Best restaurants in Monmouth County, NJ

376 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 376 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 336 more in the free app, searchable by town and distance.

Restaurants by town

• Things to do in Asbury Park24 picks here
• Things to do in Manalapan21 picks here
• Things to do in Long Branch20 picks here
• Things to do in Freehold Township19 picks here
• Things to do in Red Bank18 picks here
• Things to do in Middletown17 picks here
• Things to do in Marlboro17 picks here
• Things to do in Eatontown16 picks here
• Things to do in Ocean Township14 picks here
• Things to do in Wall Township14 picks here
• Things to do in Belmar13 picks here
• Things to do in Freehold Borough12 picks here

Quick answers

More Monmouth County guides

• Best italian81 picks
• Best pizza58 picks
• Best seafood30 picks
• Best mexican23 picks
• Best tacos15 picks
• Best breakfast & brunch56 picks

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