Health & Fitness

Jersey Shore Eats

Each week, Chris Sheldon will write about three Jersey Shore restaurants that fall within Patch's coverage area.

Let’s get one thing straight, I am a food junkie. I enjoy cooking, writing about and of course, eating all different types of food.

This is the first installment of my food blog which will include some of my favorite local restaurants each week.

I will feature three new restaurants each week and will share my thoughts on what makes them so good, and why you should check them out.

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For this first entry, we will take a look at an Italian restaurant in Long Branch, a Thai restaurant in Bradley Beach and a good old fashioned bar and grill in Point Pleasant Beach.

Johnny Piancone - Restaurant and Bar: 591 Broadway, Long Branch, 732-229-0300

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 I’ve only eaten at Johnny Piancone for the first time recently, but I was immediately impressed.  It is easy to drive right past it as you are riding down Broadway as it is rather small, but it is not a place you want to miss.

If you’re in the mood for Italian food, there are not many better places in Long Branch. I tried the pork osso bucco, which is a pork shank that is slowly braised, and it was delicious. It is so tender that if falls right off the bone and melts in your mouth.

So, the next time you are driving down Broadway, slow down, and stop in for an experience you will want to repeat.

Frankie’s Bar and Grill – 414 Route 35, Point Pleasant Beach, 732-892-6000 

I used to basically work across the street from this place, and I made it a frequent lunch destination.

Frankie’s is home to some of the best burgers on the Jersey Shore and great food all around. When most people think about bar food, they think of French fries and buffalo wings, but at Frankie’s, you will get a good meal no matter what you order.

My personal favorite was their chunky chicken salad melt sandwich, which is served open faced on rye bread with melted Swiss cheese. It’s an absolutely huge sandwich that is sure keep you satisfied.

Bamboo Leaf – 722 Main St, Bradley Beach, 732-774-1661

Here’s another place I’ve only been to once or twice, but it is definitely one of the best Thai restaurants around.

Located right around the corner from the Bradley Beach Borough Hall, Bamboo Leaf offers a large menu filled with mouthwatering curry and stir-fried dishes.

If you enjoy spicy food, then you will love curry, and the best part is, like buffalo wing sauce, it comes in varying levels of intensity.

My personal favorite dish is the Thai barbeque chicken, which is a grilled half of chicken that marinated in coconut milk and topped with a spicy and sweet sauce. It is a simple dish, but it is easily one of the best on the menu. 


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