Summer In Ocean City NJ

Thomas Ritter (00:05.806)
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Sunrise is also a really good breakfast place. You're not going to go wrong there. But old school breakfast and scrap bull, bacon, you know, two eggs, bacon, toast, old school style, Freddy's a hundred percent. That's, that's my go -to. We've got a special episode to kick off our summer here at the Bridgeton Beacon with Gretchen Ritter of Beach Bucket Lunch in Ocean City. We welcome Gretchen to discuss legendary local spots.

that you have to hit if you get to Ocean City this summer.

You know, if you surf, you go to Surfer Supply. If you don't surf, you still go to Surfer Supply and get a sweatshirt, get some board shorts. So there's so many great businesses in Ocean City. It's kind of hard to pick, but they were a couple of my favorites. Also Varsity Inn, Chris and Marsha McCarthy, they are great people, great family. They took over Varsity Inn and have just done

Excellent. Their food there is fantastic. Best tomato soup in the world. Granny's Kettle Corn, another one. I mean, these are just great businesses. And I love talking to people that kind of started their own businesses and how they've done it, how they've survived it at the Jersey shore and kind of what the method of their madness has been. Where's Granny's located? Estelle Manor.

Thomas Ritter (02:09.901)
and it's little mom and pop kettle corn and it's very different than Johnson's popcorn. It's kind of the sweet and savory popcorn. It's not just the caramel kettle corn and I thought, how is this going to compare? But I love it. I love it so much, I put it as an option with the, you can get a tasty cake crimp it.

chocolate cupcake or you can get the kettle corn in our bucket now. So that's an option. Is that an upcharge? No, not an upcharge at all. It ought to be. I mean, I like crepes and all, but Granny's local homemade kettle corn, I'm just saying. Well, and it's gluten free and they carry it in blitzes.

They've really done a very successful business and I've watched them grow. Kim is an excellent business person, works very hard. It was a really great conversation. I think her podcast that I did with her has gotten the most listens, which is interesting to follow. She's done very well. She's in like the...

The rest stops up and down the Garden State Parkway. So she's really taken off. And that's Granny's Cattle Corn. Check it out. no, I didn't. I didn't realize that. That's pretty cool being on the term page. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, she's done very well. Now, in terms of you living in Ocean City and interviewing other people who live in Ocean City.

How much of your conversations on previous podcasts have gone into food and how many arguments have you had about best burger best pizza best taco that kind?

Thomas Ritter (04:12.046)
Well, you know, I did have a conversation with the owner of Rojo's about beef tongue taco.

That's a tough one for me. I think as far as tacos, Rojo's has it. You get into pizza, that gets a little tough around here. It comes down to, I think, between mancos and preps.

but then again it's who you ask. You know, I think everyone.

I don't know, it depends on who you ask. Everyone has a preference, you know? And... Are you asking me my preference? I am now. Marios. Marios. Yeah. Alright, let's let whatever's passing by pass by. Yeah, that's a... The banner plane. You know you're in Ocean City if you hear the banner plane. Rojos for tacos, Marios for pizza.

What are the other short list recommendations when you're not getting a sandwich from Blitz's that you got to have when you visit Ocean City? Old school breakfast, Reddy's. I love Reddy's. Where's that located? 8th Avenue right off of Asbury. I just love Reddy's. I think that's best old school breakfast in town. If you're going to go and sit down, I think Blitz's has great breakfast. If you're going to do it to go situation.

Thomas Ritter (05:50.286)
Hooked on breakfast is also good. That's more of a special tea omelet, pancakes, that sort of thing. Let's see. Sunrise is also a really good breakfast place. You're not going to go wrong there. But old school breakfast and Scrap Bull, bacon, you know, two eggs, bacon, toast, old school style, Reddy's 100%. That's my go -to.

Surprised Uncle Bill doesn't make an appearance anywhere. No, I love Uncle Bill's and I love the staff at Uncle Bill's. No, Uncle Bill's is right up there. Uncle Bill's is right up there. I think being a local, I wouldn't even dare to go in Uncle Bill's during the season. You know, Uncle Bill's is like on the edge of the season for me. I'll go in before or I'll go in after for Pank. But yeah, you know, family comes to town. Absolutely. We're going to Uncle Bill's.

Now what are the choices for donuts? Are there more than one sort of gourmet donut shop in? That is right. Yes, there's Naughty Donuts. There used to be Ward's Bakery, which closed down, but there's Naughty Donuts. There's... I believe it's Linda's Sweet Treats. And I did an interview with Sweet Treats last season. And they have donuts.

really great bakery there. And that's new. Naughty Donuts, my favorite for sure.

Dots. Dots Bakery is great. yeah. That's cool. They've been around for sure. They've been around as long as I've been around at least. But Naughty Donuts is my go -to. It's also across the street from Blitz's. Can't go wrong. Yeah and Uncle Bill's. That block gets crazy on a morning rush for breakfast between

Thomas Ritter (07:51.182)
all three of those places. It's bananas that corner. What's that 21st and Asbury? 21st and Asbury. You've got Uncle Bill's, you got Blitz's, and you got Aunt Betty's ice cream. that's right. Aunt Betty's right around the corner and Naughty Donuts. Yeah. All four of them are within like spitting distance. Mm hmm. Yeah, that's a good spot. Moving on to ice cream then, what's the short list for ice cream depending on where you are in town? I would say.

You know, I'm preferential to Aunt Betty's. I used to live in that right catechorn of the Aunt Betty's. Then you have Carousel, you have TJ's down at the north end, you have...

I forget what's down at the south end. I'm not Alamode, which I have to say I haven't had in years. Is that right before you sort of turn off the island and head south through? Yeah, and I recall that being really good. I'm an Aunt Betty's girl, though, for sure. Is there any category unto itself that you could point out? Well, I think seafood.

You know, I think there's some great seafood places in town if you're looking to pick up fresh or even cook seafood. 16th Street Seafood is always been my go -to. I think that's great. They always have great seafood there. 16th Street Seafood has excellent seafood. Spadaforas, always good.

and Captain Chucky's Key Lime Pie. They have great Key Lime Pie there. They're the ones I'm familiar with. Where's Captain Chucky's? It's, I want to say like 10th and West. It also puts you back near the water where there's all sorts of rental activities, kites, stuff like that. What's available?

Thomas Ritter (09:55.662)
in your neighborhood as far as like activity stuff or rentals in Ocean City that's gotten hot. That's you know, I know guys have been a big thing. There's probably jet skis that that sort of stuff. What else is going on in terms of like cool, neat activity stuff that you can do in Ocean City? I did write down some events that we've got coming up. I know there's coming weekend that there's a health and fitness expo with the music.

here on the 15th, featuring health food, fitness classes, speakers and vendors that's going on. And then on Wednesdays, there's a farmers market. You got to go to the farmers market in Ocean City. Every Wednesday, it's at the Tabernacle Grounds. It's from 8 to 12. They have fresh vegetable and fruits and produce. They have arts and craft vendors. It's really...

an outstanding farmers market. You got to check that out. On Friday the 21st of June, there is the Philadelphia Wind Symphony at the Music Pier from 8 to 10. That's on a Friday. That will be something you should check out. On the 22nd is a vintage car show at the Tabernacle Grounds. That's going to be from 9 to 2. Let's see, June 24th, Let's Sing Taylor. That's a...

live band experience celebrating Taylor Swift at the Music Pier from 5 to 7 30. So that's a must see if you're a Taylor Swift fan. And then getting into July, there's Killer Queen at 7 p at the Music Pier. That's a Queen tribute band playing there. July 2nd, Garfield the musical at the Ocean City Theatre Company. And that's from 10 30 to 12 30. That's a kids play.

musical actually, so that's something worth checking out. And then July 3rd is a Wednesday again, so that you got the farmers market. And so that's what we've got coming up in Ocean City for the end of June, beginning of July, the next couple of weeks. So there's constantly stuff going on in Ocean City. Farmers market is something you definitely want to check out. You can lots of restaurants and.

Thomas Ritter (12:18.955)
businesses have tents down there where you can buy like I think varsity has their tomato soup you can buy down there. Lots of vendors. It's definitely worth a walk through especially if it's not a real sunny day. You know there's a lot more to do in Ocean City than just sit on the beach, Asbury Avenue, Farmers Market, Music Pier. Every season there's car shows even on the boardwalk that's always kind of in.

Yeah, I'm not sure when that is. I know that there'll be like 300 vintage cars at the Tabernacle for that vintage car show June 22nd. So for anybody who hasn't ordered from Beach Pocket, hasn't come to Ocean City and you know, maybe they haven't even seen you deliver on the beach. If they're coming down to Ocean City this year and they want to order Beach Pocket, you know, what should they save on their phone? Should they jump on your website? Should they follow you on Facebook? Like what's the best way to sort of engage with Beach Pocket?

Definitely follow us, like and follow us on Facebook and then once you come down go to our website BeachBucketLunch .com and look at our menu, decide what you want to order, give us a call at 609 -369 -5345 and go ahead and put an order in. If it's a busy day you might want to consider pre -ordering. Our hours are 10 .30 to 4 and

Once you put your order in, we'll go ahead and deliver to the beach. Once we get to the beach, we'll give you a call and let you know we're there and we'll start walking down with your buckets. And that's how you'll know who we are. You flag us down and we'll bring them right over to you. And like I said, every bucket comes with a sandwich or a salad, bag of chips, a tasty cake and a drink. We have lots of kids meals and great adult food. Do you do any lunch delivery for businesses or any like?

not on the beach? Absolutely. I'd say 95 % of our delivery goes to the beach, but we've delivered to the bay, we've delivered to businesses, we've delivered to boats, we've delivered to houses. Yeah, you know, there's no place in Ocean City that we're not going to deliver to.