The Twin Kiss Drive Inn at 25 South Delsea Drive in Clayton , NJ
The restaurant has been around since 1955 and one of those classic restaurants in New Jersey
During the Firemen’s Convention and on a more recent trip to South Jersey, I had passed by Twin Kiss, a local family restaurant in Downtown Clayton, NJ. It was one of those family chain restaurants that kept its identity even after the rest of the chain folded.
I loved the menu and stopped for ice cream as a snack to continue on with my journey. I planned on coming back for lunch the next time I returned to the area.
When I came back a month later to visit a series of museums in the area for my blog, I stopped for lunch and enjoyed a delicious meal. I love these little places on the back roads. The food is wonderful and the service is personable and friendly.
Twin Kiss Drive In, at 25 S. Delsea Drive, has been a CLAYTON icon since 1955 when George W. and Mary Lillian “Lilly” Kasper opened the ice cream franchise. The couple borrowed $5,000.00 and bought into the brand-new Twin Kiss franchise (Photo 1 & 2), opening several locations throughout Pennsylvania, coming to CLAYTON opening that stand on May 19, 1955 .
In 1959, when Twin Kiss developed a sandwich unit, Lilly joined George full time, and they worked side by side for over 40 years. They ran it for 46 years until retiring in 2001. New owners, John and Stacey Chamberlin (Photo 5), took over in 2001.
Twin Kiss Drive Inn and their Mission Statement:
(from the restaurant website)
Welcome to Twin Kiss Drive-In, a beloved local staple in Clayton, New Jersey, where great food and classic drive-in charm come together.
Proudly owned and operated by Stacy and John Chamberlain, Twin Kiss Drive-In is built on a simple idea: serve quality food, create a welcoming atmosphere, and give the community a place to gather and enjoy. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick bite, bringing the family for a casual night out, or reliving a bit of nostalgia, Twin Kiss offers an experience that feels both timeless and uniquely local.
For years, Twin Kiss has been known for its friendly service, classic American favorites, and that unmistakable drive-in vibe. Stacy and John are hands-on owners who take pride in maintaining the tradition while continuing to make the space feel fresh, inviting, and community-focused.
More than just a place to eat, Twin Kiss Drive-In is a part of Clayton’s story—a spot where memories are made, from summer nights and after-game stops to everyday moments worth savoring. We’re grateful to be part of this community and look forward to serving you.
The front of the restaurant
The ice cream and dessert menu
The sandwich and sub menu
The delicious Salted Caramel with Pretzel Ice Cream I had that day and this was a small!
Driving through on a recent visit, I stopped for lunch and had a craving for a cheesesteak. So I ordered a Fat Cheese steak with Wiz, a side of fries and a Vanilla Malted. It was a wonderful lunch on a cool day.
My lunch
The Cheesesteak is made of steakems with long thin slices of beef with a generous portion of Cheese Wiz on a soft chewy roll. It was delicious. The perfect comfort food.
The Cheesesteak with Wiz
The Cheesesteak was so good!
The French fries were freshly made and were hot and crisp and served in a over-sized bag.
The fresh French Fries
The Vanilla Malted is made with vanilla ice cream that is made on premise. It was thick creamy and delicious.
The Vanilla Malted
The malted Vanilla Milkshake was so rich and creamy.
The freshly made Vanilla ice cream really make the milkshake
Later that afternoon after visiting all the museum sites that I had wanted to see and finishing my work, I returned to Twin Kiss for dessert.
I went through the listing of ice cream flavors and could not decide, so I got a medium sundae and chose three flavors, Double Chocolate Fudge, Birthday Cake and Strawberry Cheesecake.
I loved the way they served their ice cream
They layered the ice creams one on top of the other creating a colorful treat. All their ice is made on premise and the ice cream was rich, dense and sweet.
Each one dug into the next flavor giving them a complex taste
The combination of the Strawberry Cheesecake and the Birthday Cake with their pieces of cake and sweet frostings made for an extra rich dessert
The restaurant will be closing on November 15th for the season not reopening until the end of March so you have to visit soon.
Watching the sun start to set at the restaurant that day
The end of the summer roses on the fence in the back parking lot
Twin Kiss with its reasonable and limited but homey menu is the restaurant that every community wishes it had. It is the perfect family restaurant.
I can’t believe that a whole year passed and I am back to Wildwood for the NJ State Firemen’s Convention. Time just keeps zipping by each year.
Just before the Convention, I left a couple of days before and visited my mother and her partner since I will not see them again until the Christmas holiday. This is when I give them both the first part of their Christmas present and take them to dinner at a restaurant of their choice. They chose Blue Coast in Rehoboth Beach as their present, the same restaurant we celebrated Mother’s Day. The food was really good but the service was a little off. I do not think they had enough help that evening. Still we had a very nice time.
Blue Coast at 30115 Veterans Way in Rehoboth Beach, DE
The food at Blue Coast is always wonderful and I am glad they made the choice. With the Christmas holidays here before you know it, getting one Christmas present out of the way makes things easier. Plus we had a ball!
My mother and I at dinner for her ‘early Christmas’ present
The Fried Calamari we shared
The food was really a standout. My mother’s partner and I shared the Fried Calamari, which they make really well and was perfectly cooked and not greasy and for my main entree, I had the Fried Shrimp with French Fries. I had not eaten this much fried food in one sitting in a long time and I considered it a rare treat.
The Fried Shrimp entree
Before I left my mother’s house for the Convention, she prepared an amazing French Toast breakfast for me while they enjoyed all the doughnuts and pastries I brought from Mills bakery. My mother still likes to spoil me at my age. This is when it is fun to have parents who care!
Having breakfast with my mother before the Convention and we talked through the meal
The Raison Bread French Toast was delicious
The it was off to the Lewes-Cape May Ferry Terminal for my annual trip from Lewes, DE to Cape May, NJ. The trip takes about an hour and forty-five minutes and on a nice sunny not only is quicker but the views are amazing. Dolphins traveling along side of us made the trip more interesting as the whole ferry moved to one side of the boat every time they passed by. I think they just wanted the attention and know what we were doing.
The Lewes Cape May Ferry Terminal on the Lewes, DE side of the ride
It was a beautiful day that morning and many of the patrons were either at the bar or eating an early lunch at the restaurant. It was also enjoyable to listen to music at the bar. I think many of the locals enjoy eating here just for the views and watching the ferries coming and going.
The restaurant and bar were really busy that afternoon
The ferry looks so graceful as it enters the port in Lewes, DE
I swear everyone makes a B line to the concession stand for snacks when I get on one of these ferries. During the holidays when I take the ferry over to Cape May, I have enjoyed their egg sandwiches.
They really stock this place and have a nice selection of snacks
Depending on the weather, it can take between an hour and a half to get to Cape May from Lewes or when the water is rough like in December, two hours. The views are beautiful
Entering the Cape May coastline during the late summer of 2026
The concert continued into the early evening and the end of the Summer brought darkness earlier in the evening. I could not understand why it was getting dark around 7:30pm. I was used to it at 8:30pm. The crowds kept getting busier as the evening wore on.
The Ramble in the evening
The audience really grew
The Ramble
I was not hungry after such a big breakfast and a snack, so I just wanted a slice of pizza but not much was open this late at night so I walked around the beach after the concert was over and found Blue Moon Pizza open late. It was really quiet and it must have been quiet for a while because the counter guy and the owner/pizza maker looked bored.
My dinner that night and the Cheese pizza was quite good for a slice that was warmed
The strange part of the meal was it was about 10:00pm when I finished and it looked like the restaurant had been quiet for a while. While I was eating a party of four came in and ordered a large pizza, then another gentleman walked in and ordered four slices to go and then another couple came in and ordered another four slices and they needed to make another cheese pie for the case. When I left, there were seven people eating in the pizzeria and another couple walked in as I was leaving. The owner came out into the dining room to see what was going on and then gave me a big smile like I brought all these people into his pizzeria. Even I was surprised by all this at this time of night.
I just walked along the shore line for the rest of the evening and then through Washington Mall (Cape May’s Downtown) before going to bed. I was exhausted both from work and the trip and needed a little R & R. When I got back to the hotel, it was later in the evening and it had that creepy, ominous look about it. Sometimes it looks like ‘The Overlook Hotel’ from ‘The Shining’.
The Chalfonte Hotel at night after ‘The Ramble’ was finished.
I was staying in one of the back rooms on the second floor. I felt like I was walking down haunted halls.
Especially with old pictures of the hotel and faded bathing beauties line the walls of the hallway. Late in the evening, you feel like you are in the “Overlook Hotel” in the “The Shining”
My comfortable room for the next three days of the Convention
I slept like the dead that night and even if there were a ghost haunting the halls they could not have woken me up. I slept for a solid eight hours and woke up to a beautiful sunny morning.
The morning of the Convention I got up at eight and got ready to head over to Wildwood. I had time before our 11:00am meeting a so I decided to treat myself to breakfast on the Veranda at The Magnolia Room, the hotel’s signature restaurant. It was a beautiful, sunny morning so it was perfect to eat outside.
Dining on the Veranda of the hotel on the first morning at The Magnolia Room
They have a nice but limited breakfast menu. I miss their breakfast buffet
I ordered the Challah bread French Toast with bacon
Though I miss the old Breakfast Buffet at the Magnolia Room before COVID, the breakfasts on the porch are part of my first day meetings ritual. On a nice warm morning, there is nothing like it and the French Toast was really good.
It did not look like a lot but I was stuffed after breakfast
The French Toast was excellent and I highly recommend ordering it
It was nice to just sit back and enjoy breakfast on this warm sunny morning before a long day of meetings. With all the grading, scheduling and driving and running around between the prior week and this week, I needed this break.
This is the way to dine in the morning
I got to the Convention Center early and checked in and wondered into the empty Convention Hall before the meeting. To start the meeting, the Wildwood Fire Department Honor Guard and the Bergen County Pipe and Drum performed to open the meeting along with a very loud and heartfelt ‘Pledge of Alliance”. You have never heard it recited until you are with over a thousand firefighters reciting it all at once.
The start of the meeting as the Wildwood Color guard entered with the Bergen County Pipe and Drum
One of the main speakers was Donna Busch’s, whose husband the Buschio Exam is named after who helps so many firefighters with full medical exams.
After several hours in the meeting, we finished for the day and I walked down the Boardwalk for lunch. I knew where all wanted to go and made a beeline to Franconi’s Pizzeria on the Boardwalk.
Walking on the Boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ after the first Convention meeting
What really surprised me that afternoon was how quiet the Boardwalk was for lunch. Normally the Boardwalk is bustling with people but for some reason only the restaurants closest to the Convention Center were busy and that was it.
Walking around the Morey Piers whose staff was preparing for that evening when it opened at night
The second bend of the Boardwalk was very quiet that Friday afternoon
What was crazy was the number of restaurants loaded with food on their cases and extra staff all sitting around with cellphones waiting for people to come. I had never seen this before at a Convention meeting afternoon.
There was not a lot of people on the Boardwalk and when I got to Franconi’s Pizza. I was one of three customers at the restaurant after hundreds of guys had just attended meeting down the Boardwalk.
Franconi’s Pizzeria at Oak Avenue and the Boardwalk
I stopped in for lunch after the first set of meetings. I did not want to have a huge lunch because I had plans for dinner. So I thought I will just order sausage calzone. Big mistake, the thing was huge!
When the waitress brought it out, I thought she brought me the large one. This is the small!
I wondered how I would finish this thing
This calzone was the size of a small pizza
The calzone was filled with lots of cheese and sausage and came with the restaurants delicious red sauce. This could have fed two people.
It was delicious and what a lunch
After a meal like this, I needed a long walk on the Boardwalk and then walked the length of the Boardwalk to North Wildwood and back. When I walked back it seemed emptier than before.
I took a pit stop through Douglas Candies on the Boardwalk when I saw the candy demo in the window and the festive Halloween displays.
The one product I really like at the store is their candy bars especially their milk chocolate. They are a bit pricy but a once in a while treat is a good thing. You can always taste the richness in freshly made chocolate and their chocolate bars are the best. Their moi taffy was delicious too when they were sampling it.
The delicious taffy and assorted candies
The decorated Candy Apples
Each counter has a different type of candy and even in early September, the store was being decorated for Halloween. This smiling witch greeted customers at the door. There was all sorts of products being packaged for the Halloween when I was there and the store was creatively decorated for the holidays.
The store decorated for Halloween
The store was decorated early for Halloween
After I was finished with my walk of the Boardwalk, I planned on coming back later in the evening after dinner. I just wanted to get back to the hotel and relax for awhile.
When I got to Cape May, I put my feet in the ocean and enjoyed my walk along the beach. It was one of those beautiful sunny late afternoons. The water was a little rough as a Nor’easter was supposed to be heading up the coast later next week but for now the perfect late Summer afternoon.
Walking along the beach in Cape May
The beach was perfect and the water was so warm and because most of the kids were back in school at this point it was quiet on the beach.
The waves were so relaxing
The Ravioli House at 102 East Bennett Avenue in Downtown Wildwood, NJ
For dinner that evening I kept with my annual tradition on the first night of Convention and it was a trip to the Ravioli House in Downtown Wildwood. I dined there for a late dinner and ordered the Lasagna with a side of meatballs and came with bread and a House Salad. The meal was excellent.
The House Salad with fresh bread that I enjoyed before my Lasagna dinner
The Lasagna at Ravioli House is the type you might find in the Emilo-Romano section of Italy. It is layered with two different types of meat, two different types of cheese and slices of hard-boiled eggs baked between the homemade lasagna sheets and then topped with their homemade red sauce. It is decadent and delicious. They served it with two homemade Pork Meatballs that were excellent.
The Lasagna dinner also came with two homemade meatballs
They give you a sizeable slice of Lasagna loaded with meats, cheese and sliced hardboiled eggs
Yum!
The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year so I planned on dining here both nights of the Convention.
I was so stuffed from dinner, I had no interest in dessert and more interested in a long walk on the Boardwalk to work off both lunch and dinner. The lights had come on and the whole Boardwalk takes on a fantasyland look to it.
The Boardwalk was busier in the evening
The Boardwalk was much busier in the evening than it had been in the afternoon but still not what it once was in years past. It’s a sign of the times with this economy. I am used to it being much more crowded with families.
It got busier by the Morey Amusement Piers, where the park was celebrating Octoberfest
The Morey family extends their season for the Firemen’s Convention and the park was pretty busy that night with the young families. All the rides were full force and there was such an energy on this part of the Boardwalk. It is almost bittersweet because after this weekend, the piers close until next May.
The piers were lit like a fantasyland that evening
The rides were so colorful on that Friday night
The Garage bands they had that evening were good but not great. Some of the singers were a bit off key but still some of them brought energy to the park and it was a lot of fun that night. They really had the crowd moving around the dance floor in front of the stage.
The opening of ‘Octoberfest’ that evening
I stayed until about 9:00pm and then wanted to head back to the hotel. We had voting in the early morning and then after that I had to head up to Vineland to visit the Vineland Historical Society Museum in Downtown Vineland, NJ. So I had some running around to do the next day.
It was another good night’s sleep at the hotel and then back to Wildwood for breakfast and voting. It was another beautiful sunny morning and I love the drive between Cape May and Wildwood through the marshes.
The Chalfonte Hotel in the early morning. The wedding party who were in house the night before had filled up the patio for breakfast.
The drive between the two towns is beautiful in the late summer with the tall grasses and green trees. Fall had not hit yet so the last vestiges of Summer were still here. You have stop and look at their gracefulness. You can see all the birds digging for their breakfast.
The local highway between the two towns along the shoreline
The marshes in the late Summer
The views of the marshes are spectacular in the early morning
I got to the Convention Center for voting at 8:00am and was able to take a picture of the Wildwood Boardwalk when it was quiet.
The Boardwalk and the beach are quite beautiful in the early morning
I got to the Convention Center which I could not believe was that busy that early in the morning. I guess everyone else had the same idea to vote early and start their day as well.
The entrance to the Wildwood Convention Center in the morning
After I left voting and got back to the Boardwalk to go have breakfast, everyone on the Boardwalk stopped as they played the National Anthem at 9:00am sharp. If you want to see patriotism, watch hundreds of firefighter s and their families stop, remove their hats and sing ‘God Bless America’. It is quite a site.
Everything stopped for the National Anthem
I have to say that I was very impressed and proud to be a member of the fire service. With all the problems we have in this country, it is nice to see that some people still believe in it. The whole Boardwalk stopped for this.
This led to two more patriotic songs and then everyone went back to their morning. I walked down the Boardwalk to Franconi’s Pizzeria, who was having their annual Firefighters specials for breakfast.
I loved the Lorax sign on the Boardwalk
I love coming to Franconi’s for any meal. The food is so reasonable, the service always so welcoming and meals excellent. In all the years I have been coming here, I have never had a bad meal.
Franconi’s Pizzeria at 3300 Boardwalk on the second bend of the Boardwalk
The lunch was so good that I stopped in for breakfast the next morning. I had one of the Firemen’s Special Breakfast’s that had three eggs, your choice of bacon or sausage, hashbrowns and two blueberry pancakes (I paid three dollars extra for these but well worth it).
The Firemen’s Special of Three Eggs with Sausage and Hashbrowns and two large Blueberry pancakes
They did not skip on the blueberries in the Blueberry Pancakes
The Scrambled eggs were excellent and everything on the plate was perfectly cooked and spiced
I don’t what it is about Franconi’s that makes it so special to eat here. Maybe it is the location on the boardwalk so close to the beach and the sea air or the sounds of the ocean and the boardwalk or just people enjoying themselves.
What a breakfast!
I walked the Boardwalk for a bit since it was such a beautiful morning and then headed out to Vineland, NJ for a visit to the Vineland Historical Society Museum. The Museum Director had reached out to me about a year earlier to come for a visit and everytime I tried to go, it just did not work out. Before I left for Wildwood, I had Googled the museum for hours and it just happened to be open the weekend of the Convention so off I went up the back highways to Downtown Vineland, NJ.
I had not been to Vineland since my father had worked for Vineland Industries back in 1974, so it had been a long time and I hardly remember it. Downtown Vineland is still vibrant in some ways but could use some more businesses. The historical society was located just off the downtown area and located in a beautiful building that had been built for the museum around the turn of the last century.
The front of the Vineland Historical Society Museum at 108 South Seventh Street in Downtown Vineland, NJ
On my off time from the Firemen’s Convention after voting, I had planned to visit a group of small museums in Cumberland and Glouster Counties in New Jersey. Most of the small ones were closed or had changed their hours online but the Vineland Historical Society was open for touring and was having a speaker that day. I had been invited to come by the President of their Board of Directors about a year earlier so I was glad that I was able to visit this weekend where the schedules matched up.
What an interesting museum with its focus not just on the history of the Town of Vineland but of the surrounding communities and the impact that Vineland had and has on Urban Design, Farming, Manufacturing and Inventions that contribute to the whole country.
About the Museum:
The museum had been designed as a Historical Museum for community leaders who wanted to share their love of historical objects and the past history of the community. This is what built the collection over the years. Each section of the museum tells a different part of Vineland’s history from the community events like its “100th Anniversary” of the town, the history of the Police, Fire and Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the community who contributed to Women’s Suffrage and to the number of everyday products we use like Grape Juice and Marshmallow Fluff that were invented here. Each section of the museum tells an interesting story.
The museum is a stop on the Woman’s Suffrage Tour
The Mission of the Museum:
The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society is the oldest local historical society in New Jersey and its museum is the oldest purpose-built museum in the State of New Jersey. The Society is dedicated to collecting and preserving artifacts and records related to Vineland and the South Jersey region, and to sharing that material with visitors through exhibits, programs and other appropriate venues. Vineland has a rich, culturally-diverse past that is reflected through our collections. To learn more, please contact us or make an appointment to visit.
The Rain Garden outside the museum
The Rain Water Garden sign
The Rain Water Garden outside the museum was in full bloom at the Summer and you could see that the garden was trying to attract butterflies and other insects that would help pollinize the garden. It must be very colorful during the Spring.
The first floor of the museum is the lecture room, the library and the gift shop along with local artifacts and the Glass Manufactured Gallery
The main gallery was set for a lecture later that afternoon. On all sides of the museum tell the story and the timeline of Vineland and the surrounding communities. There is the City of Vineland and Vineland Borough and Landis Township in 1952. So you see the artifacts of the farming communities and those of the developing City (Wiki).
The early views of the museum with the original heating unit and turn of the century shell art
Historical community information
The First floor collection of artifacts
The bust of Charles K. Landis, who founded the town
The display of the early Women’s Suffrage Movement in town, which helped women earn the right to vote. New Jersey was an early pioneer in the Movement.
The photo of Portia Kellogg Chase, an early leader in the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Vineland, NJ
Made in Vineland: A Celebration of Local Inventors and Their Creations:
The exhibition highlights the remarkable people and ideas born right here in Vineland. From everyday household items to groundbreaking innovations in transportation, food, tools, and telecommunications, this special 2026 exhibit tells the stories of local inventors whose creations shaped daily life far beyond our city. Visitors are invited to explore these inventions and the fascinating individuals behind them during our Open House held every third Saturday of the month.
The ‘Made in Vineland’ exhibition:
The inventions of the Flower vase, the Woodruff Train Car and the Self Adjusted Plane
The inventions of Angel Food Cake Marshmallow fluff
The inventions of the Grape Juice industry and Skee-ball game
The post office desk from the turn of the last century
Just off the side of the main room is the Blown Glass Room. The area is known for special sand that is used for glass making. This made the State of New Jersey one of the leading manufacturers of glass in the country at the time.
Each of the cases displays glass for different purposes and for different industries made by different companies. The museum has a very extensive collection of glass.
The Blown Glass Room
The Blown Glass Room
Since the other museums closed around 1:00pm, I decided to head back to Cape May. I would have to visit these small local museums on my next trip to the area. Both the Matchbox Road Museum at 15 Pearl Street in Newfield, NJ and the Clayton Historic Museum at 29 East Avenue in Clayton, NJ both had limited hours that I missed on my trip to the area. For the next time.
The Matchbox Road Museum at 15 Pearl Street in Newfield, NJ
Along the local highway coming back from the Clayton Historic Museum, I passed Twin Kiss, a small restaurant and ice cream stand that looked like time had passed by. One of these little establishments that dot parts of New Jersey that once well travelled roads.
The Twin Kiss Drive Inn at 25 South Delsea Drive in Clayton, NJ
Twin Kiss Drive In, at 25 S. Delsea Drive, has been a Clayton icon since 1955, when George W. and Mary Lillian “Lilly” Kasper opened the ice cream franchise. The couple borrowed $5,000.00 and bought into the brand-new Twin Kiss franchise, opening several locations throughout Pennsylvania, coming to CLAYTON opening that stand on May 19, 1955 .
In 1959, when Twin Kiss developed a sandwich unit, Lilly joined George full time, and they worked side by side for over 40 years. They ran it for 46 years until retiring in 2001. New owners, John and Stacey Chamberlin, took over in 2001.
Twin Kiss Drive Inn and their Mission Statement:
(from the restaurant website)
Welcome to Twin Kiss Drive-In, a beloved local staple in Clayton, New Jersey, where great food and classic drive-in charm come together.
Proudly owned and operated by Stacy and John Chamberlain, Twin Kiss Drive-In is built on a simple idea: serve quality food, create a welcoming atmosphere, and give the community a place to gather and enjoy. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick bite, bringing the family for a casual night out, or reliving a bit of nostalgia, Twin Kiss offers an experience that feels both timeless and uniquely local.
For years, Twin Kiss has been known for its friendly service, classic American favorites, and that unmistakable drive-in vibe. Stacy and John are hands-on owners who take pride in maintaining the tradition while continuing to make the space feel fresh, inviting, and community-focused.
More than just a place to eat, Twin Kiss Drive-In is a part of Clayton’s story—a spot where memories are made, from summer nights and after-game stops to everyday moments worth savoring. We’re grateful to be part of this community and look forward to serving you.
The front of the restaurant
The ice cream and dessert menu
The sandwich and sub menu
The delicious Salted Caramel with Pretzel Ice Cream I had that day and this was a small!
Twin Kiss Drive Inn is one of those classic New Jersey restaurants that every town should have in them. After my visit to Twin Kiss for dessert, I drove back to Cape May through the back roads, visiting towns that I had never been to and driving down roads that once had been the major highways in this region.
The funny part about traveling some of these local highways is that I felt like I wasn’t even in New Jersey anymore. I felt like I was in small towns in Alabama or something. This is the way I feel sometimes when I visit small towns in the Hudson River Valley.
Once you leave the more ‘popular’ tourism towns like Rhinebeck, you visit these more ‘local’ towns and you feel like you are visiting the place that time forgot. I will have to make a special road trip back next month to visit some of the local museums.
I got back to Cape May with plenty of time to walk around. Unfortunately the hotel was hosting another wedding and I just wanted to get away from that. Cape May was really busy that night now that the Convention meeting was over so couples and families were running around the town.
I changed my clothes and went back to Wildwood for dinner and to walk the Boardwalk to work off meals. My goal was to go to the Ravioli House for dinner one last time because I knew it would be closing in two weeks.
The town had quieted down since the Firemen’s Parade was over and I think a lot of people had headed home. I just wanted another night at the shore to relax now that my work was done. I had another excellent evening.
I was so happy with dinner the night before, that I decided to have dinner there again my last night at the shore. The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year.
What I really enjoy about the restaurant is starting with their house salad with homemade dressing
The salads are so crisp and fresh
Dinner was the Shrimp Scampi with homemade linguine
After several days of fried foods and heavy sauces, I decided to order something lighter and ordered the Shrimp Scampi, which came with a lemon and wine sauce. It blended in wonderfully with the fresh cooked pasta. The sauce had a creamy consistency.
The jumbo shrimp were perfectly cooked and were sweet and tender
The meal was delicious and the seafood was so fresh
After dinner was over and I was thoroughly stuffed from both the meal and dessert, I enjoyed another night of walking the Boardwalk and enjoying the lights.
I watched part of Michigan State-Notre Dame football game on the big screen TV at the Morey Pier. They kept it on low and I watched enough to goal at Notre Dame’s last touch down against us. It was depressing but we held our own for a team that is going through a rebuild.
The lights dazzled my last night on the Boardwalk
Before I left the Boardwalk that evening. I stopped by the Douglass Pavilion for some ice cream. I had never noticed this before and when the menu, it carried such unusual flavors.
The store has a complete ice cream store to compliment the sale of the pints of ice cream in the Douglass Candy store across the Boardwalk. This way you can taste the flavors before you buy them. The store was getting ready for the Halloween holiday season so it was all about pumpkins and Jack-0-Lanterns.
The Douglas Creamery is across the Boardwalk from the store
The menu and flavors of the ice creams that you can choose from. The ice creams are homemade and themed with some of the candy items in the store
I loved the selection of flavors and some included the candies that they sell in the store. The flavors were also geared toward the Fall with Pumpkin and Apple Cider Doughnut flavors.
The tables and the store were decorated for Halloween
I chose the Molasses Paddy (which is a candy they are known for) and the Apple Cider Doughnut ice cream
The ice cream is rich and delicious and they give you nice sized scoops
The store is getting ready for Halloween
I got back to the hotel as the wedding broke up and the hotel had that eerie late evening look to it. I love the look of this old hotel. It looks like the ghosts from the past still visit it.
The Chalfonte Hotel on my last evening
I woke up the next morning like I slept for a year. I got nine hours of sleep. It was overcast that morning and I was still full from dinner and the ice cream the night before. Since I didn’t foresee coming back to the shore, I decided to just have a piece of pastry at the Ravioli House Pastry Shop, take another quick walk on the Boardwalk and then head home.
The Wildwood Boardwalk on the last day of my trip
The Morey Pier was quiet in the early morning and I believe was closed for the season
I stopped at the Ravioli House for breakfast on my last morning of the Convention. I was getting tired of Pancakes, Bacon and Eggs and wanted something different. I had seen pastries in the case I had always wanted to try so I returned one last time before I headed home.
The Ravioli House Bake Shop has a wonderful assortment of bakery treats
The seating area in the pastry shop allows people to talk amongst themselves
Since my dinners were so filling, I never got a chance to try two of the desserts I had wanted in the last two visits to the restaurant so I stopped in the bakery and had breakfast here ordering a Cassata Cake and a Napoleon with fruit. I could just about finish the Cassata Cake because the pastry was so large and very sweet that I brough the Napoleon home.
The Napoleon and the Cassata Cake with some hot tea with lemon
The Cassata Cake at Ravioli House is very dense and rich and should be shared
The dessert is filled with a mixture of cake, nuts and liquors
The Napoleon I saved for later
I was on a major sugar high on the way home that morning. I knew this would be going on the three hour trip home. I was surprised how quickly I got home that afternoon. I figured everyone else had checked out the day before.
It was another successful trip for my Fire Department Convention work and my blogging for all the Travel sites. I got a lot accomplished this weekend. We got the voting for the Convention done that we wanted and I had another set of museums that I had visited or planned to visit in the future. Now on to Halloween.
The front of the Vineland Historical Society Museum at 108 South Seventh Street in Downtown Vineland, NJ
On my off time from the Firemen’s Convention after voting, I decided to visit a group of small museums in Cumberland and Glouster Counties in New Jersey. Most of the small ones were closed or had changed their hours online but the Vineland Historical Society was open for touring and was having a speaker that day. I had been invited to come by the President of their Board of Directors about a year earlier so I was glad that I was able to visit this weekend where the schedules matched up.
What an interesting museum with its focus not just on the history of the Town of Vineland but of the surrounding communities and the impact that Vineland had and has on Urban Design, Farming, Manufacturing and Inventions that contribute to the whole country.
The museum had been designed as a Historical Museum for community leaders who wanted to share their love of historical objects and the past history of the community. This is what built the collection over the years. Each section of the museum tells a different part of Vineland’s history from the community events like its “100th Anniversary” of the town, the history of the Police, Fire and Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the community who contributed to Women’s Suffrage and to the number of everyday products we use like Grape Juice and Marshmallow Fluff that were invented here. Each section of the museum tells an interesting story.
About the Museum:
The museum is a stop on the Woman’s Suffrage Tour
The Mission of the Museum:
The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society is the oldest local historical society in New Jersey and its museum is the oldest purpose-built museum in the State of New Jersey. The Society is dedicated to collecting and preserving artifacts and records related to Vineland and the South Jersey region, and to sharing that material with visitors through exhibits, programs and other appropriate venues. Vineland has a rich, culturally-diverse past that is reflected through our collections. To learn more, please contact us or make an appointment to visit.
The Rain Garden outside the museum
The Rain Water Garden sign
The Rain Water Garden outside the museum was in full bloom at the Summer and you could see that the garden was trying to attract butterflies and other insects that would help pollinize the garden. It must be very colorful during the Spring.
The first floor of the museum is the lecture room, the library and the gift shop along with local artifacts and the Glass Manufactured Gallery
The main gallery was set for a lecture later that afternoon. On all sides of the museum tell the story and the timeline of Vineland and the surrounding communities. There is the City of Vineland and Vineland Borough and Landis Township in 1952. So you see the artifacts of the farming communities and those of the developing City (Wiki).
The early views of the museum with the original heating unit and turn of the century shell art
Historical community information
The First floor collection of artifacts
The bust of Charles K. Landis, who founded the town
The display of the early Women’s Suffrage Movement in town, which helped women earn the right to vote. New Jersey was an early pioneer in the Movement.
The photo of Portia Kellogg Chase, an early leader in the Women’s Suffrage Movement in Vineland, NJ
Made in Vineland: A Celebration of Local Inventors and Their Creations:
The exhibition highlights the remarkable people and ideas born right here in Vineland. From everyday household items to groundbreaking innovations in transportation, food, tools, and telecommunications, this special 2026 exhibit tells the stories of local inventors whose creations shaped daily life far beyond our city. Visitors are invited to explore these inventions and the fascinating individuals behind them during our Open House held every third Saturday of the month.
The ‘Made in Vineland’ exhibition:
The inventions of the Flower vase, the Woodruff Train Car and the Self Adjusted Plane
The inventions of Angel Food Cake Marshmallow fluff
The inventions of the Grape Juice industry and Skee-ball game
The post office desk from the turn of the last century
Just off the side of the main room is the Blown Glass Room. The area is known for special sand that is used for glass making. This made the State of New Jersey one of the leading manufacturers of glass in the country at the time.
Each of the cases displays glass for different purposes and for different industries made by different companies. The museum has a very extensive collection of glass.
The Blown Glass Room
The Blown Glass Room
The Blown Glass Room
The Grape Juice industry glass and advertising display
The Ravioli House Restaurant and Pastry Shop at 102 East Bennet Avenue.
* I wanted to note that since COVID all the prices have changed so please check the website as my prices enclosed were reflective at the time of the visit.
Sometimes a shop does not fit the traditional pattern of establishments that I include on this site. They fall into a category that is more restaurant than a traditional store. Ravioli House & Pastry Shop is a combination of both where quality and service separates it from other restaurants and bakeries that I have visited lately.
The Pastry counter at the back of the restaurant
I came across the Ravioli House when I was attending the Firemen’s Convention every September. I was walking around Wildwood to see what the town was like after our main meeting and came across the Ravioli Pastry Shop which is the back part of the restaurant. It had an inviting entrance with the words “fresh Italian desserts” and that was for me. What a great surprise inside!
The sign for the Pastry Shop in the back.
The pastries here are amazing and are very innovative. There is a combination of traditional and modern Italian desserts to choose from. The eclairs are larger than their French versions and full of creamy vanilla filling. They are topped with a thick layer of chocolate frosting and this confection is a pleasure in every bite.
The Pastry Shop and Bar in the back of the restaurant.
They bake a usual cookie called a “Deliciousioso”, which is a type of Linzer Tart but instead of jelly it is filled with almond cream and then the sides are rolled in nuts. It has a subtle sweetness to it and you can taste the richness in the cream filling.
Having a Deliciousioso on a recent night
They are so delicious
Don’t miss these sweet treats
It is hard to choose from all the delicious pastries
All the delicious pastries I enjoy: the Peach dessert, The St. Joseph’s Puff, the Deliciousso and the Chocolate Cake dessert.
The St. Joseph dessert with Vanilla Cream
The St. Joseph Puff Pastry differs from a Cream Puff only in that it is filled with a combination of Cannoli cream and vanilla filling rather than a traditional whipped cream or vanilla filling. It large, dense and you can taste the sweetness in both the Cannoli Cream and in the pastry itself.
On another recent trip, I had the St. Joseph Puff Pastry with the Vanilla Cream, and it was amazing. Creamy and sweet on the inside and the same crisp outside. Both versions are worth a try.
The St. Joseph’s Pastries with both Vanilla Cream and Cannoli Cream are both delicious
The Cannoli’s here are filled to order and made in house. The Cannoli Cream is thick, rich and delicious and studded with chocolate chips. The outside shells are crisp and well baked.
The Ravioli House Restaurant:
The restaurant section is just as good as the Pastry Shop, with all sauces, pastas and dressings that are made in house and the quality of the food and service is top notch. It is a real home town restaurant as it has been owned by the same family for almost 50 years and the daughter of the owner still guards over the dining room and her mother, the owner still works in the kitchen and supervises the staff.
The Dining Room at the Ravioli House.
The Dining Room in the late evening
The new outdoor addition of the restaurant is seasonal
The best start to the meal: the salad with homemade Creamy Italian Dressing with their freshly baked bread
The homemade Ravioli here is excellent and was the meal of my choice on my visit in 2023. Little pillows of fresh pasta that are filled with Cheese, Meat and Spinach. Order the Ravioli House Trio with a side of meatballs and you will get to sample all three. The marinara sauce here is made with fresh tomatoes and garlic and is full of flavor.
Their homemade Ravioli is excellent
The Manicotti here with meatballs is very good. They are made with light as air pasta pancakes filled with a ricotta and Parmesan cheese filling and topped with their fresh marinara sauce.
The Manicotti with Homemade Meatballs
The pasta was light as air
The side of pork meatballs were amazing. So rich in the sauce.
All their entrees come with a freshly tossed salad along with their homemade creamy Italian dressing that is so good you will need extra bread to sop it up with when finished.
You always need plenty of their freshly made in house breads to soak up their sauces. When really hot, there is nothing like it.
Their fresh tossed mixed salads come with the entree and are topped with their homemade creamy Italian dressing
Another dish I can recommend is the Linguine in White Clam Sauce, which is made with fresh in house linguine and studded with fresh baby clams and steamers in a light white wine and lemon sauce which enhances the freshness of the seafood and not overwhelming. I had this on a recent trip for dinner.
The Linguini with Clam Sauce has two different types of clams in the dish
The pasta was perfectly cooked and the clams were sweet and tender
The Linguine is also good with their Bolognese Sauce, which is topped with a rich and flavor packed meat sauce of ground beef and chopped vegetables.
The Linguini with Bolognese Sauce
They must have given me a pound of pasta
The sauce was full of lots of meats and vegetables
When visiting for the 2021 Convention, I made my annual visit to Ravioli House again and this time because of COVID, they used the parking lot next to the restaurant for outdoor dining. So I had a nice table facing New Jersey Avenue and ordered my meal. The waiter could not have been nice enough and the service here is always top notch.
For dinner, I ordered the Chicken Pastina Soup, which was a rich chicken stock with chunks of chicken, carrots and tiny pastina pasta cooked to perfection in the soup. Each spoonful had a nice combination of flavors of the cooked chicken and the chopped fresh vegetables. It was the perfect way to start a meal on a early summer evening.
The Chicken Pastina Soup with its rich broth.
As part of my dinner, it included a house salad with crisp green leaf lettuce, tiny cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber in a zesty house creamy Italian dressing that is also made inhouse. The dressing was just enough to add some zing to the salad. Each bite was crunchy and sweet.
The Tossed House salad
The entrée was a real feast when I ordered the ‘Trip Around Italy’, which was a sampler of the restaurant’s fresh pastas. The entrée included two large stuffed shells, two fresh cheese ravioli, a large portion of homemade Gnocchi and Spaghetti covered with a rich red sauce that was topped with a large meatball and a nice piece of sausage. The meal could have feed two people comfortably.
The “Trip to Italy” can feed two people
All the pastas were delicious and so well prepared. The Spaghetti was perfectly cooked and was a meal in itself. The Gnocchi was perfectly cooked and each piece of pasta was nice sized. The pillowy Ravioli and Stuffed Shells were filled to the brim with a nice cheese mixture of Mozzarella, Ricotta and Parmesan. The red sauce had a nice combination of spices that accented the fresh tomatoes used in the sauce.
I was completely stuffed when I finished the meal that I could not eat dessert. I had been eyeing the Napoleons when I was in the pastry shop before dinner, but I could not eat another bite. It was another excellent meal at the restaurant.
In 2022 and in the summer of 2024 (a month before Convention), I returned to the Ravioli House for dinner on my traditional Saturday night at 8:00pm meal and it was ‘same time next year’ with the owner who l left in the same spot last year this time. We even laughed about it.
I wanted something totally different this year and I had the Chicken Picante, which is thinly sliced chicken breasts sauteed in butter, wine and lemon and then was served with a side of spaghetti in a red sauce. It also came with a small house salad with oil and vinegar. This was the perfect meal.
The delicious home made rolls served with the meal.
Most of the entrees start with a fresh tossed salad with homemade Italian dressing
The tossed salad with a side of the homemade bread is the best way to start a meal at Ravioli House
The chicken was so tender, and you got two nice sized pieces with the order. The sauce had such a nice flavor, and you could taste the lemons and capers in every bite. Their red sauce is made from scratch, as all their sauces and pastas are and you could taste the spices, they added to it. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly and had a nice bite to it.
The Chicken Piccante at Ravioli House is a real treat
The full dinner comes with two large chicken breasts with a side of homemade spaghetti and homemade red sauce
When I came for dinner during the convention in 2025, it was picture taking time and I revisited the dishes I had before like the Manicotti and the Pasta Bolognese. This time though I tried the Fried Mozzarella for an appetizer and it was delicious.
The Fried Mozzarella with Red Sauce
The pastas here are all homemade
This includes all the stuffed pastas, ravioli and stuffed shells
On a recent trip to the Ravioli House during the Firemen’s Convention, I dined there for dinner and ordered the Lasagna dinner which came with bread and a House Salad. The meal was excellent.
The House Salad with fresh bread that I enjoyed before my Lasagna dinner
The Lasagna at Ravioli House is the type you might find in the Emilo-Romano section of Italy. It is layered with two different types of meat, two different types of cheese and slices of hard-boiled eggs baked between the homemade lasagna sheets and then topped with their homemade red sauce. It is decadent and delicious.
The Lasagna dinner also came with two homemade meatballs
They give you a sizeable slice of Lasagna loaded with meats, cheese and sliced hardboiled eggs
Yum!
I was so happy with dinner the night before, that I decided to have dinner there again my last night at the shore. The restaurant closes for the season on October 13th, so there will be no more trips until next year.
What I really enjoy about the restaurant is starting with their house salad with homemade dressing
The salads are so crisp and fresh
Dinner was the Shrimp Scampi with homemade linguine
After several days of fried foods and heavy sauces, I decided to order something lighter and ordered the Shrimp Scampi, which came with a lemon and wine sauce. It blended in wonderfully with the fresh cooked pasta. The sauce had a creamy consistency.
The jumbo shrimp were perfectly cooked and were sweet and tender
The meal was delicious and the seafood was so fresh
For Dessert and Visiting the Bakery behind the restaurant:
For dessert this time, I had one of the St. Joseph pastries with the vanilla cream. Talk about heaven in each bite. The pastry was sweet and tender for each bite and the vanilla cream had a sweet and luscious taste to it. I love all their pastries as I work my way through it every year.
The St. Joseph’s pastries come in both Vanilla and Cannoli Cream.
The Saint Joseph dessert is so special
Even the Whipped Cream that it was served with tasted homemade
All the desserts are made in house in the pastry shop next door
The service here is always very friendly and when it is not too busy can be very personal. Their wait staff has been very well trained and handle a busy dining room like an artist. Everyone is made to feel at home here.
The Chocolate Éclair was the star dessert in 2023
The restaurant is opened seasonally and will close in October until the beginning of April.
The Peach Pastry has been a favorite of mine for years. This was the dessert of choice when I visited during the Firemen’s Convention in 2024. I found out from the waiter that this dish was the creation of the restaurant owner, Teresa. It is one of her signature desserts.
The Peach doughnut
The Peach dessert up close
The inside of the dessert is filled with rich cream and is soaked in maraschino cherry juice. It is heavenly!
Take time to visit the pastry shop in the back of the restaurant where an assortment of delicious Italian baked goods are available.
The bake shop has a wonderful assortment of bakery treats
The assortment of cookies and puffs
The assortment of cakes and pastries
The seating area in the pastry shop allows people to talk amongst themselves
I stopped in for a late breakfast snack and tried one of the Delishioso cookies.
My dessert that morning
The Delishioso cookie
The delicious crème filled cookie
It was delicious
I stopped in for breakfast on my last morning of the Convention in 2026. I was getting tired of Pancakes, Bacon and Eggs and wanted something different. Since my dinners were so filling, I never got a chance to try two of the desserts I had wanted in the last two visits to the restaurant so I stopped in the bakery and had breakfast here ordering a Cassata Cake and a Napoleon with fruit. I could just about finish the Cassata Cake because the pastry was so large and very sweet that I brough the Napoleon home.
The Napoleon and the Cassata Cake with some hot tea with lemon
The Cassata Cake at Ravioli House is very dense and rich and should be shared
The dessert is filled with a mixture of cake, nuts and liquors
The Napoleon I saved for later
It is fun after a day at the beach to come in for a piece of pastry. The selection is wonderful and very creative.
It is nice to come to a restaurant where quality still matters and everything is made from scratch. That is very rare these days.
The Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association at the August Barbecue
The picnic grounds
The grounds of the NJ State Firemen’s Home were in full bloom and the lawns were perfectly groomed for the afternoon. The skies were blue and the temperature at 80 degrees. Perfect for an outdoor event.
The barbecue grill
We had a wonderful menu planned for the residents and their guests. We were serving Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers, Hot Dogs and Bruck Wurst, Barbecue Ribs and Chicken, Baked beans, Mac and Cheese, Fresh Watermelon for dessert along with home baked desserts made by a member’s wife. A wonderful menu that residents and their families enjoyed.
The front gardens in the morning
The memorial fountain
The grounds in front of the home
Setting up the grill for lunch
Chef Prince working his magic at the grill that afternoon
Our Grill Master today was Chef Prince from the NJ State Firemen’s Home, who created this feast for all of us down to the homemade mac & cheese and the baked beans with honey and cinnamon. Everything was delicious!
The food was amazing that day
After we finished eating, the men of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association took our annual group picture. I wanted to thank this very dedicated group of men for making this event possible.
The members of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association after a job well done
A big ‘Thank You’ goes to our dedicated Executive Board who works so hard to make this organization what it is today. Hats off to Tom Simpson, John Kinner and Roy De Young Jr. for everything they do to make this organization the success it is today.
The Executive Board of the Bergen County Firemen’s Home after the picnic was over Tom Simpson, Justin Watrel, John Kinner and Roy De Young Jr.
Jolly Nick’s is a small local restaurant in Downtown Dumont, NJ with a menu of deep fried hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and cheesesteaks. They have other deep fried treats like French Fries, Onion Rings and Mozzarella sticks.
The front of Jolly Nick’s at 31 East Madison Avenue
The inside is like a step back in the 1970’s and 80’s with classic chairs and tables and menu prices to match. The menu is so reasonable at a time when everything is getting so expensive. The owner keeps the prices with reach of his customers.
The inside of the restaurant
The menu is varied and very reasonable
What I love about the hot dogs here is that he deep fries them so they come out crackled and crisp. Then he puts them in a soft bun and you can choose from a variety of toppings
The hot dog and French Fries lunch special with a drink
I chose to keep it traditional and chose mustard and relish. It was loaded on top and I liked the combination of spicy and sweet in the taste.
The special meal
The deep fried hot dogs
The French Fries
Lunch was so good!
It was nice to sit back and talk to the owner while I was eating. He really loves what he is doing and the food he makes brings back a lot of memories of high school and summers.
On my last day of class at the college, I stopped in for lunch to try more of their delicious and very reasonable menu.
I was in the mood for a Cheeseburger with a side of Onion Rings and a Dr. Brown Black Cherry soda. It was the perfect meal at the end of the semester.
The Cheeseburger and Onion Rings
The burger was perfectly cooked and had a nice caramelized flavor to it. It was topped with lettuce, tomato and a pickle.
My burger and Onion Rings
The Onion Rings were perfectly fried and crisp and had nice slices of onion in every bite.
The Onion Rings
I really enjoyed my lunch out!
What I like about lunches here is they are reasonable, filling and well cooked. You can a nice meal for a fair price.
*The blogger wants to note that the prices have gone up a few dollars but the quality and portion sizes are well worth it.
This iconic pizzeria has been open since 1970 and has been serving the Bridgewater, NJ community and beyond since then. I have been coming here since I was kid and have rediscovered again when travelling in the area. On only its third owner since its opening, the pizza and their amazing tomato sauce has not changed since then.
Their iconic sign
The original Joe sold the business to Joe II in 1984 and this year after 35 years of ownership, Joe II retired and his family did not want to take over the business and sold it to Sal, who I met recently who said he is keeping all the original recipes.
The longevity of this restaurant is the food and their prices. The mozzarella is always stringy on every bite, especially when a fresh pie comes out for slicing at lunch. The tomato sauce has a wonderful spicy tomato-y flavor to it that really brings out the sweet flavor of the fruit.
The pizza sauce recipe has been passed down through three owners!
The bottom of the pizza has a crisp consistency to it and you can taste the caramelization in every bite. The best thing to do is order a large and really enjoy it.
The pizza is really good!
Joe’s sandwiches are always consistent and delicious (See review on TripAdvisor). The half meatball hoagie comes with four rather large, freshly made meatballs. Joe’s meatballs are made fresh every day and are loaded with garlic. On a crusty fresh roll and lots of their tomato sauce each bite is special.
The meatball sandwiches here are amazing! (They no longer serve sandwiches)
Their half Italian hoagie is loaded with freshly sliced Italian cold cuts including ham, salami, provolone cheese with shredded lettuce and tomatoes with a vinegar and oil dressing. The combination of flavors of meats and vegetables really works.
Add a half dozen mozzarella sticks with fresh sauce on the side or garlic knots to a slice and it will give you the perfect afternoon lunch or dinner. In the almost fifty years I have been coming to Joe’s, I have never had a bad meal through the three owners.
The calzone was excellent
On a recent trip after a Michigan State versus Rutgers football game I decided to stop for dinner. I had the most delicious Sausage and Cheese Calzone that was made by the current owner. The calzone was huge. It was about the size of a small pizza that had been folded over.
Where the pizza magic happens
The calzone was filled with a combination of ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses with a big handful of fried sausage tucked into a soft pizza dough that was baked golden brown. It was accompanied by a bowl of their delicious tomato sauce that is based on the original Joe’s special recipe. Each bite was wonderful.
I went to Bridgewater again in 2026 to go to the 4H Fair and when a storm brewed during the fair, the organizers kicked everyone out before I could eat, so I decided to stop by Joe’s for a sandwich. They no longer make them so I ordered the Sausage and Pepperoni Roll. When it came out, it looked like a small pizza folded over. They made it fresh for me.
The Sausage and Pepperoni Roll with a side of red sauce
The roll was stuffed with a half pound of sweet fried sausage and spicy pepperoni, tucked in a pizza dough shell and baked to perfection.
It was the perfect meal for me covering both lunch and dinner. This could have been shared by two people.
The food here has been excellent since I started to come here in the 1970’s and has not changed since.
The dining area has not changed much since I was a kid
It’s nice to know that somethings never change. The restaurant has always been consistent and it’s nice to know that some things don’t change.
(*Blogger wants to note that the prices have gone up over the years.)
West Place Chinese Restaurant at 1288 Amsterdam Avenue
I came across West Place Chinese Restaurant when I was walking the neighborhood in Morningside Heights (MywalkinManhattan: Day Sixty-Nine Visiting SoHA, Morningside Heights last March). It was packed with Columbia students during the lunch hour and when I returned, people from the housing the complexes that surround it replaced them.
The inside of West Place Chinese Restaurant.
One afternoon towards my walk of the neighborhood, I went in for lunch and they have the nicest selection of lunch specials that are each priced at $10.00 (prices have changed over the years). This runs from 11:00am-3:00pm and the entree is served with Pork Fried Rice and a choice of either Wonton, Egg Drop, Chicken Noodle or Rice Soups. There is a dish from all over their menu and the few times I have eaten there, they have been excellent (see reviews on TripAdvisor).
The Wonton Soup is excellent
On the first trip there, I tried the General Tso’s Chicken, a combination of fried chicken pieces served in a tangy sweet/sour sauce served with a large portion of fried rice. The serving size was large enough for two people to easily share. The sauce coated a sizable portion of chicken that was perfectly cut and fried. There is a lot of flavor to their sauce and has a nice tartness to it. The fried rice is pretty standard but still tastes good. Not much as way of ingredients except bean sprouts.
The General Tso’s Chicken with Fried Rice is excellent
It was on this trip I noticed that at lunch they also have a small lunch buffet that is priced at $6.95. That is a combination of popular dishes and rice and noodle dishes as well. It seems to very popular with the locals and students alike. You might want to call the restaurant to ask what the hours of this buffet and if it is offered on the weekends.
The Roast Pork Lo Mein here is excellent!
The second time I ate here, I came for dinner on a rather cold night and the meal warmed me right up. At night, the restaurant offers a Special Combination Platter, a choice of sixteen popular dishes served with Pork Fried Rice or White Rice with an egg roll.
I tried the Chicken with String Beans with fried rice and an egg roll. The portion size of chicken with string beans was very large and even myself who has a large appetite could just about finish it. The string beans were fresh with a crisp snap and cooked perfectly with just the right amount of chicken where one did not dominate the other. It was served in a spicy garlic sauce that mixed well with the rice.
The Chicken and String Beans is really good
Their egg rolls are filled with roast pork and vegetables and were perfectly fried out. With a little sweet sauce, made a nice accompaniment to the dish.
The service here is very friendly and helpful and they get the food out quickly.
On a recent trip uptown, I stopped in for dinner and this time I tried the Boneless Spareribs with Fried Rice and an Egg Roll combination platter and the meal was excellent as usual. I had not eaten here in months and the food is consistently excellent. The portion size was larger than I remember from the last time. They really piled the food into the container.
The Boneless Spareribs with Fried Rice and an Egg Roll.
The Boneless Ribs were overflowing on the platter.
These sweet and juicy bites are full of flavor and piled into this small dish. There was enough food for two people.
The Egg Rolls are amazing.
When I revisited Harlem again to explore changes in the neighborhood, I stopped in for a late night dinner and had the Beef and Broccoli with Pork Fried Rice and an Egg Roll.
The Beef and Broccoli Combination meal
I had forgotten how good the food was here. The meal was excellent. The beef was so tender and the brown sauce had such a rich flavor to it. The Pork Fried Rice has lots of ingredients including nice sized pieces of roast pork.
The Beef and Broccoli was delicious
Their egg rolls are some of the best in the City with slices of cabbage and roast pork and fried to perfection.
The egg rolls were cooked to perfection
The dinner was delicious and hit the spot. If you are on the Columbia campus and have a yearning for good Chinese-American cooking, this is the perfect place for you.
Please call the above number for delivery. It is free in the area with the minimum of $8.00.
D’Lili Bakery is a small neighborhood bakery that stands out because of the quality, selection, service and prices. The bakery is extremely reasonable, the portion sizes are enough for a meal and the ladies that work there are very nice but you had better know some Spanish.
Their Beef and Chicken Pastilitos are delicious
You can buy a complete meal here and not go over budget. The pastilitos, which are the Dominican version of the empanada, are generously filled with either cheese or meat and make the perfect meal on the run. I love their Chicken and Beef Pastilitos and two of those are more than enough for a quick lunch.
The Beef Pastilitos
Both the Chicken and the Beef are very well spiced and I enjoy eating these on my walks around the neighborhood.
The Chicken pastilitos
Where D’ Lili Bakery really shines is there baked items. Everything I have tried there was wonderful. From their fruit filled pastries to their donuts, everything I have bought there has been fresh and delicious.
The Sugar doughnuts
The sugar doughnuts here are fried and loaded with sugar. They are soft and chewy.
These are pillowy and chewy
What I really love is their fruit filled pastries. Their Guava pastry comes in both fruit filled and fruit cheese filled and they give you a generous slice. The fruit filling has a tangy taste and makes the perfect end to the meal.
The flaky Guava pastries
D’Lili Bakery is one of those neighborhood bakeries that every block should have around. The food is very reasonable, the service is very nice and the prices in this economy are very fair.
New York City is loaded with bodegas and delis sometimes a couple on each block. Brooklyn has many of them and when I walk through neighborhoods here, I try to eat locally and support small businesses. I came across 840 United Deli when I was visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and wanted a sandwich instead of pizza.
The menu at 840 United Deli
The place was busy in the late morning with people ordering breakfast sandwiches. The guy next to me was raving about a Bacon, Egg and Cheese hero that the breakfast cook made for him.
The ingredients to make those great sandwiches and wraps
The selection of sodas and snacks
I wanted lunch and was in the mood for something that would get me through the afternoon and I went for a Cheeseburger Deluxe. Great Choice!
The Cheeseburger Deluxe
The cheeseburger was perfectly cooked and caramelized. The burger was oversized and was more than enough for lunch.
The Cheeseburger
The French Fries
They gave me more than French Fries on the side. This could have fed two people comfortably.
What a great dinner before the show
On another trip to Brooklyn for an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, I stopped in for a sandwich and ate on the steps of the Brooklyn Museum again. It is the perfect place to people watch. This time I ordered a Cheesesteak. You have to be pretty clear with these guys on ordering a Philly Cheesesteak. While it is delicious, the guy asked me if I wanted lettuce and tomato on it with mayo. That would make anyone from Philly either pissed or cry.
The Philly Cheesesteak
The hero was loaded with meat and cheese
I felt like I was back in Philly
When I was visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for “Members Movie Night”, I stopped in for another hero sandwich. I ordered the “All American Hero” with Hot Pastrami, Turkey and Swiss Cheese heated on the grill and then tucked into a chewy bun. It was really good on a cool night.
This made the perfect dinner on the cool evening in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The sandwich was loaded with meats and cheeses
Yum!
Don’t miss the friendly bodega cat as he travels around the store keeping watch
You know the food will be safe
480 United Deli is one of those bodega/deli’s that every neighborhood should have on its block.
