When you head to Wildwood for sand and sun, you may notice some new restaurants eager to serve you and your family.
How about a bowl of cereal with a side of cold brew to start your day?
Jackie McCoy treated cancer patients (she was a radiation therapist) for a living and her husband, Scott, did construction.
Now, the couple is set to open McCoy's Coffee & Cereal Bar in North Wildwood.
During the pandemic, Scott and his cousin opened a food truck of “Philly-type food” that supported frontline workers and law enforcement, McCoy shared.
“It kind of took off in Delaware County and we enjoyed doing it but it was all weekend stuff,” McCoy said. “We really wanted to do something where we could be down the Shore more and not back at home in Delaware County all the time.”
Driving around in Wildwood one day, the McCoys saw a place for rent — just the sign they needed to leave their full-time jobs, open their new venture and live at the Shore.
The eatery will offer breakfast sandwiches inspired by the couple’s Irish background (the two were alsomarried on St. Patrick’s Day), including avocado toast, turkey sausage, bacon sausage and their signature Reuben breakfast sandwich with egg, corn beef, sauerkraut and ThousandIsland dressing.
At least 20 cereals will be on display for guests looking for a bowl. There will also be homemade donuts that are topped with different cereals.
Lacas Coffee Companywill be on tap. Cold brews and specialty drinks as well as iced teas will be on the coffee menu.
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The new grab-and-go spot with an ordering counter and four to five tables will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed on Mondays.
The McCoys hope to have their soft opening on May 21, then a grand opening on Memorial Day — though the eatery won’t be open for the full six-day week until late June.
Go: 1710 New York Ave., 484-459-6732;mccoysnw.com
The coffee and cereal barisn't the only new eatery in town. Here's a look at what's new and what's to come.
Beach Bowls, North Wildwood
Last summer, Jennifer Dembowski worked at the Shore as an accountant and couldn’t find any fresh salads for lunch.
“There's a lot of pizza and normal Boardwalk eats that you want to eat when you go on vacation. But there are also times where you want to have a light salad, bring it to the beach,” Dembowski said.
So, she told her fiancée, Mike Capobianco, her idea to open a spot for salads in Wildwood. The two soon expanded their menu to acai bowls, sandwiches and wraps.
Capobianco, who owns Cappy’s Café in Northeast Philadelphia, suggested offering a “beach bundle package” for families heading to the beach. Guests can order a package that comes with two wraps, two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, four waters and a fruit tray.
“You go to the beach and it's just easier if you can just buy a family meal as opposed to making everybody sandwiches,” Dembowski explained.
A large salad section with chicken, tuna, potato and other salads are on the menu, as well as smoothies, bagels, panini, wraps, Danish, fruit bowls and more.
The eatery had its soft opening on Saturday, Apr. 9, and will be open on weekends. The couple plans to open full-time around mid-May, possibly May 20.
A grand opening celebration will be on the first weekend of June with a DJ in the parking lot. All proceeds that day will be donated to Wildwood Police Department and a memorial fund for a police officer killed in Philadelphia.
Visit the eatery from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Go: 100 East 5th Ave., 609-770-7241; beachbowlsnj.com
Marvis Pancake House, North Wildwood
Looking for pancakes? Well, Emmanouil Jantzios and Miltadis Baralos have a new spot for you and your family.
The owners of Marvis Diner opened their newest venture, Marvis Pancake House in North Wildwood on Apr. 13. (They also opened the diner for the new season.)
“Marvis Diner … we've had for 15 years now in Wildwood and we’re expanding (with the pancake house),” Jantzios said.
The restaurant, which sits in the former Star Diner, is open for breakfast and lunch.
Guests can findpancakes, French toast, a variety of eggs, waffles, bagel sandwiches, wraps and skillets.
Like its sister, Marvis Pancake House is a seasonal spot;Jantzios said the season is usually March to October.
Jantzios shared plans to be open full-time with dinner by the next year once staffing issues are resolved.
Go: 325 W Spruce Ave., 609- 854-3640; marvisdiner.com
Santucci’s Original Square Pizza, Wildwood
The Philadelphia pizza shop is opening one block off the Wildwood Boardwalk.
Philly residents James and Erica Burke decided to open a family-owned business they could leave to their children, explained Alicia Santucci of the family pizza franchise.
James, who is a former Philadelphia police officer, and Erica, a radiology nurse, with their two young children will open the ninth location of the Santucci’s Original Square Pizza.
“We've been looking in Wildwood for quite a few years now, so we have high expectations for this for this location,” Santucci said.
The location will be BYOB and seat between 30 and 50 guests.
Guests can find starters and sides like garlic parmesan fries and sauteed spinach, salads like classic Caesar and Granny Smith apple (with Bibb lettuce, gorgonzola, pickled red onions, candied walnuts, celery, apple slices and apple cider vinaigrette), soups and sandwiches like braised short rib and buffalo chicken.
There are also pastas and entrees like spaghetti and meatballs, and of course, signature square pies.
Order the Works — the pie with extra cheese, pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, mushrooms and onions —or the BBQ Chicken — white pizza with grilled chicken and barbecue sauce.
Stromboli, flatbreads and signature and boneless wings are also on the menu.
The restaurant will be open year-round. Santucci said they are hoping to open at the end of April.
“It's going to be easy and hopefully very convenient for Wildwood residents to be able to come in and eat and then take the kids up to the boardwalk or be able to get their food quick and easy,” she said.
Go: 402 East 26th Ave., santuccispizza.com
Tangiers Café, Wildwood Crest
There’s a new café coming to Tangiers Motel in Wildwood Crest, replacing the Doo-Wop Coffee Shop.
Tangiers Cafe will open on Apr. 29 with a beachy, clean look, as owner Jason Kramer described.
Kramer worked for the Doo-Wop Coffee Shop for 15 years prior to 2019. After the owners sold the motel to new operators, Kramer left the shop and bought the former Tony Luke’s three blocks down from the shop, turning it into the Doo-Wop Drive-In.
He opened the drive-in during the pandemic where he spent two years offering guests breakfast and lunch.
This year, the owners of the motel asked Kramer to come back and open Tangiers Cafe.
“I was down the street. I didn't go far,” he shared. “They said, ‘Hey, do you want to come back.’ I said, ‘Kind of no brainer’ … I'm coming to open this up only because I was here for so many years. I know what to do here. I know who's coming in and going. I know the operation. I'm not going into this blind.”
The seasonal café is all about breakfast and lunch classics with “innovators” as named on the menu.
There’s French toast innovators like banana foster and strawberries and cream and pancakes innovators like maple butter and smores.
Breakfast “originators” include The Kramer (a cheesesteak with scrambled eggs served on a long sub roll with American cheese and a side of home fries), The Classic Kramer (a level up of the Kramer sandwich — it’s stuffed with home fries, chopped bacon and American cheese) and The Ultimate Kramer (the cheesesteak sandwich includes bacon, sausage, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and American cheese).
Omelets, fruits, cereals, breads and pastries are also available for breakfast.
Lunch offers triple-decker clubs, steak sandwiches, grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps.
There are items “hot from the grill” like grilled cheese, hot dog with cheddar cheese spread and pork roll with American cheese.
For something healthier, there are plenty of salads to choose from, including the cranberry spinach saladand mandarin orange spinach salad.
Gluten-free options are also available.
“We'll have all that original stuff … we got it all,” he said.
Go: 6201 Atlantic Ave., 609-675-6993; doowopdrivein.com
The Cove, Wildwood
Looking for an elevated dining experience with a co*cktail menu curated by celebrity mixologistRob Floyd? Well, The Cove in Wildwood is now open in the former The Deck at Holly Beach restaurant.
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Co-ownerof Cove Craft co*cktails & Cuisine LLC, Trevor Johnsonwanted to create a newdining and co*cktail experience in Wildwood.
The restaurant opened on Easter weekend.
Chef Ti-Lin Sunis at the helmofferinga menu of made-from-scratch dishes. Sun, who draws inspiration from the late Anthony Bourdain, has 32 years of culinary experience, including working with Chef Gordon Ramsay in Atlantic City.
"All of his stuff ishomemade — his sauces, his dressings, which really, I think also gives us a little bit of a unique twist on our food — menu offerings and co*cktail offerings," Johnson said.
The menu features appetizers like crab bites and scallops, soups and salads like beet salad and French onion soup and burgers like the Big Kahuna Burger (ground beef and sweet sausage, grilled pineapple and onion with Monterey jack cheese and topped with avocado mayo, served at 155 degrees).
Pastas like linguine and clams and other entrees like filet mignon and stuffed flounder are also offered.
Pair your meal with one of thevarious co*cktailson the menu, including onescrafted byFloyd, whohas appeared on shows like Bar Rescue and The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Try The Cove Mai Ta (light rum, dark rum, Blue Curacao liqueur, orgeat syrup, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup) or the Strawberry Basil Smash (gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, strawberries, basil).
Or one of Floyd'sco*cktails like the Espresso Martini (vodka, Mr. Black liqueur, chilled espresso, vanilla whip shots), the New Jersey Sour (bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, aquafaba or chickpea brine, cranberry juice) and more.
Enjoy food and drinks in the renovated space with its new industrial-chic look. There's a lounge chair sectionfor guests to wine and dine.
Guests can also enjoy live entertainment with bands,acoustics andcomedians.
Go:3401 Pacific Ave., 609-522-6100;facebook.com/thecovewildwood
Hira Qureshi covers food and drink for South Jersey at the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and Daily Journal. She can be reached at HQureshi@gannettnj.com or 856-287-8106. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
