Let's Eat!
There is no shortage of excellent restaurants in the area. Perhaps you want to narrow your options or
discover someplace new, my colleagues and I thought our tips might provide some insight. Our list of
favorites is by no means comprehensive—but may be a good place to start……Bon appétit!
On the Island
An island institution for over thirty years, this little
BYO offers elegant continental fare, great seafood,
and the best hostess (Patty Rutledge) in the area.
While the backroom offers tables for larger parties,
I prefer a table for two along the wall, which is very
comfortable and intimate.
Café Loren
2288 Dune Dr, Avalon, NJ
(609) 967-8228
An excellent, cozy BYO in the heart of Stone Harbor's shopping area. The continental menu is always meticulously executed—putting this among
the top tier of small fine dining in the area.
Jays on 3rd
9836 3rd Ave, Stone Harbor, NJ
(609) 368-1000
While the restaurant can be a bit noisy and has
smallish portions, everyone loves the food making
it one of the most popular fine dining options in
town. Not only is it a BYO, the staff has an excellent knowledge of wine and appropriate glassware.
Diving Horse
2109 Dune Dr, Avalon, NJ
(609) 368-5000
Princeton,
Sea Grille, and
Whitebrier
2008 Dune Dr, Avalon, NJ
(609) 967-3456
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There is something for everybody here. Legendary
bar boss, Greg Meredith aka "Mayor", will greet you
along with lots of others depending on the time of
day or night. Contiguous to the Princeton is the
Circle Tavern for a more casual year-round option,
followed by the Sea Grill which is also open yearround and offers a cozy upscale bar and a chalkboard menu of mostly steaks and seafood. A local’s
favorite spot is the barroom where Kathy, Jeff, or
Trish can be found mixing cocktails and pouring
from a nice wine list. Also in this sprawling facility
lies the Whitebrier that is home to the Motor Club
and Octopus Garden, both of which offer cool, outside happy hours along with indoor dining.
877.746.7355
609.967.0466
avalonstoneharbor.com
RJSOENS 10
Tom and the rest of the Hand family did an extraordinary job renovating the Tavern. What was
once a famous shore "dive bar" is now an upscale
tavern, offering excellent food at a fair price. Fred’s
also a has TV set up that is ideal for sports viewing
a and nice craft beer selection on tap. The turkey
burger is one of our favorites at Fred’s.
Fred's Tavern
314 96th St, Stone Harbor, NJ
(609) 368-5591
Moran's Dockside
14th & Ocean Drive, Avalon, NJ
(609) 386-1321
Moran’s - one of the island’s best sandwich/hoagie
shops - is a local’s not-so-secret favorite. It is adjacent to the Avalon Sport Fishing Center, and the
seating area overlooks the bay and the wetlands.
Jimmy Moran and Timmy Davis have been greeting regulars for over 20 years. You can also find
bait, tackle, and assorted fishing gear, along with
kayak rentals. If you check it out, there's a pretty
good chance you will see me there.
Fuze, in the Desert Sand hotel, has old school
continental fare and experienced, local bartenders serving proper cocktails. The interior decor has
a cruise-ship feel, making it a fun switch up from
typical shore dining. Dress up a bit if you like, but
it’s not necessary.
Fuze
Ocean Dr & 78th St, Avalon, NJ
(609) 368-1919
Rock’n Chair
Another island institution, the Chair offers outdoor dining and a great bar, which faces Dune
Drive. The bartenders, Bert and Beetle, are local
characters: the banter itself is worth the trip. I
typically eat here for lunch (the paninis are great)
but recently I had an excellent risotto special for
dinner. The brick-oven pizza is also very good.
2409 Dune Dr, Avalon, NJ
(609) 967-3300
RJSOENS 11
avalonstoneharbor.com
877.746.7355
609.967.0466
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Fun, casual, and kid-friendly, this surf-themed
BYO features two outdoor areas. While my dad
swears by their thin crust pizza, Shorebreak also
offers nice salads and other great dishes.
Shorebreak
Pizza Grille
2259 Dune Dr, Avalon, NJ
(609) 967-3020
Via Mare is an Avalon classic, which boasts a
loyal following and some of the best calamari
anywhere. This one is also a BYO.
Via Mare
2319 Ocean Dr, Avalon, NJ
(609) 368-4494
Sea Isle City (10 minutes North)
Sea Isle City is home to many fine Italian restaurants, and this is no exception. Jenny is a great
hostess, and the summer staff is consistently as excellent as the food. We like to start with long hots
with provolone cheese and my wife, Sara, loves the
eggplant rollatini. Homemade pastas are always a
nice option, as is the nightly risotto special.
Andrea Trattoria
Italiana II
4216 Park Road, Sea Isle City, NJ
(609) 263-5001
This Italian BYO is always busy and has excellent seafood along with a full range of traditional
options. I usually opt for the seafood risotto in a
white wine sauce.
La Fontana Coast
5000 Landis Ave, Sea Isle City, NJ
(609) 486-6088
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877.746.7355
609.967.0466
avalonstoneharbor.com
RJSOENS 12
Cape May (25 minutes South)
This small BYO is undoubtedly one of my favorite
Cape May restaurants and among the most consistent in the entire area. Parking is available behind
the building, specials are always enticing, and the
gazpacho with lump crabmeat was spectacular last
summer.
Black Duck
1 Sunset Blvd, West Cape May, NJ
(609) 898-0100
We like stopping at the "Brown Room" for a drink
before dinner and lounging in the comfortable
leather chairs and sofas. Logs burn in the chilly
off-season, and "Blue Pig" offers comfort food just
a few steps away. The “Blue Pig” offers porch and
outdoor dining during the summer months; most
menus feature local produce from the Beach Plum
farm in west Cape May. And it's fun to grab a room
here and make it a whole night.
Louisa’s Café
Congress Hall
200 Congress Pl, Cape May, NJ
(888) 944-1816
This tiny BYO is right on the mall in Cape May and
offers fresh, simple seasonal food. Their food is
sourced locally; their fish comes from the Atlantic
and their produce comes from Beach Plum Farm
and other local farms. The menu changes daily and
they only take reservations after 4pm. Albeit a bit
of an adventure, it is certainly worth the effort.
Just don't beat me to the last table too often.
104 Jackson St, Cape May, NJ
(609) 884-5882
Margate City (35 minutes North)
This Margate institution is my favorite year-round
establishment. Owner, Cookie Till, offers excellent
food and service in her rambling multi-room facility across from the bay. The main bar and attached
dining rooms are cozy with roaring wood fires on
cold evenings. And my favorite bartender in the
area, stylistically old school gruff, George Patten is
a world class mixologist (specializing in brown liquors) and is an expert on food and wine (French
being his favorite) pairings. I generally give George
cart blanche, and he never disappoints. The restaurant fills up in advance on weekends, but it's well
worth the ride and a great choice on your way to
Atlantic City. If you see George, tell him I sent you.
RJSOENS 13
avalonstoneharbor.com
877.746.7355
Steve & Cookie’s
by the Bay
9700 Amherst Ave, Margate City, NJ
(609) 823-1163
609.967.0466
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