The 11th annual Belmar Restaurant Tour on March 10, 2019, featured 38 delicious stops throughout downtown Belmar and along Ocean Avenue and Route 71.
Our tasting adventure started at La Dolce Vita Italian Seafood Grill with a generous serving of melt-in-your-mouth braised pork short ribs and butternut squash risotto.
From Ocean Avenue, we headed downtown to Klein’s Fish Market and Waterside Café (New England clam chowder and tuna bites) and to Doughboys Wood-Fired Pizza (penne with pesto-cream sauce, penne with vodka sauce, and pizza).
Hot buffet selections welcomed visitors at Comfi of Belmar (fresh kielbasa, pierogies, chicken pesto salad, and French toast bites) and at 10th Avenue Burrito Co. (chicken taquitos, tequila-spiked creamed corn, and chipotle mashed potato pierogies).
Moving on, we sampled butternut squash bisque and pulled pork sliders at Anchor Tavern, followed by smoked brisket chili topped with macaroni and cheese at Jersey Shore BBQ.
Patrons lined up outside Stay Gold Café, waiting their turn for small plates of Stay Gold's signature tuna salad, prepared with fresh shredded albacore, chopped golden delicious apples, vegan mayo, and cranberries. Stay Gold also offered samples of vegan chickpea salad and the crisply refreshing apple-walnut salad with honey-balsamic vinaigrette. RELATED: 7 Favorite Casual Restaurants In Belmar
A sample of Olé IPA whet our whistle at Beach Haus Brewery before we headed to Jack's Tavern to sample artichokes Francaise and potato-leek soup. Next door, Federici's On 10th served thin-crust pizza and New England clam chowder.
Beckman's Deli spiced up our palate with chicken wings slathered in their homemade BBQ and buffalo sauces. In Belmar Plaza, first-time restaurant tour participant Sonny's Grille, which opened in fall 2018, served over 30 pounds of sausage and peppers, along with pulled pork and hot dogs with various toppings. The panko-fried chicken sandwich samples at Hoagitos were also a huge hit. RELATED: 5 Best Happy Hour Restaurants In Belmar
The roundup of participating Belmar restaurants this year also included Ragin' Cajun (chicken gumbo and jambalaya); Marina Grille (wild mushroom risotto with shrimp); Surf Taco (fajitas); Cielito Lindo (mixed fajitas, molé sauce, chicken quesadillas, and rice and beans); Belmar Bagels and Joe's Bagel & Grill (selection of bagel breakfast sandwiches); Jimmy's Place on Ocean Avenue (sausage and peppers, lobster bisque, split pea soup, pizza, wraps, deviled eggs, and artichokes Francaise); Relish Hot Dog & Sausage Co.; Pizza Shop (your choice of plain pizza or slices with toppings); and Belmar's Corner Bagelry (crumb cake and bagels).
For our sweet tooth, a visit to Main Street Donuts satisfied with doughnut bites in various flavors, while JB Couture Cupcakes provided a decorate-your-own cupcake experience.
Our last leg of the 2019 Belmar Restaurant Tour included stops at Mr. Shrimp Seafood Restaurant, which served chilled shrimp cocktail, mini crab cakes, coconut shrimp, and crab dip with bread sticks, alongside a raw bar with clams and oysters on the half-shell. Across the street, Turnstile Coffee Roasters provided a warm welcome with mini scones and two selections of hot brewed coffee, including their popular medium-roast House Blend.
Before heading home, we circled back to Ocean Avenue, where lines of patrons snaked out the doors of both Playa Bowls (mini superfruit bowls) and Coney Waffle (cannoli waffles and mini ice cream cones). The vanilla baking aromas inside Coney Waffle were amazing! RELATED: More Dining Stories On The Belmar Beachcomber Blog RELATED: Upcoming Events In Belmar
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Day trips down the shore are fun, but it's even better to rent a beach house for the week to experience everything wonderful about the Belmar area. For couples, solo adults and small families, the two-bedroom Blue Hydrangea Cottage rental in Belmar, New Jersey, is the perfect getaway place. The home sleeps up to four people and is consistently rated five stars for cleanliness, amenities and location. Learn more at www.vacationinbelmar.com.
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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