Asbury Park’s beach is a staple to the Jersey Shore, and if visiting, no one wants to miss a minute of sun or surf, so a to-go food option is necessary. Whether it’s a smoothie for a refreshing snack, a pizza that can feed a whole family, or a lobster roll to satisfy a coastal food craving, Asbury Park’s boardwalk food vendors have options that beach lovers can grab + go for a picnic on the sand. Keep reading for a guide to quick food options available on Asbury Park’s boardwalk.
Asbury Park Roastery | 1300 Ocean Avenue North
Asbury Park Roastery is the spot to pick up a quick coffee for the beach. It specializes in artisan coffees, loose-leaf teas, and confections. It has fresh roasted espressos and cappuccinos, macchiatos, and lattes. At Asbury Park Roastery, customers can order a cold specialty drink like an iced flavored latte or chai. Its refreshments are locally roasted at its Second Avenue location, and all are easy to hold while walking by the water.
Betty’s Icebox | 1300 Ocean Avenue
Betty’s Icebox is a dessert shop with natural + vegan ice pops, shaved ice, and gelato. Located inside the Convention Hall, right by the entrance, Betty’s Icebox is known for serving organic versions of those traditional boardwalk treats. It has Hawaiian-style shaved ice and what feels like an endless amount of fun flavors that make this dessert so pretty, especially when drizzled with its eclectic topping offerings (JSG suggests adding the pop rocks). Customers can also purchase Scandinavian sweets by the pound or other beachside classics like organic popcorn and saltwater taffy. Everyone can enjoy these desserts at Betty’s Icebox as gluten, peanut, dye, and dairy-free treats are available daily.
Read More: The Best Jersey Shore Boardwalks to Visit This Summer
The Break Cafe | 1000 Ocean Avenue North
The Break Cafe, which is connected to Low Dive and The Break, serves diverse handheld foods. It has classic American-style foods like wings, cheeseburgers, and wraps. Customers can also select shareables like French onion dip and chips, a basket of fries, and nachos. JSG recommends trying The Walking Taco, which has ground beef, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, and jalapeno crema, all placed in a bag of Doritos — choose either cool ranch or nacho cheese.
Buttermee Pancakes | 1100 Ocean Avenue North
Buttermee Pancakes is the option for those who want to grab a breakfast treat for the beach. Buttermee Pancakes has golden buttermilk mini pancakes that can be paired with different toppings like strawberries + cream, spiced banana, s’mores, and salted cookie butter. The “butter” in Buttermee is not just there to be catchy; the name highlights the high-quality buttermilk used in the making of these pancakes and is also what gives that melt-in-your-mouth feeling that is perfect for a sun-kissed beach day. It also has vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free batter options. These small-batch butter-encrusted rounds are making their debut on Asbury Park’s boardwalk in 2024, so be one of the first to try out these mini pancakes this summer.
Chocolate Moonshine Co. | 1100 Ocean Avenue North
Chocolate Moonshine Co. is a gourmet fudge shop set to open on Asbury Park’s boardwalk this summer. For those with a sweet tooth, take a break from the sun and choose between fudge flavors like chocolate milkshake, Snickers, and strawberry cheesecake — or try vegan peanut butter. Chocolate Moonshine Co. also has Caribbean rum cakes, milkshakes, and Belgian chocolate drinks to take for a boardwalk stroll. JSG recommends the truffle bars — pick from 35 flavors and build a box to take home some chocolate after visiting Asbury Park.
Coney Waffle | 800 Ocean Avenue
Coney Waffle Ice Cream + Sweet Shop is known for its extravagant desserts, milkshakes, ice cream cakes, candy, fudge, cups, and coney waffles. Its signature Coney Waffle Machine is a twist on the typical ice cream cone and is easy to take on the go. Coney Waffle has flavored ice cream with fun colors like the Monster Cookie Blue, Strawberry Doughnut, or Lemon Bar that make these ice cream cones (add the rainbow cone for extra color) Instagramable, especially when decorated with toppings like its rainbow sprinkles, sour gummies, or cake crunch. Other favorite to-go desserts are its brownie waffles and beach ball sandwiches. Its half-pound cookies, cotton candy, and fudge make going to this candy shop even more fun on any beach day.
Cousins Maine Lobster | 800 Ocean Avenue North
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Cousins Maine Lobster is the spot for those who are looking for a seafood grab + go option for the beach. This chain, which visitors may recognize from Shark Tank, sells crab, shrimp, or lobster rolls. Cousins Maine Lobster puts a twist on its use of lobster with menu items like lobster grilled cheese, lobster tots, and lobster quesadilla. It also has shrimp, grilled or fried fish, and lobster tacos (JSG tip: swap the flour for a corn tortilla). When the sun goes down, the bisque and chowder cups + bowls can be picked up for an evening spent by the shore.
Crepe Shop | 900 Ocean Avenue North
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Crepe Shop serves sweet and savory crepes with fruits, meats, and sauces. Customers can watch Crepe Shop employees make the crepe right before them at this concession stand facing the ocean. There are plenty of sweet crepe options, but we recommend Elvis Presley, which has Nutella, banana, and broken Reese’s Cups. FYI: Vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream can be added to any crepe. For those who want a savory option, try the Max Fish, which has smoked salmon, cream cheese, baby spinach, + capers.
Eddie Confetti | 1100 Ocean Avenue North
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At Eddie Confetti’s Ice Cream + Cafe, beachgoers can purchase ice cream sundaes, slushies, milkshakes, and specialty coffee. Eddie Confetti has ice cream flavors that will satisfy any mood; choose either hard or soft served, vegan or no sugar added. It also serves sorbet, frozen yogurt, and sundaes (the banana splits and hot fudge sundaes here are a must-try). Eddies has specialty coffee for anyone craving caffeine to stay awake for that drive home from the beach; customers can select from drip or iced coffee, cold brew, espresso, or lattes.
Maruca’s Tomato Pies | 1050 Ocean Avenue
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Maruca’s Tomato Pies is the destination for anyone craving pizza by the ocean. Maruca’s of Asbury Park has been serving pies and slices to go on the boardwalk since 2019 at its pop-up unit near the mini golf course. Locals’ favorites are its giant tomato pie, unique cheese blend, and signature swirl sauce. Visitors can pick from toppings like pepperoni, peppers, onions, and sausage, and a white pie with fresh ricotta cheese + garlic is also available. JSG loves that the pie is 24 inches (perfect for a large group), and the swirl of sauce that starts in the middle and makes its way to the crust is as Instagramable as it is good.
Mayfair Boardwalk Grill | 1000 Ocean Avenue
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Mayfair’s menu screams Jersey Shore boardwalk. It has burgers, hot dogs, and cheesesteaks that visitors can bring to their beach chairs. Mayfair embraces the boardwalk theme with funnel cakes — try the cookies n’ cream, Nutella, or cinnamon bun. Customers can pick a base of fries or tots and add toppings like sea salt, cheese, chili, and bacon. Mayfair has other classic boardwalk favorites like crispy chicken tenders, frozen chillers, and sweet tea.
MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos | 850 Ocean Avenue North
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MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos merges Korean flavoring with the traditional Mexican dish of a taco. MOGO has a storefront that is open year-round on Cookman Avenue in Downtown Asbury Park, but during the summer, there’s no need to walk there- grab a taco to go from its concession stand. It has beef, chicken, fish, pork, shrimp, and tofu taco options that are easily mobile for the boardwalk or beach. For those who want it spicy, add kimchi or Asian hot sauce to any taco order.
Philly Pretzel Factory | 800 Ocean Avenue
Philly Pretzel Factory, located on the boardwalk next door to Stella Marina Restaurant + Bar, opened this past May to serve visitors fresh-baked pretzels (traditional, hand-twisted, or mini) that are an easy, no-mess option for the beach. It also has rivet buckets, shakers, or boxes to-go, making it simple to share with friends or family members. JSG loves the dessert dip options like cookies + cream, brownie batter, and salted caramel, but don’t worry — it also has the traditional mustard and cheese options. For beach lovers who want more than just a pretzel, it also has pretzel-wrapped hot dogs + spicy sausages, mini cheesesteaks, or a pepperoni melt — which all can be topped off with a frozen drink.
Playa Bowls | 1200 Ocean Avenue
Playa Bowls is an açaí shop that feels like it belongs by the ocean. Playa Bowls has mango, pitaya, coconut, green, banana, açaí, and oatmeal bases that customers can select from for a bowl which can be decorated with toppings like granola, fruit, raw cacao, chia seeds, almonds, and coconut flakes. Visitors can drizzle the bowls with Nutella, almond butter, honey, or peanut butter. Playa Bowls also has smoothies, juices, and cold brews that will hydrate for a day spent under the sun.
Pucker Lemonades + Beach Fries | 1150 Ocean Avenue North
Pucker Lemonades + Beach Fries is on the boardwalk near the Fourth Avenue beach entrance. The lemonades sold here are freshly squeezed and can be ordered in a regular or jumbo-sized cup, and flavors like strawberry, mango, or blood orange can be added. Its beach fries are served European style in a small or large paper cone, or grab the family-size bucket that will last an entire beach day. Customers can dip their fries in sauces like classic cheese, bangin’ hot, curry lime, horseradish + rosemary, and sesame mayo. Pucker’s menu also has fried Oreos and funnel cake, which can be topped with milk chocolate, cinnamon whipped cream, + more.
Ralph’s Italian Ice | 1000 Ocean Avenue North
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Ralph’s Italian Ice serves frozen treats such as ice, ice cream, and drinks. Its water ice is fat- and cholesterol-free, and there are various flavors to pick from, such as berry burst, bubble gum, mango, and watermelon. The sherbets here are creamy and have fun choices like peanut butter, candy bar fudge, and salty caramel pretzels. Ralph’s also has no-sugar-added ice or Twisters (choose any flavor of ice and get it layered between ice cream). It serves arctic shakes, milkshakes, and smoothies which are easy to drink while strolling the boardwalk.
The Silverball Cafe | 1000 Ocean Avenue
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The Silverball Cafe has snacks for those visiting its retro arcade, but anyone walking on Asbury’s boardwalk can stop here for a quick bite. Its menu features fried indulgences like mozzarella sticks, french fries, and boneless chicken tenders (try the Cluck U dipping sauces). The snacks served here, like the hot dog, cheesy nachos, and thin-crust pizza, can be eaten at one of its picnic tables outside the cafe or taken to go. The Silverball Cafe serves jumbo soft pretzels and Dippin’ Dots, a satisfying way to top off a day at the Jersey Shore.
See More: Late-Night Food Spots in Hoboken + Jersey City
Sugar Pop | 1100 Ocean Avenue
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Sugar Pop is a candy bar with everything to satisfy a sweet tooth; the candies here will transport anyone to their childhood, but it also has all those modern-day sugar favorites. Its candy bar features kosher and non-kosher options, think lollipops, peach rings, rock candy, and fun dip. Sugarpop also has Uncle Louie G Italian Ices (32 flavors of mouthwatering goodness) and The Slush Bar for a cold refreshment on those hot summer days. The popcorn machine and nostalgia candies at Sugar Pop are bonus treats for the drive home.
Tony’s Sausage, Dogs, + Cheesesteaks | 900 Ocean Avenue
Tony’s concession stand on Asbury Park’s boardwalk serves food items one would expect for a barbeque by the beach. It is known for its hot and sweet Italian sausage sandwiches, which customers can grab at a reasonable price all summer. It also has cheesesteaks + chicken cheesesteaks and hot dogs for a pick up + go option. JSG recommends trying the Italian hot dog, two dogs with fries, sauteed onions, and peppers on a sausage roll. Even better, Tony’s will add cheese to any of these food items, and remember to top it all off with its freshly squeezed lemonade.
