Are you looking for a way to enjoy a night out with friends or loved ones without spending a fortune on drinks? The Belmar region of the Jersey Shore has a vast selection of BYOB restaurants with excellent food, so you can indulge in a fine meal without breaking the bank.
The Belmar Beachcomber Blog has put together this list of the best BYOB restaurants around Belmar to help you plan your next outing. (Restaurants listed in alphabetical order.)
Antonio’s Trattoria
2420 Highway 35 Manasquan, New Jersey 08736 https://antoniostratt.com
There’s a reason Antonio’s parking lot is always full — people flock there for the amazing Italian food! During a recent Friday night dinner, I paired the burrata salad (Burrata Di Nonna) with the potato-crusted crabcake appetizer for a fantastic light meal. My dining companion chose the Polla Alla Antonio, boneless chicken breast stuffed with fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers with a light cream sauce and fresh basil. The menu is extensive, with so many great choices that make it hard to decide. (Not a bad problem to have!) Reservations are recommended.
Avon Promenade
600 Ocean Avenue Avon by the Sea, New Jersey 07717 732-505-7770
Avon Promenade is an oceanfront fine-dining restaurant on the boardwalk in Avon by the Sea, New Jersey, formerly known as Avon Pavilion. The owners, who took over in 2023, also run Amelia’s by the Sea in Spring Lake, New Jersey. I've enjoyed several dinners here with friends in the summer. Reservations are recommended.
RELATED: Dining Around – Avon Promenade
Casa D’Angelo
718 Arnold Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey 08742
Casa D’Angelo in downtown Point Pleasant Beach opened in December 2023 and is operated by the former owners of Citrico’s in Bradley Beach (now known as Skratch Kitchen). At Casa D’Angelo, you’ll find classic Italian food, freshly prepared in a cozy setting.
Clementine’s
306 Main Street
Avon by the Sea, New Jersey 07717
732-988-7979
Clementine’s is known for its creole and Cajun-style cuisine with a southern flair in downtown Avon, New Jersey. Try the fried or blackened catfish or the seafood jambalaya pasta. I usually order the halibut special when it’s available. The desserts at Clementine's are over-the-top indulgences! Reservations are recommended.
Fed’s on 10th
705 10th Avenue
Belmar, New Jersey 07719
732-681-3337
Federici's is a fourth-generation family-owned Italian restaurant with a flagship location in Freehold, New Jersey, and a second spot in Belmar, which opened in 2014.
In 2023, Federici's Italian restaurant was recognized in the "Dining - Best Pizza" category of the Asbury Park Press "Best of the Best Awards" and was also honored for "Dining - Best Italian Food" in the newspaper's 2022 reader's choice awards.
In addition to super-thin-crust pizza from their brick oven, Fed's on 10th has an extensive menu of Italian cuisine, with everything prepared from scratch. Some of my favorite dishes at Fed's are those made with their amazing Francaise sauce. It is undeniably the best Francaise sauce that I've ever eaten, so buttery and velvety!
Try the artichokes Francaise appetizer — or go all in with an order of chicken Francaise. The vodka sauce pizza with a Shanna Salad are also highly recommended. Reservations are recommended.
A few of the best BYOB restaurants at the Jersey Shore: Fed's on 10th, Belmar; Skratch Kitchen and DelPonte's Coal-Fired Pizza, Bradley Beach; Clementine's and The Promenade, Avon by the Sea; Via Veneto, Manasquan; and finally, Spike's Seafood Restaurant and Spano's Ristoranto Italiano, Point Pleasant Beach.
Lubrano’s Trattoria
2439 Highway 34 Brielle, New Jersey 08736 732-292-0050 http://www.lubranostrattoria.com Chef and owner Domenico Lubrano and his staff have been delighting diners since 2000 with their delicious Italian specialties. Try the artichokes oreganata, spicy garlic shrimp, and handmade burrata-filled ravioli. Don’t forget the freshly baked rosemary focaccia bread with dipping oil! It's a casual place with a pizza restaurant and a nicer dining room. Reservations are recommended.
Pizza Heaven
507 Main Street Belmar, New Jersey 07719 732-556-6062 https://pizzeriaheaven.com
Pizza Heaven is one of the best-kept secrets in Belmar! A BYOB favorite when I’m craving their delicious Margherita or eggplant Parmesan pizza with fresca salad on the side, or the salmon dinner with creamy mashed potatoes and wood-fired Brussels sprouts.
The owners are brothers who prepare their handcrafted pizzas in the Neapolitan style using specially milled flour imported from Italy. The dough cooks to thin perfection after a short stint in the hot wood-fired oven.
RELATED: Dining Around – Pizza Heaven
SeaGrass Restaurant
68 Main Avenue Ocean Grove, New Jersey 07756 732-869-0770 https://www.seagrassnj.com
If you love seafood, you’ll have lots of options for fresh fish and shellfish on the dinner menu at SeaGrass, a BYOB restaurant in downtown Ocean Grove, New Jersey. For the carnivores at the table, SeaGrass has poultry and meat selections. In the off season, SeaGrass offers half-price lunch and dinner entrees every Wednesday. First-come, first-served seating; no reservations.
Skratch Kitchen
812 Main Street Bradley Beach, New Jersey 07720
732-984-6363
Owner and Chef JT Dunn has developed a selective menu of rustic Italian fare at Skratch Kitchen. Choose from an array of appetizers and salads; main courses starring seafood, chicken, pasta, and prime cuts of meat; homemade ricotta dumplings (gnudi); stuffed rigatoni and shrimp with vodka sauce; and other pastas. Finish off with a house-made dessert such as decadent pistachio tiramisu and an after-dinner coffee drink. Reservations are recommended.
Spano’s Ristorante Italiano
719 Arnold Avenue Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey 08742 Reservations Required: 732-701-1600 https://www.spanos.net
Authentic Italian dishes are prepared by owner and chef Joseph Spano in his namesake restaurant in downtown Point Pleasant Beach. My go-tos are clams oreganata for my appetizer and a main course of the seafood-stuffed flounder in tomato-cream sauce. Soooo good!
The tiramisu and tartufo at Spano's are some of my favorite desserts. Reservations are required for all party sizes, with dinner seating from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
Spike’s Seafood Restaurant
415 Broadway
Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey 08742
732-295-9400
https://www.spikesseafood.com Spike's Fish Market & Restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, is a casual, old-school seafood shanty that's been serving the Jersey Shore for 97 years. I highly recommend the New England clam chowder and the broiled seafood combination. First-come, first-served seating; no reservations.
Via Veneto Italian Restaurant
2410 Highway 35 (Next to Pastosa’s) Manasquan, New Jersey 08736732-722-8458 https://viavenetoristorante.com Via Veneto in Manasquan, New Jersey, is another great Italian BYOB restaurant near Belmar, perfect for a special-occasion celebration such as a birthday or anniversary dinner. During a recent visit, seafood salad (Insalata Di Mare) and clams oreganata were perfect pairings as my meal. A heavenly peanut butter-chocolate mousse cake followed for dessert. Reservations are recommended.
Other Popular BYOB Restaurants Near Belmar
I hope you are inspired to make reservations at the restaurants on our list of best BYOBs around Belmar. It's impossible to list all of the local BYOB restaurants because there are too many to name. However, here are just a few more that you might want to try:
Arugula, Spring Lake
Brandl, Belmar
Del Ponte’s Coal-Fired Pizza, Bradley Beach
F Street Social, Belmar
Harvest, Farmingdale
Mr. Shrimp Seafood Restaurant, Belmar
Ragin Cajun, Belmar
Vic’s Pizza, Bradley Beach
In addition to the restaurants listed above, if you love Mexican food, many of the Mexican restaurants in and around Belmar are also BYOB. The Cutwater brand of craft margaritas in a can are great for sipping while you're noshing on chips and guac!
Story and photos © copyright by Christine Cardellino, owner of www.VacationInBelmar.com and publisher of the award-winning Belmar Beachcomber Blog, a travel and tourism guide for the Belmar region of the Jersey Shore. Do not copy any content (including images) without our permission. All rights reserved.
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