Best Cape May Restaurants | The Queen Victoria

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Cape May Bed & Breakfast

Local Restaurants

When you stay at The Queen Victoria, you will be near the best Cape May Restaurants. The New York Times has called Cape May the culinary capital of New Jersey. Seafood is a particularly good choice in many of the area restaurants, as Cape May ranks first on the east coast in commercial seafood landings. In our Welcome Book that you can download on your smart phone there are links to their websites so you can view their menus. Many Cape May restaurants encourage guests to bring their own wine, beer or cocktails.

The Staff’s List of Selected Restaurants

Please check the opening schedule also! Reservations are recommended.

Listed below are a variety of restaurants the staff and our guests enjoy. This list is not all inclusive, but the way these restaurants treat our guests shapes our opinions. We have also listed some casual or “tavern fare” places for your consideration. We recommend reservations at all times, but especially for Saturday night dinner reservations!

Cape May Fish Market

If you’re looking for a nice casual place to get a great seafood dinner, check out the Cape May Fish Market. It is conveniently located in the heart of the Washington Street mall, a short walk from The Queen Victoria. The prices are reasonable and the food is good. This is a great alternative to driving to the Lobster House and waiting in line for an hour. Bring your own bottle of wine and enjoy a relaxed, casual dinner.

View the website.

Phone: 609-770-3790

The Ebbitt room

The Ebbitt Room, located in the Virginia Hotel on Jackson Street, has long been one of Cape May’s finest restaurants. If you’re looking for an upscale dining experience, it would be hard to beat the Ebbitt Room. For a more casual experience, you can enjoy some fun offerings off of their bar menu as well.

Our guests enjoy a few meals a year at The Ebbitt Room, both in the main dining room and the bar. We’ve never had a disappointing meal at The Ebbitt Room, as everything is consistently good.

View the website.

Phone: 609-884-5700

Freda’s Cafe

Freda’s is one of our favorite restaurants in Cape May. It is a reasonably priced, charming neighborhood bistro on Ocean street, just one block from the inn. Continental flavor with a hint of soul. Home of the best Crab Cakes in Cape May (maybe the world)! Don’t forget to bring a bottle of your favorite wine, as Freda’s is a BYOB restaurant.

Phone: (609) 884-7887

George’s Place

George’s is unbelievable. If you like incredibly good food at tremendous value pricing, you need to visit George’s for at least one dinner the next time you are in Cape May. Georges is a Greek restaurant, but most of the really Greek dishes are on the appetizer menu. All dinner entrees come with a very generous Greek or Caesar salad, with prices between $15-20. Bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner at this BYOB restaurant. Also be sure you bring some cash, as George’s Place does not accept credit cards.
View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-6088

Lobster House

This is a big tourist restaurant located 1 mile from the inn at a major fishing dock. We recommend it as a fun lunch excursion (poke around the docks as well). Except for winter weekdays, we do not suggest it for dinner – no reservations and long waits.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-8296

Mad Batter

On Jackson street, just steps from The Queen Victoria, the Mad Batter is a Cape May landmark. Though our guests don’t often try their famous brunches, the Mad Batter is a good destination for either Lunch or Dinner. We particularly enjoy dining on the front porch, watching folks stroll down scenic Jackson street and savoring any of the fine entrees offered. The Mad Batter was awarded the 2006 New Jersey Tourism “Diamond” award in recognition of the role it plays in making Cape May the restaurant capital of New Jersey.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-5970

Vintage

Vintage located at the Emelen Physick Estate. Has plenty of out door seating. It is about a 20 minute stroll. A contemporary menu part of the Kara Restaurant Group which includes George’s, YB, Shamone,, and Younger Brother. So you know that they won’t disappoint. Be sure to bring a bottle of your favorite wine or beer to Vintage as it is a BYOB restaurant.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-2614

PSI (Peter Shields Inn)

Peter Shields (PSI) has always been one of Cape May’s finest restaurants. If you’re looking for place to celebrate a special occasion, or you just want to be pampered and enjoy a wonderful meal, then PSI is an excellent choice. The menu is always interesting and the food is always wonderful. There are several dining rooms at PSI, each with their own special feeling, several of which offer views of the beach across the street. In the summer, the outdoor front porch seating is a great option. Don’t forget to bring a bottle of your favorite wine or beer, as PSI is a BYOB restaurant.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-9090

Sapore Italiano

Sapore Italiano is definitely our favorite Italian restaurant in Cape May. I think it is everyone’s favorite, as they are very busy even in the quiet seasons (we highly recommend you make your reservations well in advance). Sapore Italiano is located about 1/2 mile from the inn, on the border of Cape May and West Cape May (on Broadway, which is on the way to the lighthouse or Sunset Beach). Everything is wonderful, the menu is huge, the portions generous, and the prices are reasonable. For a special touch, they always serve a complimentary anti-pasta platter before dinner. We dine at Sapore quite frequently, and many of our frequent guests do to. If you enjoy wine or beer with dinner, be sure to bring your own, as they don’t have a liquor license.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 600-1422

Tisha’s

Tisha’s is conveniently located in the heart of the Washington Street mall. The service is great and accommodating. The menu has an Italian Flair and the food is excellent. This restaurant is definitely a favorite of ours and many of our guests.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-9119

Union Park

Union Park is located in the Hotel Macomber, just a few blocks from the inn. Union Park offers elegant dining, great service, and delicious food. We have chosen to have many of our holiday dinners here and we’ve never been disappointed. Union Park is probably the prettiest, most elegant dining room in town. They’ve also started serving on the porch for an outside, ocean view dining option. We’ll make your reservations for you.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-8811

Washington Inn

One of the best of the best restaurants in Cape May, advance reservations needed for popular times. Excellent service, sophisticated menu, one of the best wine lists in NJ. The Washington Inn is an excellent choice for the celebration of a birthday or anniversary. Insider Tip … Sunday night is “Wine Appreciation” night, where you are allowed to bring your own wine and enjoy it with dinner (with no corkage fee). Don’t try this at any other restaurant with a bar!

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-5697

Carney’s

Carney’s is actually two restaurants and bars, both of which are popular evening haunts. The food at Carneys is better than you might expect from a Pub/Tavern, and would be our first choice of pub-style restaurants in Cape May.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-5648

The Ugly Mug

On the Washington Street Walking Mall at Decatur Street. The Ugly Mug is a famous Cape May tradition. Nothing fancy here, but a great place to get a drink and some better than average tavern fare. Try the lobster roll!

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-3459

Primal

Primal by Mia Mia (of Prawn) is a new open-fire steakhouse right on the beach. Of course, views are spectacular, and the menu is impressive. Serving a raw bar, first and main courses, plus accompaniments, Primal by Mia Mia is sure to be a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 408-1933

About BYO

What is with all of these BYOB (bring your own bottle) restaurants, anyway?

To start off, let me say that WE LOVE BYOB restaurants. We love to enjoy wine with dinner, and we hate paying the typical restaurant markup on it. Bringing my own (without a corkage fee) is perfect for me.

According to New Jersey state law, Cape May, with only 3,800 permanent residents, should only have 2 liquor licenses. Luckily we were grandfathered in with more, but not enough to go around for all of the wonderful restaurants in Cape May. Since new restaurants can’t get a license, you are allowed to bring your own.

Some BYOB restaurants in town act as “retail” outlets for one of the local wineries. These establishments can sell you a bottle of wine from that winery. They can’t sell you a glass of wine, just a bottle, and technically they are not serving you wine, they are simply selling it to you.

Collier’s Liquor Store

Near many of the restaurants, at Jackson and Lafayette, they have an excellent selection of wines and micro-beers. Collier’s has its own wine rating system, which I completely trust. If they say it is a super value, it probably is. If they say it is 6 “starts”, go with it. They deliver to the inn, making it great for a special gift.

View the website.

Phone: (609) 884-8488