Frank’s feels as if it sprung to life from the lines of a Springsteen song. This is quintessential pork roll, vinegary Italian-mix sub, cup of coffee, and local ads on the place mat in front of your counter-stool New Jersey. But don’t mistake this longtime (cash-only!) Asbury Park staple’s no-frills atmosphere for inattention: they bake their own breads, make their own magnificent donuts, and their warming pasta fagioli tastes like your nonna’s.

Just steps from Asbury Park’s legendary boardwalk, “the hearth is at the heart of Talula’s,” a mostly-Italian restaurant where, alongside excellent Neapolitan style pizza and sourdough-centric offerings, patrons will find a cocktail bar, craft beer on rotation, a thoughtful selection of Italian natural wines, and a menu chockablock with seasonal, vegan, and gluten-free fare. In the mood for pizza but not dairy? Talula’s can sub any cheese with house-made vegan mozzarella or ricotta.

Self-described as “less a donut shop than a donut stand,” OB-CO’s barn-red roadside outpost has been delighting locals and visitors since 1953. They open every day at 5 am and serve until they run out, which, if you’re reading between the lines, means that you’re destined to queue up and wait... unless you call your order in ahead of time. Just remember to bring cash.

The massive anchor, hand-painted name, and neon beer signage out-front tell you pretty much all you need to know about the interior ambiance, which is friendly, unfussy, and comforting. It’s first-come-first served at this over-75-year-old former commercial fishing dock turned restaurant whipping up all of the buttery, briny, steamed, broiled, blackened, and fried perfection you’re imagining, and at a competitive price to many of the other big seaside sea-to-table eateries.

The locavore-leaning menu matches the refined setting, presenting sumptuous plates worth throwing on a collared shirt for. We recommend inaugurating the meal with the Raviolo al Uovo—hand-made pasta stuffed with ricotta, spinach, and a runny egg yolk—a mainstay on the market-dependant menu. While The Gables doesn’t have a liquor license, they offer wine from New Jersey’s own Bellview Winery, so plan on uncorking a bottle or two.

What, you thought we were going to run down New Jersey and not include a diner? Well, cash-only Mustache Bill’s is one of the best around; everything on the menu is made fresh, in-house and all of the seafood is sourced locally. The only caveats here are that Mustache Bill’s opens for the season Mother’s Day weekend, seats 60 at max-capacity and is only open from 6:30 am-3:30 pm—there’s no getting around a wait if you want their mind-bogglingly good Chipped Beef (which you do).

What’s that? You want a deviled egg with a fried oyster on top, a jalapeno-infused pickle brine vodka oyster shooter, a wood-grilled 14oz NY Strip with lump crab and gorgonzola cream sauce? Of course you do—you’re only human. The food at OC is tasty, they have a great selection of tap beer, a nice wine menu, and whimsical seasonal cocktails—the vibes here are lively, so this is where you want to go for a carefree night out.

There’s a ton of places to eat in AC, and in the sweetest-spot of the cost-quality-accessibility matrix is Kelsey & Kim’s Southern Cafe—a proudly Black-owned business serving up mouthwatering soul food. Ribs that fall off the bone, golden crunchy fried chicken, rich smothered turkey chops, mac & cheese, collard greens—this is the stuff of your southern-fried dreams. The atmosphere is casual with warm tones and a friendly staff, so dress up or don’t—up to you.

Friendly, welcoming, and cash-only Cool Scoops serves up timelessness in the form of cones, shakes, malts, sundaes, fries, and hot dogs of all kinds but happily sneaks some contemporary energy into proceedings by offering visitors gluten-free and vegan options.

At Exit Zero (named after the weekly periodical published by Scottish-born owner/proprietor, Jack Wright) you can see for yourself just how neatly all the elements click over a bowl of spicy Thai lobster curry or a sublime bacon cheddar burger. No appetite for meat? No problem. Nearly every dish’s protein can be swapped for Impossible. One of the coolest features of Exit Zero has to be the reservation-only private dining experiences.