Grab Lunch at These Local LBI Favorites
Credit: Spice it Up
While we are die-hard “pack your lunch for the beach” people, PB&J sandwiches start feeling pretty uninspired very quickly. Lucky for us, there’s a ton of amazing lunch options on LBI that offer both extreme air conditioning to beat the heat AND tasty grab-and-go eats.
We keep it light for lunch so we’ve got plenty of energy for beach activities and, of course, we need to save room for when the ice cream man comes along! No matter where your street of choice is for hitting the beach, there’s inevitably a delicious lunch spot nearby.
We’re breaking down our favorite lunches of choice so they can become your new favorites too. Here’s our top lunch spots on Long Beach Island.
Spice It Up
If you find yourself looking for lunch in Beach Haven, you’re in the right place for one of the best paninis on the island. Spice It Up serves some awesome sandwiches and we’re all about their paninis, or “daninis” named after the owner. Their Indian Summer panini with artichokes, tomatoes, red peppers, provolone cheese and white bean spread is the perfect beach lunch; it’s so light but keeps us full ‘til dinner time. Not feeling the beach? Take your sandwich right over to Ship Bottom Brewery to enjoy with a beer!
How You Brewin’
After spending a couple hours in the water we’re ready for some lunch! How You Brewin’ makes grabbing lunch a breeze with online ordering (only at their Surf City location for now). Order a chicken pesto sandwich and a cold brew right from your phone… it doesn’t get easier than that! Enjoy lunch in their spacious newly renovated dining room with plenty of icy cold air conditioning or take your lunch al fresco in an Adirondack chair beside the boulevard. We love meeting friends here for coffee and lunch; it’s definitely a staple spot in our rotation.
Maristella’s Luncheonette
Maristella’s Luncheonette is Ship Bottom’s hidden lunch gem on 9th street just a block away from the beach. They serve up some of the most drool-worthy cheesesteaks on LBI as well as weekly lunch specials that keep us coming back. Where else can you find a sandwich, fries and a soda for just 10 bucks? Smoothie flavors rotate weekly here too and they are perfect to sip on with your toes in the sand. The menu is huge, the staff is super friendly and there’s plenty of outdoor seating to go around. Once you find this little gem, you won’t stop coming back!
Pearl Street Market
Speaking of hidden gems, Pearl Street Market in Beach Haven is a salad and sandwich heaven. Debatably, the perfect lunch place. In addition to their huge grab-and-go section, their menu is loaded with the classics along with LBI favorites like the Lobster BLT. They always use local ingredients when they can, like the juiciest Jersey tomatoes in the height of summer. While we love their lunch options, you can’t go wrong with PSM’s breakfast burrito (served all day, of course). Their breakfast burritos are the ultimate balance of eggs, sausage, bacon, onions, peppers and mushrooms and are perfectly handheld for on the go enjoyment.