Meet the Chefs
When you’re living on island time, cooking can feel like a chore, so why not follow the ocean breeze to a local favorite instead? After a day spent soaking up the sun and sea, treating yourself to a delicious meal out is the ultimate way to relax. Great food, scenic views, and no cleanup, that’s what vacation is all about!
Steve Rossi
Avalon Links Restaurant at Avalon Golf Club
1510 Rt. 9 North, Cape May Court House
609-465-8086 • avalongolfclub.net
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
I would describe the Avalon Links style as a casual, laid-back restaurant on a beautiful golf course. We have a little bit of everything on our menu from hand-cut chops and steaks to fresh seafood and delicious bar food.
How long have you been working at a restaurant?
I’ve been working for Avalon Links since 2016.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
As of recently, our most popular meal would be our poke bowls. Our poke bowls are served with your choice of ahi tuna, chilled shrimp, jumbo lump crab, or grilled chicken, and come with jasmine rice, avocado, mango, cucumber, edamame, and ginger soy dressing.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
Our Prix Fixe menu and Sunday Night Specials are popular among our customers.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice I’ve received is about remaining calm in stressful situations. Rarely do good things happen when you let your emotions get the best of you.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t a chef, I would have wanted to be a meteorologist. I really enjoy learning about the weather.
Rob Terwilliger
Avalon Seafood
2909 Ocean Drive, Avalon
609-967-7555
avalonseafood.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
Seafood shack: simple, and fresh.
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
I’ve been in the restaurant industry for 40+ years and have been running Avalon Seafood for 30.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
The Lobster Dinner, Seafood Scampi, and Broiled Salmon are all very popular. Pictured is the Broiled Salmon, which includes a filet of wild Norwegian salmon broiled with our own honey mustard sauce and served with your choice of sides.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
That’s some food for thought!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is never let the work suffer.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
I would be a wildlife conservation officer.
Dana Iannelli
Shorebreak Cafe
8301 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City
609-486-2137
shorebreakcafe.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
Our concept is to make from scratch baked goods and savory eats with top-quality ingredients bringing the community together to enjoy!
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
I have been working in the industry for 20 years and I have been running Shorebreak for almost 5 years.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
It is a close call between our homemade strawberry pop tart and cream cheese icing topped cinnamon bun!
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
Our yearly birthday celebration is a hit with new customers and regulars! It is a great day to bring all our loyal and newer customers together to celebrate the success they have helped create!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
I had a boss who used to always tell me, ‘But you didn’t die.’ Basically, always try everything you dream up, because the outcome can never be so terrible as your thoughts may discourage you to believe.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
I can’t imagine doing anything else. Really it is my life’s passion to create baked goodness to bring smiles to people’s faces!
Michael Carlson
Bellevue Tavern
7-9 S. Main St., Cape May Court House
609-463-1738
bellevuetavern.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
American casual featuring fresh local seafood with a hometown feel.
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
I have been in the restaurant business for 37 years, currently in my 29th year at the Bellevue Tavern.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
There are many, but I would have to say our Wild North Atlantic Salmon or Steak Baltimore. The salmon is served baked, broiled, or blackened and with a potato and vegetables. It can also be stuffed with crab meat. Our Steak Baltimore is a NY strip steak pan seared in Old Bay seasoning and topped with jumbo lump crabmeat. It also comes served with a potato and vegetables.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
We strive to make all our patrons happy, so I can’t single it down to one thing.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Minimize mistakes and move on.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
I worked in construction in my late teens and early twenties, but the cold winters persuaded me to go back to the kitchen, since we have mild winters now, I could see myself doing that.
Ian Borgo
Oceanside Seafood
2489 Dune Drive, Avalon
609-368-2114
oceansideseafoodavalon.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
We are an old-school family restaurant with a coastal flair. We like to keep things good and simple and let the food speak for itself.
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
Well, what started as a way to get extra money in high school has lasted 16 years. All of which have been here at Oceanside.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
That would be our broiled combo for certain. It’s no surprise since it has a little bit of everything with the fluke, shrimp, scallops, and lobster tail.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
This year, we are bringing back a modified version of our old kids eat free night to celebrate our 20th season. I was still a server when we used to do it, and it was easily one of the busiest nights outside Saturdays in July.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Try to have fun with it. This is by no means an easy profession and it doesn’t need anyone making it harder.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
I’ve always loved music and the outdoors, so I’d probably be some kind of park ranger who plays music on the side.
Paul McCorristin
Son of a Sailor
2150 Dune Drive, Avalon
609-796-5908
sonofasailorseafood.wordpress.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
We focus on fresh seafood; we’re primarily takeout but have our patio if people want to eat outside.
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
I’ve worked in a restaurant since I was a teenager. We opened Son of a Sailor in 2022.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
Our crab cakes are most popular, closely followed by our Hot Lobster Roll.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
Seeing us at the annual Avalon Arts and Seafood Festival in the fall.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
To live your life like a Jimmy Buffett song!
If you weren't a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
I would be working for my family’s business: McCorristin Construction.
Alex Schiff
The Diving Horse
2109 Dune Drive, Avalon
609-368-5000
thedivinghorseavalon.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
The Diving Horse is a seasonal seafood-focused BYOB. We serve an inspired and fresh menu, with ingredients sourced from local farms and day boat fishermen. The name “Diving Horse” pays homage to the horses who used to dive off the Steel Pier in Atlantic City in the early to mid-20th century.
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
I have been working in the restaurant industry for 19 years, starting as a dishwasher and working my way up to executive chef.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
The TDH wedge has always been a personal favorite and a must-try when you visit.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
We truly appreciate seeing familiar faces return each summer and enjoy the tradition of cooking for them year after year.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received came from my mom, who always encouraged me to follow (former NFL coach) Tony Dungy's philosophy. He consistently treated his players with respect and believed in clear communication. His quote, “It’s about the journey – mine and yours – and the lives we touch, the legacy we can leave, and the world we can change for the better,” has always resonated with me.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
If I weren't in the culinary world, I would likely be working in education. One of the most rewarding aspects of being in the kitchen is the opportunity to teach line cooks new skills and help them expand their knowledge of different foods and cuisines.
Dan Ryan
Capt’n Chucky’s Crab Cakes & Specialty Market
3011 Dune Drive, Avalon
609-830-3929
captnchuckysavalon.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
We serve gourmet, heat-to-eat food. Everything can be ready in 20 minutes. This includes our award-winning crab cakes like our Smith Island and 7 Mile Island cakes. We also offer the best shrimp on the island.
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
I’ve been here for just about a year but have been involved in restaurants for over 15 years.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
Customers love our 30-piece shrimp tray and our Smith Island crab cakes.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
We definitely enjoy popularity at the Avalon Arts & Seafood Festival. This year we have expanded to be open Easter weekend as well as Thanksgiving weekend (which we did in 2024). Hopefully they will both grow into traditions that our customers love.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
When you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
My full-time job is overseeing A/V for a cluster of hotels & casinos, so I'd probably be doing that.
Casey O’Hara
Uncle Bill’s Pancake House & Family Restaurants
3189 Dune Drive, Avalon
304 96th St., Stone Harbor
unclebillspancakehouse.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
Old-school mom and pop family breakfast and lunch restaurant.
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
I have been running Uncle Bill’s for 30+ years.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
Chocolate chip pancakes are the most popular, they are a huge hit!
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
People look forward to summertime and being able to gather with family and friends at Uncle Bill’s.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t worry about other people’s businesses, worry about your own and you’ll have success.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
Surfing!
Lucas Manteca
Quahog’s Seafood Shack & Bar
206 97th St., Stone Harbor
609-368-6300
quahogsshack.com
How would you describe your restaurant’s concept or style?
It’s a beach shack with international coastal dishes, energetic casual vibes, and a bar!
How long have you been running a restaurant/working at a restaurant?
All my working life.
What’s the most popular dish on your menu?
The Brazilian seafood stew, called Moqueca. Moqueca Stew is made with clams, mussels, shrimp, fish, scallops, edamame beans, chorizo, achiote oil, coconut milk broth, and green rice.
Do you have any special events or traditions that customers love?
Customers love our $12 for 12 oysters and wing hour every day from 5-6pm at our bar.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t take any wooden nickels.
If you weren’t a chef or running a restaurant, what would you be doing?
Pro surfer.