On a breezy Sunday evening, my dining pal Edna and I took a stroll over to Key West Tacos, which is nestled in a humble little building on the edge of West Cape May. It’s located adjacent to Barrier Island Books and Art—part used bookstore and art studio with live […]
The first bite … There are many old kitchen maxims that have been foisted upon countless generations of cooks and chefs, preached with a reverence usually reserved for holy scripture or the latest Taylor Swift album. There is one saying that has aged for me like fine … milk: “The […]
A citrus cocktail from the Porch @ Elaine’s! Ingredients Combine spirits, agave, and lime in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass. Top with orange juice, grapefruit sparkling water, and stir to combine. Garnish with a fresh grapefruit slice (we used a flower for color). […]
Cape May has come to be known as a gastronomic destination and for good reason. We are blessed with a plethora of extraordinary dining concepts, an abundance of fresh seafood, and access to local farms who supply the freshest produce. Each year we lament the closing of one or more […]
To the uninitiated, the invitation to dine at a fixed hour in an airport hangar may not be all that appealing. Imagine having 700 people, mostly adults, show up at the same time to dine together in one very large room. The idea may have echoes of a campus dining […]
What’s there to say about The Lookout at Ferry Park? Plenty. Spectacular views from its second-floor location, a coastal mood, and free parking! Wait, there’s more! The Lookout has an excellent international menu, comfy seating, and it’s a great spot for people watching and sunset watching. Really, all the things. […]
Appetizers are my favorite part of a meal. I think it’s because I often find them to be better than the main event. Chefs seem to put some of their most creative ideas on small plates. Maybe that’s because the combination of flavors is often so complicated, we wouldn’t really […]
For a place in close proximity to and nearly completely surrounded by water, there is a paucity of marine diversity on local menus. Scallops, oysters, crab, shrimp, and salmon get enough representation on local tables, but there really are plenty more fish in the sea. What I enjoy about trying […]
On a chilly Friday in February, my dining companion Anne Marie joined me at Grana BYOB, at the corner of Broadway and West Perry in Cape May, the location formerly operating as Godmother’s Restaurant. As always, we’d already perused the menu, enthusiastic about tasting the dishes everyone’s been talking about—and […]
“Food tells stories, and sometimes the history makes you appreciate a certain cuisine a little more.” Millie Peartree I’m a chef who also happens to write. The two crafts are not as disparate as they may seem at first. What I really am is a storyteller; sometimes I tell the […]
My friends (who don’t live here) often ask me, “What is Cape May like in the winter? What do you dao? Do you get bored?” My answer is an emphatic “No!” Yes, some of the businesses close for the season, but there are plenty that stay open year-round, especially on […]
It took a little while for The Cricket Club to open its doors in 2022, a true metamorphosis from the city’s beloved Merion Inn, built in 1885. We waited with bated breath, wondering in which ways the Kulkowitz family, of Mad Batter fame, would transform the historically significant Merion. Notably, […]
I have never been one to be at a loss for words, especially when it comes to words about food. I can speak and write effortlessly about spices and textures and recipes and all the subtleties of cuisines from every country on the planet. Not boasting here, just creating a […]
Looking for Cape May restaurants? Visit the dining section on CapeMay.com If there ever was an iconic neighborhood tavern in Cape May, it’s the C-View Inn, and they have checked all the boxes to have earned that moniker. Situated on the corner of Washington Street and Texas Avenue, right there […]
Some delectable dishes featuring greens for you to make at home.
Photographs and Styling by MICHELLE GIORLA It all started as a tragic misunderstanding. I thought working in close proximity would be better for our relationship, so I became a chef. I’ve always loved food; my search for new dishes and flavors rivaled Galahad’s quest for the Holy Grail. What could […]
What is as small as the head of a pin or as large as the average bedroom and predates dinosaurs by more than 200 million years? Give up? Crab. Evidence suggests that humans have been enjoying crab since prehistoric times – and we still do. This year earthlings will devour […]
The best part of street food is there are no rules or boundaries as to what it can be.
Photographs and styling by MICHELLE GIORLA After ending my self-imposed 20-year exile/odyssey in the Rocky Mountains the first place I needed to go was the ocean. The shore entices and seduces, attacking and attaching itself one sense at a time. Before the ocean enters your vision the scent of marsh […]
Prior to its rebirth as a foodie destination, Mayer’s Tavern was known for two things according to owner/chef Alex Laudeman: bar fights and scallops. When Alex and her father Keith bought the old fisherman hangout in 2016, they knew they wanted to honor the history of the place, so they […]
Without venturing past the borders of Cape May there are six different Mexican restaurants.
“You’re at the shore,” explains Steve Howard, chef/owner of Freda’s Café. “People want to see some seafood on the menu.” Opened in 1991, Freda’s is the work of Steve and his wife Carol. Originally from New York, the couple came to enjoy Cape May through friends and eventually decided to […]
Who needs over-processed faux meats and cheeses when you’ve got real vegetables?