Chefs at Jersey Shore restaurants rarely have time to eat, let alone faint over a meal.
But when they do, you know it has to be good. This means that they only eat caviar and filet mignon. No, many of them consider the joys of life to be simple: buttermilk pancakes, onion soup, fish tacos.
Whatever your favorite dish is, here are some 20 recommendations of places to eat on the Jersey Shore to see through 8 local chefs. See if you agree with them.
Director: Jeremy Nelson, Crescent in Keansburg
Half Moon, an oceanfront dining spot that opened this year, specializes in ready-made shore meals like macaroni and cheese and lobster. Executive chef Jeremy Nelson uses entirely new local ingredients, such as organic mushrooms from Oasis Farms in Red Bank, and works with the fishery to supply seafood to the place of consumption.
His favorite place to eat is Atlantic Offshore Fishery, for its new seafood and seafood dishes. He also enjoys Rooney’s Oceanfront restaurant in Long Branch for its Mac-a-Rooney lobster. And if you want a short trip, Nelson’s favorite breakfast spot is the Colonial Diner in East Brunswick (where he orders whey pancakes).
Go: For deep sea Atlantic fishing: 212 Channel Drive, Point Pleasant Beach; 732-206-6958, atlanticfisherynj. com. For Rooney’s Oceanfront restaurant: one hundred Ocean Ave. North, Long Branch; 732-870-1200, rooneysocean. com. For Colonial Diner: 560 Route 18, East Brunswick; 732-254-4858, colonialdiner. com. For Half Moon: 2 Beachway Ave. , Keansburg; 732-471-6815, halfmoonkb. com.
Director: Richard Corbo, Corbo
Chef Richard Corbo specializes in Italian cuisine. He grew up in New Jersey and studied cooking in Florence. He now owns two Italian restaurants: Bell Market in Holmdel, which opened in 2018, and his new Corbo.
Therefore, it is attractive that your favorite local restaurant serves Mexican cuisine.
“I have to say that [my favorite place to eat is] Barrio Costero for its tacos, variety of tequila and incredibly talented bar staff,” Corbo said. “Chef Anthony uses the Mexican coast as a format, but allows a global influence on the choice of elements. Mixologist Jamie Dodge is as smart as he can be, and I’ve worked [with] some of the bar systems in the country. “
His favorite dish is fish tacos (with smoked Carolina barbecue aioli, chayote salad and tortilla chip).
Prior to opening his two local restaurants, Corbo worked as a chain cook at Tremont 647 and Sister Sorrell in Boston, as well as Union Square Cafe in New York. He then moved to San Francisco, where he became a chef. After applying for Gary Danko for a year, he opened his own restaurant, Ducca, in 2007.
Go: By Coastal District: 610 Bangs Ave. , Asbury Park; 732-455-5544, barriocostero. com. For Bell Market: Crawford’s Corner Road, Holmdel; 732-365-2500, bellmarketnj. com. For Corbo Osteria
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Director: James Avery, The Bonney Read and The Black Swan at Asbury Park
A post shared via Four Winds Restaurant (@fourwindsrestaurant)
Chef James Avery spends his time cooking seafood bites like Fisherman’s Fry (shrimp, squid, kale flowers, chili peppers and marinara) at Bonney Read, and bites into English gastropubs, like the classic fish and chips, at Black Swan.
But when he doesn’t arrive on time, he likes to dine at a party with traditional, smart food at the Four Winds restaurant in Manasquan, as a convenient combination of ribs and onion soup.
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“They have a wonderful list of beers and probably the most productive wings I’ve ever had,” he said. “The place to eat is a local establishment that has been around for as long as I can remember. . . One thing about me is that I love ancient and timeless places. It’s dated and comforting, [with] low ceilings and a fireplace. “
Go: Restaurant for four winds: 1316 Jefferson Ave. , Manasquan; 732-223-3010, fourwindsrestaurant. com. For Bonney Read: 525 Cookman Ave. , Asbury Park; 732-455-3352, thebonneyread. com. For The Black Swan: 601 Mattison Ave. , Asbury Park; 732-361-7159, www. theblackswanap. com.
Chef: Cesare “Chez” De Chellis, B2 Bistro Bar at Red Bank
Chef “Chez” was trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, so you know it’s his thing.
And they rarely say they don’t have a “regular” dish at their favorite restaurant, but they insist the entire menu is amazing at The Grand Tavern in Neptune City.
“There’s not an express dish I can say is my favorite. . . All dishes are prepared with the highest quality,” he said. “The food is excellent, the attention to detail is present. place that cares about you. “
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Try dishes like ora king salmon (with sautéed spinach, bacon pieces and Pernod cream) or stewed ribs (with mirepoix, red wine, applesauce and horseradish gremolata). Some specialty cocktails, which Chez also recommends, come with The Fiona (with vodka, applejack, Bonal Gentiane-Quina, apple and salted caramel, smoothies) and Treuse or Dare (with gin infused with kaffir lime, Lillet Blanc, fine sherry and hobby fruits, brewed).
Chez also admires the undeniable décor and atmosphere. The open kitchen allows you to watch the chef and his team cook your dishes.
Appointment: For The Grand Tavern: 1105 Ave. , Neptune City; 732-774-0120, thegrandtavern. com. For Red Bank of B2 Bistro Bar: 141 Shrewsbury Ave. ; 732-268-8555, b2bistro. com/red-bank.
Chef: Rasheed Simmons, simply Southern in Belmar
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Rasheed Simmons knows the original food when he tastes it, and that’s what he discovered at Norah’s Irie Jamaican restaurant in Long Branch.
The former NFL, New York Giant and Carolina Panther opened their Simply Southern restaurant in Belmar with their mother Rita in 2015, and have been preparing original Deep Southern bites for the masses ever since.
Simmons said that in his spare time, he did research studies and checked out cutting-edge flavors and dishes at other local restaurants. When it came time to visit Norah’s, he tasted “the freshness of every bite. “
“You can spice up love. . . their food tastes like Jamaican sitting on the beach,” he said. “Even their homemade coconut bread and their well-known classic sodas.
His favorite dishes here are beef stew and poultry stew.
“If you take a look at those dishes, be sure to add some sauce to your rice,” he said.
Simmons described the position as a legend in Long Branch.
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“They survived COVID and the evolution of Pier Village,” he said. “I love the atmosphere of the circle of relatives, the attention to detail. . . If you’re ever in the domain and need to see something other than typical Jersey cuisine, check out those guys and savor the taste of the Caribbean. “
Go: To go to Jamaican restaurant Norah’s Irie: 530 Springdale Ave. , Long Branch; 732-443-4781, www. norahsiriejamaicaneating place. net. For Simply Southern: 817 Belmar Plaza, Belmar; 732-243-9259, simplementsoutherncomfortfoods. com.
Chef: Brittany Rescigno, Delaware Avenue Oyster House
Chef Brittany Rescigno is the chef of Delaware Avenue Oyster House
She’s no stranger to seafood, so it’s no wonder to be told that her favorite place to eat is one of the most popular sushi spots in Ocean County.
“The atmosphere, the menu, the specialties, the staff and the undeniable décor [at Xina] are such a hit that the position needs to eat, and I love it,” Rescigno said of BYOB. “Finding smart sushi here is no small feat. It spoiled me living in California for five years, and almost every position had smart sushi, but I’m still spoiled with Xina.
“The staff is very sensible and attentive,” he added.
His favorite dish is XO Fat Noodles, just for the XO sauce, but he also loves the texture of rolled noodles.
“Don’t fall asleep on Bao duck buns to Pekingese,” he said. “I drool at the thought of it. With the sweet plum sauce hoisin, the bao bun perfectly steamed and the duck with crispy Pekingese. . . It’s a gastronomic pleasure in the mouth. “
Go: To Xina: 3430 Route 37, Toms River; 732-279-6327, xinarestaurant. com. Para Delaware Avenue Oyster House
Chef David Burke’s favorites: Hudson Cafe, Sissy’s at the Harbor, Big Mike’s Little Red Store, Christine’s Italian Ristorante, all in Atlantic Highlands; Authentic Mexican Dining Place in Chilango in Los Altos, Albariño Tapas
With 15 restaurants around the world, celebrity chef David Burke said his favorite restaurants tend to be undeniable places with wonderful hospitality and bigger bites.
“I like to fly under the radar,” he said. Array. . . There are several wonderful places in and near my hometown in the Atlantic Highlands that are off the food map.
For breakfast, turn to Hudson Cafe (for French toast with bananas or BLT chicken), or Sissy’s at the Harbor (for the breakfast dish, yogurt or fruit). Whether it’s for breakfast or lunch, she loves to make a stop at Big Mike’s Little Red Store, which is a low-key grocery store “where all the sandwiches are great. “
For dinner, enjoy intimacy and old-world Italian cuisine at Christine’s Italian Ristorante, where you order veal chops or pasta dishes. place to eat Chilangos. But for paella, it will prevent in Albariño.
Goops: At Atlantic Highlands: Hudson Cafe: 25 First Ave. , 732-872-2300, thehudsoncafe. com; Sissy’s on the harbor: 8 Simon Lake Drive, 732-291-2218; Big Mike’s small red shop: 101 Navesink Ave. , 732-291-2750, bigmikeslittleredstore. com; Christine’s Italian Ristorante: First Ave. , 732-872-4790, christinesitalian. com. For the original Chilango Mexican restaurant: 272 Bay Ave. , Highlands; 732-708-0505, ChilangosHighlandsnj. com. For Tapas Albariño
Chef Cesar Cardena’s must-sees: Patricia’s in Holmdel; Rooney to Long Branch; Simpler cooking in Holmdel; Turning Point in Little Silver
Chief Cesar Cardenas immigrated to the United States from Ecuador at the age of 18. He worked as a dishwasher at Salt Creek Grille more than 20 years ago and now runs the entire kitchen as executive chef.
He is used to running in the kitchen of the oceanfront grill, so he and his wife don’t have time to dine in the restaurant. But when they do, they prefer a warm, welcoming, relaxing experience.
Her favorite places for dinner are Patricia’s in Holmdel, where she orders baby polpo, branzino and skirt steak; and Rooney’s in Long Branch, where he loves short-ribbed pappardelle. For breakfast, visit Over Easy Kitchen in Holmdel for their lemon and ricotta pancakes, or Turning Point in Little Silver for their ancient eggs benedict.
Go: To Patricia’s: 2132 Route 35, Holmdel; 732-275-023four, patriciasofholmdel. com. For Rooney’s Oceanfront restaurant: one hundred Ocean Ave. North, Long Branch; 732-870-1200, rooneysocean. com. For Over Easy Kitchen: 2111 Route 35, Holmdel; 732-533-5578, overeasykitchen. com. For Turning Point: four96 Prospect Ave. , Little Silver; 732-22four-8718, tournantpointrestaurants. com. For Salt Creek Grille: Four Bingham Avenue, Rumson; 732-933-9272, saltcreekgrille. com.
Don’t see your favorite here? Let us know and tune in for a Reader’s Choice story.
Gabriela L. Laracca joined USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2021 and enthusiastically brings her fondness for food and culture to our readers. Send the place to eat to glaracca@gannett. com.