Who ever said too much of a good thing was bad? Not us. We love restaurant weeks, but we find that we either a) can’t get a reservation at the restaurant that we want to go to; b) can’t get to all the restaurants we want to try; or c) want something more than the traditional prix fix. So, we at Jersey Shore In Motion created Jersey Shore Local Restaurant Month™, where we have dedicated the entire month of March 2016 to celebrating the flavors of the Jersey Shore.

Set to become one of the “foodie events of the year,” Local Restaurant Month™ at the Jersey Shore offers a truly unique experience. All month long you’re invited to try delicious meals at over 50 participating restaurants where chefs will put their best dish forward, whether it’s by creating signature month long dishes, adopting a prix fixe format, or providing a weekly rotating selection, it’s unique to each restaurant. Basically the rules are out the window because what we really want to focus on is the food instead of the normal restrictions.

“Local Restaurant Month™ is a month-long event that allows diners to patronize significantly more restaurants, without having to fight for reservations. Meanwhile, restaurants are afforded the flexibility and creativity needed to make the best first impression,” says Chris Grohman, cofounder of Jersey Shore InMotion.

We’re not the only ones who are excited for this event. Diners, restaurants, and chefs are gearing up for an event that will be like no other, on a scale that dwarfs other foodie events that have been hosted before.

“Having a dedicated Restaurant Month, instead of just one week, will allow us the flexibility and creativity to showcase many parts of our menu and reach new patrons that might not have had the time to otherwise dine with us during a week-long event,” says Jennifer Lampert from Asbury Park Festhalle & Biergarten restaurant.

Jersey Shore Local Restaurant Month Restaurants

Participating restaurants include your favorite sit down establishments to breakfast and brunch and even grab ‘n go’s because what foodie doesn’t want to taste the best that every restaurant, no matter how big or small, has to offer?

Throughout Monmouth and Ocean County, some of our favorite chefs are going to be expanding our foodie horizons with their culinary chops including Chef Drew of Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, Claudette Herring and Lauren Phillips of Via 45, and Chef Mike of Chef Mike’s Atlantic Bar & Grill.

Grab a beer and see what the Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten has to offer or walk down the street and see what Chef James Avery is spotlighting at The Bonney Read during Jersey Shore Local Restaurant Month. Not to be outdone by their Asbury Park counterparts, Red Bank restaurants including local Italian favorites like long standing Buona Sera Italian Ristorante, Front St. Trattoria, and Patrizia’s of Red Bank will be throwing in their foodie sense as well.

Getting in on the action are even some of your favorite casual restaurants and “grab ‘n go’s” including Dino’s On Main in Asbury Park, Joe Leone’s, and even the cheese man himself, Steve Catania of The Cheese Cave.

We’re not bragging or anything, but we’re pretty excited for what’s to come for the first ever Local Restaurant Month at the Jersey Shore. Three things are certain: they’ll be plenty of delicious food, chefs will be flexing their culinary muscles, and you’ll be reaping all of the benefits (just hit the gym a little extra this month).