Been to carton a few times on quick trips by myself just to grab some fills and go, but this will be the first trip to area to hang around and visit places with the family as we are gonna go check out sandy hook and stuff. And then of course hit carton too. Looking for some good food must visits or killer beer stores should also hit before leaving the area. Thanks
Our usual Carton stop for food afterwards is Chilango's. Very close to Carton and some of the best Mexican food I've ever had
new-ish place called gaslight that's basically right down the street from carton is really good. i think around ~30 taps (with 2 kane and 2 carton on every time i've been in there), and a bunch of other good beers. food is great too. only issue is they don't have a phone number or hours posted anywhere (last time i checked at least), so kind of a crapshoot there...
732-291-8333 Tue – Thu 11:30 – 10:30 Fri, Sat 11:30 – 11:30 Sun 11:30 – 9 As per beermenus: Food is very good, its a little pricey for what it is.
Depending on when you are there could also check out Belford brewing which is really close to Carton and good place with friendly people
No, extensive tequilla selection, but more of a shot glass than a snifter place. FWIW while I like Chilango's and its closer, Juanito's in Red Bank is some really excellent Mexican and its BYO.
I've lived in the area for 5 1/2 years, and these are my pics: Highlands: Chilango's - Really good Mexican food and a great tequilla selection. Cucumber margarita is awesome there. I'd warn that there may be a wait if you're there on a weekend for dinner though. Chubby Pickle - 10-15 taps. Sports bar with agood beer selection. They'll usually have something local on tap (Carton, Kane, Beford Brewing). Great bar food. They do bottle shares there every other Thursday and a good amount of people come out for that. Claddagh - 50 taps and also in Highlands. Definitely a divey place and they don't know much about what they have on tap, but the prices are pretty reasonable. There's a good chance you'll find some of the more limited Carton beers here on tap. I can't speak of how good the food is, but I'd say that this isn't really a family spot. Hartshorne Park - A good woods-park in Highlands that's also worth checking out. Great place for hiking and mountain biking. Atlantic Highlands: Kunya Siam: BYOB Thai restaurant within walking distance of Carton. Have a few pints at Carton and then walk over there with a growler or cans. GREAT Thai food. Gaslight: Place has a good tap list, but is a bit awkward and a little pricey. Food is good and the place is owned by Copper Canyon (a neighboring Mexican restaurant). Flaky Tart: If you get to Carton early enough, this bakery is worth going to. Great croissant and other baked goods. Walking distance from Carton. Fair Mountain Coffee: Grab some nitro-cold brew from here and buy some super-fresh roasted coffee to go. This is the place where Carton gets the beans for their coffee beers from. Also walking distance from Carton. Surrounding Area: Belford Brewery (Belford, NJ): Often overlooked brewery in the area. They only do growlers and have a small, but expanding tasting room. They're making some solid beers and isn't far from Carton. Tommy's Tap & Tavern (Sea Bright): New place in Sea Bright with a solid tap list and great pizza. Place is usually pretty crowded, but it has a large seating area so you won't have to wait long. Court Liquors (Long Branch): This is pretty much the only store in the area that I can think of that's worth visiting. Their beer selection grows every time I visit and the alcohol selection is also pretty amazing.
