Dining in Cape May

Start your Cape May adventure right with breakfast accompanied with soft music at the Albert Stevens Inn. With a professional staff and the capacity to serve all guests breakfast simultaneously, you will not have to wait for your breakfast at the Albert Stevens Inn. Instead of assigning you a time to eat, as many of Cape May’s B&B have limited dining areas, you may choose among the two elegant, candlelit, air conditioned dining rooms or the enclosed sunny, air conditioned East Veranda with individual tables for two. Thus freed of such time restrictions, you may enjoy your sumptuous three course breakfast leisurely, enjoying your food and conversation with others guests and making new acquaintances or share the intimacy of a cozy table for two with your favorite someone on the sunny Veranda.

With so many restaurants ranging from world class fine dining to vegan, Cape May is known as the culinary capital of South Jersey. Cape May is also a commercial seaport well known for fishing always ranking near or at the top for total value of tonnage caught and sold. The richest Sport Fishing Tournament on the east coast actually takes place in Cape May during the month of August. Fresh seafood is in abundance along with Italian, modern American, French, and vegetarian vegan menus, plus others. For a full listing of Cape May's various eating establishments please check the Location Page for phone numbers, hours of operation, and websites if available. Additionally, the Location page is a handy tool for determining distances to restaurants, major attractions, events, etc. from the Albert Stevens Inn. 

Here is a handy guide to most but not all of Cape May's restaurants. While this is not meant to be the definitive guide to dining at the shore but an important first step in choosing that special place for you and your loved one. Please keep in mind that even the best restaurant can have an off day since after all restaurants employ people just like you and me and people do not always have good days.

410 Bank Street

410 Bank Street, 609-884-2127

A BYOB Cape May Classic featuring French New - Orleans cuisine with a hint of the Caribbean that is located in a converted 1840's carriage house with a first floor garden dining area that is enclosed and air conditioned. Their menu contains probably the largest selection of fish and meats of all the restaurants in Cape May with outstanding appetizers and deserts. Chef Sing has been there for almost 20 years along with the original owners. Opens Mother's Day weekend in May through mid October seven days a week. Very good food and service although prices are on the high side. Credit cards accepted. Parking is available, although it is located an easy walk of about four blocks from the Albert Stevens Inn. 

Black Duck on Sunset

1 Sunset Boulevard, 609-898-0100

Award winning Chef Christopher Hubert has created a vibrant, hip, black/white ambiance featuring his version of contemporary American cuisine with a slight touch of Asian influence. Bring you own bottle and if you forget, no need to worry, the new Sunset Liquor store is directly across the street. How convenient! Insiders tip: Chef Chris offers prehaps the best gourmet early bird menu in Cape May only from 5:00PM to 5:30PM. Usually opens in April through December, but call for hours in the off season. Excellent food and service, priced accordingly. Best of all, the restaurant is just one block away from the Albert Stevens Inn. 

Ebbitt Room at the Virginia Hotel

25 Jackson Street, 609-884-5700

Another Cape May Classic, the Ebbitt room serves an upscale cuisine featuring fresh farm ingredients(in season) from their local farm, meats and locally caught seafood in a very contemporary ambiance inside of a historic downtown hotel. They have a liquor license and their libations are creative with a very extensive wine selection  Open weekends January through March, seven days in season, but always call for hours. Very good food with excellent service, but both drinks and food are pricey. The restaurant has valet parking and is located about four blocks away from the Albert Stevens Inn.

La Verandah at The Hotel Alcott

107 Grant Street, 609-884-5868

A restored Victorian dining room featuring seasonal al fresco dining offering a French/American fusion cuisine with a classy, romantic ambiance favored by wedding parties. A BYOB restaurant open seven days in season but erratic off season hours necessitate calling ahead for openings. Food is OK ,but priced high anyway. No parking lot, so beware of parking meters in  season, but an easy four block walk away from the Albert Stevens Inn. 

Peter Shields Restaurant

1304 Beach Avenue, 609-884-9090

An elegant refined restaurant, offering occasional piano music in an historic building directly across the street from the Ocean. Some areas of the restaurant afford beautiful views of the ocean to go along with it's fantastic new menu and very accommodating service that places it at the very top of Cape May's fine dining establishments. The food is excellent, it is a BYOB, opened year round but always call ahead for off season hours and specials. Abundant off street metered parking in season, free off season and located approximately less than 2 miles away from the Albert Stevens Inn.

Red Store

500 Cape May, Cape May Point, 609-884-5757

This is the only commercial building permitted in quaint historic Cape May Point located about two miles away from the Albert Stevens Inn. It was recently restored, but for historic purposes it is a general store, bakery, coffee shop serving breakfast, lunch and incredible, creative dinner entrees with many of the items made on the premise. It is BYOB with excellent food and service placing in the very top of Cape May's fine dining establishments. Hours are not always defined  so always call for availability. Plenty of year round free parking and bring plenty of the green stuff.

Sea Salt

1035 Beach Ave, 609-884-7000

Yes, this may be a new swanky New York style restaurant in the refurbished Ocean Club Hotel near the beach, but shouldn't New York style also bring New York quality and service? The prices are certainly New York! It might be worth your while to stop by for a drink or so just for the ambiance and decide for yourself. Plenty of metered parking is available in season. It is located about one mile away from the Albert Stevens Inn. 

Tishas

322 Washington Street Mall, 609-884-9119

Chef Paul Negro along with his wife and General Manager, Jennifer have created one of the finest restaurants your hard earned money can buy in Cape May, offering seasonal al fresco dining on the Mall. This BYOB serves only the freshest of seafood and meats and does breakfast, lunch and dinner with excellent selection of food and service at reasonable prices considering the quality  They have been in Cape May for nearly twenty years and are big fans of the town and its people. There is metered parking nearby in season and free parking off season. It is an easy walk form the Albert Stevens Inn, only about three blocks away. 

Union Park Dining Room

727 Beach Avenue, 609-884-8811

Located in the Victorian dining of the Hotel Macomber, this BYOB restaurant does a very good presentation of a French style cuisine with good service. Al fresco dining available during the warmer months, plenty of metered parking in season and free parking out of season. Hours of operation are sometimes ill defined so always call for availability. It is located about seven blocks away from the Albert Stevens Inn. 

Washington Inn

801 Washington Street, 609-884-5697

The Washington Inn has been in operation so long that when people think of Cape May, the Washington Inn comes to mind. Although not quite as cutting edge as it once was, Chef Mimi Woods consistently offers a creative American cuisine in beautifully appointed dining rooms and bar. They have a new wine bar menu, you can dine in their wine cellar with a big enough party and the perhaps the largest collection of fine wines in south Jersey. Convenient valet parking and located about seven blocks away forn the Albert Stevens Inn. Food is very good, the ambiance is great, priced high. Always call for hours and reservations.