Local Eateries

Sitting on a quiet corner in a very Queens-like residential neighborhood, the White House Sub Shop has “food landmark” written all over it. Big signs, little signs, and signs explaining that it’s the one and only and not affiliated with any other White House Sub shop anywhere are the first piece of evidence. If that’s not enough, the celebrity photos on the walls should clue you in: Rocky Marciano, Joe Dimaggio, and more Miss Americas than you even knew existed. Finally, there’s that dead giveaway of landmark status: the crowds behind the counter. At 11:30 on a February Monday morning, there were at least ten guys and by 11:45, they were all busy making subs.

Traditionally, there are two conflicting points of view on places like this: One says, “This is the best, you have to come!” and the other, “Just how good could a sub shop be?”I felt a little of both as I drove down the Garden State Parkway. An old friend who was a serious Atlantic City hand came with me and spent much of the trip trying to talk me into eating at a casino “smorgasbord” instead. I told him that I wasn’t setting foot in a casino—eating was my only vice.

The menu is divided into three parts—”Our Famous Subs,” “Our Famous Steak Subs,” and “Specialty Subs”—but judging by the sandwiches being consumed by our fellow diners, I’d say that nobody made it to the “specialty” part of the menu. Almost everybody there was eating the White House Special or the Cheese Steak Submarine. In addition, there are a few add-ons like fried peppers or mushrooms, drinks like coffee, milk and sodas, and one lone dessert: Tastycake. That’s pretty much it.

 

This simple, dark, two-room establishment just steps from Tropicana is second only to White House Subs for local notoriety. One of the two rooms is a 24-hour bar, and the other is the restaurant side of the operation that creates AC’s most legendary pizza.

Take the staff with a grain of salt and don’t ask for slices when you order pizzas. Trust us on both counts.

There is also a long-standing piece of Atlantic City urban legend surrounding Tony’s: according to lore, the Atlantic City Police Department didn’t build their new building across the street from Tony’s because the land was cheap, if you get our drift.

 

 

In 1897, Harry “call me Dock” Dougherty
opened Dock’s Oyster House with 60 seats and very high standards. Harry’s vision of a fine restaurant which served the best seafood and steaks available in a warm, friendly environment has been carried on by three generations of Doughertys who share his commitment to quality and service. That commitment has sustained Dock’s through two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the decline and rebirth of Atlantic City, and has established the family owned restaurant as a local institution.

In 1997, the Dougherty family, loyal Dock’s customers and the entire community celebrated the centennial anniversary of Dock’s Oyster House. Even after several refurbishments and four generations of leadership, Dock’s still retains the charm for which it has always been known. The Dougherty family’s standards for excellent seafood and steaks and impeccable service are just as high today as they were when Harry Dougherty first opened the doors to Dock’s Oyster House in 1897.

Dock’s Oyster House is centrally located in 2405 Atlantic Avenue, within walking distance from the world-famous Boardwalk and the Atlantic City Convention Center. Free parking is available next door to the restaurant.

 

Over the past century, the Knife & Fork Inn has led a long and colorful life, making it one of the oldest and most historically charged establishments in Atlantic City. Standing where Atlantic, Pacific and Albany Avenues converge,

the Knife & Fork was originally established in 1912 by then Atlantic City Mayor William Riddle, the Commodore Louis Kuehnle, and their cronies as an exclusive men’s drinking and dining club. The second floor was graced with curtained dining alcoves and a separate “ladies lounge” where women, who were not permitted at the bar, waited to be summoned. Private rooms on the third and fourth floors were used for gambling and, perhaps, other activities.