Avalon Coffee — Restaurant in Wildwood Crest

Saw a handful of reviews on this place (some very funny) noting how good the bagels were, so in true NJ native fashion I had to go check them out for coffee and sandwiches before the beach.

The location is a little strange, it took me a minute to find it. It’s inside the Jolly Roger but there wasn’t a super clear entrance. If you’re like me and wondering if it’s weird to walk thru the pool area to get there - it’s totally allowed. There may be a better entrance, but I entered behind the pool area and they had an “open” sign on the door.

The interior is nothing fancy, has maybe 4-5 tables and pretty minimalist.

Staff/Service:

The folks working there were great. They were patient while we stared at the menu for far too long. I mentioned some of the funny reviews and they were laughing along with us, just a good attitude overall. We ordered 5 sandwiches and 5 coffees and it took maybe 10 minutes to get our order.

Food & Coffee:

Upon entering I couldn’t help but stare at the bagels. They were HUGE. Like, roughly the size of a large grapefruit. They looked amazing.

We ordered some breakfast sandwiches, most of us aimed for pork roll on a bagel. These were a solid 9/10. (In my head almost no one gets 10’s - that’s a miracle 😂) The bagel texture is chewy on the outside, soft in the inside. It can still stand up to bulky meats and egg in a proper breakfast sando, yet easy to bite through. Bagel toppings were on point (everything spice they use is legit, not burnt, etc.). I also must point out that the pork roll cut is excellent. It’s Taylor Ham of course, and cut about 1/4 inch thick. (Nothing’s worse than skimping on the pork roll or paper sheet thin slices.)

The bagels were so good we took 4 home. We didn’t get a half dozen because of how huge they were.

Coffee was good too. I got cold brew with their dark chocolate syrup. They had some fun flavors to try, worth noting if you want something more exciting. They didn’t over-do the syrup, it was perfect.

Overall this place is great!

They could use some signage maybe, and I don’t think this is a place to hang out and work remote (hopefully if you’re at the beach you aren’t working!) Also, if you’re looking for insta-worthy trendy drinks, this isn’t exactly it. You come for solid coffee and awesome bagels & sandwiches, more in the form of a neighborhood joint.

Do yourself a favor- wake up on your next beach day, walk up to Avalon and get yourself a no-frills iced coffee & bagel sandwich that absolutely slappppp. Take it down to the beach or boardwalk and enjoy the scenery. High give the staff while...

I just really want a good gluten-free bagel, so I call both Avalon Coffees, the one in Rio Grande and Wildwood Crest, and ask them if they have any gluten-free options. The one in Wildwood Crest says no and hangs up as if they have something against me asking. I look at my wife and say, “So their coffee is not gluten-free either.” Then the snobby girl on the phone at the one in Rio Grande says, “No, we have no gluten-free options.” I ask politely if they even know what gluten-free is, like all of their coffees contain gluten. She proceeds to tell me that they are not gluten-free because they contain beans… coffee beans. And any beans in general do not contain gluten. I try to say that to her, and she hangs up on me. I did not ask to be born with celiac, nor did I ask to be treated this way when I ask about what...

When I tell you, “These are the best bagels I’ve ever had,” I mean “These are the best bagels ANYONE has ever had EVER.” They also serve CHURROS, like what?!?! Who does that?! You can tell the bagels are made gently with love and compassion, as evidenced by the demeanor of the employees. They truly CARE about bagel quality. It’s like watching Hulu’s “The Bear” starring Jeremy Allen White in real time. One of the employees gave me a wink as I left and initially I wasn’t sure what to think but I wasn’t opposed to the idea of a relationship developing there. I’ll be coming back once a week until I die. The coffee...