Cold Spring Grange, Cape May, NJ: A Restaurant Review
735 Seashore Road
Cape May NJ
Cold Spring Grange: Restaurant Highlights
Fare: Traditional Early American
Price: Moderate
Food Quality: Serves a well-executed menu using local Farm-to-table products.
Service: Friendly and attentive
Ambiance/Decor: 1850's, historic, rustic atmosphere.
Overall Rating: 2 Stars
Note: Four-star Rating System from 1/2 star = poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Moderate
Recommended For: Diners who enjoy well prepared traditional American food at a reasonable price.
Not Recommended For: Diners who prefer a contemporary, chic restaurant with bar service and an eclectic menu.
Recommended dishes: When available, The CHATEAUBRIAND with braised cipollini onions, baby portobello, merlot reduction, parmesan truffle fingerling; The SEARED HALIBUT with pea puree, braised fennel, tomato & asparagus salad; and The LOBSTER ROLL with whole Maine lobster salad with cucumber dill aioli on a buttery grilled potato roll.
Liquor: BYOB.
The Cold Spring Grange Restaurant, situated adjacent to Cold Spring Brewery at Historic Cold Spring Village, operates within a historic 1912 Colonial Revival building listed on both the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places, is one of Cape May's top farm-to-table dining destinations.
Owned and operated by EJ and Amanda Ruhl, the restaurant showcases Chef EJ Ruhl's culinary expertise. Chef Ruhl, formally trained at the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia, refined his craft at esteemed establishments such as the world-renowned Berns Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida, before returning to New Jersey. Prior to founding the Cold Spring Grange Restaurant, EJ and Amanda successfully ran Shore Side Catering in Wildwood Crest.
The menu, crafted by Chef Ruhl, features expertly prepared dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, much of it from Cold Spring farms. While the lunch, brunch, and Early American menus remain consistent, the dinner menu changes nearly weekly, reflecting the availability of local ingredients and showcasing Chef EJ's talent.
Amanda Ruhl oversees the front of the house, ensuring warm and attentive service from the staff.
The restaurant's atmosphere is a blend of 1850s rustic elegance, with the building being the only structure in Historic Cold Spring Village that remains on its original site. The interior dining area boasts dark wood accents, eggshell walls adorned with period art, and natural finishes.
Guests can also enjoy seasonal dining on the wrap-around porch, which overlooks the Village and is dog-friendly.
The Cold Spring Grange Restaurant operates seasonally during the warmer months and offers convenient, free on-site parking
Updated September 2024
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