Summer Salt

One of the best dinners we had in Stone Harbor/Avalon! We came for our anniversary and we couldn’t have been happier with the experience. The service was absolutely amazing, everybody was so welcoming and friendly. The food was excellent and every dish was better than the next. We sat in the outdoor terrace and the atmosphere was so beautiful. We love Summer Salt and hope to return. 😊

We loved this! Came for our wedding anniversary and they made personalized menus for us. Our server was fabulous. The food was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. I would definitely recommend.

UPDATE:: The owner sent a very genuine response that drastically improved our impression of this restaurant. I am thoroughly impressed with her customer service and open mindedness to value each customers opinion. Despite our original experience, I would open to trying this restaurant again in the future to see if improvements have been made. ORIGINAL REVIEW: We wanted to love this restaurant, but it left us with such a sour taste in our mouth. We were not treated with the hospitality that I expected from a place with this price points. It made me think as if there were implicit bias. Service: Despite having a reservation, we waited 30 minutes past our reservation time to be seated. It was demoralizing seeing parties of 2 who came after us get seated before us for whatever reason. Though our reservation was indoors, we were given the opportunity to be seated in the "highly coveted" outside and were told if it rained we could sit inside right away. After the drizzling,we opted to sit indoors. There were a few notes throughout dinner that made the service unprofessional and inadequate. -Upon going to our new seat, we were not given menus, water or a plate until we had to ask for it - The majority of the tables were offered an ice bucket for the BYOB wine and we were not offered once. -For a farm to table restaurant, there was no knowledge or explanation on any of the ingredients. It would've been nice to know. -The service was confusing and lacked consistency with a different server for every course despite our "waitress" telling us she was staying with us. -We were handed the bill right when we started dessert. Inevitably, I will feel rushed and unwanted when the restaurant wasn't even empty The Food: -The food was bland and the ingredients were repetitive. Every sauce lacked flavor. -The high prices did not match the value of each ingredient. -Food never came out hot -Idk if it was pepper or dirt on my lettuce but I'm not sure why I even have to question that. -Dessert was excellent Overall: There was so much potential for this place. I don't know, nor do I want to know why my boyfriend and I were served with the inconsistent service compared to other parties. With this price point, I do wish we took our business somewhere else. I do not recommend.

Summer Salt is our favorite spot to eat down the shore. There is nothing better than sitting on the dunes and eating amazing dishes. The staff is incredible and flexible with any food allergies in the group. We love that the menu changes with the season of locally-sourced foods. Whether it’s been for a date night or night out with friends, we love any chance we get to dine at Summer Salt.

Summer Salt is the BEST dining experience, we love coming back each year. The service is incredible, the food is WONDERFUL and the view of the beach is the best in Avalon! Highly recommend the outdoor terrace to enjoy the sunsets and beautiful views. Heather is the kindest owner and truly cares about all the customers and our experience.

Service was fantastic and dinner was great. You get a lot of food and we barely could finish everything. Local fresh food on the menu and they had options for any allergy.

Such an amazing experience. Views, vibes, music, service & food were all wonderful. Truly farm to table & really stunning atmosphere.

Summer Salt is now our favorite restaurant in Avalon. The food was incredible and we loved that it’s a farm to table with quality ingredients. Everything was delicious and flavorful. You can tell they put in a lot of effort into every aspect of the restaurant. Every worker was so kind, the view on the outside patio was great and the music was really good too. Only suggestion would be to put some sort of privacy screen to seperate the icecream customers from the summer salt tables. Overall I’d highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great meal and experience.

Believe the reviews !! This place is 10/10 for everything including service and food ! Make sure to make a reservation because it gets packed . I was lucky enough to snag a last minute reservation thanks to Brian the manager who assisted my group of 6 adults and a toddler & I am so happy I got in! I got to try their June Prix fixe menu and it did not disappoint. There are 4 courses and the 2 starters are served family style. The portions are small but mighty. This is a BYOB place so make sure to bring your wine or drink of choice, they put out a nice ice bucket to hold your drink for you next to your table. From the moment you walk in , the staff is so welcoming. I asked to sit somewhere with a view and whether you do the covered porch or the extended outside porch , you will love it. Views on views on views . We had a mix of fresh local market veggies to start and for entrees I did their scallops (amazing ), for dessert I had their chocolate cake and asked for vanilla ice cream on the side (incredible). The manager did tell me their homemade ice cream would be some of the best I've had and he was not wrong. If only I could take this place back with me to NYC. Thank you Brian and team for a wonderful dinner , we will be back!

This is one of those restaurants that checks all the boxes. From their alleged farm-to-table ethos to their choice of dishes, it all sounds like a high end dining experience. I wasn't terribly impressed. The service was decent but not great. Felt a little first week of work. The menu is prix fixe and we were a party of six, so we pretty much shared everything. I wouldn't go so far as to say that anything we tried was bad, it just wasn't that good. The first dish I tried, was nothing more than potato wedges drowned in seasoned mayonnaise. They called it "roasted new potatoes with spring onion aioli," and the flavors were good, but it was still roasted potatoes covered in mayo. In our house we call that potato salad and we use a lot less mayo. The dishes felt ambitious and heartfelt but missed the mark for me. Instead of being inventive they struck me as more confused than anything. It's another restaurant where you can't define a single dish, let alone the menu. Some people like that, I guess, because it feels high concept. I find it a little tedious. This is their first year. Maybe things will improve. They apparently change their menu monthly so maybe I'd like a different option. For $85/person and BYOB, I hope for more.

This was one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time! The food was incredible and the service was even better! I feel fortunate to have enjoyed a night at Summer Salt and am excited to come again soon!

Found this gem in Yelp farm to table restaurant.. started off with the fresh veggies and beef meatball ,, extremely light and flavorful pretty busy and the 2 nd course never made it out to our table but Heather the owner was quick to make it right .. . Had the scallops and they were cooked to perfection!!!! Seared perfectly and paired with the carrot purée , and drank with a cabernet !!! Amazing ,,, dessert was even better .. choc lava was Devine !!I will definitely be back in August when I come down again ...

We had a wonderful night at Summer Salt celebrating my parents 65th wedding anniversary. The food was all so creative and delicious, atmosphere and service always amazing. Heather and Conor are the best hosts and made our night so memorable

My daughter loved everything! She's my picky eater, won't eat vegetables, etc. But the chef made everything delicious!! awesome!

The very best gourmet organic farm to table service at the shore, or anywhere! Veggie forward, Four course prix fixe BYO with imaginative Vegetarian menu. Yay! Location on the dunes is pure magic

Run - don't walk - to Summer Salt. We were in town for a weekend visit when I stumbled across Summer Salt (advertised as a pop up), and it was truly one of the best dinners we have ever had. From the friendly service to the ambiance of the outdoor patio to the amazing food, there's not a single improvement I could have imagined. Everything was incredible, and I wish I lived in town so I could return. Also loved that it was BYOB!

Food: 10/10 simple yet sophisticated. Fresh ingredients reminiscent of our home in the Hudson Valley, NY Service: very friendly, especially accommodating to our 3 little kids. Every staff member was personable and helpful. Ambience: absolutely loved the decor, simple and tasteful without being stuffy. Very enjoyable music and custom playlist. Will be listening on repeat on my Spotify! Overall: being big time foodies from the NYC area, we're always on the prowl for new inventive flavors. Unfortunately will have to wait until next year as this seasonal restaurant closes next. week.

Fantastic food BUT do not sit on the covered patio in July! If you are spending $85 per person, the atmosphere should be comfortable for guests. That said, we'd definitely go back but sit outside or inside. BYOB so bring wine or other beverages

11/10 dining experience at this small family owned upscale oceanside spot!! The menu is seasonally changing and highlights produce that is currently at its peak depending on time of year. The first two courses are tapas style which maximizes the experience by getting a taste of all they have to offer!! Pan seared scallops with a beurre blanc, and clams and tagliatelle tossed in lemon juice and Parmesan -- the definition of melt in your mouth. The covered patio made for a beautiful and romantic ambiance for a date night, string lights and a fresh sea breeze

Don't miss this restaurant if you visit Avalon. We go every summer and have never been disappointed. Beautiful sea views using fresh local produce served in a cheerful relaxed atmosphere. Don't be put off by the "prix fixe." It is great value with tremendous variety and beautifully presented. My favorites have been the scallops, pork chops and the starter nibbles which we get even before the appetizer !

Dinner was, as always, amazing! Given that it's the second week of the season, not every dish wowed. That said, three out of four courses were fabulous and the other course was definitely good. There was also a minor glitch with one entree that the owner personally resolved. All in all, Summer Salt remains a 10 out of 10. We!re definitely looking forward to the July menu!

Always 100/10 for food, service and ambiance. Heather and Connor are the best and this farm to table restaurant is the top of my list at the Jersey shore. The view during sunset is unmatched so make sure to take that into consideration when booking your reservation! Menu changes about every month or so based on the fresh ingredients and what's in season with local farmers. I take so many people here and it remains excellent every time. Can't wait to go back every time.

Food was enjoyable and locally sourced which does limit the choices you have but it still made for an interesting four course meal! Service was great and very attentive. The lemon olive oil cake with a dollop of cream was amazing! We chose the terrace to dine and I was glad. It was a warm night and clear with a beautiful breeze.

Summer Salt is amazing and right now you should be booking a reservation. The food, the people and the owners make it a wonderful experience.

I almost don't know where to start. The restaurant itself is located next to arcade , unassuming and understated. When you walk in take note of the cheesy decor. Dried flowers and dune grass along the wall with brown ripped paper on the ceiling. Was interesting to say the least. Definitely not the caliper of the clientele or the price point. The menu was dropped when we We're seated without direction. Do you order each course is it automatic . We had to ask everything about the menu. The server was awkward and aloof. He explained nothing. He didn't know much about the menu offerings except to say the crab pasta was the "best". The menu is price fix and starts with a garden board of different items. For starters it is a complete mess. The vegetable offerings were radish , cucumber , fennel, and turnip and three pickled green beans. Each item was cut in to 1/16 inch pieces . There were two sauces that were red pepper vinegar which tasted similar to buffalo sauce and the buttermilk dressing was loose and Watery. There were candied walnuts and deep fried garbanzo beans that were almost inedible. As soon as you tasted them they turned in to a powder. The appetizer course was the best executed . The tomato salad was probably the best thing only because the tomatoes were meaty and the crispy prosciutto gave it salt. The clams were thyme heavy but good, the corn burrata salad lacked any salt and was tasteless. The toast with tahini and cucumber and mint was just ok very fresh but underwhelming. The main course you choose from three offerings. The three offerings were scallops and rice, pork chop with potatoes and green beans, and cacio de Pepe crab pasta. We opted for the pork chop but in protest since there weren't any other non seafood option. I would never expect pork to be on a menu of an elevated restaurant especially prepared the way my grandma cooked it , without flavor. The pork came with a romesco sauce that didn't feel like it belonged but tasted ok. At this point we just wanted dinner to be done. The dessert portion of dinner was corn ice cream , caramel sauce , chocolate sauce , zeppoli, and blueberries "two ways" one was raw and the other tasted like a pie filling. It couldn't get any more non-creative than that. Avalon does not have a lot of great restaurants to choose from but this one definitely misses the mark . I read these reviews and cannot help but wonder was I at that same restaurant ? Some items of note... have the server change the plate and serving ware between courses. We were asked to take our forks back "you will need them For your entree". Explaining the food would also be helpful. The best part about the meal was the free Parking and BYOB. All in a disappointing 85.00 pp prix fix plus gratuity. 216.00 total with gratuity.

Great ambiance (we sat in the covered porch), great service, solid food. Definitely a great place to go for a nicer meal in the area. They were so nice about our child being there - giving him a dessert and making us feel welcome. Food was solid- tomato salad was my favorite.

All the stars were in alignment for our evening at Summer Salt. We had a perfect experience at 8PM under the lights, where we could practically touch the dune grasses. The ocean roared in the near distance. If the temperatures are hot, be sure to eat late! Cancel if it rains. Avoid the noisy, crowded indoors. Avoid the covered-porch area, which was steamy hot! I loved the food, but 2 of the 3 entrees were seafood options. I'm allergic to all shellfish. The restaurant has a 2nd menu for people with food challenges, but I found those special entrees uninspiring. BUT overall, the food was delicious, the owner and wait staff very friendly, and the venue nestled into the dune grasses just can't be replicated. Yes, it's spendy. $85 fixed price, 4 courses. First 2 courses are shared with the table.

Delicious food (prix fixe menu), all made with local ingredients. Wonderful service and beautiful view of the ocean over the dunes (from porch seating). Plus, Harney tea! Fantastic.

I don't write reviews often but tonight I must! From the hostess who greeted us to Colby who said goodbye at the end of the night the service and attitude was impeccable!! Then there was the food! Everything was so unique and delicious!!!! I recommend Summer Salt to all!!!

Summer Salt is a perfect place for a nice dinner after a long day at the beach. It may be hard to get a reservation, but that's just because they want you to be comfortable and feel special in their modern environment, even though they are very popular and have very delicious food for anyone to savor. My personal favorite from the seasonal menu, which includes fresh farm to table delights for each course, was the corn fritter and the peach and burrata. I chose the scallops which were amazing, for my entree. Dessert was great too! My family and I really had an amazing experience in this friendly environment. The whole dinner reached beyond my high expectations. Not to mention the nice staff and kind owner who is always working hard! Thank you Summer Salt for making one of the last dinners of summer 2023 special.

Never disappoints! From the creative cuisine to the attentive service, Summer Salt has become our "can't miss" experience at the shore. Plus, dietary restrictions are seamlessly accommodated. Looking forward to our next visit!

True farm to table experience in a beautiful location! We sat on the patio over looking the dunes/beach. Service was excellent and Every course was absolutely delicious!

We stopped by this past Wednesday and we were treated to their new menu. It's on the boardwalk in Avalon but really it's on the Dunes. The restaurant was awesome, the views were awesome and the staff was awesome. Now onto the food. Based on friends that have eaten there recently I expected to not have a filling meal but their new menu while filled with smaller portions actually does a great job of providing you with not just tasty food but filling food. Sure the tapas style's first two courses are filled with smaller tasting portions but you get so many you'll be hard pressed to leave the restaurant hungry. Part one was sort of the snack course. We received a delicious bread course, chicken croquettes and a locally grown heirloom veggie board. Everything was tasty. Next was an appetizer course with raw tuna over watermelon, two salads and calamari. Everything was super flavorful and delicious. For our main course, we each had the pork chop which was served with smashed potatoes and green beans. The pork was cooked medium and was a nice portion. Totally filling and delicious. Finally we had the dessert which included an olive oil cake. Everything was exquisite. Seriously if you hear you will leave hungry you wont. Just stick to their delicious dining courses and you will love it. Don't walk but run to make a reservation before the summer season is over.

This is the best meal my family and I have ever had in the area. We stay in stone harbor but we've had mixed experiences dining out there. Summer Salt is right on the boardwalk. The covered patio was lovely. Ocean breeze with a view of the dunes and the room is acoustically treated, even with a full house we could hear each other talking and speak without having to shout. The Prix fixe menu is very well curated. The starters were perfect to share, we loved all of them and having the variety was perfect for all of our dietary restrictions. There were 3 main courses, we went with the pork chops and scallops. Both were excellent, perfectly cooked and dressed with care. The server heard us talking about the 3rd option, tagliatelle with clams; he brought us a taster to share and I loved this too. The desserts don't even need to be mentioned. We had all three and they were all amazing. The owner even came out to thank us for coming after the meal. This place is amazing, I've had it on my radar for the past couple of years and I'm so glad I could get a reservation with my family. Definitely book in advance, the summer reservations start in May.

We've been coming to Avalon/Stone Harbor for two weeks a summer for 8 years now and this is honestly the first truly good dining experience we've had. The food was amazing, the service was impeccable, and the outdoor seating was gorgeous. The owners were a delight and the prix fixe menu was very fairly priced. We were able to bring our own cocktails (rather than wine) which was also nice. I cannot recommend Summer Salt highly enough!

Food was spectacular. Perfect sized portions.I can't say enough about the staff. Everyone worked together and made you feel so comfortable. Can't wait for next year to go back!

What a wonderful dinner with a beautiful view right on the dunes! If I could buy a bottle of their red pepper vinaigrette, I would!! Every single item on the menu (which changes daily) was delicious. I left very pleasantly full, impressed, and hopeful that we can make this a date night every time we go!

I was hoping for a good restaurant in Avalon, but my family and I were very disappointed the food was prepared haphazard nothing special. The pork chop was thin, unappetizing the main course of scallops before tiny scallops very disappointing, my cavatelli it was liquidy, as if all the water was not drained from the pasta. I do not recommend this restaurant we spent over $300 and it was not worth it at all save your money, and go someplace expensive

A one of a kind farm to table restaurant that is a must! It is a fixed price but the amount and quality of courses are worth it! The view of the beach is beautiful and the ambiance is enjoyable. Everything is super fresh and cooked perfectly. The employees are friendly and fast with refilling water and getting the food out! In the beginning we got a garden board with focaccia, crispy chickpeas, pecans etc. The next course we had clams, green beans in this spicy tomato sauce, cucumber on crostini. My favorite was the prosciutto with peaches and burrata, it's something sweet and savory! The main options were pasta with crab, scallops, or pork chop with grits. Dessert was hand rolled chocolate truffles which were to die for and lemon olive cake which was moist and light! I would recommend making a reservation

We had a fantastic dinner on Tuesday Aug 15 at Summer Salt when we were visiting at the shore. The food was wonderful and the service was perfect. There were 8 of us including 2 children ages 5 and 7. The staff was great was the kids (and adults). Everyone had a great meal. The scallops and clams were cooked perfectly and the first two courses were very interesting and we enjoyed them very much. The setting was beautiful. It was the best meal I've had in years. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Great atmosphere. Loved the porch seating. Food was excellent with generous serving sizes.

My husband, myself, and our two friends had a delicious dinner here last week and had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners ~ she was so kind and stopped by our table several times to check on us and chat a bit about how Summer Salt came to be. $75 for a plethora of fresh and locally sourced food ~ that's hard to beat almost anywhere for a food of this caliber. The scallops were our table favorite. Thank you for having us! We will be back.

This restaurant is absolutely criminal. Not only was the food abhorrent but to charge $75 a person for vegetables and over cooked/ over salted chicken is UNBELIEVABLE. While Summer Salt is not the first restaurant to offer a farm to table approach, the "Cape May Fishermen" they work with were only able to get scallops...? Really? No other seafood today folks! Appetizers - what a laughable presentation. Their idea of a charcuterie board included nuts and sliced peppers and one radish that they probably chopped for the entire restaurant. Portion sizes - extremely small. Not sure how a small cucumber salad was supposed to feed a party of 7 Entrees - Scallops, chicken and mushrooms. Really? That's it? The chicken was completely overcooked and super salty. Dessert - Because of the rain, we decided to take our dessert with us. As we exited the restaurant we passed a tray of carmelized cherries thinking we at least got a variety of dessert, HA. It was basically just the same bread that came as part of our "starters" with caramel sauce on it. TLDR - Horrific food, criminal prices and bizarre service.

On our recent visit, last night September 2nd, our 3rd of the season and the last 6 weeks, in a word; outstanding. Each time was better than the last. Staff, ingredients, preparation and presentation were everything you could ask for dining out. We're going to miss them over the winter and look forward to seeing them next year summer 2022.

I recently had dinner here while I was in town visiting from south Florida. Wow!!!! What an incredible experience. Fresh food, amazing views and friendly staff. They are also super accommodating with any food allergies. Cannot recommend this place enough!!

Good food and great service. Heather, one of the owners, was a delight. Well worth the price fix price.

Just prepare for an experience...trust that you will be served fresh, delicious food. Every plate is created with care. The staff and owners are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The experience and flavors are unforgettable.

Can't say enough positive things about Summer Salt. The owner did us a huge favor and got us in on our wedding anniversary despite being busy with reservations during Labor Day weekend. We were very pleasantly surprised when she took the time on a busy evening to welcome us and explain the menu. We enjoyed the dinner structure - pick two sides, one main and a sauce. That would have been more than enough food, but since we were celebrating we also got the shrimp starter which was perfectly done seafood at its finest. My husband enjoyed the steak and I enjoyed the monkfish as our main dishes. We wanted to try all the sauces so we shared the sauce flight; the green sauce had a light flavor complimentary to the seafood and the reddish sauce paired well with the steak. Our server was friendly and wore a mask the whole time. We were offered our selection of tables and were able to be on the porch away from the sidewalk. Highly recommend while they are open!

The good reviews are clearly coming from people who think they should like this place or who don't know good food. Firstly, it's a total rip off for what they give you: six tapas that vary from bad to one that was actually good, one entree (the best thing I ate there) and a joke of a desert. Secondly, you don't get coffee or included gratuity on a $150 bill for two. Finally, you are treated to the world's most uncomfortable chairs at at a table that hasn't been properly sanitized (empty wine bottles and trash from the previous diners were sitting on the floor when I sat down).

I hate Yelp because it's full of a bunch of self righteous Karens, but the quality of the meal inspired me to leave a review. The service was warm and charming. The "bites" were appropriately named and priced, small portions with big flavor. The meals were phenomenal. An entree-sized protein with choice of 2 sides was roughly $35 depending on what you order. The meal was the best I've ever had. Our group of 4 each ordered something different and everything was fantastic in it's own unique way. If you find yourself on the southern side of the Jersey Shore looking for a quality meal don't hesitate to make the drive.

I don't normally provide bad reviews but felt compelled to provide my perspective based on recent experience. These other ratings seem so skewed that they might be paid for or altered. We had dinner on Monday and the food was subpar. The main course was very mediocre and lacked tlc. I got the shrimp and pasta (the shrimp were U-100 and cut up which made no sense) and my wife got the pork chop which was not terrible. The biggest issue we had was the lack of care. It felt like a line at a buffet because 3/4 of the offerings were made in mass and due to the lack of proper service, no courses were explained. I cannot understand how anyone would give a 5 star rating?!? Our server was nice but had no idea about service or the menu. Additionally, the server had never heard of the word gluten and made us spell it out to him for our order. The views were nice, but the interior needs so.

Absolutely fantastic. Every bite from beginning to end was beyond incredible. The tasting menu was the right amount of food and done to perfection. Totally recommend!

Reservations only /from Farm to the bustling tables of Avalon. Food was fresh especially the tomatoes. Celebrated our silver anniversary with our 3 adult children who said best meal they ever had. Friendly & knowledgeable staff following all COVID precautions. Scallops was everyone's favorite!

Ok I'm going to gush a lil bit. Corn ice cream? Local scallops in creamy AF polenta? Heirloom Tomato salad to die for? Perfectly Fried oysters? Oceanfront dining? No where else comes even close to capturing this time and place, midsummer at the shore of the Garden State, so elegantly and artfully. Did I mention given the portions, number of plates served and the quality farm-to-table ingredients, it is also an amazing value too!?! Kudos Summer Salt. You are legit!!! Our new favorite on the island. Thank you for a memorable anniversary dinner!

This was the best meal we had during our week down the shore (and honestly just in general for quite some time) - truly impressive. All of the ingredients were so fresh and thoughtfully put together. I especially loved the sauce flight - it gave you the ability to try all of their sauces while still giving you the opportunity to taste your entree without any of them (and I highly recommend doing that, as it is all expertly prepared). We can't wait to visit again next time we are in Avalon and hope they come back next summer!

Every dish tasted so incredibly fresh! Farm to table makes all the difference. Will absolutely be going back!!

Incredible dining experience. We've been there twice this summer and hope to go a few more times before the season is over. If you go with an open mind then you won't be disappointed. A few items on the menu were things I wouldn't have thought about ordering but wound up being my favorite courses of the evening.

Wow! Delicious meal from start to finish. Definitely a unique restaurant experience but awesome food and friendly staff!