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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Comfort can take many forms. It can come in the form of an inn, where a fireplace roars. It can be a bar, where your favorite beers are paired with hearty appetizers.
It can also be a coffee shop, where a giant mug of your favorite hot beverage can be enjoyed on a cozy couch. As South Jersey residents deal with snow and a long stretch of temperatures in the 30s and below, they look for any way to warm the heart. Sometimes, the best way to a person's heart is through their stomach.
"When I grew up, it was always burgers and lasagna. We were definitely a comfort food kinda family," said Mike Fitzgerald, owner of the Anchorage Tavern in Somers Point. "We weren't thinking low-calorie, high-protein.
" Comfort foods — those hearty, rich, stick-to-your-ribs dishes — are a staple during the winter, not just at home but on restaurant menus in South Jersey. Atlantic City sets new gambling revenue record (with a big asterisk) Jersey Mike's Mays Landing location announces opening date Former Absegami wrestling coach Gene Barber dies Eustace Mita balances Ocean City Boardwalk plans with global mission Meet the man who wants to redevelop Gillian's Wonderland in Ocean City Middle Township Elementary School teacher accused of sexually assaulting student Gov. Phil Murphy declares state of emergency for snowstorm IRS is sending out automatic stimulus payments Toms River woman dies in Atlantic City Expressway hit-and-run VOTE: Are you in favor of Gov.
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One of the Anchorage's menu items that is special during the winter are fajitas, which are available now until the beginning of May. Year-round staples include Edward's Stacked Loaf, a meat loaf with smashed potatoes, a three-cheese mix and topped with a mushroom-onion gravy; the plate-filling buffalo chicken sandwich; baked lobster macaroni and cheese; and beer-battered mozzarella sticks. "The buffalo chicken sandwich is going to be the eye-popper," Fitzgerald said.
"It's going to come out, it's going to be really large, it's going to be the size of the plate. Coming in for lunch, you're working outside, it's freezing out or the weather's not nice and you just wanna eat, pack in some calories. It's a monster.
Very rarely people get through it. They're always taking it home." Local business is the lifeblood for these cozy haunts, and Fitzgerald estimates 90% of his business during these months is repeat customers.
They come for the atmosphere, the food and that feeling of being at home. Leila Karlsen, whose Barista's Coffee House in Linwood offers a much different experience than any of the area's inns and taverns, said these past few weeks have been some of the best business she's seen. And it's all because her customers are seeking warmth through food.
"The vibe of the atmosphere, we try to create a cozy space, the couch with a blanket," said Karlsen, 43, of Egg Harbor Township, who took over Barista's in December 2021. "The feel of that, where people just enjoy just being here and connecting and spending a few hours, especially on days where it's rainy or snowy out, those are our busiest days. And I feel people enjoy that cozy vibe when it's not so cozy outside.
" Barista's, located in Central Square on New Road, is open six days a week (closed Tuesday) for breakfast and lunch. But this isn't a typical coffee shop that serves a few "heat-and-eat" menu items, Karlsen said. With a pretty extensive menu of freshly prepared food to go with their variety of coffee drinks, it's a popular lunch spot.
"Comfort food is anything that makes you feel cozy and warm inside, and that could be a pot pie or a meat loaf," Karlsen said. "What we see are a lot of those business lunches where someone's gone about 45 minutes or an hour and they want something that feels good, feels cozy, warms you up but not gonna weigh you down, especially when you have to go back to work for the rest of the afternoon." One of Barista's best sellers is its elevated grilled cheese sandwiches.
The eight or so different grilled cheeses on the menu range from the savory and sweet, like an apple, ham and white cheddar sandwich, to a smoky barbecue brisket grilled cheese. This month is Dry January, and bartenders around the country have seen an uptick in people ordering mocktails, wines and beer off their extensive non-alcoholic menus. Customers love to pair them with a rotating list of soups of the day.
On Thursday, it was tomato basil, a classic friend of the grilled cheese. "So these sandwiches do well because people love our soups, and then paired with an elevated grilled cheese is great," she said. "It's not your standard.
It's got a little fun in it. That's how we do comfort food here." Presentation is just as important as the food, Fitzgerald and Karlsen agreed.
Where Anchorage is presenting these larger-than-life dishes in a tavern, Karlsen is going for the simpler approach in a cozy coffee shop. Both ideas work, and it's what draws people to their worlds on a cold day in January. Contact John Russo: 609-272-7184 jrusso@pressofac.
com Twitter: @ACPress_Russo The Anchorage Tavern (Somers Point) Lobster mac & cheese — gorgonzola, white cheddar and American cheese with orecchiette pasta and lobster knuckle Barista's Coffee House (Linwood) Tuscan chicken panini — grilled chicken, pesto, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and balsamic drizzle on grilled ciabatta Freddie J's Bar & Kitchen (Mays Landing) Mom-Mom's Smoked Meat Loaf — smoked ground beef, sausage, peppers, onions with mashed potatoes, baked beans and a bourbon barbecue sauce Joe Italiano's Maplewood (Mays Landing, Hammonton) Triple meat bolognese — veal, pork and beef in a well-seasoned red sauce and your choice of pasta Josie Kelly's Public House (Somers Point) Shepherd's pie — ground lamb in gravy, peas and carrots, topped with mashed potatoes with a choice of fries or salad Outlaw's Burger Barn & Creamery (Vineland) Loaded chicken & biscuit fries — crinkle cut fries topped with biscuit-breaded chicken bites tossed in buffalo sauce, white cheddar cheese sauce, applewood smoked bacon and homemade ranch Smithville Inn (Galloway Township) Chicken pot pie — chicken, dumplings and vegetables in a Velouté sauce topped with a flaky crust Tun Tavern Restaurant & Brewery (Atlantic City) Brew House Chili — slow-cooked mild chili blended with the brewery's stout beer, braised beef, peppers, onions and beans, topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream Ugly Mug Bar & Restaurant (Cape May) Clam chowder — their over-50-year recipe is made with a creamy tomato base and loaded with little neck clams Vagabond Kitchen & Tap House (Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township) Three Way — brisket and pulled pork, homemade BBQ sauce, smoked maple-pepper bacon, topped with homemade slaw on a brioche bun Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Digital producer Author twitter Author email {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items..
