When you think of boardwalk food, you probably think of pizza, french fries, sausage sandwiches, fudge and ice cream.
But every summer brings more options to the boards, which makes trips to the beach much more fun.
From Keansburg to Point Pleasant Beach, here are some fun boardwalk foods to try.
Korean corn dogs, Seaside Heights
Classic American hot dogs are easy to find by the beach, but on the southern end of the Seaside Heights boardwalk is a stand selling Korean corn dogs.
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Lazy Dog, which started at New York City's holiday markets, makes gamja hot dogs, a Korean corn dog with chopped french fries in the batter. Drizzle yours with sweet chili sauce for an oversized street food that's salty, sweet and crunchy, thanks to the potatoes.
Traditionally, Korean corn dogs are made with rice flour, which makes for a chewy exterior. Lazy Dog's are made with cornmeal like an American corn dog, and options include corn dogs with beef or cheese (or both) inside. There's also one coated with crunchy ramen noodles.
Go: 2 Boardwalk; instagram.com/lazydogny.
Cookie dough-stuffed cannoli, Point Pleasant Beach
Italian desserts are an unexpected find on the boardwalk, and this isn't your average cannoli.
South Beach Sweets near the southern end of the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk has the usual favorites of a boardwalk candy store: caramel apples, fudge, chocolates and gummy candy. But in a small case atop the counter we found regular cannoli, chocolate-dipped cannoli, and one we haven't seen before: a cannoli stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough.
It is just as tasty as you'd imagine, and a nice break from the usual ice cream and funnel cake.
Go: 601 Boardwalk; instagram.com/southbeach.sweets.
Breakfast crepes, Point Pleasant Beach
Breakfast on the boardwalk? Why not.
Black Anchor Coffee House, next to Kohr's Frozen Custard in Point Pleasant Beach, makes breakfast crepes like the Pirates Gold, stuffed with eggs, cheese, ham, sausage, bacon, peppers and onions; the Western with eggs, ham, peppers and onions; and the Jersey Shore with pork roll, egg and cheese.
Be sure to leave room for a sweet crepe, of which there are nearly two dozen varieties including bananas Foster, Mint Madness, Nutty Monkey and strawberry shortcake.
Go: 409 Boardwalk; 732-899-9444.
Bubble tea, Seaside Heights
Icy cold, fresh-squeezed lemonade is a classic on the boardwalk, but on a hot day, bubble tea is just as refreshing.
Bubble tea, or boba, is a Taiwanese tea-based drink that's available at SeaPark, a food stand with a restaurant in Ocean City. Their bubble tea comes in three dozen milk and fruit flavors like tiramisu, pistachio, watermelon, Oreo, cheesecake and dragonfruit.
Go: 2 Ocean Terrace; instagram.com/seaparkoc.
Mini pancakes, Asbury Park
Buttermee Pancakes, which opened on the city's boardwalk this year, is cooking mini buttermilk pancakes that come in short stacks (five pancakes) or full stacks (seven pancakes) with toppings like cookie butter, peanut butter sauce, strawberries, crumbled bacon, and cinnamon sugar whipped butter.
If you can't choose, go for a signature flavor like spiced banana, which has bananas, flambéed rum sauce and walnuts, or s'mores with chocolate sauce, graham cracker crumbles and toasted marshmallow.
Go: 1100 Ocean Ave.; buttermeepancakes.com.
Alcapurria and mofongo, Keansburg
We might not have been on a beach in Puerto Rico, but it certainly felt like it.
Pull up a stool at Mambo Nando's, which offers bites like Alcapurria, a fritter made of guineos, plantains and yautía stuffed with seasoned ground beef; and mofongo, a plantain mash with choices of beef, pernil (roasted pork), chicken or habichuela (beans).
Owner Nando Diaz, his wife Jamie, son Nando Jr. and mother Irma Orlando re-create recipes that have been carried down in their family.
"My mom and most of my family were all born and raised in Puerto Rico," Diaz said. "They came over sometime in the '60s, and they brought a lot of the dishes they were taught by my grandmother. You're getting authentic real food."
Go: 293 Beachway Ave.; 732-476-2111, mambonandosrestaurant.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.
Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA Today Network New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.
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