Best of the Shore
Margate
Nestled between Longport and Ventnor, Margate is a residential town with a pulse. Once known as “South Atlantic City,” the community has struck a balance between maintaining residents’ sanity and giving visitors something to do. While Lucy the Elephant, the town’s giant pachyderm mascot, was once the main lure, upscale restaurants have stolen the spotlight and help Margate draw year-round crowds.
Best of Margate
Drink: A martini at Steve and Cookie’s. The cocktail is dry, and the scene is classy, with 11-foot windows overlooking the water, and local jazz musicians playing nightly in the Piano Room (9700 Amherst Avenue; 609-823-1163).
Cheese experts: Casel’s Supermarket. Yes, it’s a 12,000-square-foot supermarket, but Casel’s also carries a full line of fresh mozzarella, feta and brie. Planning a big pasta dinner? Casel’s grates its own parmesan and locatelli romano on-site (8008 Ventnor Avenue; 609-823-2741).
Gift shop: Paper Chase. Second-homeowners come here to liven up their digs with everything from handcrafted photo albums to paintings by local artists (8000 Ventnor Avenue; 609-822-4583).
Sandwich: Cheesesteaks at Ventura’s Greenhouse (106 South Benson Avenue; 609-822-0140).
Sunset drink: Luciano Lamberti’s. Arrive early to nab a spot at the 150-foot-long granite ledge overlooking the bay (9707 Amherst Avenue; 609-487-6001).
Personal Best: “My favorite meal is the cowboy steak at Steve and Cookie’s.” —Pennsylvania State Senator Vince Fumo
Bed & Beach
Average 2004 home price: $344,357
AVERAGE 1999 HOME PRICE: $186,898
Recent listing: A three-bedroom, two-bath condo near the beach, $390,000.
Cost to rent a three-bedroom beach-front house: $50,000 and up per season.
Where to stay: No hotels or motels.
On the beach: For music, boating and dining, the bay is the place to go. The beach has few public restrooms, but the one-and-a-half-square-mile strip of sand is very popular for sunning. Margate does require beach tags ($10 a season); they’re also good in Ventnor.
