Known as a resort town since the 1950’s, Wildwood, NJ is one of those timeless locales that you have to visit at least once in your lifetime, especially if you live in New York. From eateries, shops, waterparks and thrill rides to sandy beaches and irreplaceable memories, Wildwood has so much for so many. And that includes an incredible summer flavor adventure you can’t find anywhere else; MudHen Brewing Company, Dogtooth Bar & Grill and Poppi’s.
After a long day on the beach, or enjoying the water parks, visitors to Wildwood undoubtedly are looking for something unique, tasty and frosty to lower their temperatures after a day under the sun. So, our first stop on this journey is MudHen Brewing Company, a 15-barrel “BrewHouse” with 300 barrels of fermentation space; in other words, a beer lover’s paradise!
Featuring award-winning brews from local Brewmaster Tony Cunha, MudHen Brewing Company is not your average brewery, nor is it your average resort town outpost for pedestrian beach food. MudHen Brewing Company serves up southern-inspired BBQ with a hint of local flare. They serve cuts of meat, and various BBQ offerings, that would make the most successful Manhattan steakhouse or Southern smokehouse jealous.
Showcasing amazing BBQ and unique dishes, there is something for every palette at MudHen Brewing Company.
To start, our reviewers ordered the delectable Cheesesteak Cornish (six homemade pastries filled with chopped ribeye steak & American cheese served with cheese sauce), remarking at how fresh, creamy and robust the flavors were; BBQ Pork Dip (roasted pork, onions, roasted corn, cheddar cheese, homemade bbq sauce & cream cheese served w/ hen chips & crostini), commenting on the deliciousness of the outpost’s BBQ sauce and the juiciness of the pork; finishing their appetizers with a more traditional and delicious summer selection, Street Corn on The Cob (buttered sweet corn, cajun, queso fresco, chipotle crema & cilantro).
They continued their meal with another unique offering by attempting to tackle the delicious yet seemingly bottomless BBQ Meatlover Mac & Cheese (pulled pork, smoked chicken, smoked brisket, homemade bbq sauce, béchamel cheese sauce & buttered breadcrumbs). One of our team went the more traditional route by ordering the brisket which, in their words, “blew the doors off of my palette with incredible flavors.” Rounding out the meal was a Toffee Cake that everyone agreed was sinfully delicious.
MudHen Brewing Company features a stunning outdoor garden and hosts live music and games throughout the season.
To learn more, please visit mudhenbrew.com
The next stop on our flavor journey is Dogtooth Bar & Grill. Located a block away from MudHen Brewing Company, Dogtooth Bar & Grill is the go-to spot for locals and tourists alike looking to enjoy the best of what Wildwood has to offer. Built on the notion of “Good food. Good beer. Great times,” Dogtooth Bar & Grill’s menu features a variety of delicious dishes made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, from a mouthwatering burger to a hearty salad to a classic cocktail, this stunning and fun eatery has something for everyone.
Our reviewers went all-in on the variety of offerings at what can only be called the best “gastropub” in Wildwood. Our three team members reported nearly popping their belt buckles after finishing their delicious starters like Green Bean Fries (Spicy, panko-breaded, fried green beans served with chipotle ranch), Teriyaki Skewers (Three marinated & grilled chicken skewers served over Asian slaw), Pot Stickers (Six steamed dumplings filled with pork cabbage & green onions served with honey soy sauce), and Dogtooth Clams (15 clams in your choice of lemon white wine sauce or red sauce served with ciabatta bread for dipping). Not a single crumb, drop of sauce or clam was left, resulting in a euphoric feeling that can only come from a delicious, full meal.
For their main meals, our reviewers ordered The Original Pineapple Mango Crab Cakes (Two breaded & fried jumbo lump crab cakes topped with charred pineapple-mango salsa & chipotle aioli), Filet Mignon (8oz house-cut choice filet mignon), and the Shrimp, Crab and Artichoke (Shrimp, lump crab meat, artichokes & diced tomatoes tossed in a white wine sauce & served over angel hair pasta). Between the incredibly fresh crab cake with pineapple-mango salsa, the quality and juiciness of the filet mignon and the robust yet delectable flavors in the shrimp, crab and artichoke dish, all three diners asked when they can go back for another review! Of course that was helped by the fact that all three enjoyed filling in the cracks in their stomachs with the Choc Lava Cake (Chocolate cake with a rich melted chocolate center served with vanilla ice cream & whipped cream) which reportedly was one of the best they had ever had. Dogtooth Bar & Grill has an outdoor garden and features drink specials as well as DJ nights throughout the season.
The last stop on this incredible Wildwood flavor adventure is a more traditional locale, Poppi’s Brick Oven Pizza & Kitchen. Yearning for a traditional Italian meal, our reviewers were chomping at the bit to try what many are calling the best Italian food in Wildwood. The trio sat in Poppi’s outdoor garden, taking in the fresh air. They started their meals with Fried Burrata (Creamy fried burrata cheese served with house crostini & Nonna’s marinara), Crispy Rice Balls (Three homemade arborio rice, smoked mozzarella cheese, marinara, panko-breaded & fried. Served with a side of lemon aioli and homemade marinara), and Fritto di Calamari (Fried squid tossed with parsley and parmesan cheese served with a side of lemon aioli and homemade marinara). The Burrata was so creamy that it left our reviewer speechless while the freshness of the cheese in the rice balls and the squid in the calamari floored the other two diners.
For their main dishes, our team enjoyed Poppi’s specialty, Margherita Brick Oven Pizza (San Marzano tomato sauce, homemade mozzarella, parmesan cheese, chopped garlic & fresh basil), the Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina (Homemade ricotta gnocchi, basil, and smoked mozzarella cheese with homemade marinara) and the Seafood Risotto (Arborio rice, sautéed shrimp, mussels, bay scallops and homemade pesto sautéed with basil and parmesan cheese in a white wine lemon garlic sauce). According to our diners, all three main dishes not only delivered on flavor and quality, but left them wanting to order more! Instead, the team decided to settle on two desserts to close out this adventure; Tiramisu (Lady fingers, layers of creamy custard & espresso topped with powdered cocoa) and Angioletti (Deep-fried homemade pizza dough strips drizzled with Nutella & topped with powdered sugar). Of course that didn’t help as our team could not finish their desserts, being too full from a delicious and robust, Italian meal. So they did what any other diner would do, took them home to finish their journey near their beds given the impending food coma from such a delicious series of meals. To learn more about Poppi’s, please visit poppisbrickoven.com