Star Diner Café
325 W. Spruce Avenue
North Wildwood
609-729-4900, stardinercafe.com
Hours: In summer, 7 am to 10 pm. Offseason, Mon–Fri, 8 am to 9 pm; Sat and Sun, 7 am to 9 pm.
Price: $/$$
Style: A retro-because-it-is-authentic diner where platters rule, with an emphasis on American and Greek cuisines.
Don’t Miss: The sandwiches, which are oversized and filling. The BLT platter ($9.75) is packed with so much B,L, and T that it’s tough to take one bite to encompass the sandwich. The open-faced Reuben ($7.10) stacks up to what you’d get at the best New York City deli. The Star Diner Café has a knockout bakery counter for takeout, too, but don’t pass up the apple pie ($2.75)—à la mode, of course ($1 extra)—while eating in.
Heads Up: This diner has a prime location—not on the water, but along Spruce Avenue, which is the main route in and out of North Wildwood, whether you’re driving in from Cape May or the Garden State Parkway. Expect lines in season on weekends. The breakfast hours are popular, as is dinner on the way out of the Shore on Sunday night.
The Scoop: The Star Diner Café has been feeding locals and shoobies alike for more than 40 years. The chrome accents and neon might signal retro, but it’s just true to its original era. It’s also BYOB.
What are Quick Bites? Short takes on casual, affordable dining.