15 Best Restaurants in Cape May, NJ

Cape May in Cape May County is a stunning city and seaside resort located at the tip of New Jersey’s Cape May Peninsula.

The city boasts picturesque Victorian-style houses lined along the shore, providing views of Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Aside from its architecture, Cape May also offers exceptional seafood and restaurants serving multinational cuisine.

If you plan on visiting this side of New Jersey, here are the 15 best restaurants in Cape May, NJ:

George’s Place

George’s Place is the perfect restaurant if you want to indulge in Greek food while enjoying a gorgeous shore view.

Its strategic location on Beach Avenue, homey atmosphere, and delectable dishes make it a popular dining option in Cape May among locals and tourists.

It also offers classic American dishes aside from Greek and Mediterranean favorites.

Start your day with their specialties like breakfast quesadillas, smoked salmon scrambles, hash browns, or omelets served with toast.

For lunch, have a falafel pita, Greek street wrap, Havarti panini, or a classic cheeseburger with a side of hummus, tzatziki, or fries.

Meanwhile, dinner specials at George’s Place include chicken souvlaki, crab cakes, chicken Santorini, shrimp saganaki, and salmon.

410 Bank Street

Feeling fancy?

Head to 410 Bank Street and enjoy a feast for the senses as you step into this foliage-covered restaurant.

Housed in an 1840 carriage house, its interiors make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time to the Victorian Era, with its vintage accents, wrought-iron chairs, and arched windows.

As for its food, 410 Bank Street serves French New Orleans cuisine with a Caribbean twist.

Enjoy specialties such as blackened prime rib, grilled Norwegian salmon, Cape May mahi-mahi, and Jamaican steak.

For customers with special dietary needs, the restaurant offers gluten-free dishes like Havana Bay shrimp, catfish creole, roast pork, and more.

End your meal on a sweet note by trying some of their desserts baked in-house.

The Ebbitt Room

Located near the picture-perfect Victorian Houses, The Ebbitt Room at Jackson Street combines New American cuisine with a sophisticated and old-world setting.

Its leather chairs, wooden interiors, and sparkling chandeliers reflect Cape May’s Victorian charm.

The farm-to-table restaurant has a refined yet casual ambiance, perfect for a memorable Cape May dining experience.

Main dishes at The Ebbitt Room include rainbow trout, Cape May scallops, braised lamb shank, 12 oz prime NY strip, Thai coconut curry, and Atlantic swordfish—all made with sustainable ingredients from their farm.

For dessert, have a slice of banoffee pie, homemade ice cream, key lime pie, and flourless chocolate torte made in-house using farm-fresh eggs from Beach Plum Farm.

Pair your meal with handcrafted drinks like sangria, daiquiri, margarita, martini, and other sparkling cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.

Beach Plum Farm

Beach Plum Farm provides a change of scenery from the seaside restaurants, bars, and establishments.

Surrounded by 62 acres of lush greenery, the working farm and restaurant produces hundreds of fruits and vegetables and raises chickens, eggs, and Berkshire hogs.

The farm also supplies ingredients to local restaurants like the Blue Pig Tavern, The Ebbitt Room, Louisa’s Cafe, and more.

Explore Beach Plum Farm and see how they apply sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices to produce and grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables.

Then, at The Farm Kitchen, enjoy freshly harvested produce for your breakfast, lunch, or dinner in a charming countryside setting.

The menu depends on what ingredients are in season, so you’re sure to get a one-of-a-kind, healthy, and delicious meal on your visit.

Sapore Italiano

Sapore Italiano brings the flavors of Italy to the streets of Cape May through its traditional Italian dishes.

Housed in a Victorian-style building, this restaurant on South Broadway uses locally sourced ingredients and makes its pasta from scratch.

Try the eggplant rollatini or beet and goat cheese salad as your appetizer before trying other dishes like risotto, gnocchi pomodoro, or pollo alla parmigiano.

You can also enjoy seafood-based pasta like linguine alla vongole, spaghetti alla sapore, risotto alla pescatore; you can also ask your server for their catch of the day.

Feel free to bring your own bottle of wine or stop by the nearest winery to buy a bottle of red or white wine to pair with your dishes.

Wrap up your Italian meal with a Sicilian cannoli, NY-style cheesecake, or tiramisu ladyfinger for dessert.

Washington Inn

Washington Inn is one of the must-try restaurants in Cape May; after all, it’s not every day that one can dine in a building that has been around since 1846.

The restaurant has undergone several changes but has kept its stately charm and structure reminiscent of Mount Vernon, George Washington’s former plantation house.

Although its menu is subject to change, some dishes you can enjoy at Washington Inn include yellowfin tuna poke, crab and corn chowder, curried cauliflower steak, grilled swordfish, and their special crab cakes.

After your meal, have a chocolate mousse cake or coconut napoleon, or sip on a glass of red, white, or dessert wine.

Aside from its dishes, Washington Inn on Washington Street also takes pride in its specialty cocktails like mezcal negroni, rum punch, and Oaxacan inferno.

Cape May Fish Market

If you’re up for a casual yet fulfilling meal, head to Cape May Fish Market for the area’s best seafood dishes.

The seafood restaurant is conveniently located along Washington Street, making it a popular dining option for shoppers and tourists.

It offers a wide array of salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and more, suiting customers with different palates.

They also offer chicken and steak for those who want to try something other than seafood.

Don’t miss their house specialties like soft taco wraps with fish or crab cake, fish and chips, crab cake grilled cheese, crab cake croissant, or Philadelphia platter.

With plenty of options available, you’re sure to satisfy your cravings at Cape May Fish Market!

Union Park Dining Room

Union Park Dining Room, located at the historic Hotel Macombe, offers a perfect balance of casual and fine dining.

The restaurant is only a few steps from the beach and has been on several “Best Restaurants” lists for Cape May for years.

Its menu consists of three courses.

For the first course, you can choose between light salads, crab cakes, or fresh oysters, while the second course includes chicken, lobsters, salmon, steak, and pork options.

Cap off your fine dining experience at Union Park Dining Room with dessert, with the third-course options featuring a chocolate tart, fruit tart, basque burnt cheesecake, or ice cream.

Pair your meal with a glass of white, red, or rosé wine from their hand-crafted premium New Jersey wines list.

Blue Pig Tavern

With its distinct red chairs and rustic atmosphere, the Blue Pig Tavern is one of the must-try restaurants in Cape May.

It is located in Congress Hall, one of the oldest seaside resorts in the country, operating since 1816.

The restaurant, which got its name from a former gambling parlor, serves classic and seasonal American fare using farm-fresh ingredients.

From breakfast to dinner, Blue Pig Tavern has you covered—whether you want a plate of warm omelets for breakfast or a pulled pork sandwich for lunch.

They also serve fresh seafood like steamed mussels, shucked oysters, a chilled seafood platter, or a classic shrimp cocktail.

Tisha’s Fine Dining

Tisha's Fine Dining is a cozy eatery located along bustling Washington Street, making it a perfect choice for those who don’t mind a bit of people-watching while having a meal.

The restaurant offers indoor, outdoor, and al fresco dining.

It started as Tisha’s Home Cooking in 1988 in Wildwood, New Jersey, then moved to Cape May and became Tisha’s Fine Dining.

Despite its name change, it still offers its customers the same quality food and service.

Don’t miss their house specials like pork Milanese sandwich, crab cake tacos, chicken BLT, salmon po ‘boy, and blackened chicken sandwich.

As a BYO restaurant, Tisha’s Fine Dining's guests are required to bring their bottle of wine to pair with their food.

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant

Experience fine dining with a gorgeous view of the Atlantic Ocean at Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant.

Located on Beach Avenue, it is housed in an elegant 1907 Georgian Revival mansion featuring towering columns and a porch overlooking the ocean.

As for its food, the restaurant has a seasonal menu showcasing Cape May’s best seafood, meat, and produce with a New American twist.

Choose between a variety of soups, fresh seafood, crab cakes, pan-roasted chicken, and other dishes for your first and second courses.

Then for dessert, try their warm toffee pudding, coffee-infused panna cotta, or a PSI cheese plate.

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant is a BYO establishment, so guests should bring their own bottle of wine or purchase one at the nearby shops.

Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar

The award-winning and Cape May favorite, Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar, is located a few minutes from the beach.

It offers classic American fare and alcoholic drinks, perfect after a day of touring.

Their breakfast is served until the afternoon, and you can sink your teeth into a generous serving of buttermilk pancakes, Belgian waffles, French Toast, bagel, and omelet.

Lunch and dinner options include cheesesteaks, pizza (vegan and gluten-free options available), pan-seared scallops, seafood risotto, paella, and more.

Aside from their mouth-watering dishes, Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar also has live music and open mic nights on select dates.

You can also find art exhibits in the dining and gallery room.

Black Duck on Sunset

Black Duck on Sunset may be relatively far from the busy Washington Street, but it’s worth the visit.

The restaurant is located along Sunset Boulevard, a few minutes away from the historic Cape May Lighthouse and Bird Viewing Blind Pier.

Its offers Asian-inspired dishes with fresh seafood as the main star.

Although its meal offerings depend on the season, some dishes you can enjoy include lobster bisque, edamame dumplings, seared ahi tuna, roast duck breast, and grilled filet mignon.

The small venue at Black Duck on Sunset also makes it the perfect setting for private parties, small gatherings, and intimate weddings.

The Lobster House

For several years, The Lobster House has been serving a wide variety of seafood freshly caught from their commercial boats.

Customers can choose among five unique dining rooms with a casual ambiance that provides picturesque Cape May Harbor views.

As for its food, The Lobster House prides itself on offering various dishes, from seafood, chicken, and beef.

Have a serving of crabmeat cocktail, crab fingers, or fried calamari as your lunch or dinner appetizer, then savor soft shell crabs, baked stuffed shrimp, or a shrimp scampi after.

If fish or seafood isn’t your cup of tea, you can choose between a filet mignon, French cut chicken or a fresh roasted turkey.

Iccara Italian Bistro

At Iccara Italian Bistro on Mansion Street, enjoy Sicilian flavors at the heart of Cape May.

The Italian eatery, housed in a renovated Victorian house, got its name from the hometown of its proprietor, who grew up in a small town in Sicily called Iccara.

Its white interiors, wooden ceilings, and dark leather chairs give off a luxurious yet welcoming setting.

Get a taste of Sicily at Iccara Italian Bistro and try their seasonal Italian seafood salad, lobster pasta, pan-seared salmon fillet, cioppino, and more.

They also offer a children’s menu, which includes chicken tenders, chicken parmigiana with spaghetti, and spaghetti with bolognese sauce.

Final Thoughts

Dining at Cape May is more than just enjoying gourmet or farm-to-table dishes; it's also about enjoying a meal in a historical setting, whether in a renovated Victorian home or in a boutique hotel across the beach.

It's also a feast for the senses, as you can enjoy your food and appreciate Cape May’s distinct architecture and old-world charm at the same time.

Besides local fresh seafood, other cuisine options abound, such as Caribbean, Greek, and Italian.

On your visit to The Garden State, don’t miss the chance to dine in at one of the best restaurants in Cape May, NJ!