Best restaurants in Monmouth County, NJ

301 local picks across 48 towns, hand-picked by Monmouth Guide.

Local restaurants worth the drive, from Jersey Shore seafood and red-sauce Italian to brunch spots and neighborhood favorites. Here are 301 restaurants across 48 Monmouth County towns, from Asbury Park to Oceanport.

Local favorites

Aarzu Modern Indian Bistro

Freehold Borough · Indian · #1 on NJ Monthly's Top 40 restaurants

Acclaimed modern Indian bistro with refined plating in the heart of downtown Freehold.
Ada's Gojjo

Asbury Park · Ethiopian & Dominican · New Jersey Monthly best in Asbury Park

Black-owned spot pairing Ethiopian stews and injera with Dominican classics like mofongo, with plenty of vegan dishes.
Albivi

Millstone · Italian, brick-oven pizza · 4.6 stars across 220 reviews

Family-run Italian restaurant and brick-oven pizzeria in Perrineville, run by the Castronovo family since 2004.
Amy's Omelette House

Long Branch · Breakfast · Google 4.5 (1,500+ reviews)

North End breakfast-and-lunch favorite known for its huge omelette menu and pancakes.
Anjelica's

Sea Bright · Italian, seafood · One of the area's highest-rated Italian spots (4.5 stars across 350+ reviews)

Long-running Italian and seafood restaurant on Ocean Avenue in downtown Sea Bright.
Avenue

Long Branch · French · Rooftop lounge over the beach

Oceanfront French brasserie in Pier Village with a raw bar, mussels and a rooftop lounge overlooking the beach.
Azteca Restaurant

Lake Como · Mexican · 4.4 stars across 150 reviews

Small Mexican restaurant on Main Street serving tacos, enchiladas, burritos and mole.
Bahrs Landing

Highlands · Seafood · A Highlands institution for more than a century

Family-run seafood restaurant and marina at the foot of the Route 36 bridge, serving lobster and seafood since 1917.
Bamboo Leaf Thai Eatery

Bradley Beach · Thai / Vietnamese · Infatuation Jersey Shore pick

BYOB Thai and Vietnamese spot for curries, noodles, summer rolls and satay.
Barnacle Bill's

Rumson · Seafood / burgers · Rumson riverfront institution for 40+ years

Casual Navesink riverfront institution known for award-winning burgers, seafood and weekend live music.
Beach Tavern

Monmouth Beach · Contemporary American, sushi · Sunset views over the Shrewsbury River

Riverfront restaurant at the Channel Club Marina with Shrewsbury River sunset views, a full bar, 12 craft taps and a 100-bottle wine list.
Big City Sandwiches

Eatontown · Sandwiches · Opened in 2025 and quickly became one of Eatontown's top-rated spots

Family-owned shop recreating iconic sandwiches from U.S. cities, from NYC chopped cheese to Chicago Italian beef.
Birravino

Red Bank · Italian · Time Out Red Bank EAT List

Modern Italian on the Navesink with a glass-walled Pasta Lab where the fresh pasta is made in view of diners.
Blue Swan Diner

Ocean Township · Diner · Open since 1974

Family-owned Route 35 diner serving classic diner fare since 1974.
Bombay River

Red Bank · Indian · One of Red Bank's highest-rated restaurants on review sites

Modern Indian kitchen on Broad Street with made-to-order spice levels, tandoori dishes and weekend brunch.
Bougainvillea Mexican Restaurant and Bakery

Hazlet · Mexican · Opened in 2026 in a striking round pink building on Route 35

Mexican restaurant and on-site bakery serving fajitas, enchiladas and breakfast plates plus fresh pan dulce and cakes.
Broad Street Diner

Keyport · Diner · One of the few vintage O'Mahony diners still operating in NJ

Classic 1950s O'Mahony-built stainless-steel diner serving hearty breakfasts, burgers and diner favorites in chrome-and-red-booth surroundings.
Buona Sera

Red Bank · Italian · Wine cellar with 15,000 bottles

Longtime Red Bank Italian with Neapolitan brick-oven pizza, handmade pasta and a 15,000-bottle wine cellar.
Burlew's Seafood and Steak

Keyport · Seafood & Steak · Waterfront deck overlooking Raritan Bay

Family-owned waterfront seafood house on Raritan Bay serving a raw bar, lobster, crab cakes and steaks, with patio and deck seating.
Catbird

Asbury Park · Wood-fired pizza · Lakeside BYOB (Infatuation pick)

BYOB wood-fired pizzeria in a renovated 1959 cabin on Deal Lake, with seasonal vegetables and lakeside outdoor seating.
Cavé Bistro

Avon-by-the-Sea · Farm-to-table, gluten-free · Entirely gluten-free menu

100% gluten-free farm-to-table restaurant on Sylvania Avenue using mostly organic produce, grass-fed meats and local seafood.
Clementine's (Clementeam)

Avon-by-the-Sea · Cajun, Creole · 4.6 stars across nearly 300 reviews

BYOB Cajun and Creole restaurant on Main Street.
Colts Neck Inn Steakhouse

Colts Neck · Steakhouse · Repeatedly voted Monmouth County's best steakhouse by Asbury Park Press readers

Historic inn dating to 1717, family-owned since 1973 and famous for hand-cut steaks and prime rib, now with sushi and a raw bar after a renovation.
Coniglio's King of Pies

Asbury Park · Pizza · From a 10-time world pizza champion

Brooklyn pizza champion Nino Coniglio's shop (opened June 2026) turning out sourdough-forward rounds, grandma pies and an upside-down Sicilian.
Connie's Restaurant

Farmingdale · American, breakfast · 4.7 stars across 260+ reviews

Family-owned breakfast and lunch restaurant on Main Street.
Cross & Orange

Asbury Park · New American gastropub · Voted Best Brunch in Central Jersey 2026 (NJ Monthly readers)

Gastropub by Kennedy Park serving American classics like burgers and buttermilk fried chicken, known for its weekend brunch.
Denino's Pizza Place

Aberdeen · Pizza · Pizza family tradition dating to 1951

Thin-crust New York-style pizzeria also serving calzones, wings, pastas and hot subs.
Dolce Fantasia

Asbury Park · Northern Italian · Yelp top-rated in Asbury Park

BYOB northern Italian spot for homemade pasta, short rib and house-made desserts like pistachio cheesecake.
Drew's Bayshore Bistro

Keyport · New American · One of the Bayshore's top-rated restaurants on Google, Yelp and TripAdvisor

Intimate bistro on Keyport's Front Street known for creative seasonal dishes and seafood like scallops and broiled oysters.
Drifthouse

Sea Bright · Seafood, sushi, steak · Named a 'Best New Restaurant' by NJ Monthly and The Star-Ledger; sunset ocean views

Year-round oceanfront restaurant at the Driftwood Cabana Club, serving sushi, a raw bar, dry-aged steaks and housemade pasta.
Edie's Luncheonette

Little Silver · Diner / breakfast · Local institution since 1973

Classic counter-and-booth luncheonette in an 1849 building, serving breakfast and lunch since 1973.
El Rey Rosticeria y Restaurante

Asbury Park · Mexican · Yelp top-rated in Asbury Park

Relaxed BYOB Mexican spot known for birria tacos, tortas, huaraches and rotisserie favorites.
El Rinconcito de Mama

Matawan · Mexican · Rated about 4.8 stars on Google

Main Street Mexican kitchen cooking family recipes like al pastor tacos, enchiladas suizas, mole and tlayudas.
EvenTide Grille

Sea Bright · American, seafood · No reservations; walk-in only

Casual waterside grille in Sea Bright with live music and happy-hour specials, known for its views.
Federici's on 10th

Belmar · Italian · Federici family pizza, four generations

Belmar outpost of the century-old Federici family, known for thin-crust brick-oven pizza and Italian classics.
Federico's Pizza & Restaurant

Belmar · Pizza · Classic Jersey Shore pizza

Belmar pizza institution on Main Street for about 30 years, serving crisp-crust pies, pasta and sandwiches.
Foodies

Englishtown · American, diner · 4.7 stars across 170+ reviews

Casual restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including pancakes, French toast, burgers, and salads.
Frank's Deli & Restaurant

Asbury Park · Deli / Luncheonette · Iconic Jersey pork roll sandwich

Cash-only family luncheonette open since 1960, famous for towering pork roll, egg and cheese sandwiches.
Fresh

Highlands · American, Mediterranean-leaning · Rated 4.8 across 150+ reviews

Chef-driven bistro on Bay Avenue known for seafood pastas, grilled octopus and scallops.
Fuku Japanese Sushi Burrito & Asian Kitchen

Hazlet · Japanese / Thai · Rated about 4.7 stars on Google

Sushi and Asian fusion spot known for fresh rolls, sushi burritos, poke bowls and Thai noodle dishes.

Plus 261 more in the free app, searchable by town and distance.

Restaurants by town

Quick answers

What are the best restaurants in Monmouth County, NJ?

Local favorites include Aarzu Modern Indian Bistro in Freehold Borough, Ada's Gojjo in Asbury Park and Albivi in Millstone. This guide lists 301 restaurants across 48 towns, each picked and described by Monmouth Guide.

Which Monmouth County towns have the most restaurants?

Asbury Park (24), Red Bank (18), Freehold Borough (13) and Long Branch (13) have the most entries in this guide.

More Monmouth County guides

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