What separates Asbury Park from much of the Jersey shore is that it's a late night town. One of the benefits is having plenty of late night options that are delicious and varied. There are plenty of choices for vegans and those who are gluten free in Asbury Park.
Mogo Korean Fusion Tacos
Mogo’s absolutely melt in your mouth bowls are my favorite go-to late night bite. For a vegan or gluten-free foodie, the provisions at the boardwalk and Cookman Avenue locations are addicting. According to an anonymous Mogo employee, the only item actually gluten-free is the grilled cod over white rice and pickled onion slaw and mayo. Disclaimer: the marinade includes soy sauce which is not gluten-free, but to each their own on how strict you are. Mogo is open until 3AM on Friday and Saturdays, their kimchi rice bowls with meats, fish or tofu offer a much needed alternative.
Palmetto Southern Kitchen + Bar
Located on the boardwalk and Ocean Ave, this charming rose and viridescent decorated Charleston-inspired restaurant and bar is open until 2 AM for drinks on Fridays and Saturdays and 1 AM for food. Their seafood raw bar, delicious smoky rubbed wings and hot honey brussel sprouts with puffed rice will satisfy gluten free customer's appetites. The gluten-free crab cake is literally just straight crab meat. They even offer gluten-free buns.
Crust and Crumble
With family roots in the Jersey Shore food business, Crust and Crumble is my go-to for vegan and gluten free pizza with separate menus for both options. Located at the Shoppes at The Arcade on Lake Ave, this funky restaurant offers vegan options like vegan mozzarella, ricotta, beyond burgers and crispy chick’n. They also take gluten free very seriously with separate pans, cutters, and preparation areas with gluten free pasta dishes.
Cross & Orange
On the corner of Cookman Ave, Cross & Orange is open from Wednesday to Sunday and welcomes diners into an upscale exposed brick bar and restaurant that has so many healthy choices from prosciutto wrapped asparagus and vegan tenders with vegan ranch for starters and crunchy fried tofu tacos. Open until 11 PM, they also have a killer corn vegan mayo Beyond burger with a gluten free bun.
Iron Whale
Located on the boardwalk with sweeping ocean views, this rustic late date night scene is open until 11 PM. Iron Whale is a superb spot for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options like a vegan mozzarella and fresh basil gluten free pizza, a baby spinach and black bean burger, and creamy tofu street corn tacos
Pasta Volo
There are vegan and gluten free take-out and delivery options is located on Bond Street. On the weekend, open Friday and Saturday until 10 PM, Pasta Volo has plenty of vegan vodka or pesto sauces and variety of house-made gluten free pasta, including a fettuccine rice blend pasta.
Talula’s
Open until 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, Talula's on Cookman Ave pickles, preserves, bakes, and ferments everything in house. They even make their own vegan cheeses. Talula’s only uses 100% organic and stone ground flour and their pizza and bread are naturally leavened with a sourdough starter. They also have a thick gluten free sour dough square personal pizza! For appetizers, they offer a vegan caesar salad with cashew parm flakes and a unique take on the classic, a vegan crab cake made from a plant-based hearts of palm and chickpea recipe.
Porta
Delicious food is served until 10 PM Fridays and 11 PM Saturdays at Porta located in the former home of the once-famous Student Prince, where Springsteen first met Clarence Clemons. With their iconic “eat, drink, be honest” doors, everyone knows Porta for their pizza or their dance floor, but did you know they have vegan and veggie pizza options? Sadly, they don’t have gluten-free pizza, but they do have a lot of options for the vegans.
There are plenty of choices for vegans and those who are gluten free in Asbury Park.