Pop's Corner Aims To Bring Family Together In Point Pleasant Beach

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — For years, when Brian Neiman came down to Point Pleasant Beach to spend time vacationing and relaxing, there was one thing missing.

There were no restaurants within walking distance downtown where you could grab coffee and a breakfast sandwich or take the kids for eggs and pancakes on a summer morning before heading to the beach.

"We would always have to get in the car and drive to get breakfast," Neiman said during an interview in downtown Point Pleasant Beach.

That's about to change, however, with the impending opening of Pop's Corner on the corner of Route 35 north and Arnold Avenue. Neiman and his father-in-law — who prefers to be known as Pops, Neiman said — are working to open the restaurant this summer.

The spot had been home to the Beach Diner, which closed during the coronavirus pandemic and never reopened. Neiman, chief operating officer of GAC Hospitality Group, said he and his father-in-law saw an opportunity to provide the experience they wanted and jumped at the chance.

They have been renovating the property for more than a year to turn it into a dining spot along with a gourmet market.

It's named Pops Corner for his father-in-law, who is known as "Pops" to his three grandchildren and loves to take them out for breakfast during summer vacation visits.

Neiman had been working in the banking industry and was a vice president at JP Morgan Chase until October 2021, when the opportunity to take on the Beach Diner site presented itself.

His father had been a chef in a restaurant, Neiman said, and his father-in-law had worked at restaurants and had always dreamed of owning his own restaurant.

"Everything just fell into place," he said.

The restaurant will offer breakfast, lunch and brunch in a "warm and inviting family-friendly atmosphere," Neiman said. It will serve new American cuisine, featuring classic menu items "and classics with a twist."

That includes omelettes, eggs Benedict, pancakes and, of course, pork roll, egg and cheese sandwiches. There will also be upscale items such Fried Chicken Benedict, crispy southern fried chicken on biscuit with poached eggs and sausage gravy, and Crab Cake Benny, jumbo lump crab cake topped with poached eggs and Old Bay Hollandaise sauce on an English muffin, and stuffed French toast.

In addition, there will be a gourmet market on the premises with grab-and-go pastries, sandwiches and more. The restaurant will operate 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, while the market will be open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., he said. It will be open year-round.

"Now we won't have to get in the car to get breakfast," Neiman said.

The restaurant has a website and pages on Facebook and Instagram, where people who are interested can follow along for updates.