Harvey Cedars Shellfish Company
The fish is local, the plates unfussy yet creative when called for, the setting on Long Beach Island beachy-keen. No wonder this landmark is edging towards its 50th birthday.
Stirling Tavern
There’s a well-edited menu of neighborhood joint favorites and outside-the-norm specialties at this downtown destination with an enlightened view of what’s possible. A tip: Don’t play it safe.
Kim Sum
A new dim sum champ handles the morsels served forth from its piled-high carts with grace. Make a day of it on a Saturday by taking a morning’s jaunt through the nearby Collingswood Farmers’ Market and, post-dim sum, shopping at Sun Seng supermarket, at the opposite end of Saigon Plaza.
Blue Bottle Café
Some 15 years ago, a pair of chefs looking to make a commitment to a community opened a little place with big-hearted food. Their culinary style? Well, it’s something like a roasted chicken.
El Matador
Break out of your same-old, same-old rut at this Mexican stalwart, where the less-common shines and a spirit of adventure is rewarded.
The Butter Chicken Factory
While the marquee-billed star at this modest storefront does its part, the supporting cast doesn’t let it steal the whole show. Nope, not with forceful, focused flavors chewing scenery at every turn.
Lorena’s
In new and expanded quarters, with a bar to boot, chef Humberto Campos still pledges his troth to beloved French classics. But he’s got a knack for finding the shake of nuance that can ratchet up familiar to fabulous.
Sushi by Kazu
Ply the menu at this outlier where elegance in the artistry of Japanese cuisine long has been celebrated to find dishes that showcase the chef’s considerable skills. Avoid intrusions of mod oddities.
Mustache Bill’s
The summer love that lasts forever: That’s chef-owner Bill Smith best-of-all-time diner, where the fish and produce are local, everything’s made from scratch, and a culture of civility reigns.
The Borscht Belt
Cue the hype! Enter the schtick, stage left! Is this new deli a showstopper or a comedy of too many errors?
Baguette Delite
Banh mi as good at the granddaddy’s in New Orleans East? Yes, and reliably so for a decade now.
Local Greek
Just off the main drag, but inked on the dine cards of locals, is this hit restaurant where soul-satisfying foods conspire with a convivial scene to make for anytime eating.