Asbury Park is bursting with flavor and these 5 restaurants are a must-try

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🌮 These are 5 restaurants to try, each with a unique menu

ASBURY PARK — “Where should we go out for dinner tonight?” It’s a common question heard way too many times, especially as hard-working people wrap up a work week and are looking forward to the weekend to unwind.

Instead of going to the same spots, take a leap of faith and explore outside the neighborhood.

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New Jersey is bursting with restaurants up and down the state, with cuisines to satisfy every palate.

But, for this article, let’s concentrate on one area — Asbury Park. The revitalized Monmouth County resort town may be known for its live music legacy, but there are some outstanding restaurants to dine at, as well.

These are 5 of the best restaurants in Asbury Park

Porta

911 Kingsley St

If pizza is your thing, Porta is a must-try. Of course, there are other mouth-watering dishes on the menu, which change seasonally.

But, as far as the pizza, there are 13 kinds, including The Italian Stallion (San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, gorgonzola, Italian sausage, and long hots), Betty Pie (San Marzano and heirloom tomatoes, goat cheese, mozzarella, garlic, thyme, and extra virgin olive oil), and The Veg (cashew ricotta, sun dried tomato pesto, zucchini ribbons, asparagus, and extra virgin olive oil)

There’s no shortage of appetizers, salads and pasta dishes as well as “for the table meals” such as pan-roasted day boat octopus, eggplant parm, branzino, and breaded chicken cutlets.

Iron Whale

1200 Ocean Avenue

The menu at Iron Whale, by executive chef Charles Collins, features inventive takes on seafood including a taco bar, and a wide selection of meat presentations.

Indulge in the Jerk Mahi Mahi tacos, enjoy the raw bar, or satisfy your taste buds with crab cakes, lobster mac n’ cheese, grilled salmon, and more.

Is your dog your dinner companion? The Iron Whale has a Yappy Meal menu including Bradley’s Bowl (unseasoned ground turkey, brown rice, mixed vegetables, and bone beef broth), Bella’s Burger (unseasoned 8 oz. beef patty and carrot sticks), Nemo’s Spaghetti and Meatballs (lean beef, turmeric, ginger, zucchini noodles, and pumpkin strawberry puree), and Dory’s Pup Cup.

R Bar

1114 Main Street

Another great Asbury Park restaurant to check out is R Bar. There’s a wonderful blend of food, drinks, and desserts on the menu. Weather permitting, check out the rooftop bar and greenhouse, or relax in the backyard.

For a starter, try the ahi tuna and watermelon (avocado puree, furikake, wonton strips, sriracha, and sesame seeds). For entrees, try the Crawfish Pasta (crawfish, Fresno chili, fettucine, and vodka sauce), Fried Chicken (buttermilk battered boneless thighs, slaw, choice of fries, or baked with butter), or the Short Rib French Dip (hand-pulled short rib, horseradish aioli, sharp provolone, mozzarella, red wine au jus, baguette, and fries).

For dessert, enjoy the beignets (orange whipped cream and jam) or the vanilla flan (light, creamy set custard topped with caramel, and fresh blueberries).

Looking for a unique cocktail? Try the Bourbon Slushy (Wild Turkey 81 bourbon and southern style cherry soda), the Abnormally Large Child (Bulldog Gin, pineapple, strawberry, lemon, lime, and Fruity Pebbles Punch), or the Kill-Devil Punch (Appleton Rum, Raspberry Shrub, pineapple, and topped with Prosecco).

The Robinson Ale House

1200 Ocean Ave North

Another fan favorite restaurant in Asbury Park is The Robinson Ale House.

The menu offers a slew of choices including cheesesteak spring rolls, tuna nachos, a raw bar, nine types of salads, burgers, soups, artisanal flatbreads, pineapple ginger salmon, Maine lobster roll, steak, vegetable risotto, and more.

There’s an amazing wine and beer menu, plus signature cocktails with funky names like Flight of the Bumblebee (Gray Whale, St. Germain Elderflower, blood orange lemon honey, egg white, and bee pollen), Picnic Smash (Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, peach lemon, thyme fever-tree, and ginger beer), and Wood You Be My Neighbor? (Woodford Reserve Bourbon Citrus, thyme, and orange bitters).

Taka

660 Cookman Avenue

Taka is a contemporary Japanese restaurant serving inventive cuisine. This place is known for its amazing sushi rolls. Customers rave at how unbelievably fresh the fish is at Taka.

Popular sushi rolls include the spicy tuna avocado roll, the green roll (seaweed salad, avocado, cucumber, soy paper, wasabi mayo, and chives), the firecracker roll (tuna and crunch roll topped with spicy mayo, habanero, sriracha, togarashi), the boardwalk roll (tempura sweet potato, avocado, togarashi rice, topped with spicy tuna, tempura crunch, and scallions), and so many other concoctions.

Try the Beef Nagimaki as an appetizer, too. It’s thinly sliced beef with scallions and sweet sauce.

Bonus Restaurant in Asbury Park

Stella Marina

800 Ocean Avenue North

If you like rustic, yet classic Italian cuisine, then Stella Marina, which means star of the sea in Italian is the restaurant to be on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

You’ll want to make a reservation here since tables are booked every two hours.
The menu is bursting with a plethora of dishes like wrapped stuffed figs as an antipasto, seven kinds of pastas, salads, a selection of cheeses and meats, steaks, chops, chicken, seafood, and pizzas.

For dessert, try something unique like the olive oil cake (pear compote, and vanilla bean gelato) or their flourless chocolate cake.

Stella Marina also has an extensive wine, beer, and cocktail list to enjoy with your meal.

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