Here are some of the biggest restaurant openings of 2023 at the Jersey Shore

Sarah Griesemer, Asbury Park Press

It has been an exciting year for the Jersey Shore restaurant scene

Restaurants long under construction finally opened their doors. A couple who spent years working in other people's restaurants took a chance on their own.

A man with family history in New Jersey's diner scene expanded his empire. A highly regarded group of owners created a space that is both restaurant and love letter to its chef's heritage.

This year's additions bring so much to the table: We gained new places for multi-cultural food, pizza, plant-based dishes, elevated cuisine and then some.

Here are 15 of 2023's biggest openings.

Over-the-top eats

Bobby Bournias' fourth Brownstone Pancake Factory opened this year in the former Perkins space in Freehold Township. The restaurant features a fully operational carousel.
Bobby Bournias' fourth Brownstone Pancake Factory opened this year in the former Perkins space in Freehold Township. The restaurant features a fully operational carousel.

Brownstone Pancake Factory, Freehold Township: Just think of Bobby Bournias as the Willy Wonka of the restaurant world. The fourth location of his Brownstone Pancake Factory, born of his family's diner business, opened in Freehold Township this year — featuring a fully operational carousel. The food here is different: think carnitas breakfast pancake tacos, mini waffles Benedict, and a burger served between grilled cheese sandwiches. 3445 Route 9; 201-945-4800, brownstonepancakefactory.com.

The Loaded Spoon, Freehold Township: Bob McDaid, owner of the iPlay America entertainment center in the township, thinks big: adjoining iPlay are TopGolf, a conference center, and as of earlier this year, a restaurant and bar that seats nearly 300. Diners can watch sweets being made in a dessert kitchen, enjoy entrees like branzino or short rib Bolognese, sip a cake-and-candy-coated milkshake, then head to the bar for a cocktail and DJ. 108 Schanck Road; 732-813-8700, loaded-spoon.com.

"Aphrodisiac," a dessert of dark, milk and white chocolate mascarpone mousses, espresso rice sponge, cocoa nib nougatine, raspberry pomegranate molasses and coffee glaze, at The Loaded Spoon in Freehold Township.
"Aphrodisiac," a dessert of dark, milk and white chocolate mascarpone mousses, espresso rice sponge, cocoa nib nougatine, raspberry pomegranate molasses and coffee glaze, at The Loaded Spoon in Freehold Township.

More: Chef James Avery opens The Mainstay bar, lounge at the former Bonney Read in Asbury Park

All about pizza

Slice House, Toms River: Pizza fans from across the state spent the summer driving to a Toms River strip mall to try the pizza made by brothers Stefano and Francesco Rea, and their cousin Francesco Guardaschione, whose family has long been in the business. Favorites are a thin pan pie with crispy cheese along the crust, a pepperoni and hot honey pie with burrata, and a New York style with two kinds of mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes, basil and garlic. 177 Route 37 West; 732-279-3541, slicehousetr.com.

A Detroit Hot Honey Roni with pepperoni cups, mozzarella, ricotta, pecorino, basil and Mike's Hot Honey at Tramonto's Pizza in Ocean Township.
A Detroit Hot Honey Roni with pepperoni cups, mozzarella, ricotta, pecorino, basil and Mike's Hot Honey at Tramonto's Pizza in Ocean Township.

Tramonto's Pizza, Ocean Township: In a state packed with pizzerias, it can be hard to set yours apart. But Teddy and Leanna Megaris are doing it at Tramonto's, which once housed Teddy's family's bakery (they also run the diner next door). They make dozens of pizza, including a grandma pie striped with marinara, pesto and vodka sauces; a white pie with chicken cutlets and prosciutto; a penne vodka burrata pie; and Detroit-style pizzas. There's also sliders, fried pasta blocks (think mozzarella sticks, but stuffed with pasta), loaded fries, and sweets like s'mores empanadas and funnel cake fries with strawberry sauce. 3311 Sunset Ave.; 732-807-1111, tramontospizza.com.

A little more upscale

Black garlic-glazed pork chops with sweet potato purée and spinach at Clemmy's in Waretown.
Black garlic-glazed pork chops with sweet potato purée and spinach at Clemmy's in Waretown.

Clemmy’s, Waretown: The space may be small but the flavors are big at Clemmy's, where chef and owner Allen Walski cooks based on what's in season. Expect dishes like black garlic-glazed pork chops with sweet potato purée, charred carrots with crème fraiche, and orange cake with vanilla gelato. His wife, Carolyn, runs the front of house, which seats 24. 290 Route 9; 609-891-4066, clemmysrestaurant.com.

Isola Italian Trattoria, Beach Haven: There are countless pizza shacks and family-style Italian restaurants on LBI. But Isola changed the game. Executive Chef Ermelindo Firmani, originally from the Marche region of Italy, serves contemporary dishes like zucchini blossoms with mascarpone and tomato marmalade, and bordetto di pesce (seafood in tomato seafood brodo). Executive pizza chef Dylan Walenciak makes Neapolitan-style pies in an imported Fiero oven, with toppings like pine nuts, fior di latte cheese, ricotta, preserved lemon and basil pesto, and mortadella and pistachio pesto. 1901 Long Beach Blvd.; 609-496-5321, isolalbi.com.

The staff of Isola, an Italian restaurant in Beach Haven.
The staff of Isola, an Italian restaurant in Beach Haven.

Litaand La Otra, Aberdeen: This two-for-one — an Iberian restaurant and adjoining cocktail lounge — is a playground for chefs and cocktail connoisseurs. Based on a groundbreaking principle, everyone at Lita — including co-owner and "Top Chef" competitor David Viana — works both in the front and back of house. Both spots, co-owned by Heirloom Kitchen's Neilly Robinson, pay homage to Viana's Portuguese roots. Try authentic dishes like cozido, a brothy mixture of meat, vegetables and olive oil, and cocktails crafted by world-renowned bartender Ricardo "Ricky" Rodriguez. 1055 Route 34; 732-696-8517, thelovelylita.com.

David Viana, executive chef, prepares pork steak in the open fire hearth oven at Lita in Aberdeen
David Viana, executive chef, prepares pork steak in the open fire hearth oven at Lita in Aberdeen

Vegan

Dale & Dollops, Ocean Grove: Plant-based diners have been loving this new addition, a vegan diner and soft serve shop. The menu is packed with comfort food dishes like chili cheese fries, a tofu scramble breakfast burrito with chipotle cream, a tempeh barbecue sandwich, and macaroni and cheese. 69 Main Ave.; 732-532-6346, daleanddollops.com.

Plant-based loaded chili cheese fries at Dale & Dollops, a vegan restaurant that opened this summer in Ocean Grove.
Plant-based loaded chili cheese fries at Dale & Dollops, a vegan restaurant that opened this summer in Ocean Grove.

Wild in the Treats, Atlantic Highlands: This vegan sweet shop is owned by Tony Panzica, who for more than 20 years served as a baker, chef and manager at various local health food stores. After retiring from the retail scene to open his own shop, he serves deliciously moist molasses cookies, fruit tarts, Meyer lemon bars, whoopie pies and more. 183 First Ave., 732-872-4449, instagram.com/wildinthetreats.

Tony Panzica opened Wild In The Treats, a vegan bakery, in Atlantic Highlands this year.
Tony Panzica opened Wild In The Treats, a vegan bakery, in Atlantic Highlands this year.

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Multi-cultural

Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine, Freehold Township: On your next trip to Freehold Raceway Mall, forgo the food court for Turkish dishes at Marmara. Try lahmacun, or Turkish pizza, made from paper-thin flatbread spread with spiced meat and cooked in a bread oven; chitir kebab wrapped in lavash bread and topped with grilled eggplant and garlic yogurt; or an appetizer platter of dips — creamy hummus topped with crispy chickpeas, diced beets swirled with labneh, and muammara, among them — with wedges of crisp pita for dipping. 3710 Route 9; 732-808-2727, marmaracuisine.com.

Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine opened in September inside Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township.
Marmara Mediterranean Cuisine opened in September inside Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township.

Saffron, Red Bank: This modern Indian restaurant, which opened in the heart of downtown Red Bank, is owned by Amrita Jogi and Manish Kumar of Millstone Township, and Hanish and Fatima Kumar, who oversee a sister restaurant of the same name in Milwaukee. The family-owned Saffron serves dishes like butter chicken, chicken croquettes, crab dosa and smoked lamb chops. This spot was previously empty for four years, following the closing of Front Street Trattoria. 31 W. Front St., Red Bank; 732-230-6700, saffronredbank.com.

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Butter chicken is on the menu at Saffron in Red Bank.
Butter chicken is on the menu at Saffron in Red Bank.

Big projects/long time coming

Baseline Social, Oceanport: This has been a big year for BarCo brands. The restaurant group took over Asbury Park's Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park Yacht Club and Pop's Garage and turned them into The Break and Low Dive, then opened a "Bay Watch"-themed bar on the city's boardwalk. Next, they opened Baseline Social, a 17,300-square-foot entertainment venue complete with multiple bars, massive TVs, virtual golf bays and more. Construction for the project at the Fort Monmouth Commissary began in 2022. At Baseline Social, they serve American bar food with an upscale, Peruvian twist, cooked by Chef Marco Delgado. Try dishes like vegetable fried rice or stir-fry steak. 675 Oceanport Way; 732-430-2533, baselinesocialnj.com.

BarCo Brands partners (left to right) Phil Villapiano, Greg Bartz, Andrea Pappas and Tim McMahon are shown at Baseline Social, which opened this year at the Fort Monmouth Commissary in Oceanport.
BarCo Brands partners (left to right) Phil Villapiano, Greg Bartz, Andrea Pappas and Tim McMahon are shown at Baseline Social, which opened this year at the Fort Monmouth Commissary in Oceanport.

Committed Pig, Manasquan: The COVID-19 pandemic put a long pause in the re-opening of Committed Pig, which moved from its original spot down the block. But the 185-seat restaurant opened this year in the renovated space that previously housed Maria's Italian Cuisine. A second-story bar and rooftop patio were added, and the menu has Pat LaFrieda burgers, half a dozen grilled cheese options, and breakfast food. 165 Main St.; 732-837-9800, thecommittedpig.com.

After several years of renovation, Committed Pig opened this year on Main Street in Manasquan.
After several years of renovation, Committed Pig opened this year on Main Street in Manasquan.

Mule BarnTavern, Sandy Hook/Highlands: A century ago, when someone entered Fort Hancock’s building No. 35, it was to feed or move the U.S. Army mules stabled at the northern tip of Sandy Hook. Now visitors can do the eating in this historic structure — and have a drink, too — following a three-and-a-half year renovation by owner Dan Ferrise. Try pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, salads, appetizers and entrees like lobster mac and cheese. 36 Kearney Road; 732-233-9277, mulebarntavern.com.

After years of converting a mule barn at Sandy Hook's Fort Hancock, owner Dan Ferrise opened The Mule Barn Tavern in August.
After years of converting a mule barn at Sandy Hook's Fort Hancock, owner Dan Ferrise opened The Mule Barn Tavern in August.

Wunder Wiener, Berkeley Township: Wunder Wiener, which stood in the Bayville section of the township for nearly 35 years, was destroyed five years ago during a car accident that injured owner Jerry (Gerald) LaCrosse, who was inside. This September, with the help of his community, the 79-year-old Beachwood resident re-opened Wunder Wiener with all the same favorites (Italian-style hot dogs, sausage sandwiches and more). The new location is a half-mile south of the original. 108 Atlantic City Blvd.; Facebook.

Jerry LaCrosse stands inside the new Wunder Wiener trailer along Atlantic City Boulevard in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. He reopened his hot dog cart in September, five years after the original was destroyed in a car accident.
Jerry LaCrosse stands inside the new Wunder Wiener trailer along Atlantic City Boulevard in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township. He reopened his hot dog cart in September, five years after the original was destroyed in a car accident.

More: Round Pie Pizza Company opens in Brick

More: Dave's Hot Chicken opens first location at the Jersey Shore

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, follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.

Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA Today Network New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore restaurants that opened in 2023 include pizza spots

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