Barnegat Bay Restaurant Week Kicks Off Friday

BARNEGAT, NJ — Friday marks the start of a first of its kind Restaurant Week in the Barnegat Bay area.

Six restaurants will be offering menu specials that highlight their cuisine from Oct. 1 - 10.

The following restaurants have signed up to participate:

• Sweet Jenny's, 688 W. Bay Ave., Barnegat
• Captain's Inn, 304 E. Lacey Rd., Forked River
• Mario's Pizza, 422 S. Main St., Forked River
• The Waterfront, 361 E. Lacey Rd., Forked River
• Shady Rest, 796 Atlantic City Blvd., Bayville
• Stone Fire Grille, 226 Atlantic City Blvd., Beachwood

The event comes at a time when many local small businesses continue to feel the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Read more: Barnegat Bay Restaurant Week Spotlights Eateries, Spurs Economy

"It's always important to highlight our local businesses because they are what really drive our local community. If we lost local business, we'd lose a major part of our community, and it puts the whole local economy into a challenging time,” Jim Wioland, the director of Lacey Township’s recreation department, told Patch.

Although the loosening of restrictions by state health officials and Gov. Phil Murphy have helped, Wioland said some restaurants are unable to participate because they do not have the staff to handle this kind of commitment and operate at full capacity.

Depending on how the event is received by local residents, Wioland said organizers hope to make Restaurant Week an annual event for years to come.

With reporting by Jeff Arnold, Patch Staff.

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