We may be approaching the one-year mark of apandemic that changed the way we dine in restaurants, but there is no shortage of good things to eat.
Chefs are still cooking, diners are still ordering, and restaurants are still opening across New Jersey.
"It seems like peoplewere definitely ready for new things and ready to see people opening businesses and stuff starting to open up again," said Shannon Phillips, who in January opened E. Holland Sundries, a bakery in Bradley Beach."So we've been a little busier than what we thought we'd be, starting out in the winter at the Jersey Shore."
Here are some of the newest restaurants at the Shore, beginningwith Phillips' bake shop.
More:Despite a pandemic, these Shore restaurants are thriving
E. Holland Sundries, Bradley Beach
The 13 years since Phillips graduated culinary school have been filled with jobs in the industry, from line cook,sous chef and chef de cuisine in New York City and Asbury Park to sales manager at Boonton'sFossil Farms to baker at Bay Head's
But a few years ago, she began selling her baked goods at farmers markets, and when a storefront opened on Main Street in Bradley Beach, Phillipsand her husband Nickdecided to go for it.
"We knew thatthere was a bakery in this space and they hadn’t been open very long.When the pandemic started, they shifted everything to online sales," shesaid. "We ended up taking over their space and purchasing all their equipment.It was a situation where we didn’t have to be closed for six months getting everything ready."
More:Can NJ bakers sell homemade treats? Not yet, but they have hope
They signed a lease andopened the bakery, named for their young daughterElizaless than a month later. "It's kind of been like off to the races since then," Phillips said.
The bakery's menu – and the shopitself– areintentionally small:Phillips is the only baker, at least for now. She is known for hersoft-baked pretzels ($4), which she learned to make at a Manhattan restaurant just after culinary school. She serves them with mustard and a cheese made with beer from nearby Bradley Brew Project; thetwo are collaborating on astout made with Phillips' toffee almond brownies.
She also makesgalettes and hand pies with seasonal produce, cookies, brownies, blondies and fruit bars ($3.75 to $6), with coffee from Offshore Coffee Roasters in Long Branch.
Go: 126 Main St.; 732-820-6777, ehollandsundries.com.
La Cabañita Restaurant, Stafford
For more than a decade, Dolores Alvarado workedat Bageleddi's, a popular Long Beach Island bagel shop. But she always dreamed of opening a place of her own, employee Jeimy Perdomo said, and made it happen with her new restaurant, LaCabañita.
The food is a mix of dishes from Veracruz, where Alvarado and her husbandRene Bautistaare from, as well as other regions of Mexico. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
More:Where to find those trendy birria tacos at the Shore and Central Jersey
"It’s more authentic Mexican," Perdomo said. "We try to have the homemade flavors."
Customers like the tacos– traditional al pastor, made from pork shaved off a vertical spit, plus carne asada,barbacoa,chicken, shrimp, and more authentic meats like tongue, beef head and pork head ($10 to $14). There's also tortas, flautas, sopes, and huarache, a corn patty topped with beans, meats, cheeses and vegetables. There are alsochicken, steak and seafood entrees ($10 to $28).
Go: 621 E. Bay Ave.; 609-488-2056, lacabanitarestaurantnj.com.
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Saltimbocca Ristorante, Brick
The Italian restaurant at Mantoloking Road and Sauers Drive may be new, but the man in the kitchen has been there for years.
Chef and owner Ken Deiner opened Saltimbocca Ristorante, an 11-table upscale BYOB in the former Spanish Olive space, in early January. It isthe latest in a string of restaurants he has owned since the '90s, beginning with Capriccio on Long Beach Island, Staten Island,Seaside Park and Lavallette, plus Amelia Ristorante in Brooklyn, Patsy's in the Park in Seaside Park, andFresca Ristorante in Point Pleasant Beach.
More:5 Shore restaurant openings to look forward to in 2021
This experience, he says, means "you get to critique things and improve things, and when you have it down to a science, it's magic."
The menu at Saltimbocca features dishes from restaurants past, including stuffed artichokes ("I've been serving them for 20 years–each leaf is basically stuffed," he said);goat cheese-stuffed baked figs with Prosciutto diParma and honey; and eggplant rollatini with three cheeses, with eggplant fried each day.
Themarinara sauce is so delicious"you can literally take a coffee cup and eat it like a soup," Deiner said.
There's also lasagna with housemade pasta, veal scallopini with risotto, lobster and shrimp Francese, and strip steak with herb butter ($20 to $39).
"I'm all about garlic, fresh herbs, cheese, wine and cream," the chef said. "My food is the type, when you put it in your mouth, it jumps. You know you've got garlic or you've got rosemary or you've got a taste of sage. It's lively, it jumps in your mouth."
Reservations are recommended.
Go:399 Mantoloking Road; 732-204-7901, saltimboccaristorantenj.com.
More:COVID, one year later: How will Shore restaurants move forward?
Mr. J's South Deli, Stafford
For 35 years,John Taggart ranMr. J's Deli in Cranford, a place known for its sloppy Joes – and not the ground beef and tomato sauce kind. These aredouble-decker sandwiches filled with hot pastrami or corned beef, ham, roast beef or turkey, plus Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and coleslaw on rye.
He sold the deli in 2019,and in February opened in the former Shore Good Donuts space in Stafford.
In addition to the sloppy Joes, Mr. J's South has subs, hot sandwiches, club sandwiches, wrapsand breakfast dishes, plus salads and sides of macaroni, pasta and potato salads ($2.50 to $14.50).
Go:495 Route 72 in the Manahawkin section of Stafford; 609-488-2620.
In other food news:
Agnello Market, Barnegat Light: Thisspecialty market, which offersgroceries, produce,fresh meats and Board's Head cold cuts in addition to sandwiches,opened in January.1801 Central Ave.; 609-207-6491.
Anstuna Grill, Long Branch: Look for the bright-blue exterior of this newMiddle- Eastern restaurant, which opened in February. Falafel, za'atar-spiced pita, kebabs, shawarma, lamb tagine, and ouzi, a phyllo-wraped meat and rice pie, areon the menu.75A Brighton Ave.; 732-820-6750,anstunagrillnj.com.
The Boondocks Fishery 2-Go, Red Bank: Kelly Ryan expanded her seasonal restaurant, Boondocks Fishery, with this year-round, takeout-only location near the Red Bank Train Station.The restaurant, which serves lobster in bisque, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and alongsidecorn and potatoes,opened in January. 78 Bridge Ave.; 732-746-4777, theboondocksfishery.com.
Fortunato's Italian SpecialtyFoods and Catering, 634 Mantoloking Road in Brick, is now Claudio's Gourmet Sandwich Shop; 732-262-7999, claudiosgourmet.com.
Local Smoke BBQ, Wall: A third year-round location will open in Marchin Sea Girt Square in Wall. The other restaurants are in Red Bank, Neptune City and Cookstown, with seasonal locations in Seaside Heights and Highlands. 2100 Route35; 732-359-3270,localsmokebbq.com.
Max's Bar and Grill, Long Branch: The iconic restaurant, known for more than 90 years for serving hot dogs by the beach, announced a temporary closure in February. "We need to take a step back during this time to reset and adjust to all that has happened," owner Jennifer Maybaum shared via social media. "We will be back, I believe that."
Mystic Lobster Roll Company: Phil Tretola began selling lobster rolls at his Ship Bottom butcher shop, Mystic Meatand Seafood Market, last summer, and they were such a hithe launched a spinoff business, Mystic Lobster Roll Company. A Toms River location opened in February, with stores coming to Tuckerton, Point Pleasant Beach, and Beach Haven. "My goal is to have theseup and down the Eastern Seaboard," Tretola said.
Nicholas Creamery,Tinton Falls:A third ice cream shop from Nicholas and Melissa Harary and Jodie Edwards, longtime business director for Middletown's Restaurant Nicholas, now Nicholas Barrel & Roost, will open this spring in Falls Village on Sycamore Avenue. The other shops are in Atlantic Highlands and Fair Haven. nicholascreamery.com.
Rare, Bradley Beach: Chef and owner Neil West will reopen his steakhouse March 24. The restaurant has been closed since December. 401 Main St.; 732-775-7465, rarebradleybeach.com.
Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003. Send restaurant tips to sgriesemer@gannettnj.com.
