Make your reservations now: 10 Shore restaurants serving Easter brunch, dinner

Sarah Griesemer, Asbury Park Press
·5 min read

The Easter Bunny brings chocolate eggs and jellybeans for children on Easter, but what does he bring grown-ups?

Reservations.

Don't have yours yet? Hop to it as some restaurants are already fully booked.

Here are 10 places to go for Easter brunch at the Shore.

Avenue, Long Branch

A prix fixe Easter brunch at this beachfront restaurant will be served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($60 per person).

The meal starts with a choice of heirloom beet carpaccio, pea soup, organic granola, a seasonal fruit bowl, salade verte, macaroni gratin or spring salad. Entrée choices are trout amandine, moules frites, a roasted turkey club, avocado toast, pain perdu, smoked salmon bagel, or eggs Benedict. (For an additional $5, you can order steak frites or la Nicoise salad.)

For dessert, choose between créme brûlée, pot de crème, profiteroles, sorbet or ice cream.

Go: 23 Ocean Ave., Long Branch; 732-759-2900, leclubavenue.com.

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Element Restaurant & Bar, Stafford

Sit down to Easter brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($35.99 , $15.99 for children ages 4 to 11).

The menu features salads, baked goods, breakfast dishes like eggs Benedict, quiche, French toast and corned beef hash. Lunch items include honey-glazed smoked ham, crab and cheese wontons, penne vodka, seafood Newburg, grilled flank steak and chicken pot pie.

For dessert there's carrot cake, apple crisp, rice pudding, chocolate mousse and Black Forest cake.

Go: 635 Route 72 W., Manahawkin section of Stafford; 609-488-2172, element-restaurant.com.

The GOAT by David Burke, Union Beach

Brunch dishes at The GOAT by David Burke in Union Beach.
Brunch dishes at The GOAT by David Burke in Union Beach.

A three-course brunch menu will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($48 per person).

The meal starts with roasted beet salad with whipped ricotta and pistachios; maple and black pepper-glazed bacon; smoked salmon and avocado toast; and housemade ricotta with port wine grapes, local honey and sourdough toast, among other options.

Entrées include grilled hangar steak with scrambled eggs and home fries; herb and mustard-crusted leg of lamb; and a sausage, salami and provolone omelet.

For dessert, try tiramisu with warm chocolate rum sauce, chocolate mousse cake, Key lime pie or a sugar cookie ice cream sandwich.

Go: 1411 Route 36, Union Beach; 732-264-5222, thegoatbydb.com.

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The Loaded Spoon, Freehold Township

Brioche French toast at The Loaded Spoon in Freehold Township.
Brioche French toast at The Loaded Spoon in Freehold Township.

The Easter Bunny will make an appearance during The Loaded Spoon's a la carte Easter brunch, taking place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The menu features dishes like prosciutto and provolone toast with whipped ricotta and muffaletta olive salad ($17), country fried New York strip steak and eggs ($29), brioche French toast with brown sugar cinnamon butter and warm berry compote ($17), Cajun shrimp and grits ($29), and Kentucky Hot Brown (Texas toast with turkey, cheddar sauce and bacon, $18).

Go: 108 Schanck Road, Freehold Township; 732-813-8700, loaded-spoon.com.

One Willow, Highlands

The dining room of One Willow in Highlands.
The dining room of One Willow in Highlands.

This waterfront restaurant, back from a winter hiatus, will serve Easter brunch specials through 3:30 p.m.

Holiday dishes include banana walnut pancakes ($17); a sausage, egg and smoked Gouda sandwich on a housemade biscuit with bacon gravy ($17); and curry chicken salad with arugula on a croissant ($18).

Need something heartier? Try lamb chops with mint pesto risotto and mushrooms, or porcini-dusted prime filet mignon with confit potatoes and red chimichurri (both $62, also available for dinner).

Go: 1 Willow St., Highlands; 732-730-7770, onewillowhighlands.com.

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Over Easy Kitchen, several locations

Burrata toast with poached eggs and avocado at Over Easy Kitchen, which has restaurants in Holmdel, Marlboro and Fair Haven.
Burrata toast with poached eggs and avocado at Over Easy Kitchen, which has restaurants in Holmdel, Marlboro and Fair Haven.

Reserve a table at one of three Over Easy Kitchen locations in Holmdel, Fair Haven and Marlboro.

Their brunch menu includes dishes like sourdough toast with roasted garlic spread, pesto aioli, soppressata, prosciutto, roasted red peppers and burrata ($18), lemon ricotta pancakes ($15), a smoked pastrami sandwich with sauerkraut, melted Swiss and Russian dressing ($16), and grilled skirt steak and eggs with avocado toast ($20).

Go: 460 Route 520 in Marlboro, 732-526-4422; 2111 Route 35 in Holmdel, 732-533-5578; 588 River Road in Fair Haven, 732-383-5374; overeasykitchen.com.

Red Horse by David Burke, Rumson

The Easter Sunday menu at Red Horse, served from noon to 8 p.m., starts with brunch-style options before moving on to main dishes. Cost is $95, $40 for children 10 and younger.

Try asparagus salad with lemon-tarragon aioli and egg, oysters on the half shell with cucumber and apple mignonette, soft shell crab Francaise with crispy polenta, popovers and cornbread.

Go: 26 Ridge Road, Rumson; 732-576-3400, redhorsebydb.com.

Rosie's, Ocean Gate

Rosie's in Ocean Gate is hosting Easter brunch, lunch and dinner.
Rosie's in Ocean Gate is hosting Easter brunch, lunch and dinner.

Easter specials will be on the menu from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Rosie's, which is serving a la carte dishes in the dining room and at the bar.

Brunch options include lobster eggs Benedict ($32), maple-glazed shrimp and grits ($29), ribeye with fried eggs and polenta fries ($39) and strawberry shortcake-stuffed challah French toast ($27).

Go: 401 Monmouth Ave., Ocean Gate; 732-998-8314, rosiesoceangate.com.

Salt Kitchen & Bar, Ship Bottom

The dining room at Salt Kitchen & Bar, located inside Hotel LBI in Ship Bottom.
The dining room at Salt Kitchen & Bar, located inside Hotel LBI in Ship Bottom.

Easter brunch will be offered from 9 to 11 a.m. at this restaurant inside Hotel LBI, and the menu is a la carte.

Dishes range from eggs and salad to pizza, main dishes and sweets. There's shrimp toast with sous vide eggs and Dijon cream sauce ($20), pork roll, egg and cheese pizza with charred long hots ($20), coconut tres leches French toast ($17), and chicken with a bacon chive waffle and maple ginger butter ($20).

Go: 350 W. 8th St., Ship Bottom; 609-467-8000, hotellbi.com.

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Sunset Seafood, Tuckerton

The dining room at Sunset Seafood in Tuckerton.
The dining room at Sunset Seafood in Tuckerton.

A savory a la carte menu will be served beginning at noon at the waterfront Sunset Seafood.

Easter specials include crab-stuffed, bacon-wrapped jumbo shrimp ($17.95), burrata with mixed greens and basil pesto ($14.95), blackened sea scallops and pasta in cognac pink cream sauce ($34.95), and grilled lamb chops and crab cakes with potatoes, asparagus and Béarnaise sauce ($41.95).

Go: 101 Parker Road, Tuckerton; 609-294-4281, sunsetseafoodnj.com.

Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to sgriesemer@gannettnj.com, follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Easter 2024 at Jersey Shore restaurants: Reserve for brunch