Since 2005, we’ve been asking the same question every summer: What do you consider the best in Cape May? This year we polled in seventy-two categories that cover shopping, dining, and leisure. A lot of your favorites are back, and we are shocked that a different month has unseated the perennial runner-up for Best Month to Visit! A huge thank you to everyone who voted, and congratulations to all of the businesses mentioned below.
Here they are, your winners in this year’s Best of Cape May.
The Best in Shopping
Accessories: The Whale’s Tale
Runners up: Red Oak Trading and Making Waves
Vintage and Antiques: West End Garage
Runner up: Out of the Past Antiques
Art: Gallery D’May
Runner up: West End Garage
Bath & Personal Care: Bath Time
Runner up: Shore Soaps
Books: Cape Atlantic Books
Runner up: Whale’s Tale
Candy & Chocolate: The Original Fudge Kitchen
Runner up: Fralinger’s
Cape May Souvenirs: Sunset Beach Gift Shop
Runner up: The Whale’s Tale
Children’s Clothing: Happy Baby
Runner up: Arden’s Kids
Shoes: Casale’s
Runner up: Sea Gear
Gifts: The Whale’s Tale
Runner up: Sunset Beach Gift Shop
Gourmet / Specialty Foods: Cape May Cheese Shop
Runner up: Cape May Peanut Butter Co.
Handbags & Totes: Red Oak Trading Co.
Runner up: Seaweeds
Home Decor: Cape May Wicker
Runner up: West End Garage
Jewelry: Henry’s
Runner up: The Whale’s Tale
Liquor Store: Collier’s
Runner up: Joe Canal’s
Men’s Clothing: Galvanic
Runner up: Cotton Company
Pet Accessories: Dog Days of Cape May
Runner up: Collar & Bone
Surf & Swimwear: South End Surf Shop
Runner up: Pete Smith’s Surf Shop
Tees & Sweatshirts: It’s a Breeze
Runner up: Great White Shark
Toys: The Whale’s Tale
Runner up: Toy Shop of Cape May
Women’s Clothing: Cotton Company
Runner up: Caroline Boutique
The Best in Dining
Appetizers: Oyster Bay
Runner up: Fins
Baked Goods & Pastries: Chez Michel
Runner up: Madison’s Bakery
Breakfast Sandwich: It’s a tie between Coffee Tyme and Bagel Time
Runner up: Westside Market
Brunch: Mad Batter
Runner up: Blue Pig Tavern
Burger: The Ugly Mug
Runner up: Exit Zero Filling Station
Coffee: Coffee Tyme
Runner up: Magic Brain Cafe
Cold & Frozen Drinks: Coffee Tyme
Runner up: Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille
Crab Cakes: The Lobster House
Runner up: Mad Batter
Fish or Shrimp Tacos: Taco Caballito Tequileria
Runner up: Key West Tacos
Fries: It’s a tie between the Ugly Mug and Lucky Bones
Runner up: Fins
Hot Dogs: Hot Dog Tommy’s
Runner up: Westside Market
Ice Cream, Gustard, or Gelato: Kohr Bros.
Runner up: Fine Fellows Creamery
Italian: Sapore Italiano
Runner up: Viggiano’s on Sunset
Mexican: Taco Caballito Tequileria
Runner up: La Doña
Mussels: Lucky Bones
Runner up: The Lobster House
Oysters on the Half Shell: Oyster Bay
Runner up: The Lobster House
Pad Thai: Exit Zero Filling Station
Runner up: Murasaki, Cape May Court House
Pancakes: Uncle Bill’s Pancake House
Runner up: Mad Batter
Pizza: Mario’s
Runner up: Boiler Room
Plant based options: Bella Vida Garden Cafe
Runner up: Good Earth Organic Eatery
Salads: George’s Place
Runners up: Blue Pig Tavern and Bella Vida Garden Cafe
Sandwich, wrap, or hoagie: Westside Market
Runner up: Wawa, plus there were numerous write-ins for the Ugly Mug
Seafood: The Lobster House
Runners up: Primal and Cape May Fish Market
Steak: Primal
Runner up: Oyster Bay
Wings: C-View Tavern
Runners up: Lucky Bones and Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille
Take Out: The Lobster House
Runner up: Homestyle 2 Go
Best Options for Kids: Rusty Nail
Runners up: Dry Dock and Lucky Bones
Best Place to Eat Outside: The Lobster House
Runner up: Rusty Nail
Best View from the Table: It’s a tie between the Lobster House and McGlade’s on the Pier
Runner up: Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille
Worth the Splurge: Primal
Runner up: The Washington Inn
Best Cocktails: The Ebbitt Room
Runner up: Congress Hall
Best Outdoor Bar: Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille
Runner up: Rusty Nail
Best Place to Hear Live Music: Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille
Runner up: The Chalfonte
Best Happy Hour: Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille
Runner up: Fins
The Best in Leisure
Bike and Surrey Rentals: Cape Island Bikes
Runner up: Shield’s Bike Rentals
Boat Tour, Charter, or Cruise: Cape May Whale Watcher
Runner up: Tiny Tiki cruise
Brewery or Distillery Tour & Tasting: Cape May Brewing Co.
Runner up: Nauti Spirits Distillery
Best Food Festival: Lima Bean Festival
Runner up: Strawberry Festival
Golf Course / Par 3 Course: Cape May National
Runner up: Par 3 in Rio Grande
Holiday Event: West Cape May Christmas Parade
Runner up: Winter Wonderland at Congress Hall
Live Performing Arts: Cape May Stage
Runner up: East Lynne Theater Company
Kid-friendly Activity (besides the beach): Cape May County Park & Zoo
Runner up: The Nature Center of Cape May
Mini Golf: It’s a tie between Ocean Putt and Sunset Beach
Runner up: Stockton Golf
Museum or Historic Site: The Emlen Physick Estate
Runner up: Harriet Tubman Museum
Park, Garden, or Preserve: Cape May Point State Park
Runner up: South Cape May Meadows / Nature Conservancy
Spa or Massage: It’s a tie between Cape May Day Spa and Sea Spa at Congress Hall
Runner up: The Well Cape May
Thrill or High-Speed Activity: East Coast Watersports
Runner up: Thundercat Dolphin Watch
Walking or Guided Tour: Cape May Food Tours
Runner up: Ghost Capers
Winery Tour and Tasting: Cape May Winery
Runner up: Willow Creek Winery
Best Thing to Do Outside of Cape May: Cape May County Park and Zoo
Runner up: Wildwood Boardwalk (there were also a lot of write-ins for Duffer’s ice cream parlor and cafe in Wildwood!)
Best Month to Visit Cape May: September
Runner up: October (July is shocked, shocked! to have been outvoted after many years of being your runner up)
If your favorites weren’t on the list, be sure to vote for them in next summer’s poll! Again, thank you to everyone for sharing your opinions with us and helping other people to find new places to eat, shop, and relax during their visit to the shore.
