Back again - this time with 4 additional Yelpers (we get together every month or so for dinner)…read more We started the meal, after opening our wines, with two orders of Polpetine di Pollo (chicken meatballs) and Fiori di Zuccca (Zucchini Flower). both were excellent ! Entrees consisted of Australian Striped Bass, Gnocchi Truffle, Pollo Impanato di Milanese, and 3 orders of the Chicken Cordon Bleu. we shared an order of Warmed Mascrapone Spinach. Everything was served in a timely fashion - piping hot. Desserts consisted of a delicious Fruit Tart, Pecan and Walnut Tart and their terrific Pistachio Creme Brulee. Espresso, Capuccino and Americano Coffees paired well with our choices. Our waiter, Cosmo, was terrific. He knows his menu and was able to guide us in making our choices. Remember, Dolce Fantasia is BYOB. The chef came to our table twice to gauge our reaction to our meals, always a nice touch. The space is decorated nicely and we will definitely return.

Asbury Park is one of my favorite food towns, and a huge reason is because it still has the ability…read moreto pleasantly surprise me. Case in point - this restaurant has apparently been in the downtown area for several years and I had no idea. I stopped by here for lunch on Memorial Day with the Millennial Chum, and in a totally risky move, didn't make a reservation anywhere and just decided to wing it. The Millennial Chum's only requirement was that it be a place neither one of us had been to before, so after a very quick search/walk, we noticed this place and also decided we had a hankering for Italian. Done. I don't know how to describe the interior, but "yellow" and "modern" comes to mind. This isn't a stodgy white tablecloth kind of place; it's vibrant and hip, I'm sure trying to capture that classic Asbury demo. Really unique. The weather was a little meh, which worked in our favor - although there was a decent amount of foot traffic in the downtown area 70% of which were pooches, only one other table was occupied in here. We were able to sit down and were served very promptly. We were both very intrigued by one of the apps on the verbal specials menu - mango burrata, which sounded like sort of a mess, but also worth a try. Definitely more of the latter. Never would have thought to combine these two ingredients together, but it was really excellent and an interesting palate pairing. The presentation was solid as well, and this...didn't last long, although given that we both ordered entrees perhaps we should have been more responsible in that regard. Something I'd recommend for the regular menu in the future for sure. A lot of the entrees looked interesting and pretty authentic; this isn't just spaghetti and chicken parm (I'm not actually sure either was even on the menu). The one that emotionally spoke to me the most was the Pappardelle (one of my fave pastas and always pleased to see it) Al Telefono Nostro. Really hit the spot, and as you can see a really hardcore portion. The tomato cream sauce was light and flavorful, and the only nitpick I had (just a personal palate preference) was the inclusion of the sliced tomatoes. I'm sure a ton of people love those, and it basically adds a level of authenticity to the dish that a barbarian like me just can't quite appreciate. I made sure the Millennial Chum had a few tomato pieces though. Really good dish and would order it again. Honestly not sure what possessed us to even look at the dessert menu much less actually order from it, but I thought Oreo Tiramisu sounded interesting, despite the Millennial Chum's yowling that she despised tiramisu. It turns out she doesn't, because once this dish arrived she happily helped herself and decided that her opinion on tiramisu was likely based on a traumatic/misleading childhood incident. Bare minimum, this place gets solid marks for rewriting history for her in the Italian dessert department. But it WAS delicious, which was a theme of our meal. The service was top-notch; our waitress was over regularly and had a strong command of the menu (which I think deserves bonus points, given that this was not Americanized and it helped to have a metaphorical lifeguard helping us navigate some of the trickier stuff; I studied abroad in Florence over 20 years ago, but you'd never know it). Very pleasant. BIg recommend; not a ton of establishments under the radar in Asbury, but this might be one of them.

This place is yummy! Usually crowded but worth the wait!! I recommend everything lol mmmmread more

Came up to Jersey for a basketball tournament at Hoop Group Headquaters and needed a place for…read morebreakfast. The Buttered Biscuit had high reviews and was extremely close. This place is located on the corner and parking appears to be street parking only. I stopped by around 11:30 and was able to be seated immediately. They have bar seating which is first come first serve as well as tables throughout. Bar seating was much quicker. After about 5 mins my waitress came and took my order. Challah French Toast, Homefries and Bacon. 15/20 minutes go by and my food came. The Homefries are a good portion. They are seasoned well. The bacon was warm and crispy as well. The challah French toast was delicious. I enjoyed my meal overall. Overall this is a good place that met my expectations. The food was as expected and the portion size was good as well. They do charge a fee for using your card as shown on my receipt. A tad bit tacky to me but I understand.

DREAMY SPACE. DREAMY FOOD. DOG FRIENDLY…read more BRADLEY BEACH: Hatch 44 Cafe might just be one of the dreamiest breakfast & brunch spots we have discovered! Located right in the heart of Bradley Beach, Hatch 44 Cafe is an oasis of beautiful vibes, incredible food, amazing drinks, and genuinely wonderful service. BRIE APPROVES! Small dogs are welcome inside All dogs are welcome on the beautifully decorated, shaded patio Monday-Thursday Happy Hour: 8-10 AM with specials including lattes, cappuccinos, loose tea, coffee & even a juice-only cocktail! And the FOOD?! We had the incredible "This Chick Is Vegan" and "Lox Benny," but the real showstopper was the Dulce Plantain Pudding Latte -- complete with a crème brûlée plantain right on top! We grabbed seats at the coffee bar and got to watch barista extraordinaire Bethany work her magic, keeping the caffeine flowing while chatting with us. She was the absolute sweetest and Brie was OBSESSED. She even busted out her signature attention-getting dance!

Heard great things about this place so came on a Sunday around 11:30 am to see if it was worth the…read morehype. When I walked into the restaurant, there were 6 people standing ahead of us at the hostess stand. Tables were emptying out but no one even acknowledged our existence for - no exaggeration- 15 minutes. We made conversation with the people around us that it was almost comical that no one even said they'd be with us in a moment. It was odd and we almost left and walked to The Buttered Biscuit down the street, but we stuck it out. Once we were seated we were given a tiny placard to scan the menu with our phones. Service after being seated was surprisingly consistent after our long wait time to be seated with no acknowledgment from staff. I have a gluten allergy and the online menu did not have specific information showing what was GF or GFA. When I asked the sever about it she rattled off some GF options but of course I couldn't remember all of them, having them marked on the menu would be so helpful. I ordered the Birria Omelette but chose to have the tortilla strips on the side since they were in a shared fryer. The dressing for the side salad was light and tangy. The omelette was supposed to be French style but wasn't creamy in the middle. Birria meat was tender and kind of overwhelmed the overall taste of the omelette. I also had an iced decaf mocha latte and it was good, not too sweet and pretty much coffee flavored chocolate milk. My dining companion had the classic French toast, which looked delicious and he really enjoyed it but I didn't taste it because "gluten." Ambiance is really nice, tables are well spaced and the restaurant is well decorated. Not sure if I'll be back but glad I tried it!

Adorable hipster bar with the coolest looking people. The bartender was awesome and I saw they…read moreserve food! Came here on a Saturday night and there was a DJ. The music was good and the vibe was awesome. I had a good time here with my party of 4.

This place was GOOOOOD. Honestly blown away by this establishment…read more Was in town for work & everyone from the area to told me to come down to this area for dinner. Walked around & landed on this place. Such a swanky cool kind of new age hipster but also vintage vibe? Lol No idea! But I sure was digging it! The bartender was super sweet in helping me make a decision for dinner, because I wanted to try it ALL. I folded on the Lemony Shrimp & Bean stew (absolutely spectacular and this is coming from someone that doesn't like being or vegetable type soups) the leeks were so yummy but the shrimp was the star, just look at how huge they were. Sliced Flat Iron - SO JUICY. Such flavor! Literally haven't had any steak til this day that could replicate that flavor of the scallion chimichurri and celery root purée. It has been over a year now since I've been here, and I still CRAVE, I'm talking I have full on dreams about having this place again. Can confirm, I AM Homesick.

i can see why there's always a wait, this food is AMAZING. the coffee is super creative and great…read moretoo. service here is a bit slow to get your order taken but once it's taken the food comes out fast! the cacio e pepe eggs were a dream come true, creamy, cheesy and plenty of flavor. the bread that came with it was also a sleeper hit. I tried their crab chips as well and those were amazing, they truly did not skimp on the crab here. I would've liked it try it when they still used fries but the chips were still good. i got one of their dirty sodas and will say it wasn't my favorite but i enjoyed the creativity and extra option past just alcohol and coffee. overall though the portions are massive and well worth the price, the food is creative, fresh, and outright delicious. if you're in the area this place is a MUST. No other brunch in the area can compare to what cardinal is doing. ambiance here is like any brunch place but a little more upscale, clean interior and a nice little counter service space as well. if you're gonna visit ashbury, be sure to hit cardinal.

Food was good; good portions…read more It took us a while to get in- at least a 30+ minute wait so we walked around for a bit. Service was excellent- they were very attentive and friendly. We had a booth and were able to comfortably have a conversation as noise level not too bad. Would come back to try different things.

Absolutely perfect from check in to check out. Hotel is conveniently located near the beach, but…read morealso near the main street and public transit. The hotel is beautiful and it felt like every single piece of furniture and decorations were chosen intentionally. Perhaps the best part of our stay was the phenomenal, friendly and attentive service from manager Emily. Truly a gem of a person, and made sure everything we needed was available. Would also like to highlight that Emily reached out even before our stay begun to ask if we needed anything upon arrival or had any questions. All requests were met and Emily was prompt to answer all questions. I would highly recommend The James Bradley to anyone thinking of visiting. If you're looking for a quick vacation out of this city, this is the place, so easy to get to, the town has wonderful restaurants/bars and the beach was beautiful (even if it was too cold to hang out). Can't wait to find a reason to return.

The lobby and dining area, porch and sitting areas are beautiful. Our room was also quite lovely…read morebut could've used some more amenities like perhaps a place to sit and eat as we ordered food, utensils (we ended up getting some from the front desk) and a trash can? I'm all for minimalism but there needs to be functionality behind it. As for breakfast; more gluten free options please! And the soft boiled eggs we chose were either cooked too hard or way undercooked. The yogurt and fruit was delicious! Our server was great.

Absolutely loved this spot for brunch on Saturday. Really delicious food, great service and great…read moreambiance. Truffle fries were amazing!

Such a cute, almost hidden spot in Avon!…read more The interior matches the eclectic menu with fun options! We shared the blueberry fluffcakes (paired perfectly with a matcha butter) and croissant breakfast sandwich with greens. I was so stuffed! I am not biggest fan of sweets for breakfast, but this was an exception! So amazingly warm and not overwhelming. I will have to come back to try the strawberry version! Plus, the blackberry earl grey iced tea really hit the spot.

OCEAN GROVE: Dale and Dollops is a diner right on Main Ave. offering a full range of…read moreAmerican-style vegan options. Healthy and delicious, we enjoyed the tempeh Caesar salad, the chickpea tuna salad sandwich, and a milkshake. They are open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and you can also stop in for a smoothie, soft serve ice cream, ice cream sundae, and a milkshake! Order inside and they'll bring it out to you! Leashed dogs are allowed at the cute outdoor seating and you can people watch and enjoy the weather. A couple of tables on the porch are covered by the building and another couple are on the sidewalk. It is also very sunny, so make sure your dog is comfortable from the heat and sits in a shaded spot. We were told dogs are also allowed inside and when we took a peek,, it is such a fun space! There are old-school games, a Photo Booth, and has a bright and colorful design! 69 Main Avenue Ocean Grove, NJ 07756

We want to love it here, they have so many things going for them! When they're good, they're GREAT…read more When they're not... the cheese on the cheese fries is runny instead of thick, the ice cream is foamy instead of creamy, the sundaes are sloppy instead of luscious, and sandwiches randomly don't come with chips as they usually do. They're also always out of some menu items: mac and cheese, whipped cream, etc. Depending on who is working they'll either cheerily bring the food to your table (it's counter service) or just yell your name from inside. They also charge a 3% "dine service charge" with no explanation. I hope they can find some consistency because we really want to support this adorable place.

Wish I could give 10 stars! A true gem! We came here for lunch while on vacation. From the…read moreminute I caught a glimpse of the outside; I was impressed. The decor, food, service and overall vibe were perfection. My Quiche and lentil salad were delicious! My daughter ordered the Mademoiselle Croquet and lentil soup, even more delicious Loved the European touches throughout and vintage china and glasses. The bathroom was so cool too and went perfectly with the urban music mix. Thanks Cameo for an amazing lunch! What a great way to end our Jersey Shore vacay

I'm a bagel snob and this bagel was absolutely delicious. Crunchy on the outside, perfect chew on…read morethe inside and the cream cheese paired perfectly.

Delicious crepes in a really crappy location. Planet of the Crepes is located at one of the…read moreentrances to the food court at the Jersey Shore Outlets. Where the line forms to order is the entrance/exit door. There is no good place to wait to place your order/wait to pick it up because of the constant stream of people in and out that door. The crepes here are so good they could easily hold their own in their own restaurant. The fruits in the crepes and smoothies are fresh. The savory crepes are all freshly prepared in front of you. Since everything is prepared for you expect a bit of a wait. Due to the location I wasn't expecting much but I'm happy to say these are some EXCELLENT crepes and smoothies.

Very yummy casual place. They have a large selection of crepes and other treats. Place is clean…read more Good service too. I really like this place for a snack or taking the kids out for their sugary crepes