Growing up in New Jersey, every year my family and I would spend one week in Point Pleasant at the Jersey Shore. I love the beach and all, but my favorite part was always the boardwalk. I’ll admit that a big part of that was riding Himalayas with my mom and sister and winning all the prizes at balloon darts.
But let’s face the facts: a trip to the Jersey Shore would never be complete without pigging out. Here’s what to try next time you’re at the shore.
1. Chocolate Soft Serve Dipped in Chocolate from Kohr’s
Photo courtesy of katheats.com
Technically, you can have any soft serve you like and have it in a chocolate shell, but as a chocoholic, I’d recommend chocolate soft serve or chocolate peanut butter swirl. Kohr’s has been a Jersey Shore staple since 1919, so there’s a reason we say that a trip to the shore is not complete without Kohr’s.
2. Hot Dog from WindMill
Photo courtesy of The All-Nite Images at Flickr.com
WindMill is a small restaurant with several locations throughout the Jersey Shore. Each restaurant is itself a windmill. Seeing those blades turning as we drove up to the beach always felt like a harbinger of summer. If you’re dining here, it’s best to go without their award winning hot dogs, but don’t forget the cheese fries on the side.
3. Italian Hot Dog Pizza from Joey Tomato’s
Photo courtesy of joeytomatospizza.com
Don’t knock it ’til you try it! The shore is known for its pizza, but Joey Tomato’s is known for its gourmet pizza. You can’t really go here and just get a plain slice. Well, you can, but you’ll seriously be missing out. There is also a Chicken Parm Pizza and a Baked Ziti Pizza. When you go to Joey Tomato’s, you gotta go big or go home.
4. Peanut Butter Explosion Fudge from Jenkinson’s Sweet Shop
Photo courtesy of Jenkinson’s Sweet Shop on Facebook
Peanut Butter Explosion Fudge is peanut butter fudge with chocolate crumbles and Reese’s pieces, which is pretty perfect for me. If that’s not your style, the Sweet Shop has plenty more options, from carrot cake to M&Ms.
But if fudge isn’t your thing, there’s always chocolate-covered Oreos, saltwater taffy, and apples covered in everything you can think of. If you have a sweet tooth of any kind, it can be satisfied here.
5. Chef Mike’s Crab Cakes from Waves on Main
Photo courtesy of wavesonmain.com
Formerly Matisse, Waves on Main is a good place to go if you want to splurge a little at the shore. The restaurants in this area of Belmar tend to come and go, which is unfortunate. Waves on Main only opened in 2015, but will hopefully become a mainstay. The sirloin here is delicious, but my personal favorite will always be the crab cakes.
6. Lemonade from Pucker
Photo courtesy of Pucker Lemonades & BeachFries on Facebook
No one does lemonade like Pucker, located in a shipping container on Asbury Park’s boardwalk. You could get lemonade on any boardwalk anywhere, but you’ll probably find it too sweet or basically just water. Pucker does it right. If you’re in the mood for something a little different, try the blood orange lemonade.
7. Boneless Buffalo Bites from Martell’s Tiki Bar
Photo courtesy of yelp.com
Alright, alright, so you don’t really go to Martell’s for the food. It seems that Martell’s has been a part of the Jenkinson’s Boardwalk at Point Pleasant forever. The bar is alive at any point of the day and it’s located right on the beach, overlooking the water. Grab some appetizers and a couple beers and join your friends to watch the sun set over the water.
8. Plain Pizza Slice from Sam’s Pizza Palace
Photo courtesy of tripadvisor.com
Are you more of a purist when it comes to your pizza? You’re looking for Sam’s in Wildwood, then. At just $2 a slice, Sam’s is a bargain for what you’re getting. It’s some of the best pizza you’ll find on the shore. It’s a perfect place to grab a quick slice before heading back out onto the beach.
9. Honey Doughnut from Brown’s
Photo courtesy of thelunavine.com
All the doughnuts at Brown’s, located on the Ocean City boardwalk, are made to order. You know you’re in for a treat when these delicious doughnuts come out nice and hot. I’m a fan of the chocolate, but the honey is a unique and different treat. Really, you could get any doughnut here, and you wouldn’t lose.