BYOB Dining Guide: Best Spots in Belmar, Asbury, Avon & Beyond
- May 9
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 10
Want to enjoy a night out without spending a fortune on drinks? The Belmar region of the Jersey Shore has a vast selection of BYOB restaurants with excellent food, so you can indulge in a fine meal without breaking the bank. The Belmar Beachcomber Blog has put together this BYOB dining guide listing our favorite bring-your-own restaurants in and around Belmar to help you plan your next outing.
Jump To: Avon BYOBs | Asbury Park BYOBs | Belmar BYOBs | Bradley Beach BYOBs | Brielle BYOBs | Manasquan BYOBs | Ocean Grove BYOBs | Other BYOBs
Avon By The Sea BYOBs
Avon Promenade
600 Ocean Avenue Avon by the Sea, New Jersey 07717 732-505-7770
The Promenade Oceanfront Grill is an oceanfront fine-dining restaurant on the boardwalk in Avon by the Sea, New Jersey, formerly known as Avon Pavilion. The owners, who took over in 2023, also run Amelia’s by the Sea in Spring Lake, New Jersey. I've enjoyed several dinners here with friends in the summer. The fresh seafood is always a hit! Reservations are recommended.
RELATED: Dining Around – Avon Promenade
Asbury Park BYOBs
Dolce Fantasia
521 Cookman Avenue
Asbury Park, New Jersey 07712
Dolce Fantasia 4 in downtown Asbury Park, New Jersey, is another best bet for incredible Northern Italian food. The restaurant has roots in Staten Island, New York, where the family operated for many years before opening their Cookman Avenue location.
My absolute favorite dinner here is the Pappardelle al Telefono Nostro, pictured below, tender housemade pappardelle (my die-for noodle!), gently tossed in a melty mozzarella and tomato cream sauce with touches of fresh basil. I only eat pasta as a treat when dining out and actually get cravings for this luxurious entree from time to time ... like I am right now writing this post, LOL.
Dolce Fantasia in Asbury Park is the type of old-school Italian restaurant where the Chef visits your table. Excellent, consistent service and food!
Local Tip: Although the desserts at Dolce Fantasia are five-star delicious, just like the meals, I like to take the short walk over to Lola's European Cafe after dinner to indulge in a decadent chocolate martini or a scoop of silky gelato — or, sometimes, both!
Belmar BYOBs
Emilio's Kitchen On Main
1006 Main Street
Belmar, New Jersey 07719
848-404-9331
Dine in, order takeout, or delivery via DoorDash
Since opening in downtown Belmar last fall, Emilio's on Main has quickly earned a reputation as one of the best fine-dining BYOB restaurants in the area. Guests rave about the restaurant's its inviting atmosphere and incredibly flavorful Pueblo-inspired dishes, prepared with fresh organic ingredients, without use of seed oils. Regular customers appreciate the consistency and the personal touch the staff brings to every visit.
Local Tip: Emilio's restaurant in Belmar has some of THE BEST fried calamari I've eaten in a long time! I actually stopped ordering it out because it always disappointed, so thank you, Emilio, for bringing fried calamari back into my life!
RELATED: Dining Around – Emilio's Kitchen
Fed’s on 10th
705 10th Avenue
Belmar, New Jersey 07719
732-681-3337
Federici's is a fourth-generation family-owned Italian restaurant with a flagship location in Freehold, New Jersey, and a second spot in Belmar, which opened in 2014.
In 2023, Federici's Italian restaurant was recognized in the "Dining - Best Pizza" category of the Asbury Park Press "Best of the Best Awards" and was also honored for "Dining - Best Italian Food" in the newspaper's 2022 reader's choice awards.
In addition to super-thin-crust pizza from their brick oven, Fed's on 10th has an extensive menu of Italian cuisine, with everything prepared from scratch. Some of my favorite dishes at Fed's are those made with their amazing Francaise sauce. It is undeniably the best Francaise sauce that I've ever eaten, so buttery and velvety!
Try the artichokes Francaise appetizer — or go all in with a dinner order of chicken Francaise, which comes with a side of penne, spaghetti, or pasta of your choice. The vodka sauce pizza with a Shanna Salad are also highly recommended! Reservations are suggested, as the wait for a table can be over 45 minutes in the busy summer season.
Bradley Beach BYOBs
Del Ponte's Coal-Fired Pizza
600 Main Street
Bradley Beach, New Jersey 07720-1052
732-869-0070
I have a lot of favorites at Del Ponte's Pizza in Bradley Beach, starting with the incredible antipasto salad with housemade balsamic vinaigrette (dressing sooo good you can drink it!) or the heavenly warm goat cheese salad with wild berry vinaigrette. The thin-crust pizza at Del Ponte's is made old-school style in an authentic coal‑burning oven, yielding a pie with crispy-tender, charred crust (great for dunking in the balsamic vinaigrette; I always order extra!). My go-to pizza is the Vinny Pie (fresh mozzarella, ricotta, tomato sauce, homemade Italian sausage, and pesto).
For variety, I also like the traditional Margherita pizza and the Tuscan pizza (fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, chopped garlic, asiago cheese, breaded eggplant, and caramelized onions).
Del Ponte's has daily pizza, pasta, and salad specials as well, great options when you want to try something different!
LOCAL TIP: After dinner, stop by Del Ponte's Italian Bakery and Creamery next door for some tiramisu, biscotti, cheesecake, or gelato to go.
Marandola's
608 Main Street
Bradley Beach, New Jersey 07720
732-361-5888 Reservations on Resy
Ranking among "New Jersey's 50 Greatest Italian Restaurants" and "New Jersey's Most Romantic Restaurants," Marandola's is an intimate, family-style Italian restaurant in downtown Bradley Beach, across from Riley Park. It's another one of my favorite BYOB restaurants in Monmouth County.
The classic Caesar salad is a must, and I tend to order fresh fish here, such as the panko-crusted halibut in lemon-white wine sauce or the pan-roasted monkfish piccata with capers and spinach, both are excellent! (Did you know monkfish is considered "poor man's lobster"?)
Skratch Kitchen
812 Main Street Bradley Beach, New Jersey 07720
732-984-6363
Owner and Chef JT Dunn has developed a selective menu of rustic Italian fare at Skratch Kitchen. Choose from an array of appetizers and salads; main courses starring seafood, chicken, pasta, and prime cuts of meat; homemade ricotta dumplings (gnudi); stuffed rigatoni and shrimp with vodka sauce; and other pastas. Finish off with a house-made dessert such as decadent pistachio tiramisu and an after-dinner coffee drink. Reservations are recommended.
Brielle BYOBs
Lubrano’s Trattoria
2439 Highway 34Brielle, New Jersey 08736732-292-0050Chef and owner Domenico Lubrano and his staff have been delighting diners since 2000 with their delicious Italian specialties. Try the artichokes oreganata, spicy garlic shrimp, and handmade burrata-filled ravioli. Don’t forget the freshly baked rosemary focaccia bread with dipping oil! It's a casual place with a pizza restaurant and a nicer dining room. Reservations are recommended.
Manasquan BYOBs
Antonio’s Trattoria
2420 Highway 35 Manasquan, New Jersey 08736
There’s a reason Antonio’s parking lot is always full — people flock there for the amazing Italian food! During a recent Friday night dinner, I paired the burrata salad (Burrata Di Nonna) with the potato-crusted crabcake appetizer for a fantastic light meal. My dining companion chose the Polla Alla Antonio, boneless chicken breast stuffed with fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers with a light cream sauce and fresh basil. The menu is extensive, with so many great choices that make it hard to decide. (Not a bad problem to have!) Reservations are recommended.
Via Veneto Italian Restaurant
2410 Highway 35 (Next to Pastosa’s) Manasquan, New Jersey 08736
732-722-8458 Via Veneto in Manasquan, New Jersey, is another great Italian BYOB restaurant near Belmar, perfect for a special-occasion celebration such as a birthday or anniversary dinner. During a recent visit, seafood salad (Insalata Di Mare) and clams oreganata were perfect pairings as my meal. A heavenly peanut butter-chocolate mousse cake followed for dessert. Reservations are recommended.
Ocean Grove BYOBs
SeaGrass Restaurant
68 Main Avenue Ocean Grove, New Jersey 07756 732-869-0770
If you love seafood, you’ll have lots of options for fresh fish and shellfish on the dinner menu at SeaGrass, a BYOB restaurant in downtown Ocean Grove, New Jersey. For the carnivores at the table, SeaGrass has poultry and meat selections. In the off season, SeaGrass offers half-price lunch and dinner entrees every Wednesday and a three-course prix-fixe menu on Thursdays. First-come, first-served seating; no reservations.
Point Pleasant Beach BYOBs
Casa D’Angelo
718 Arnold Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey 08742
Casa D’Angelo in downtown Point Pleasant Beach opened in December 2023 and is operated by the former owners of Citrico’s in Bradley Beach (now known as Skratch Kitchen). At Casa D’Angelo, you’ll find classic Italian food, freshly prepared in a cozy setting.
Spano’s Ristorante Italiano
719 Arnold Avenue Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey 08742 Reservations Required: 732-701-1600
Authentic Italian dishes are prepared by owner and chef Joseph Spano in his namesake restaurant in downtown Point Pleasant Beach. My go-tos at Spano's are clams oreganata for my appetizer and a main course of the seafood-stuffed flounder in tomato-cream sauce. Soooo good!
The tiramisu and tartufo at Spano's are some of my favorite desserts. Reservations are required for all party sizes, with dinner seating from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
Spike’s Seafood Restaurant
415 Broadway
Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey 08742
732-295-9400
Spike's Fish Market & Restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, is a casual, old-school seafood shanty that's been serving the Jersey Shore for 97 years. I highly recommend the New England clam chowder and the broiled seafood combination. First-come, first-served seating; no reservations.
Some Of My Favorite BYOBs
A few of the best BYOB restaurants at the Jersey Shore (top to bottom): Fed's on 10th and Mr. Shrimp, Belmar; Skratch Kitchen and DelPonte's Coal-Fired Pizza, Bradley Beach; Via Veneto, Manasquan; and finally, Spike's Seafood Restaurant and Spano's Ristoranto Italiano, Point Pleasant Beach.
BYOB Dining Guide: Other Popular Spots In & Near Belmar
I hope you've been inspired to make reservations some of my favorite BYOBs in and around Belmar. It's impossible to list all of the local BYOB restaurants because there are too many to name. However, here are a few more recommendations you might want to try:
Arugula, Spring Lake
Bamboo Leaf, Bradley Beach (Thai)
Brandl, Belmar
F Street Social, Belmar
Golden Horn, Neptune (Mediterranean)
Harvest, Farmingdale (Farm to Table)
Mizuki, Wall Township (Sushi & Asian)
Mr. Shrimp Seafood Restaurant, Belmar
Ragin Cajun, Belmar
Xina, Bradley Beach (Sushi, Oyster Bar & Chinese Bistro)
Local Tip: In addition to the restaurants listed above, if you love Mexican food, many of the Mexican restaurants in this area are also BYOB. The Cutwater brand of craft margaritas in a can are great for sipping while you're noshing on chips and guac!
Live Like A Local: Rent A Belmar Beach House
Day trips down the shore are fun, but the best way to experience the area is to unpack your bags and stay for a week or two. If you are looking for a clean, quiet getaway for a couple, solo stay, or small family trip, our updated two-bedroom Blue Hydrangea Cottage in Belmar, New Jersey, is the perfect place to relax in serene surroundings at the Jersey Shore.
The house sleeps up to four people and is consistently rated five stars by our guests for its fantastic location, spotless upkeep, and all the thoughtful details that make for an easy beach stay. You can see photos and check open dates on our Blue Hydrangea Cottage rental page.
RELATED: Explore our local Belmar NJ Travel Guide to plan your beach days, dining, and local events.
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