Faces Behind the Flavor: Meet Our Local Restaurant Owners
Sea Isle City is home to many wonderful restaurants that span a wide variety of cuisine and dining experiences. From restaurants that have been here for decades to newcomers, there is something for everyone. As the warm weather rolls in, head back to your family’s favorite restaurants or try a great new spot.
We have asked the people behind some of your favorite restaurants questions like “What inspires you?” and “What new menu items will you have this season?”
We cannot wait for another amazing summer, and for this year's Sea Isle City Restaurant Weekend from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 7.
Anthony Foster
Anthony's
8600 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-1200 | anthonyssic.com
Anthony Foster with the staff of Anthony's
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
Growing up Italian, everything revolved around food. I recognized the power it had as it brought and kept families together, was the center of every celebration, or just simply the act of Sunday dinner. Both of my grandmothers trace back to the Abruzzo region of Italy. I spent lots of time in their kitchens watching, helping, and asking lots of questions. Looking back, it’s amazing how much time and effort they put into every meal they served. I was taught to use the best ingredients you can source, have patience, and cook with love. My slogan has always been “It's all about the food!”
How has your business changed over the past few years?
My Anthony’s brand has grown in the last few years. We moved from our home of 25 years in Drexel Hill, Pa., to our final home at The Historic Lamb Tavern in Springfield, Pa. The team also reopened our takeout store, which features our entire menu to-go, our grab-and-go market, and our catering headquarters. However, I must say the biggest change and a dream come true was moving from our 65-seat restaurant on 44th Street in Sea Isle to the new Anthony’s location at 8600 Landis Ave., which seats 400 people with a full liquor license.
What are your signature dishes, and what makes them special?
Anthony’s serves family recipes such as our Eggplant Parmigiana, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Clams Casino, gnocchi, calamari red sauce, our 16-ounce Veal Chop, Veal Gina, and Chicken Stephen. These are among the crowd favorites.
Are there any new menu items this season?
We have new menu items all summer long! Keep your eye out for the chefs specials. It's so much fun creating with my team. It's better when the compliments come back to us. It is very rewarding and keeps the team enthused and focused!
Scott Oliver & Vinson Powell
Basilicos Ristorante
27 43rd St., Sea Isle City | 609-263-1010 | basilicosristorante.com
Vinson Powell and Scott Oliver of Basilicos Ristorante
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
Both of us started working in restaurants as teens. Eventually, we crossed paths at the same one. And from there, it just clicked. “Why not us?” The basil has been growing ever since.
What do you want first-time guests to feel when they walk in?
Simply put, welcomed. We always say friends gather here.
What’s one moment that made you realize your restaurant was a success?
The first time we had to tell a family we were unfortunately booked, but they could still get takeout.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received from a customer?
We will be back!
What are your signature dishes, and what makes them special?
The Pescatore Passomonti – there is nothing like fresh seafood and house-made pasta at the shore. The Chicken Vincenzo – the very first dish that Chef Scott ever cooked in our kitchen. Both have been on our menu since ’99.
Tommy Brower
Coastal Chop House
4001 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-2000 | coastalchophouse.com
Tommy Brower of Coastal Chop House
What do you want first-time guests to feel when they walk in?
I want guests to walk in and feel that we are “where coastal charm meats classic cuts.” I want them to know that we serve locally sourced seafood and meat. I don’t ever want the restaurant to feel stuffy; we really care about the experience and consider ourselves “fun, fine dining.” You are going to get an amazing meal with amazing service.
What has been your most successful promotion or event?
My favorite promotion we ran was a gift card partnership that benefited Mike’s Seafood’s Run/Walk for Autism. We donated some of our gift card sales to a local business that supports a great cause and does an excellent job promoting the town. I feel honored to be a part of something like this and the support that people showed, and the amount of gift cards they bought was inspiring.
What’s one moment that made you realize your restaurant was a success?
I realized we were successful when the phone didn’t stop ringing. We were booked out every night in July, August, and September. Every day when we are getting ready to open, the phone rings for reservations.
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received from a customer?
The best compliment I have received is that it is the best steak someone has ever had. It is great to be thanked for putting out a product that makes people happy. But the best compliment is that in the four or five months that we have been open, we have had people come 10 times. When someone comes multiple times a month for dinner, you must be doing something right.
The DeNunzio Family
DeNunzio’s Brick Oven Pizza & Grille
3500 Boardwalk, Sea Isle City | 609-263-2600 | denunziosbrickovenpizza.com
"Mama D" of DeNunzio's Brick Oven Pizza and Grille
How has your business changed over the past few years?
Opening in 2004, we began with a simple dream: to share the warmth of our family’s Italian traditions through great food, laughter, and togetherness. What started as a small boardwalk pizza shop has grown into something truly special. Over the years, we expanded beyond pizza by adding gelato, Mama D’s Pasta, and our beloved dough demos with the children – turning a meal into an interactive experience filled with smiles and memories, that families look forward to during their annual visit to Sea Isle City each summer. We are proud to be part of their tradition! Our guests are also family.
What do you want first-time guests to feel when they walk in?
We want them to feel welcomed right away! Not like customers, but like guests in our home. From the cozy ambience of our brick oven to the familiar smells of garlic and pizza, the positive energy, the laughter, the kids smiling during dough demos, the sounds of the waves outside –we want it to feel real, familiar, and full of heart. We’re also incredibly blessed with an amazing team that shares that vision and brings it to life every single day through their hard work, kindness, and dedication. So many of our team members start with us in their very first job, and one of the greatest joys is watching them grow up over the seasons and return year after year as part of our extended family.
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received from a customer?
One of the greatest compliments we can ever receive is when people choose to spend their most special moments with us! Seeing families walk through our doors in matching DeNunzio shirts, celebrating birthdays, vacations, anniversaries, and milestones big or small – it never stops meaning something deeply special. Out of all the places they could be, they chose to create those memories here with us. There’s something incredibly humbling about watching people laugh together, take photos, share those moments on social media, and make DeNunzio’s part of their family’s story. I love taking photos for the visiting families and hanging with our customers. Our servers are also amazing and really love interacting with the customers, especially during the dough demos. We are thankful each day and truly love our customers!
Are there any new menu items this season?
Of course! Coming soon to a boardwalk near you! Mama D is known for her soup and always finds joy in whipping up new creations that warm people up and bring them together. We also have some fresh new salad options in the works, along with our always-changing chef creation slices at the counter – those special off-menu pies that keep things fun, unexpected, and full of flavor. We have some fun and exciting additions in the works that we’re really looking forward to sharing soon!
CJ Mills
Drifters Feel Good Food
4009 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-9900 | driftersfeelgoodfood.com
CJ Mills with his son, Jack
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
I always wanted to have a family business in Sea Isle. We opened the year my son was born and those first few years were tough to say the least, but now it has all come full circle. My oldest daughter Hailey is now a guard in Sea Isle, and my wife Chrissy and other children, Jack, Sean, and Brooke, all work at drifters with us. I spent 15 summers lifeguarding in Sea Isle, which gave me a lot of time to think about what the town was missing. Eventually, I decided to build something that filled that gap. We started with a bit of a different menu – sushi, sliders, fresh-cut fries, and funnel cake – but by Year 3, we really honed in on what worked. Today, our focus is sliders, fries, tenders, funnel cake, and ice cream. The concept has evolved, but the mission hasn’t: We want to be part of people’s Sea Isle tradition – something they look forward to every summer.
What do you want first-time guests to feel when they walk in?
We want people to feel good – that’s the whole idea. Sea Isle already has that effect on people, and we try to carry that through in everything we do, whether it’s for our staff or our customers. When people order for the first time and get that celebrity name tag, it always makes them laugh. It’s also hilarious when the new customer hears us yelling out names and looks around to see if Madonna or Beyonce are actually in line.
Tell us about your signature dishes.
Everything starts fresh. Our sliders are made daily – we hand-form our Angus patties in-house. The fries are cut fresh every day, too – we go through about 1,000 pounds of potatoes a week, making all of the different variations of fries that we serve. For something with a kick, the Buffalo and Cajun Ranch tenders or fries are standouts, both made with our own sauces. The homemade crab cake slider has been a favorite since day one, and for dessert, the fried PB&J sliders – coated in funnel cake batter – have become a must-try.
Anything new on the menu this season?
We tend to stick to our core and build around it. You’ll always find sliders, fries, tenders, funnel cake, and ice cream, but we like to introduce new variations. Our latest slider addition is a kielbasa and cheese slider and our latest fry addition is the pizza fries. We also switched over to Richman’s ice cream last year, which was a huge hit with our customers.
Mike Monichetti
Mike’s Seafood & Dock Restaurant
4222 Park Road, Sea Isle City | 609-263-3458 | mikesseafood.com
Mike Monichetti of Mike's Seafood reminiscing about his days working on the fishing boats
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
One hundred fifteen years ago, my grandmother and grandfather came to this country from an island off the coast of Naples in Italy called Ischia. They found Sea Isle City, bought this property for $500 and made it into the most sought-out restaurant and fresh cooked seafood market in Sea Isle City and the Jersey Shore. Every day, I’m inspired by their vision and I’m proud to carry that dream forward as the third-generation owner. And probably the most rewarding feeling is knowing that the fourth generation is coming up and working in the family business.
What has been your most successful promotion or event?
We firmly believe in giving our customers great deals because vacation should be about relaxing and enjoying a night out with your family. All summer long, we offer favorites like Free Mussels Monday; buy 25 steamed clams, get 25 free; and buy 2 pounds of Alaskan Snow Crab Legs, get 2 pounds free, among others. Follow us on social media for the latest specials and contests for chances to win incredible lower-level tickets to Phillies and Eagles games! After the Feast of the Seven Fishes and the busy Christmas holiday, I have to say my favorite event is the Mike’s Seafood Run/Walk for Autism, held annually on President’s Day weekend where this year we had 5,500 attendees and raised over $225,000.
What’s one moment that made you realize your restaurant was a success?
I think one of those moments is when you start seeing Phillies and Eagles sports legends, along with TV personalities from Philadelphia and New York, choosing to dine at your restaurant. Those moments stand out. But at the same time, I’m always striving to be better. I still hear my dad’s voice in my head every day saying, “Keep two hands on the wheel and two feet on the pedal.”
Are there any new menu items this season?
The Exit 17, which is a fried crab cake, fried shrimp and a fried soft-shell crab served with French fries and homemade slaw. We’re bringing back the Eggplant Ischia from our menu in 2011 which is eggplant parmesan in Mike’s red gravy covered with sauteed lump crab meat over a bed of linguini; and the Kathy Logan named for my late dear mother-in-law, which is steamed flounder and shrimp covered with sauteed lump crab meat served with our homemade rice and house slaw.
Jimmy Bennett
Oar House Pub
318 42nd Place, Sea Isle City | 609-263-3000 | oarhousepub.com
Owner Jimmy Bennett and manager Lauren Weinstein of the Oar House Pub
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
I was inspired by the beautiful bay view and the sunsets that the Lobster Loft had and still continues to have as the Oar House Pub. I enjoy serving good food and I enjoy making people happy. I love to be the life of the party. The restaurant business is a great business to be in, and I look forward to being in this business for many years to come.
How has your business changed over the past few years?
People are more conscious about what they eat. People are eating far more healthy than they have in the past. The Oar House Pub offers healthier options in addition to their traditional pub-style menu. There is something for everyone.
What are your signature dishes, and what makes them special?
Scallops wrapped in bacon. We use an Applewood Bacon, fresh scallops, with a teriyaki drizzle. It’s delicious. Our Sesame Tuna Sashimi, seared rare, sliced, and served with a seaweed salad, fresh ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi. And we cannot forget to mention our fresh handmade crab balls, as they are a customer favorite.
Are there any new menu items this season?
Yes, we will have a revamped menu with all your favorites still included along with new additions to enjoy. One of the new highlights will be a T-Bone Steak offered on Fridays served with blue cheese crumbles and crabmeat.
Ralph Pasceri
O’Donnell’s Pour House
3907 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-5600 | odonnellspourhouse.com
Pat Pasceri (left) and Ralph Pasceri (right) with former owner
and business partner Mike Roberts
The Sandbar & Grill at The Ocean Drive
3915 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-1000 | theod.com
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
It really started with Ocean Drive Restaurant & Lounge under previous owner Joe Roberts in 1984. We (Ralph and his brother Pat) were part of that team early on, and like many in Sea Isle City, we grew up in the business from a young age. In 1999, Joe and his cousin Mike Roberts, went went on to open O’Donnell’s Pour House. Joe exited the business in 2002, and over time the vision continued to expand. In 2012, we introduced the Sandbar & Grill at Ocean Drive, creating a more relaxed outdoor experience. Then in 2020, COVID pushed us to accelerate plans for outdoor space at O’Donnell’s, leading to the creation of Paddy’s Green. That space is especially meaningful to us – it’s named in tribute to our grandfather, Patrick “Paddy” Waugh, who owned a home on our same block starting in the early 1960s, and our family still owns that house today.
What do you want first-time guests to feel when they walk in?
For more than 40 years, one of the taglines for Ocean Drive has been Food, Fun, Music. That still drives everything we do. We want guests to feel like they’ve stepped into something special with great food, great music, and an atmosphere where they can relax, connect, and create lasting memories with friends and family at the Jersey Shore.
What has been your most successful promotion or event?
One of the most impactful events we host is the annual Eagles Autism Foundation fundraiser, held the last Wednesday in June. Over the past five years, our partnership with Jason Kelce, his wife Kylie Kelce, and the Philadelphia Eagles has been incredibly meaningful. We turn the entire complex over to the event, and it’s grown into something really special, raising over $1 million while bringing together players, fans, and the community for a great cause and an unforgettable day.
What’s one moment that made you realize your restaurant was a success?
We don’t tend to think about it as a single moment. For us, success shows up over time, seeing generations of families return year after year. We now have employees whose parents worked here before them, and some weren’t even born when their families first became part of this place. Being part of the fabric of the town and people’s traditions. That’s what matters most.
Louis Cerone & Vicki Angelos
Uncle Oogie’s Pizzeria & Specialty Sandwiches
6118 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City | 609-263-6086 | uncleoogies.com
Louis Cerone of Uncle Oogie's Pizzeria & Specialty Sandwiches
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
Our mother’s cooking inspired us to open Uncle Oogie’s.
What do you want first-time guests to feel when they walk in?
We want first-time guests to feel that this is the place that they want their kids to have their first job at!
What’s one moment that made you realize your restaurant was a success?
Years ago, a husband and wife walked in, and we told them that it was gonna be a two-hour wait. The man turned around to leave, and the woman said, “No way, you go find something else to eat. I’m waiting for this pizza.”
What are your signature dishes, and what makes them special?
Our Old Italian Pizzas were a creation of my mother. They are Sicilian square pies, and we only make 10 a day. They’re nice and airy. Our chicken sandwiches, either grilled or chicken cutlets, are signature dishes as well.
Are there any new menu items this season?
We added a few new chicken sandwiches and a few pizzas. One of the new pizzas is the PHILADIUM house pie, which is a tomato pie with shredded Italian sausage and long hots. We also added a few new breakfast pizzas.
Kristen Davidse
Avalon Links Restaurant at Avalon Golf Club
1510 Route 9 North, Cape May Court House | 609-465-8086 | avalongolfclub.net
Server Devin Muir, Banquet Chef Karen Davis and Executive Chef Steve Rossi of Avalon Links Restaurant
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
The Links has always been a part of the golf course, but our vision for it has evolved to welcome more non-golfers to come have lunch or dinner. We are not a private club, and you don’t need to be a golfer to come dine with us. We offer many experiences like comedy nights and holiday brunches for you and your whole family.
What has been your most successful promotion or event?
Our customers love Wine Down Wednesday. We offer half-price bottles of wine which gives them a chance to try something they normally wouldn’t. If you are unsure about a bottle, you don’t want to pay full price for it, so this gives people a chance to experiment.
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received from a customer?
We are so grateful for how many of our guests write wonderful reviews. We get dozens every month and customers take the time to cite specific employees. It is amazing that they had a connection with their server that drove them to take the time to write something about it.
What are your signature dishes, and what makes them special?
Last spring, we welcomed a new executive chef, who brought his own pizzazz to the menu. We have changed our menu a bit over the last year but still have our classic dishes. People love our Crab Hushpuppies and the Bang Bang Shrimp appetizers. Our Links Chicken and Ale House sandwiches are really popular, too. For entrees, our Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl is a classic.
Kristen Davidse
Country Club Tavern
1512 Route 9 North, Cape May Court House | 609-465-1515 | countryclubtavern.com
Chef Whitney Willison and staff member Deb Mele of the Country Club Tavern
What inspired you to open your restaurant, and how has that vision evolved?
The Country Club Tavern started as a liquor store with a 50-stool bar. Eventually, we added a kitchen and then expanded the kitchen. We used to predominantly cater to the locals, but now we also get visitors from the campgrounds and golfers who will pop in after a round.
How has your business changed over the past few years?
People used to end their night at the Tavern, but we are now a place you can start your night at, too. We have become a family-friendly restaurant while still maintaining the bar atmosphere.
What are your signature dishes, and what makes them special?
Some of our signature dishes include our Taco Salad and the Cheesesteak Egg Rolls. Our Margaritas are also very popular. We welcomed a new executive chef last year, and she is excited to start putting her own stamp on the menu.
Are there any new menu items this season?
This season we will be introducing a Happy Hour Menu with food and drinks that will be available Sunday through Thursday. We will also be adding a Sweet Heat Chicken Sandwich and a Steakhouse Salad to the menu.