SET IN A STORIED LOCATION WITH MORE THAN 300 YEARS OF HISTORY, THIS CHIC TAVERN CONCEPT IN LINCROFT SERVES ELEVATED FARE WITH A SIDE OF OLD FASHIONED ROMANCE

BY AMANDA McCOY PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO

A few years before the turn of the 18th century, a humble inn was erected in Leedsville (modern-day Lincroft), a vital crossroads juncture along the route from Southern Jersey to New York City. The Leedsville Hotel served as a stagecoach stop for hungry and weary travelers, and over the next three centuries, it remained a fixture of the growing township, eventually rebranded as the Lincroft Inn. The 300-year-old establishment served its final meal in 2016, but today its story lives on in Charlie’s of Lincroft, an elegant tavern-style concept that pairs modern New American fare with old-world warmth.

Charlie’s of Lincroft is the latest project from the Hesse family, the visionaries behind Charlie’s of Bay Head, a shoreside staple since its launch in 2017. When the Bay Head restaurant opened, the Hesses already held the Lincroft property and had big plans for its future. A string of pandemic-era delays pushed its launch date, but in July 2022, Charlie’s of Lincroft celebrated its grand opening.

“The plan was always to have multiple locations,” noted Mark Bernard, director of operations for both Charlie’s locales. Bernard, a 40-year restaurant industry veteran and chef by trade, has been with the Hesse family since the beginning, playing a key supporting role in assisting with the design, concept, and business strategy for both restaurants.

While the original structure of the Lincroft Inn needed to be torn down, the owners were intent on honoring the site’s 300-year history. They erected a grand, 18th century-inspired Georgian structure with a red bricked facade juxtaposed by dark wooden awnings and window casings. Natural materials like mahogany, oak, and stone dress the interiors, from the white oak floors to the hand-hewn dining tables. There are several functional fireplaces throughout, including two in the lively bar room and one in the great room.

“The atmosphere is comfortable but high-end,” noted Bernard. “The Bay Head location has a beachy theme, but for Lincroft, we wanted to maintain more of a tavern feel. Colts Neck is horse country, so we opted for a farmhouse aesthetic, keeping the history of the site.”

The multi-room tavern can accommodate approximately 280 guests across the main dining hall, the great room, and the romantic wine cellar, an exquisite private dining space fully encased by refrigerated wine cabinets and finished with a hand hewn ceiling, stone floors and arches, and a wood-burning fireplace. It can be configured with one long communal table or several smaller tables, and has been reserved for all sorts of special events, from financial meetings and business luncheons to intimate weddings and birthday parties. A dizzying collection of 300 wine labels, from rare vintage reserves to fresh, modern varietals, keeps watch as diners clink celebratory glasses and laugh over plates of calamari and crab cakes. “I would dare to say it’s the nicest private dining room in the entire state,” added Bernard.

T he menu is seasonal and changes about three times per year, led by executive chef Kris Kloepping, who began working with the Hesses three years prior at the Bay Head location. Bernard described the fare as American with global influences, spanning elevated reinterpretations of tavern classics like burgers, pizzas, steaks, and seafood. A summer squash pizza, for instance, is topped with a mélange of zucchini, yellow squash, burrata, mozzarella, pepita pesto, lemon, and chives, while the Lincroft burger features a house-recipe patty stacked with stone-ground mustard, tarragon beer cheese, frizzled onions, cornichons, tomatoes, and bacon jam on fresh brioche. For hungry appetites, Bernard recommends the 44-oz, 45-day dry-aged porterhouse.

Seafood is prominent throughout the menu, and much of the fish and shellfish was sourced from New Jersey or New York. (There are myriad other local highlights, as well. Of the 20 beers on tap, for example, about 70% are from Garden State breweries, while much of the fish and shellfish is sourced from local boats.) From-the-sea offerings include Middle Neck clams served on the half shell, grilled and chilled shrimp cocktail, spicy tuna rainbow over crispy rice, and a halibut, crab, and shrimp ceviche with avocado puree, cucumber, coconut yuzu juice, chili crisp, and lotus chips. Larger plates span sesame seared tuna, salmon topped with cilantro mint yogurt, and a fan-favorite halibut served with risotto and shaved asparagus and fennel salad.

Sweet endings are taken seriously at Charlie’s, and pastry chef Angela Goblesky has already amassed a loyal following for her house-made desserts. (“Everything is made on premise, even the ice cream,” informed Bernard.) The dessert includes a variety of teas, specialty coffees (boozy and otherwise), and plates like a warm cookie skillet with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream, doughnuts served warm with raspberry, salted caramel, and Nutella sauces, and a decadent key lime pie with mascarpone whipped ganache, passionfruit curd, coconut crumble, and fresh blackberries.

In addition to the 3,000-bottle wine cellar, Charlie’s also touts a prominent bourbon and Scotch program, and the restaurant periodically hosts special themed dinners with wine or spirit pairings. The signature cocktail offerings also switch with the seasons.

“I think what makes Charlie’s of Lincroft so special is that we are a local hub as well as a destination restaurant,” added Bernard. “We want even a regular night to feel like a special night at Charlie’s, even if you’re coming in for just a quick bite to eat.”

Charlie’s of Lincroft

700 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft

732.812.4500 / charliesoflincroft.com