By Sheila Hill
Don’t blink! If you do, you just may miss this hidden gem tucked away in an industrial park in Manasquan. Trust me—the food is not to be missed. In an area where breakfast joints are a dime a dozen, you’ve got to set your restaurant apart from the masses. The Blue Peach Café does just that.
I had my first Blue Peach dining experience about 10 years ago when I was in the throes of my first pregnancy. In between then and now, the café was closed for almost 4 years after a devastating fire. Since just about everything tastes good when you’re pregnant, I decided to return recently in a non-pregnant state, hoping that the food and atmosphere were as good as I remembered.
The dining area is spacious, bright and filled with bistro tables of varying sizes to accommodate just about any group. Once seated, we were immediately greeted by a cheerful waitress who took our drink orders. In addition to freshly squeezed orange juice, Blue Peach offers four different types of Bloody Mary cocktails ($7) and several Champagne cocktails ($8.75). We decided on the mimosas and were off to a great start to breakfast.
You won’t find an expansive “diner” menu at Blue Peach, but the select dishes they offer, they do very well. If you’re in the mood for something light, try the yogurt parfait: plain yogurt layered with fresh berries and granola, drizzled with honey. If you’re hankering for a heartier breakfast, the pancakes at Blue Peach are exceptional. The apple pancakes are light and fluffy, topped with diced Granny Smith apples and served with warm maple syrup. Blue Peach offers their original pancakes with a side of fresh fruit. The blueberry pancakes are served with a generous heaping of fresh blueberries, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a side of warm maple syrup.
If you fancy French toast, Blue Peach offers a classic and a stuffed variety. The classic French toast is just that. Unless you’re craving it, pass in favor of the stuffed French toast, a rare and luxurious treat. Two thick slices of bread are dipped in egg and fried to golden perfection then “stuffed” with decadent strawberry cream cheese. The whole thing is then topped with sliced strawberries, whipped cream, and drizzled with a sweet, delicate raspberry sauce. If that’s not enough for you, warm maple syrup is served on the side.
Of course, no breakfast is complete without eggs. Blue Peach whips up gourmet omelets as well as standard omelets and eggs, including Eggs Benedict. If you’re watching your waistline, egg white omelets are available. All eggs and omelets are served with a side of potatoes and your choice of toast.
Bringing the kids? There is no 
children’s menu, but chocolate chip pancakes as well as classic French toast and pancakes are kid-friendly options. Blue Peach also offers several types of muffins including a pineapple coconut muffin which is grilled to perfection.
Impeccable service and great food make Blue Peach a must-stop while at the Jersey Shore (whether you’re pregnant or not, as it turns out). It’s the perfect place to head with friends, for a “date” breakfast, or with the entire family.
Blue Peach Cafè
2517 Highway 35
Manasquan, NJ 08736
(732) 223-3444
Serving breakfast daily beginning at 7 am. Blue Peach also serves lunch.
Sheila Hill was born and raised outside Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her love for all things chocolate began at an early age and continues to this day. While Sheila eventually left central Pennsylvania to attend college in suburban Philadelphia, her roots to PA Dutch food and chocolate run deep. After college, Sheila traveled extensively throughout Europe and the US as a software consultant. Her many travels afforded her opportunities to indulge in local cuisines and cultures. Eventually settling in the Garden State, Sheila took one bite of a Jersey tomato, and she was hooked. Now as the mother of two, Sheila enjoys sampling all of the Garden State’s delectable delights including everything from restaurants to locally grown fruits and veggies to locally produced wines. On rare occasion (after jumping through hoops of fire and bending over backwards), Sheila and her husband hit a favorite, romantic restaurant for a quiet dinner or a local hot-spot for a much-needed night out. Follow Sheila’s adventures in motherhood at her personal blogwww.piecesofamom.com and on Twitter @PiecesofaMom.
