…but it’s not the same.  Blogfinger photo.May 7. 2015

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.

When partners Miguel Menez and Keith Genovese bought the pizza shop business at the corner of Main and Pilgrim Pathway, they saw an opportunity to bring fine casual food to a beautiful town near the ocean. Keith said that he was won over by the Grovers he spoke to. (“The nicest people you ever met.”)

Keith and Miguel had been the proprietors of a coffee shop in Red Bank called “No Joe’s” But they sold that business to devote themselves to the Pizza Shoppe here. Their goal is to produce ” quality and service.”

The menu of The Pizza Shoppe is remarkably varied and contains hot and cold subs, soups, 1/2 pound burgers with fries ($9.95 “the best ever,”) and a wide variety of sandwiches including hot pastrami and corned beef on rye.

An item that caught my eye is my favorite:  “Italian sausage, peppers and onions”—-a classic Jersey Shore treat at $8.95. The pizzas will still be “personal” ones due to the size of the facility.

Also on the menu are wraps, salads, wings and buffalo chicken.

Jasmine (right), age 18, has lived in Ocean Grove for 18 years. Her fellow waitress (i.e. “server”) is Katie. Blogfinger photo.   ©

We went over today and found that they were ready to go. The staff and owners are enthused. Keith is the chef and he promises the “best and freshest” ingredients. Everything is “homemade.”  According to Miguel, they also are interested in “getting involved with the community.”

Once they get the coffee scene going there, they will be serving high quality Columbian  and Brazilian  brews, and they will dispense coffee from a sidewalk unit. Miguel is the the coffee maven.  I questioned them about how well their shop will function as a coffee house.  Could you walk over there, order a coffee and then sit at a table to read the paper or catch up on your emails?  “No problem,” said Keith. “Sit down and enjoy.”

Of particular interest to Grovers is their free delivery service throughout the Grove and their late hours, extending to 10:00 pm during the week and 11:00 pm weekends. During the busy season, these Red Bank guys say that they will, if necessary, stay open until all the hungry people have left  town.  Blogfinger will review the food at a later date, so go over and give it a try.  The owners and staff are friendly and they don’t bite–only the patrons do.

Stop by, say hello, and pick up a menu.

732 776 5466

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