Restaurants in Asbury Park

The passionate staff at Il Brigante enrapture palates with a menu of steaming pasta slathered in slow-cooked ragus, tender cutlets of chicken and veal, and savory pies toasting beneath imported meats and cheeses. The trattoria pays tribute to the culinary culture of southern Italy, taking its name from the Robin Hood-esque brigands that wandered the hills of Calabria to ensure that regardless of income, only the worthy received the last slice of pizza. The décor exudes a rustic European air, with bottles and woven baskets hanging from exposed-brick walls as the open-air pizza counter lends glimpses of chefs tossing dough disks high into the air before roasting them to sizzling perfection in the wood-burning stone oven.

Ted & Honey's fiery red edifice ushers patrons into an exposed-brick wonderland, which made it to chef Gray Kunz's list of favorite restaurants in the world in T Magazine. Meats ferried from Dines Farms and cured in-house release a savory bouquet of scents and tales of the Catskill Mountains where they were farmed. In the shadow of shelves crowded with jars of handmade hot sauces and pickled produce, locally sourced vegetables and artisan cheeses pile onto plates. Ted & Honey's staff crafts all dishes to order and garnishes them with homemade condiments, earning the restaurant a reputation for a "locavoric and DIY ethos," according to the Village Voice. To roust owners of alarm clocks with stage fright, steaming mugs unleash earthy sips of coffee, wrought from beans roasted at nearby D'Amico Foods.

Oysters, martinis, and burgers take center stage at Eats on Lex, where the oysters roll in fresh daily, the martinis range from classic to chocolate raspberry, and the burgers are formed from dry-aged beef. Beyond its ornate cornice, guest dig into a menu of upscale American pub food in a modern, yet cozy, dining room—characterized by clean lines, rich woods, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Bloody-mary oyster shooters, huevos rancheros, and french toast with vanilla cream and strawberries fill bellies at brunch time, and lunch and dinner dishes include spicy lamb-meatball sandwiches and new york strip sandwiches. Bartenders mix an array of specialty martinis and cocktails behind the gleaming stone bar, including a cucumber martini and peach margarita, both of which pair well with your frenemy's new dress. More than an oyster bar and eatery, Eats on Lex also draws customers with occasional live jazz and happy hour specials.

For more than 30 years, the chefs of James Beard-recognized Chez Jacqueline have captured the flavors France's Côte d'Azur with upscale Provençal eats and plenty of wine. In the morning, Jacqueline's brunch menu runs the gamut from eggs benedict to mussels with white wine and shallots. The dinner menu brims with pre-theater meals of trout, steak, and stews, and a slew of daily specials convey the tastes of southern France via lamb loin, duck, or stuffed mushrooms. The restaurant's pastel walls, large windows, and an aggressive berets-only policy seek to capture the atmosphere of the French Riviera.

Hudson Eatery’s chefs earned a “good to very good” rating from Zagat for their menu of upscale American comfort food, such as meatloaf soaked in portobello gravy and bacon-loaded mac ’n’ cheese. Chefs also flip buttermilk and multigrain pancakes all day and grill up Angus rib-eye steaks and Atlantic salmon for dinner. The swanky decor, from gleaming copper walls to molded white chairs, contrasts with the hominess of the menu, which even includes apple pie and banana splits for dessert.