The ruminations of a shoobie on hollandaise
They used to call us “BENNYs”—out-of-towners from Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York who invade the Jersey Shore. Clogging up the Parkway, we squawk like seagulls after a bag of chips in the noonday sun, and then leave garbage cans overflowing as we retreat back over the dunes. Today, I embrace the moniker with pride, purpose, and a sense of redemption. I’m a BENNY in search of Bennys, or Eggs Benedict, at the Jersey Shore.
Long Beach Island sits like a side of bacon along the central Jersey coast. The sun rises like a golden yolk spilling into the clouds as we come over the causeway. Barnegat Bay stretches out in both directions with silvery splendor as the morning light casts a gentle glow over the array of homes, storefronts, and restaurants that give LBI its distinctive flavor.
We home in on Old Barney. The historic lighthouse stands like a red-and-white pepper grinder on the northern end of the island, providing guidance to mariners since 1859. We navigate to Mustache Bill’s Diner, but … Alas! The culinary institution on 8th Street is not only closed … but for sale! Knowing the diner’s structure was originally manufactured by the Fodero Dining Car Company up in Bloomfield, conspiracies against our Benny agenda swarm the mind like a horde of greenheads.
Brushing off these negative thoughts, we peer in the windows. The walls are still covered with vintage photographs and accolades from across the decades, including a 2009 James Beard Foundation “American Classic” award. The mouth waters as we catch the glare of specials still on the board. For our family, it was a cardinal sin if you ordered anything that wasn’t within the board’s four corners. One Father’s Day when it featured Eggs Benedict, the eggs were presented with perfectly set whites, the yolks were sun-golden and slowly streamed across the plate. What will be the fate of this classic chrome-sided establishment? Trying to hold back the island’s evolution is futile.
Undeterred in our quest, we head south along Long Beach Boulevard, the island’s main artery. Keeping a watchful eye for other breakfast spots, we catch views of Barnegat Bay between closely packed homes. Up ahead we see the iconic water towers of Surf City. In just a few weeks, this sleepy coastal town will be bustling with electric scooters, beachgoers with Bluetooth speakers, and out-of-state Teslas prowling for parking. This morning, however, the atmosphere is serene as we slide easily into a space right in front of Wally’s. This island year-rounder offers a contemporary café vibe with large windows that flood the space with natural light.
Hollandaise drapes over the eggs placed in front of me like golden late afternoon light hitting the dunes, warm and enveloping. The poached eggs break open with a satisfying give as Wally’s gluten-free muffin provides support as reliable as a good beach chair, neither too soft nor too rigid. A thick slab of pork roll offers a distinctly Jersey counterpoint to the traditional layer of Canadian bacon. What’s equally satisfying is knowing with each plate of bennys a donation is made to the Jetty Rock Foundation—a local nonprofit working to protect coastal waterways and livelihoods.
As we move south, the island narrows considerably, offering more generous views of weathered docks extending out into the bay. Masts of sailboats pop up above the Spray Beach Yacht Club. A red, white, and blue OPEN flag festooning the front of the Dockside Diner beckons us into the harbor for a taste.
LBI IS NOT JUST A BEACHGOERS’ DESTINATION BUT A CULINARY ESCAPE WHERE EVEN A SEEMINGLY SIMPLE DISH LIKE EGGS BENNY SHOWCASES THE LOCAL FLAIR OF EACH TOWN.
The Benedict preparation here delivers the same sensory pleasure as that first waft of ocean air. Both eggs are poached to that elusive ideal. The whites are smooth and perfect as unbroken shells, protecting yolks that soon flow into toasted nooks of English muffin. In all, the execution is as classic as the cedar shake facade.
Next stop, Uncle Will’s, a shoreline pleaser that has been serving up perfect breakfasts since 1965. It’s equally famous for its unapologetic pig decor, including one porcine pal who will dine at your table if you’re lucky enough. When we inform the owner of our Benny agenda, his smile widens into the warm welcoming embrace of an old friend.
Uncle Will’s assortment of Benedicts (from Classic to Braised Short Rib Benedict) embodies the carefree indulgence to which every vacation destination should aspire. The hollandaise brings to mind a liberal application of sunscreen that my mother used to slather on before pushing us out the door for the day: There’s no skimping on coverage or richness here. The option of a Redneck Benedict featuring a chicken cutlet smothered with gravy on top of a generous biscuit raises an eyebrow, and a smile. It’s a Benedict that doesn’t apologize for its excesses, served in a place where flipflops are always appropriate. Eating at Uncle Will’s makes you feel like a local who knows where to avoid tourists.
Approaching the southern tip of the island with the car windows down, the road ends at the bird sanctuary that stretches to the Little Egg Inlet. An appropriate ending to an eggcellent day. From the northern tip to the southern end, LBI is not just a beachgoers’ destination but a culinary escape where even a seemingly simple dish like Eggs Benny showcases the local flair of each town. Fond traditions of Barnegat Light blend seamlessly into the coastal consciousness of Surf City. The flawless touches of Spray Beach roll right into the indulgences of Beach Haven. Each creation indicative of the changing tides of Jersey’s coastal cuisine.
As we head back over the bridge, the late afternoon sun turns the bay waters to gold. Our culinary expedition is complete. Day trippers experiencing Long Beach Island through the lens of a single dish. The perfect hollandaise, it turns out, is like the perfect holiday—a harmonious combination of ingredients that leaves you planning your next visit before you’ve even left.
WALLY’S
712 Long Beach Blvd, Surf City
609.494.1667
wallyslbi.com
DOCKSIDE DINER
2404 Long Beach Blvd, Spray Beach (North Beach Haven)
609.492.8466
docksidelbi.com
UNCLE WILL’S
3 S. Bay Ave., Beach Haven
609.492.2514
unclewills.com
