No one knows the Jersey Shore like I do.
I’ve written hundreds of stories, lists, rankings, essays and two books about the Shore, The Jersey Shore Uncovered and The Ultimate Guide to the Jersey Shore. I’ve lived down the Shore nearly half my life. I cannot imagine living anywhere else.
Jersey Shore food? I’ve done lists of the best boardwalk food (visiting 168 spots over five summers), the best boardwalk pizza, the 50 Shore restaurants you must visit this summer, the 55 best Jersey Shore pizzerias ranked, 33 Shore restaurants you’ve never heard of, the 11 best restaurants in Cape May, Atlantic City, LBI, Point Pleasant Beach, Wildwood, and so on.
And yet, somehow, I keep discovering - or more accurately, being told about - previously-unvisited restaurants. Every week, I’m on a road I’ve never traveled before. One of these days, I’m going to run out of roads.
This is an all-new, restaurants-you’ve-never-heard-of list. Many of the places on this list don’t have any social media presence; many look unremarkable from the outside.
Why bother waiting in line at all those perennially popular spots jammed in the summer and try something new, different and adventurous?
I have visited every restaurant on this list.
READ MORE: The Jersey Shore’s 55 best pizzerias, ranked for 2025. A new No. 1 is crowned!
Yardi Real Jamaican Food, Atlantic City
Atlantic and Pacific avenues may not look very promising, but there’s plenty of good eats along the two main drags. Yardy’s bill itself as AC’s “only authentic real Jamaican restaurant.’’ Inside is spare but homey. Stew chicken, jerk chicken, curried goat, jerk wings, and ackee and saltfish are among the traditional offerings. Curry chicken consists of hearty chunks of chicken with just the right amount of spice and attitude. This just in: there is excellent food away from the casino scene.
Forno Roman Pizza, Atlantic City
Atlantic City was probably the worst Jersey boardwalk for pizza — until Forno showed up. The bright gleaming space offers Roman-style pizza — call them Grandma pies with attitude and more elaborate toppings. It’s the only pizzeria specializing in Roman-style pizza on any Jersey boardwalk, but that alone is not why it deserves this lofty spot. The pizzas are exemplary — curl pepperoni, fresh tomatoes, quality sausage, and burrata, a rarity on the boardwalk. Both my spicy Italian and burrata, tomato and pepperoni slices were terrific.
Setaara, Atlantic City
Atlantic City’s most singular dining experience? Setaara, which rises above an otherwise-dreary stretch of Arctic Avenue like an apparition, topped by gold-colored domes and a likeness of an arch rising above sun-dappled mountains. It’s Atlantic City’s only Afghan restaurant and the city’s only French restaurant (bonsoir means good evening). The owner, Abudllah Panah, is a medical school graduate currently in residence at JeffersonHealth NJ. “The beauty of Afghan food,” he says, “is that it stands as a testament to the various different empires that have crossed the country from the Greeks to the Mongols to the Mughals and Persians.” Start with the yogurt with cucumbers, enlivened with mint, then proceed to one of the kabobs (the Silk Road Kabob includes one beef and one chicken skewer). European-accented entrees include beef dijonnaise and beef bourguignon, but I’d recommend sticking to the Afghan dishes on your first visit. And save room for the firni, an Afghan pudding of milk flavored with cardamom and rose water topped with crushed pistachios. Wow.
Atexcac Restaurant, Atlantic City
Atexcac and Forno Pizza bring much-needed life and flavor to the world’s most famous boardwalk, long lacking in culinary appeal. The carne asada tacos, with tasty, juicy meat, are recommended.
Fishin’ Pier Grille, Avalon
Fishin’ Pier Grille is an oceanfront hangout hidden from the street (stay to the left of the beach patrol hut on 32nd Street and you’ll walk right into it). Unlike the standard three layers of meat found on many Jersey TH/PREC sandwiches, it’s just one fat, hunky layer here. I loved the runny egg — thank goodness it didn’t run all over my car seats.
La Riva, Barnegat Light
Barnegat Light, at the top of Long Beach Island, is more than just Mustache Bill’s Diner and Kubel’s for food. There’s Daymark, with its year-round casual shore vibes, and La Riva. Brian Sabarese owns both restaurants, along with The Arlington in Ship Bottom. Daymark made our list of Long Beach Island’s 11 best restaurants. La Riva, which opened in 2022, is a bright, airy space, with an imported Italian oven the center of attention. I love mushrooms and mushroom pizzas, and the oven roasted mushroom pie here may be the best mushroom pizza I’ve had in the past two, three years. The margherita, with organic tomato sauce, mozzarella, latte and basil, is nearly as good.
Queen City Crust, Beach Haven Gardens
Is Long Beach Island now pizza paradise? Two of the top three pizzerias on my list of the Shore’s 55 best pizzerias are on the island. Queen City Crust, which makes Detroit-style pizzas (rectangular pan crispy pizzas) opened in a Beach Haven coffee shop in the summer of 2022, then opened as a pop-up in the Beach Haven Fire Department in 2023.
Last summer, Queen City Crust moved into a building next to Howard’s Seafood Restaurant.
I tried four of the seven pizzas: sausage (with banana peppers and onions), burrata, plain, and that bacon onion jam. All four were stellar, and we now have a new number one! This is the Jersey Shore’s best pizzeria.
Herbs Thai, Brick
Squeezed into a strip mall at the intersection of Routes 70 and 88, Herbs Thai Kitchen is not easy to find. The owners are a husband-and-wife team; Laksana calls herself “master of nutrition,” which is a pretty nifty title. Chef’s specials include duck drunken noodles and grilled peanut sauce chicken, but my favorites are the wok ginger with chicken and mince chicken basil — the meat in both is fresh, tender, expertly cooked.
Tacos Los Compas, Brick
Tacos Los Compas is a spare, homey hangout in a town packed with cookie-cutter restaurants. “From Mexico City to New Jersey,” proclaims the menu. The bistec (steak) and cabeza (beef head) tacos are first-rate, but the al pastor, loaded with pork and pineapple, is outstanding. And the salsa verde packs quite a little punch. Next door is Baron’s Bagels, which made our best bagel shops list.
Marge’s Diner, Clermont
“Eat Here and Get Gas,” outside Marge’s Diner, is the best Jersey diner sign, but that’s not why it’s on this list. Marge’s, cute and cozy in the Clermont section of town, is an under-the-radar hangout. I thought they always closed in winter because I never saw any cars outside off-season until a recent visit, when an employee told me they’re open every day except Christmas. There’s no Facebook page or website; it’s that kind of place. Good pork roll egg and cheese sandwiches here.
Bayshore Crab House, Downe
The most atmospheric restaurant in New Jersey? Maybe the Bayshore Crab House. It’s a barn — look for the bull painted on the side — with an rustic interior, decorated with mounted fish, anchors, nets, life preservers, crab traps and more. There are two dining areas, one inside, the other a screened-in patio. Did I mention Bayshore is located in the middle of nowhere, so keep that GPS or smart phone handy (although once there, you won’t get a cell signal, trust me). The mussels with linguine featured a boatload of mussels and a tasty crab sauce over the pasta, and the lobster bisque is highly recommended.
Red Eyed Crab, Downe
It’s easy to find The Red Eyed Crab, as long as you know where Dividing Creek is. Don’t head to Port Norris (part of Commercial Township), which is what Google, Yelp and other websites tell you where Red Eyed Crab is located. The restaurant’s interior is a riot of nautical knickknacks — model ships, signs, lanterns, vintage photos and more. The menu is extensive — steam pots, fried platters, broiled fish, steaks, pasta, burgers, soups, salads and wings. In my mind, no fish fries up better than catfish, and the fried catfish here is splendid, eminently crispy and crunchy, tender white meat glistening inside. Uncle Mikey’s Pasta, with dungeness crab, snow crab, shrimp, mussels and clams in a marinara sauce, is a boatload of seafood bounty. You almost have to drive to one end of Jersey, but Red Eyed Crab is worth the ride. It finished high on our list of the state’s best seafood restaurants.
Mi Pueblito, Eagleswood
Mi Pueblito is a spare but homey roadside breakfast/lunch spot on Route 9. For breakfast, try the stuffed French toast, the Mexican omelet or the fruit-topped Belgian waffle. Excellent tacos here, and and tortas- I had the sweet and spicy pork - are bulging with meat.
Athenian Garden, Galloway
An empty restaurant parking lot is generally not a good sign, but that was surely not the case when I stopped at Athenian Gardenon a recent afternoon. All three dishes I ordered turned out to be standouts. The marinated feta and olives appeared like my vision of the Greek pearly gates, with big chunks of cheese and a luscious lemony dressing, and the moussaka looked and tasted like the real deal. I sampled abundant octopus during my Greek food mission, and Athenian Garden’s version (photo) was one of the better ones, in a rich garlicky/oniony broth.
Highlands Cafe, Highlands
Highlands Cafe is improbably wedged next to a bar in a strip mall on Bay Avenue. There’s a small sign out front, but the entrance is around the side. They specialize in breakfast — omelets, oatmeal, pancakes, French toast, and a brekky burrito (pork belly, scrambled eggs, home fries, cheddar, pico de gallo and pickled jalapeños). Plus breakfast empanadas, stuffed with egg, cheese and meat. With an excellent crispy shell. Different, and pretty darn good. (PG)
Mambo Nando’s, Keansburg
When was the last time you saw Keansburg gettig some food love? Mambo Nando, in front of Keansburg Amusement Park, offer excellent Puerto Rican food in a seaside setting.pernil (slow roasted pork); carne guisada (beef stew); chicharrones (deep-fried pork cubes); alcalpurria (fritters made with green bananas, plantains and yautia, a root vegetable; and mofongo (mashed green plantains, garlic and pork).But forget all those for the time being and proceed directly to the stuffed chicken. It’s a special, so you’ll have to check their Facebook page to see when it’s available.
Flight Deck Diner, Lower
Good honest food at an airport, and we’re not talking Newark Liberty International. The Flight Deck Diner is located at Cape May Airport. The walls are decorated with hundreds of police, fire and military badges and photos of fighter jets, opened in 1950. Recommended: the H-Bomb (slow-roasted beef, fried onions, provolone and homemade horseradish sauce on a grilled ciabatta); and the white albacore tuna salad on rye, nicely done. But the soups are the surprise, especially the roasted red pepper.
Hooked Up Seafood, Lower
The Shore is jammed with seafood restaurants, but the freshest fish, often from the owners’ boats, can be found at lovably ramshackle seafood shacks. Hooked Up Seafood, minutes from Wildwood, offers a tempting array of fish dishes and sandwiches. The seafood, and crab and corn, chowders, are terrific.
Sad Boyz, New Gretna
My favorite breakfast sandwich? Forget Taylor ham or pork roll, it’s a big fat bacon and egg. One of the best ones can be found at Sad Boyz, a cozy cafe. Good coffee, too. New Gretna is more than Allen’s Clam Bar.
The Spot, Northfield
Simple name, eclectic menu. Charred pineapple BLT, vegan spaghetti, sobu noodles in ponzu sauce ... don’t worry, they also have burgers, quesadillaas, salads and wraps.
Papelon Latin Kitchen, North Wildwood
The pabellon at Papelon is a feast for the senses; the traditional Venezuelan dish of shredded beef, fried plantains, white rice and black beans pretty much screamed: Eat me, and eat me now! Arepas, mofongo, stew beef, grilled chicken and other Latin American dishes dot the menu.The arepa pernil contains enough roast pork to feed a small army or two.
Balkan Fusion, North Wildwood
Balkan Fusion offers American breakfast standards (omelets, French toast, pancakes) and traditional Balkan favorites, from pljeskavica (homemade beef and pork mixed patty) and uvijachi chicken (stuffed with cheese and rolled in bacon) to sarma (homemade rolled cabbage leaves, stuffed with rice and house ground meat mix). The shopska salad combined feta, cucumbers and tomatoes: what more do you need in life? The raznic features two skewers (13 pieces each) of nicely seasoned chicken. Must-try: The apple burek, the crispy, flaky pastry beloved throughout the Balkan countries.
GiGi New York Pizza, Ocean City
Boardwalk pizza is screamingly mediocre. We know this. But if you look really hard you’ll find good pies and slices. The Sicilian at GiGi is one of the three best of its kind you’ll find on any Jersey boardwalk.
Crunchik’n, Ocean City
The best cheesesteak on any Jersey boardwalk? The bulgogi (beef) cheesesteak at Crunchik’n, with sauteed vegetables, provolone and cilantro. Great spot for Korean fried chicken if you’ve never had it.
Mochi Bros., Ocean City
Want a tasty twist on your usual basic, boring doughnut? Try the mochi doughnuts at Mochi Bros. Call them Munchkins, only so much better. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, they consist of eight tiny doughnuts in a ring. You could probably wrap it around your neck or wrist, but I’d say eating it is the preferred method.
OC Gelato, Ocean City
Why aren’t there more gelato shops on Jersey boardwalks? I don’t have the answer to that question. But I do know this: the tangerine gelato at OC Gelato may be the best dessert you’ll have all summer. It’s that good.
Dona Julia Mexican Kitchen, Point Pleasant Beach
Dona Julia is in the same strip mall as a well-known New Jersey taco chain. When in doubt, go with the mom-and-pop place. I fell in love with tinga tacos (shredded chicken in a sauce of tomatoes, onions and chiles) because of Dona Julia’s take on the dish. They ended up No. 5 on our list of the the state’s best tacos, ranked. But there‘s more to like here — especially the Julia burrito, accented by a rich red sauce, and the steak torta, cooked just right (medium rare, of course).
Thai Jasmine, Point Pleasant Beach
One of these days, I’m going to compile a best-restaurants-in-Jersey-strip-malls list. Thai Jasmine would certainly quality. It’s a one-woman operation, at least during a recent lunchtime visit. She took my order, then went back in the kitchen to cook it. I love the drunken noodles with shrimp; the pad ginger with chicken (with nice crispy carrots); and the seafood Thai curry, with shrimp, squid, mussels, bamboo shoots, eggplant and basil in coconut milk.
Casa Taco Bayfront Taqueria, Sea Isle
Casa Taco won my heart when the manager brought out a glass of refreshing mint tea as I waited outside for my takeout order. They won my stomach when I dug into my tacos back in the hotel room. Bring a hearty taco appetite: they’re big and bulging.
Montes Cafe, Seaside Heights
If the Mexican sodas Boing! and Squirt aren’t in your life, there’s a problem! The popular pops are available at Montes Cafe, a homey little restaurant with one of the more eye-catching storefronts anywhere — a laughing cactus, a mustachioed sombrero-wearing dude holding a giant fork and knife. chips atop salsa with big grins on their faces. All the empanadas sampled — beef, chicken, chorizo — boasted a pleasantly kick. Back to the sodas. Squirt is a grapefruit-flavored drink, while Boing! guava immediately goes on my list of all-time favorite refreshers.
Macc’s, Seaside Park
Macc’s is one of several newer food stands on the Seaside boardwalk. Mac n’ cheese is the highlight; you can build your own, or order one of the menu standards, like the one with “Kevin’s famous chili.” Kevin may have a ways to go before earning the “famous” tag, but the spicy chili and mac n cheese make for a surprisingly tasty combo.
Squares & Fare, Somers Point
Dominic Russo made and sold pizzas out of his house before opening Squares & Fare in a former laundromat. He makes ”Sicilian style’' square pies, and the two I tried bolted Squares & Fare nearly to the top of my recent best Jersey Shore pizzerias list. Saucy to the max, the traditional square pie is fat, fluffy and near-fantastic. The modern pepperoni square pie will make converts of all those pepperoni haters out there
Union Market, Tuckerton
Union Market is a cozy haven at Tuckerton Seaport. The hot chocolate is the star here and yes I know it’s summer, so I’ll mention the Jersey Boi, with pork roll, egg and cheese on a good Kaiser roll; and the BLT, with loads of crispy bacon. Tasty chicken salad, too; I had it over fresh, crisp mixed greens.
Captain Obadiah’s, Upper
”The Shore’s best seafood” is the modest claim at Captain Obadiah’s, just off Exit 25 of the Parkway. The clam chowder is thick and hearty, the lobster bisque sweet and near-sublime. The lobster roll, on a warm buttered brioche, is a good one. Other items include a shrimp po’boy, blackened tuna sandwich and a shrimp, flounder and clam strips combo. The web site even includes recipes for such dishes as blue claw crab dip, garlic butter seared scallops, and lobster and Jersey corn risotto.
Good Earth Organic Eatery, West Cape May
Vegetarians and vegans, I didn’t ignore you. Contrano Rosettani and Hilary Keever opened Good Earth Organic Eatery, in West Cape May, about 10 years ago. Their all-organic restaurant sources from local farmers and fishermen. The yellow Thai coconut curry and the cioppino are both highly recommended. Best dish: the vegan crab cake sandwich. For some, “vegan” and “crab cake” don’t belong in the same sentence. Try the one here; you’ll quickly change your mind. It’s made with chickpeas, heart of palm, spinach, arugula and homemade pickled onion. The homemade ranch dressing adds pep and pizazz. Two doors down is Chez Michel, one of my top three bakeries at the Jersey Shore.
The Dock, West Wildwood
This is my favorite new hangout in any of the Wildwoods, well away from the beach and crowds in often-overlooked West Wildwood. The menu is streamlined to say the least: raw bar, tacos and ceviche. And one burger. The dockside setting makes for a tranquil, scenic setting. The lime, orange and jalapeño ceviche, with tomato, red onion, charred corn, avocado, roasted garlic and cilantro, is highly recommended. Equally tasty: the shrimp and blackened tuna tacos. The spicy tuna ponzu is a great introduction for ceviche novices, with its sweet spicy mix of red onions, radish, avocado, fermented chile, sesame and a spicy mayo drizzle.
It’s Not a Donut, Wildwood
Genuine Italian donut on a Jersey boardwalk? You’ll fins them at It’s Not a Donut. The graffa -sugar doughnuts - are plump, cakey and irresistible. The bombolini - cream-filled donuts - are nearly as good.
Stories by Peter Genovese
Peter Genovese’s new book, “The Ultimate Guide to the Jersey Shore,” is available at Amazon and at bookstores. His previous book was “New Jersey State of Mind,” also from Rutgers University Press.
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Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. On Twitter, @petegenovese. On Instagram, @peteknowsjersey and @themunchmobile.
