We raised this question in 2013, being somewhat skeptical that A. Park had actually reached that goal. Our poll showed that about half of our readers said yes while the rest mostly said no. Since then there has been considerable turnover of restaurants including the unbelievable departure of “Fish”- a great eaterie. Some of the ones that have opened in recent years have turned out to be superb.
Last week the Star Ledger considered this question as they posted a piece called “Where to eat in Asbury Park: Our Top 10.” Only “table top ” eateries were included; no bars with food or counter service places were evaluated. The writer, Bobby Olivier, was enthused, and here are his ratings:
Taka bar scene. Paul Goldfinger photograph © Blogfinger.net (The restaurant was closed when we took this image.)
1. Brando’s Citi Cucina at 162 Main St. This place got a rave review for its Italian food and steak house expertise. “The food is some of the best you’ve ever had.” Grovers who have eaten there have reported back that the cuisine, although pricey, was superb and worth the money.
2. The Restaurant at the Hotel Tides. 408 7th Avenue. “The best kept secret in Asbury Park.” “Terrific new American menu.” Some people love this place so much that they barely go elsewhere.
3. Pascal and Sabine. 601 Bangs Avenue. “Modern French cuisine.” “The food is simply addictive.”
4. Taka: Sushi. 660 Cookman Ave is in their new larger quarters. The owner is a “sushi virtuoso.” He used to live in Ocean Grove when he first opened his hit eatery. “Unquestionably one of the best upscale Asian restaurants in Monmouth County.” Taka is one of our personal favorites. They are crowded in the middle of the week on a miserable night. Here’s a link to our piece on Taka when it moved into its new place a few years ago:
Taka hits the ground running at their spectacular new location
5. Reyla. 603 Mattison Ave. A newcomer. Mediterranean: Spectacular pork chops.
6. Stella Marina: 800 Ocean Avenue. “Another best bet on the boardwalk. Italian” Spectacular ocean views.
7. Cubacan: 800 Ocean Avenue: “The most beautiful eatery in AP.” “The food is terrific.” Roast pork and beef. Need a reservation.
8. Jimmy’s Italian. 1405 Asbury Avenue. Old world style Italian cooking. “The food is undeniably awesome.” One of our personal favorites.
9. Medusa Stone-Fired Kitchen. 711 4th Avenue at Main. A best kept secret. “The best pizza joint in Asbury Park.” 20 seats. “A glorious casual place.” “A great locals-only vibe.”
10. Plaza Tapatia: 707 Main Street. You can search for our reviews of this Mexican place. “Foodies across Monmouth County know and love Plaza Tapatia…”
Missing in action: Moonstruck
But keep in mind: The Star-Ledger has been promoting like heck the restaurant scene in A. Park, and the city has a publicity juggernaut that gets in your face regularly.
However, there is no question that A. Park has improved its claim of being a major New Jersey restaurant destination for fine food—year round. Those of us who live around here have a marvelous selection of great restaurants.
Watch out for the crowds and parking problems, especially on the weekends, and even the smart-parking meters can get to be expensive. The best restaurants tend to be pricey, so check the menus on line.
But good food doth not an important city make. Asbury Park continues to be a work in progress over-all.
–Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.
LIZA MINNELLI:
A great list. I need to check out Tapatia, which I wandered thru after reading about it before on this blog.
Missing but highly deserving:
Asbury Festhalle
Barrio Costera
Talula
Porta
Bonnie Reade
Practically endless choices. Hopefully we get a few more in OG like our great new pizza spot.
I’m no “foodie” but I love going out to eat. I would definitely say that Asbury Park is one of the best restaurant scenes in New Jersey (maybe 2nd to Jersey City which has been up-and-coming lately as well).
For the 10 listed above…there are another 10-15 that I have had wonderful experiences at and that doesn’t even touch on the various bars and casual dining spots which are plentiful and very unique to Asbury Park.
What other small town in NJ has more amazing establishments to offer in such close walkable proximity to each other? (…and yes…that’s an actual question because I would be happy to go there and check those scenes out as well 😉
Editor’s Note: We will welcome and we will post mini-restaurant reviews from our readers. Send by email (Blogfinger@verizon.net) or by the comment button below this post.—Paul @Blogfinger.net
Unless one lives on the very south side of Ocean Grove, one can walk to all except Tides and Jimmy’s, both very good.
Moonstruck is closest for us, but we stopped going there about four years ago – quality had declined while prices rose.
Also missing is Langosta Lounge. Again, it was good about eight years ago, but went downhill and we stopped frequenting it about four years ago. Also it became way too noisy to have dinner conversation.
While only 1/3 of restaurants in NJ have liquor licenses, it seems 95% in Asbury Park have them. There are lots of great BYOBs in nearby towns. But maybe for some readers spending $40 for a $15 bottle of wine doesn’t matter.