Jersey Shore restaurant ranked the most popular small business

Be honest. How many stores, bars, or restaurants do you know that are so great you’d be willing to drive more than an hour?

Especially in New Jersey, where driving is a stress-filled combat sport. I’m looking at you, GSP South on a Friday afternoon in summer. A national survey of thousands of people was done by Advance Funds Network to see which small businesses across the country are so popular their regular customers would be willing to drive over an hour to experience them.

To inspire such passionate devotion, most of them were about food, but not all. Some exceptions were Easy Street Records in West Seattle, Washington and Chamblin Bookmine in Jacksonville, Florida.

Here in New Jersey, the most drive-worthy small business though was indeed a restaurant. It’s in Bradley Beach, and it’s been around a since 1947.

Vic’s Italian Restaurant

Vittorio “Vic” Giunco and his wife Carmella immigrated from Genoa, Italy in the early 1900s. Vittorio eventually opened a bar in Bradley Beach when prohibition ended which was very successful.

His son John Giunco thought to expand to a restaurant in 1947 and he and his mother Carmella perfected Italian recipes, drawing a huge following.

Vic’s has lasted through four generations, always family-owned, and has been iconic in that area.

Their crispy thin-crust pizzas and classic pasta dishes combined with an old school vibe has made no trip to Bradley Beach complete without stopping by.

For many fans driving more than an hour to dine there wasn’t a theoretical question; they’ve actually done it many times.

For what its worth: the #2 small business in New Jersey that was picked as drive-worthy was WORD Bookstore. It’s an indie shop in Jersey City.

The #3 was The Pop Shop in Collingswood, a retro diner with a 1950s feel.

If you know me, you know I love any kind of pasta. Good thing Vic’s is only half an hour from Freehold.

Vic’s is located at 60 Main Street in Bradley Beach.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.
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