Black Cactus - Review - Avalon - Jersey Shore - The Infatuation

"The preppy enclave of Avalon is home to a pancake house and more than one solid Italian restaurant, but until recently, there wasn’t a place to sit outside on a sprawling patio under an umbrella and sip salt-rimmed margaritas. Black Cactus opened in the summer of 2024, run in part by the same team behind Messina and Tulip Pasta and Wine Bar in Philadelphia. The modern Mexican spot serves tacos on house-made tortillas, but also more creative dishes like an elote caesar salad with a sweet corn dressing, and a crab tamale, deconstructed with a heap of meat covering a crisp brick of masa. The bar menu has a long list of agave spirits, and any cocktail can be made spicy for an extra two bucks. Go with a group of friends and find a table around the firepit under the twinkle lights, surrounded by the embroidered-belt and popped-collar crowd. photo credit: Neal Santos photo credit: Neal Santos photo credit: Neal Santos photo credit: Neal Santos photo credit: Neal Santos Pause Unmute" - Regan Stephens