Where in Middletown are you staying? If you are staying near Red Bank, DISH is a GREAT restaurant to go to. It has amazing food and a great atmosphere. It's a BYO and the prices are reasonable compared to the rest of Red Bank. Everything is home made and they have one of everything. And don't forget to save room for their famous bread pudding for dessert!

While I have been to Nicholas Restaurant and do agree that the food there is very good, it is VERY expensive. You will get the same quality at DISH without the HUGE bill.

Hi Jim,
Trulia keeps rejecting my post as "invalid" if I include the map link, so I emailed it to you.
Deborah

Hi Jim,

ABOUT MIDDLETOWN: Middletown is the largest town in Monmouth County when measured by population, and one of the larger in terms of land mass. #52 on the map link. Note #26 area (Red Bank), as it is mentioned in more detail under the VISITING section.

Route 35 and Route 36 run through the town, dotted with many strip malls, some rather substantial in size. Within the township, are several distinct unincorporated areas including, just to name a few, Lincroft, Belford, Port Monmouth, and Leonardo. Ferry service runs out of Belford (Middletown) to NYC, and ferry service can also be found in neighboring Atlantic Highlands and Highlands.

Middletown is very convenient for day-to-day living, but is not what I would call a tourist town. Within the town you will find a few great restaurants, easy shopping and navigation. Many of the parks have small neighborhood gatherings for summer concerts, etc. The draw is primarily from the immediate neighborhood. Transportation is very convenient: The Garden State Parkway has 3 exits running North to South at 109, 114, and 117, as well as the train station, express bus, and ferry service as described above. Great parks with recreational activities for all ages are found throughout the county.

Middletown is a great place to live with homes ranging from the 200's through 7 figures.

VISITING MIDDLETOWN AND NEARBY: The area attracts many summer visitors, and our population increases in the summer since we are the northernmost county on the Jersey Shore.

GALLERIES - ANTIQUES : I don’t have a favorite gallery, but here is a list of galleries in the area: http://moe.guide.gmnews.com/news/2007/0817/galleries/ There are lots of antique dealers in Red Bank, and people do travel from afar to spend the day exploring. My company prepared a print guide for the antique shops, and we can snail mail that, or I can ask my office to send you the computer files used to create it. I can’t attach it here.

MIDDLETOWN DINING: In Middletown: Fine Dining.....As you had 2 concurrent posts and both said “Nicholas”....I guess that makes a statement about Nicholas! While Nicholas is located in Red Bank, it is not in the downtown area that will be mentioned later. It is on Route 35 and many people consider that area to be “Middletown”....but it’s Red Bank.
Sono Sushi http://www.sonosushi.com/ (BYO)
Anna’s Italian Kitchen http://www.annasitaliankitchen.com/ (BYO - Not chain Italian food!)
Both of the above are located in strip mall type locations - both have very good food.

RED BANK DINING: (#26 on the map link from above)
Red http://rednj.com/ Some might call a “chic” gathering place; good to very good food.
Buona Sera - no website - Very popular Italian w/ Bar 50 Maple Ave, Red Bank Very good food.
2Senza - http://www.2senza.com Well liked by many - across from the Two Rivers Theater
Teak - http://teakrestaurant.com/pages/TEAK_home.html Pan-Asian. Ditto on Red comments.
RED BANK THEATER - Thriving arts council in the county.
Count Basie Theater in Red Bank - Historic theater hosting local and touring events.http://www.countbasietheatre.org/
Two Rivers Theater - http://www.trtc.org/

RUMSON, NJ DINING: (#19 on the map link) Quiet residential community that doesn’t have a strip mall or grocery store, but a few restaurants worth considering:
Salt Creek Grill - Overlooking the River, gorgeous views, good wines, outdoor fire pit, and decent to good food. Actually, a small chain out of CA. I knew them from CA, and was surprised when they opened here. http://saltcreekgrille.com/
Fromagerie - Long established family owned restaurant was sold to David Burke in 2006.
http://www.fromagerierestaurant.com/

SPENDING THE DAY IN THE AREA: Red Bank is a great walking town. There are the antique shops, a few galleries, several boutiques, and a few places to grab a coffee, sit, read, relax, and watch. There are gorgeous views to be seen and varied architecture throughout our communities. Close to the shore, there are very few developments, with most homes individually built. For the real estate in you, a causal drive through some of the areas might be interesting. Some great waterviews, also. (It’s hard to beat the Coast Highway and CA for views...but there are some really great views from the Jersey shore, too!) Recreational and outdoor opportunities are plenty. Sandy Hook and Hartshorne Woods are great for easy hour long strolls or moderate hiking of few hours.

Deborah

When are you coming to Middletown? That is my backyard! I will answer you more fully online onTrulia later, but couldn't resist popping on for a moment to let you know.

Since I rarely cook, and only go out to dinner.....I am well versed in dining at all ends of the spectrum, and I am not a fan of chains.

Nicholas Restaurant is the top rated place in Zaggats in the state. Most people refer to it being located in Middletown...it is right near the edge of Middletown/Red Bank. Yes, it is expensive, but worth it :-)
http://www.restaurantnicholas.com/

There are numerous options that are casual, fun and spirited with much lower price tags, too.

I will come back later with more detail and suggestions. Gotta run now....

Deborah

Jim,
There are lots of choices with restaurants. I'd recommend Nicholas which is in Middletown on the Red Bank border. Recently rated one of the top 10 restaurants in the nation, rated #1 in NJ in Zagat. Located on Rt 35 South. Pricey, but wonderful, great wine selection. Red Bank has a number of galleries, I don't have a particular favorite.

If you like, give me a call and I can provide additional ideas... it's a great place to visit.

Tom McCormack
Resources Real Estate
732-241-5695