The Resy Guide to Dining on the Jersey Shore, Summer 2023 Edition

If the main character of the Jersey Shore is Seaside Heights, then Xina, a BYO sushi and oyster bar located just a few minutes’ drive from the famous boardwalk plays a solid supporting roll — er, role.

For just over a decade, patrons of this family-owned Chinese bistro have taken in the scenery of the nearby marina while slurping down Cape May Salt and East Point oysters, but those aren’t the only standouts.

Think you’ve left New Jersey? Fuhgeddaboudit — because Xina’s bacon egg and cheese fried rice will surely remind you, if the tempura everything bagel roll doesn’t do the trick first. The crispy rock shrimp tossed in gochujang is a popular starter, as are PEI mussels served with peppers and onions in a Thai red curry broth and a side of crispy bao.

Peking duck, sizzling cumin lamb chops, and the classic General Tso’s chicken are mainstay entree options, but before you book a visit, tap over to Xina’s Instagram for a peek at any limited-time specials — recent offerings include garlic pepperoni calzone dumplings and potato latke bao.

And if there’s room for dessert, check out the milk pie, aka “salty, sweet ooey-gooey goodness.”

Those on the hunt for a lively scene with plenty of drink options and a slate of social events can set their sights on Asbury Ale House, located in the heart of the seaside city’s historic downtown.

The gastropub has an exhaustive cocktail menu with boozy flights, more than 30 local brews, and seasonal creations like the Sip & Sprout for spring, a raspberry vodka and iced tea mix served in a flower pot cup and topped with gummy worms.

Standard pub fare is on standby, but brunch is where AAH shines: six variations on the bloody mary, whiskey flights served with bacon and OJ chasers, and rum buckets and beer towers for game days are all served alongside pork roll (not Taylor Ham) fries, a Bloody Slider Flight, and plenty of other hangover cures. All the while, a DJ on site keeps the good vibes going.

Should your plus-one be of the four-legged variety, Asbury Ale House — just a short drive from the city’s popular 8th Avenue Dog Beach — also has a dog-friendly menu.

Since 1962 when it opened in Stone Harbor, stopping at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House has been a tradition for families visiting the Jersey Shore. Today, seven locations of the local breakfast chain dot the southern tip of the state.

More than a half-century later, a few things remain the same: Uncle Bill’s is cash-only, the pancake selection is stacked (the thin French pancakes made with “Uncle Bill’s secret batter” and the pecan pancakes jump to mind), and the restaurant is on many a family vacation itinerary.

Find more info here.

Charlie’s of Bay Head is emblematic of the state’s #JerseyStrong attitude following the devastation of Superstorm Sandy in 2012; the restaurant is located on the site of the Shopper’s Wharf that was torn down from all the damage it took from the storm.

Open since early 2017, Charlie’s is now a serene yet stately presence in the Ocean County suburb and it’s exactly what you’d expect of an upscale Jersey Shore waterfront restaurant: rustic-style shingles with clean white trim on the outside, a sunlit dining room with stunning high ceilings inside, and of course, spectacular views of Twilight Lake.

The crab deviled eggs are a favorite and you won’t want to miss trying the warm whipped feta served with honey and pistachio, mint, and pita, nor the pan-seared halibut.

Open since last spring, Centrada Cocina & Cocktails is housed in a sprawling, colorful three-story space in downtown Red Bank that’s perfect for a group night out — especially when live DJs and performances are scheduled to appear.

Centrada is managed by the Esperto Hospitality Group (the folks behind seafood restaurant Catch 19, located just around the corner) with CIA-trained chef Aron Zaks at the helm. Esperto’s culinary director and partner Norman Reola told NJ.com the team wanted to embed the “authentic flavors of South America, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and the Caribbean” in the restaurant.

The pan-Latin flavors at Centrada are indeed highlighted in dishes like the lumpia Havana served with pineapple chimichurri and shrimp picante topped with chile butter. Dessert standout La Bomba is also sure to please, combining the flavors of a bananas Foster and baked Alaska to make one fiery treat.

As for drinks, Centrada bar consultant Carlos Ruiz says El Pastor — made with Gracias a Dios piña mezcal, fresh lime, jalapeño, cilantro, and pineapple juice — is the restaurant’s best-selling cocktail. Pro tip: If you stop by this summer, ask for Gracias a Dios mango mezcal for a variation on the refreshing concoction.

Parties larger than six should contact the restaurant directly at 732-430-2330.

The unique atmosphere and view from this historic Cape May waterfront restaurant is as much a part of the dining experience as the top-notch food it’s served for generations.

Open year-round, patrons at the family-owned Lobster House can watch the commercial fleet at work on the adjacent dock, see yachts sail by on the harbor, or pop over for a pre-dinner drink on the Schooner American, a 130-foot-long authentic Grand Banks sailing vessel moored dockside that has an outdoor cocktail lounge.

For some, a trip to The Lobster House makes for an extra special experience; last year, one couple celebrating their anniversary found a pearl in their order of fresh Jersey clams on the half shell worth thousands of dollars. Maybe luck will be on your side, too?

No reservations. Find more info here.

Just off Route 35 in Red Bank sits Gabriella’s Italian Steakhouse, the location for your next big date night. The spacious, sleek locale seats 140 in the main dining room and 70 in an enclosed patio, and also has a 50-seat speakeasy and bar area. Gabriella’s has a modern look, with intricate wood beam designs and an impressive long bar.

A former salesman, Gabriella’s co-owner Frank Brusco recently told The Asbury Park Press how he took everything from restaurant experiences he didn’t like — “low ceilings, old carpeting and furniture, unattractive uniforms, no music, and bad paint” — and applied the opposite to his establishments (Brusco is also the owner of Italian BYO Patricia’s in Holmdel and co-owner of Over Easy Kitchen, a breakfast/brunch place with locations in Holmdel, Marlboro, and soon, Fair Haven).

The menu reflects the owners’ appreciation for the finer things and the skills of executive chef Michael Tsarnas. The beef is sourced from Pat LaFrieda, and the Grand Tower of seafood is just that, with Alaskan king crab legs, crab cocktail, 12 oysters, 12 clams on the half-shell, six shrimp, and a whole lobster. Oh, and patrons rave about Gabriellas’ garlic bread on social media — same goes for the meatballs, brussels sprouts, and Mia margarita (silver Tequila, passion fruit, fresh lime, agave, and shichimi rim). Ordering steak? There’s a cheeky option on the menu to “make it horny” and add truffle butter or a bump of caviar.

Call 732-456-6699 or email info@gabriellasnj.com for reservations.

It’s impossible to discuss the Cape May dining scene without mentioning the oh-so-charming Blue Pig Tavern, located inside the historic Congress Hall Hotel.

The farm-to-table menu offers classic American fare using fresh produce, herbs, and eggs from nearby Beach Plum Farm, which also supplies meats and produce to other Cape May restaurants including the Ebbitt Room, the Rusty Nail, the Boiler Room, Louisa’s Café, and more.

Pull up one of the restaurant’s signature red Windsor chairs and settle in by the main dining room fireplace (or the enclosed patio, or a seat by the outdoor fire pit — really any spot will do) and dig into favorites like the Blue Pig waffle, Tavern macaroni and cheese, crab hushpuppies, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, or classic chicken pot pie.

Once sated, head over to the Congress Hall Bike Shop and take a self-guided tour of this beautiful historic seaside city.

Call 609-884-8422 for reservations. Find more info here. 

There’s nothing stuffy about Surf, a neighborhood joint in Rumson (Monmouth County) that has flags from American colleges and universities adorning its walls and casual seating (read: picnic tables) in the dining room and outdoor patio.

Come game day, settle in with one of the local craft beers on tap, a cocktail or two — the grapefruit Aperol spritz will come in clutch on a hot summer day — or comfort foods like barbecue, burgers, chicken bowls, or fish and chips, among a bevy of other options.

Part music venue, part restaurant, part ‘60s and ‘70s-inspired beach party, this latest iteration Bird & Betty’s just opened in early May.

Pluck this and that from the Bird & Betty’s menu — margherita pizza, roasted corn, chicken wings, blackened mahi-mahi sandwich — and you actually could do a beach party potluck, but then you’d miss out on a solid cocktail selection (lookin’ at you, pomm-gingertini), a crowded dance floor, and live tunes.

The sunny space’s storied history began in the 1950s when Bird and Betty Clutter bought the Acme Hotel and ushered in an era of live music, but it’s just the beginning for this reimagination of an LBI classic.

Mark down Birravino as another must-visit restaurant in Red Bank if you enjoy good pizza, pasta, wine, and craft beer. (All at once? You crazy dog!)

Its “brewery meets Italian trattoria” concept was developed by co-owner Vic Rallo, the chef-restaurateur behind Undici and Surf, both in Rumson, and Pastavino on Staten Island. (If you catch a glimpse of Rallo and he looks familiar, you may know him from the PBS docuseries “Eat! Drink! Italy!” which has him exploring the flavors of Italy from top to bottom).

At Birravino, the pasta is made by hand every day, in-house at the Pasta Lab created by Rallo and his son, Jake. Tuck into your spicy rigatoni under the twinkle lights of the main dining room, or in the recently upgraded beer garden outdoor seating area that now has additional seating and a reclaimed brick floor.

Talk about hometown pride: After receiving his culinary training at Brookdale Community College and cutting his teeth at well-known Jersey establishments including Joe and Maggie’s Bistro on Broadway in Long Branch and Whispers in Spring Lake, Andrew Araneo opened Drew’s Bayshore Bistro in Keyport in 2005, just a few blocks from where he grew up.

The BYO bistro’s signature flavors, which The New York Times described as a “kind of Low Country-Gulf Coast mash-up with Southwestern touches,” endured even after the restaurant had to relocate to higher ground following damage from Superstorm Sandy.

It’s hard to miss at Drew’s, but order the voodoo shrimp and crabmeat hushpuppies to start. There’s also jambalaya, seared NJ scallops, and blackened Mississippi catfish. For dessert, how about a batch of Cafe Dru Monde beignets?

 Call 732-739-9219 for reservations. Find more info here.