The restaurant business is facing plenty of challenges right now, from the rising cost of ingredients to the shrinking number of employees.
But these obstacles are notstopping new restaurants from opening – and doing so successfully.
Erin and Jerome Hill opened Mama Hill, a vegan grab-and-go deli in Long Branch, a little more than a week ago.
"We sold outSaturday within an hour and a half," Erin said."Sunday sold out within two hours."
From plant-based takeout to barbecue in Berkeley Township,here are are some of the newest restaurants at the Jersey Shore.
Mama Hill, Long Branch
Four years ago, the Hillsdecided to go vegan. Previously vegetarian, the couple cut animal products out of their diet for health reasons.
The decision ultimately led to a thriving plant-based catering business. Then they added pop-up picnics, and finally their first storefront. Mama Hill, a vegan grab-and-go deli, opened alittle more than a week ago to a line of customersdown the sidewalk.
The storefront came about when the Hills, who grew up in Long Branch, couldn't find the kind of food they were looking for in localrestaurants.
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"We started experimenting in our kitchen and said, 'We can do this differently. We can make this more flavorful and make things easier for us to transition,' " Jeromesaid. "We wanted to veganize stuff we grew up on.
"Salads and kale, it’s not really mouthwatering. It's good for you, but..." he said."When you think vegan, we want you to think comfort food. We want you to leave full and satisfied."
"For the hot food, we do a Spanish rice and Spanish beef pies,empanadas. Then we do specials like vegan crab cakes and mac and cheese and greens," Erin said. "We also have a huge grab-and-go refrigeration section that's filled with salads and wraps and a vegan sub (vegan deli meat,cheese,banana peppers, onions,lettuce, oil and vinegar), and sides like pasta salad and chickpea salad, a lot of gluten-free options.
"We try to cover something for everyone," she said.
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The deli is takeout only; the location, the former Cutter's Corner barbershop, is not zoned for indoor or outdoor dining, Erin said.
"It was kind of a neat thing because we ended up in that location," she said. "We both grew up a few blocks in different directions."
Go: 295 Joline Ave.;732-443-4727,mamahill.com.
Asbury Lanes Diner, Asbury Park
Asbury Lanes, an iconic concert venue and bowling alley in Asbury Park,has seen changes in recent years.
Opened in the 1960s, it was closed for renovations from 2015 to 2018, and a diner was among the new additions. In March 2020, the restaurant closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic: Limited capacity would have meant just a few seats, Executive Chef Michael Dunston said.
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He took the time to revamp the menu, and the Asbury Lanes Diner held its grand reopening Aug. 1.
"We reconstructed the menu from the ground up," said Dunston, whoalso oversees the kitchens at The Asbury Hotel and Asbury Ocean Club. "(The previous menu) was working, but I think people wanted to see the classic diner foods back on it.
"It worked, but we wanted to go with a new concept," he said.
Diners will find breakfast dishes– challah French toast with lemon ricotta, brisket eggs Benedict, pancakes with whipped butter – plus soups, salads, discosandwiches, and entrees like meatloaf, macaroni and cheese topped with hot honey chicken, and Impossible Sausage with peppers and onions ($7 to $16).
The diner is open Thursdays through Sundays; Dunston said more days will be added moving forward.
Go:The diner,209 4th Ave. in Asbury Park, is open from 8 a.m. to midnight Thursdays through Sundays. Closed Mondays through Wednesdays; 732-361-6659, asburylanes.com.
Smokies Craft BBQ, Berkeley Township
Dave Kaminski's journey to owning a barbecue restaurant began like many others – in his own backyard.
"Istarted 10 years ago doing your basic backyard barbecue, learning the ropes and all that stuff," said Kaminski, who lives in Beachwood. "In the past five years, I've gotten very serious with knowing everything about barbecue –making all my own recipes for my own sauces, my own dry rubs – literally every aspect of barbecue."
In 2020, he was preparing to launch a catering business when the coronavirus pandemic struck.
"It wasn't really the right time to start a business, so I just continued to make all my stuff better, worked on it on my own time," Kaminski said.
Then came a health scare and a lengthy hospital stay, which spurred him into action.
"I decided it was time to do what I enjoyed, and I started the planning," said Kaminski, who soon will open Smokies Craft BBQ in Bayville Commons in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. His restaurant will fill the space previously occupied by Muscle Maker Grill.
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Smokies will serve traditional barbecue dishes – brisket, ribs, chicken – plus salads, sandwiches andbarbecue-inspired tacos, burritos and bowls.
"Not Tex-Mex; all barbecue food," he said. "I'm doing a chopped pork belly taco with pickled cabbage, pickled jalapenos and whatever kind of sauce you want. One of my burritos, I'm doing a beef rib burrito that's going to be mac and cheese and beef rib with cheese sauce poured over the top and the barbecue sauce of your choice.
"Everything that I make here is 100 percent homemade," Kaminski said. "I cut my own fries, I make my own onion rings. Everything's fresh and everything's being made fresh."
Go: 333 Atlantic City Blvd. in the Bayville section.
Berkeley Cut Steakhouse,Seaside Park
For nearly a decade, Gerry Rotunda and Gary Jablonski have been the team behind Bum Rogers Crabhouse, a beloved seafood spot in Seaside Park.
But they were ready to open another restaurant, and needed to decide what kind.
"You have Chef Mike’s (ABG) up the street, which is kind of continental," Rotunda said. "You have Ebby's (Ristorante & Lounge) down the street, which is Italian. But there's not a good steakhouse unless you go to Asbury Park or Long Branch."
In June, he and Jablonski opened Berkeley Cut in the former Pier House restaurant, which they renovated, next door to Bum Rogers.
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"It turned out beautiful," Rotunda said. "We have a real nice outdoor patio, and fire pits at night. One side is a lounge area with couches where you can sit before your meal with a co*cktail, and afterward, go out and have a cigar.
"I'm happy with it, the food has been exceptional, and the response has been phenomenal," he said.
Go:2204 Central Ave.;732-250-4220.
ThePit, Long Branch
Sam Nativo andMichael Bienz have long been known as the pair behind Mix Lounge and Food Bar and its upstairs neighbor, 2nd Floor Restaurant, in Long Branch.
But they tried something new this summer:The Pit, a pop-up eatery serving lobster rolls, and the adjoining Drink Box, servingcraft beer,wine, champagne and specialty drinks, opened in July.
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"We just wanted a fun project for summer and felt it would be a great addition to the West End beach area," Nativo said.
The pop-up is open for eat-in or take-out; walk-in orders only. The menu has rolls stuffed with lobster, shrimp and salmon, plus a vegan option with hearts of palm ($13 to $21). Feeling fancy? Top your roll with a dollop of caviar.
The Pit, which Nativo said will return next summer,will be open through the end of September.
Go: 64 Montgomery Ave.; mixloungefoodbar.com/the-pit.
Other recent openings:
2nd Ave. Sandwich Shop, Normandy Beach: This new addition to the beach town has traditional subs and breakfast sandwiches, plus specialties like the Cape Cod, with fried fish and bacon, and the Thanksgiving Day, with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.3620 Route 35; 732-250-4505, 2ndavesandwichshop.com.
Abbiocco, Monmouth Beach: Catch dinner with a sunset view over Shrewsbury Bay at this Italian restaurant, which opened in June at the Channel Club Marina. There'sgrilled octopus, spicy vodka rigatoni and veal scallopini, which can be ordered alongside carafes of Aperol Spritz. 2 Channel Drive;732-229-3131, channelclubnj.com.
AnchorSalsa Shack, Beach Haven:The owner of Surf City's Anchor Produce Market opened this takeout salsa,guacamole and queso shop in July. 1101 North Bay Ave.; 609-991-2023, facebook.com/AnchorSalsaShack.
Bagel Country on 9, Howell: The bagel shop held its soft opening in late July in Plaza 2775. 2781 Route 9; 848-245-9713, facebook.com/bagelcountryon9.
The Black Swan Public House, Asbury Park: The bar atChef James Avery's European gastropub opens Thursday;the renovated restaurant fills the space previously occupied by Modine and, morerecently, Asbury Kitchen by David Burke. Avery wanted to provide a place for soccer fans to watch games with a beer– Guinness, Smithwick's, Bass, and Harp among them – so the bar opening, which will feature a limited food menu,coincides with the start of the English Premier League's 2021-22 season. As of press time, he planned to open the dining room and launch the extended menu on Aug. 25.601 Mattison Ave.; theblackswanap.com.
Frozen Flavors Homemade Ice Cream & Italian Ice, Middletown: The ice cream shop opened last month.490 Palmer Ave.; 848-256-8266.
Great American Lobster Roll Co., Beach Haven:Long Beach Island has become the place for lobster rolls, with Great American Lobster Roll recently joining Quincy's Original Lobster Rolls, Mystic Lobster Roll Companyand many other seafood restaurants that offer the summer favorite. There are warm rolls with butter and cold rolls with mayo, plus crab cakes, po' boys and more.210 North Bay Ave.; 609-660-2222, greatamericanlobsterroll.com.
Lighthouse Juice Bar, Barnegat Light: Find smoothies, juices and fruit whips with toppings at this newly opened shop, which you'll pass on your way to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.1702 Central Ave.; 609-848-4495, lighthouse-juice-bar.square.site.
Poke Burritos, Howell:Poke bowls and burritos, sushi, ramen, hibachi and bubble tea are on the menu at Poke Burritos, which opened in July in Howell Plaza Shopping Center.4122 Route 9;848-290-9535, pokeburritoshowell.com.
Primavera Restaurant & Bar, Deal: Described as serving "exotic kosher dairy Mediterranean cuisine," this restaurant opened recently in the former One18 American Bistro, which closed in summer 2020.Try gnocchi with beet bechamel sauce, herb-crusted sea bass, and artichoke and parmesan ravioli.118 Norwood Ave.;732-430-2073, primavera.bar.
Salt Steakhouse, Long Branch:Thisupscale kosher steakhouse opened last month atThe Lofts at Pier Village, serving dishes likehamachi crudo, beef cheek ravioli, and Wagyu pastrami, plus aselection of steaks and side dishes.15 Morris Ave.;732-813-7258,saltlb.com.
Seaside Empanada, Seaside Heights: This recently opened boardwalk shop uses a family recipe for its small-batch empanadas, which are stuffed with beef, chicken, beans and potato, and shrimp. There's also corn fries, tostones and yuca bites, plus sauces for dipping.2 Ocean Terrace; 732-859-4433; facebook.com/SeasideEmpanadas.
Ship Bottom Ice Cream Company: Find housemade ice cream, Italian ice and smoothies atthis new shop, which also makes vegan flavors like piña colada, Oreo mint, coconut and cherry vanilla.1801 Long Beach Blvd.;609-342-0892, shipbottomicecream.com.
Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to sgriesemer@gannettnj.com.
