious pairings. What's the best drink to pair with a cigar? It depends on the cigar's strength.
Scotch and Cigars
Single-malt scotch is the classic cigar companion. Sofia's list runs deep — Macallan 15, 18, and 25; Glenfiddich and Glenlivet across multiple ages; the peaty Islay malts Lagavulin 16 and Laphroaig 10 and 25. A peaty, smoky scotch like Lagavulin stands up to a full-bodied cigar; a softer, sherried Macallan pairs beautifully with a medium smoke.
Bourbon and Rye
For those who lean American, the bourbon and rye selection includes Blanton's, Booker's, Michter's 10, Widow Jane, and Whistlepig across several ages. Bourbon's sweetness and vanilla notes complement the earthiness of a medium cigar, making it one of the most approachable pairings on the list.
Port and Cognac
After a meal, a fortified wine or brandy is a natural cigar partner. Sofia carries Taylor Fladgate ports in 10-, 20-, and 30-year tawnies, plus cognac up to Hennessy Paradis and Remy Martin Louis XIII. The sweetness of an aged tawny port against a rich cigar is one of the great after-dinner combinations. Our Italian wine and steak pairing guide covers the dinner-table side of pairing in more depth.
Japanese Whisky
For something more contemporary, the lounge stocks Japanese whisky — Yamazaki 12 and 18, Nikka in several expressions. These tend toward elegance and subtlety, pairing well with a milder cigar where you don't want the drink to overpower the smoke.
The Lounge as a Place to Gather
Beyond the solo smoke, Sofia's lounge functions as a genuine gathering space — and that's where a lot of its character comes through.
For Groups and Celebrations
A cigar lounge is a natural setting for a certain kind of celebration: a milestone birthday, a bachelor party, a closing-deal dinner, a group of friends marking an occasion. The downstairs room offers a private-feeling environment for a group to settle in for the evening. For celebration planning, our special birthday guide covers how Sofia handles occasions across its spaces.
For Business
The lounge has a long history as a place to do business. There's a reason the after-dinner cigar became a fixture of dealmaking — the relaxed setting, the shared ritual, the time it takes to enjoy a cigar all create space for the kind of conversation that doesn't happen across a desk. For client entertaining, our business dinner guide covers how a meal and a lounge visit work together.
For a Quiet Evening
Not every visit is a group event. The lounge works just as well for one or two people wanting a quiet smoke and a good drink at the end of a long week. The speakeasy atmosphere lends itself to lingering — there's no pressure to turn the table, no rush to finish.
How to Visit — Hours, Membership, and Booking
Planning a visit to the lounge takes a little knowledge of how it operates.
Hours
Sofia keeps late hours, with the kitchen and bar running well into the night — later on weekends. The lounge operates within the restaurant's hours, making it one of the few places in the area for a genuinely late indoor cigar. Check Sofia's hours and location page for current times before you go.
Membership
Sofia offers a cigar membership program with perks for regular guests — the kind of arrangement common at established cigar lounges, where members get benefits like locker storage, event access, and reserved lounge access. Membership details and current pricing change over time, so the best move is to call the restaurant directly at (201) 541-8530 to ask what's currently offered.
Booking the Lounge
For a private gathering, the lounge is one of Sofia's three event spaces (alongside the Garden Room and the Piazza), available through the private events inquiry process. Availability is limited, so booking ahead is essential for any group plan. For a casual walk-in smoke, the lounge operates within normal hours, though calling ahead on a busy weekend is wise.
Pairing the Lounge With Dinner Upstairs
The full Sofia experience pairs a fine dining dinner upstairs with a cigar downstairs — and the two halves complement each other naturally.
Dinner First, Cigar After
The classic sequence: a steak dinner upstairs, then down to the lounge for a cigar and a digestif. Sofia's Butcher Shop runs wood-fired, USDA Prime, dry-aged steaks, and a rich meal like that pairs perfectly with an after-dinner cigar and a tawny port or aged scotch. The descent from the dining room to the lounge becomes part of the evening's rhythm.
A Post-Theater Option
Because Sofia sits a short walk from Bergen PAC, the lounge also works as an after-show destination. Catch a performance, then settle into the lounge for a nightcap and a smoke. Our Bergen PAC dinner guide covers the full dinner-and-show evening, and the lounge is a natural way to extend it.
The Late-Night Close
For those who want the evening to keep going, the lounge is where a Sofia night tends to end. Late hours, a deep spirits list, and a room built for lingering make it the natural final act — whether after dinner, after a show, or as the destination itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you smoke cigars indoors in New Jersey?
Indoor cigar smoking in New Jersey is limited to a small number of licensed cigar lounges and bars that were grandfathered in after the state's 2006 indoor smoking ban. Sofia, a fine dining Italian steakhouse in Englewood, holds one of these rare licenses and operates a dedicated indoor cigar lounge downstairs.
Why are indoor cigar lounges rare in New Jersey?
New Jersey's Smoke-Free Air Act of 2006 banned smoking in nearly all indoor public spaces, including bars and restaurants. Only a narrow set of existing cigar lounges that met specific requirements were allowed to continue, and new indoor lounges are effectively unable to open — which makes the remaining licensed venues, like Sofia in Englewood, rare.
Does Sofia Englewood allow indoor smoking?
Yes. Sofia holds one of New Jersey's few indoor smoking licenses, with smoking permitted in its ventilated, speakeasy-style cigar lounge downstairs. The lounge is completely separate from the main dining room, which remains smoke-free.
Can you bring your own cigar to Sofia?
Yes, you can bring your own cigar to Sofia's lounge, but a cutting fee applies to cigars not purchased on-site — currently listed at $15 per cigar. Sofia also sells a full range of cigars in the lounge, from mild to full-bodied.
What cigars does Sofia sell?
Sofia's lounge stocks cigars across the strength spectrum, including mild options like Arturo Fuente Chateau and Montecristo White, medium cigars like Padron 1964, Davidoff, and the house Sofia cigar, and full-bodied smokes like Plesencia Alma Fuerte. Flavor-infused cigars are also available.
What's the best drink to pair with a cigar?
The best pairing depends on the cigar's strength. A peaty single-malt scotch like Lagavulin suits a full-bodied cigar, bourbon's sweetness complements a medium cigar, and an aged tawny port pairs well with a rich after-dinner smoke. Sofia's lounge carries all of these, including Macallan, Whistlepig, and Taylor Fladgate ports.
Is there a cigar lounge near Bergen PAC?
Yes. Sofia's cigar lounge is a short walk from Bergen Performing Arts Center in downtown Englewood, making it a convenient spot for an after-show cigar and drink. Both are located in central Englewood, a few blocks apart.
Do you need a membership to use Sofia's cigar lounge?
No, a membership is not required to visit the lounge during normal hours. Sofia does offer a cigar membership program with added perks for regular guests; current membership details are available by calling the restaurant directly.
Plan Your Visit to Sofia's Cigar Lounge
A real indoor cigar lounge is a rare thing in New Jersey, and Sofia's downstairs room is one of the few places left to enjoy a cigar properly — indoors, well-ventilated, with a serious spirits list and a kitchen upstairs to match. Whether you come for a quiet smoke, an after-dinner cigar, or a group gathering, the lounge delivers an experience that's genuinely hard to find in the state.
About Sofia Englewood
Sofia is a fine dining Italian steakhouse in downtown Englewood, NJ, holding one of New Jersey's few indoor smoking licenses. The downstairs speakeasy-style cigar lounge is ventilated and separate from the main dining room, with a cigar selection spanning mild to full-bodied and a deep list of scotch, bourbon, Japanese whisky, port, and cognac. Upstairs, the kitchen serves wood-fired USDA Prime dry-aged steaks, daily-flown seafood, house-made pasta, and a curated Italian-and-American wine list.
For the cigar lounge, private events, and membership details, call (201) 541-8530. Full menus and hours and location are on the site.