So I was driving through Lincroft and saw the former Stamna/Greek Taverna of Lincroft had been replaced by this restaurant. I will definitely give them a try and hope it’s good as it’s not Chinese or Italian!!! In case you can’t read it in the photo the number to order is 732-383-5822.
5 Likes
They picked a poor time to open a new restaurant. We will probably try it if it’s still there when we start going to restaurants again. (Although they make it darn difficult to find their menu.)
(One problem is no one’s rice and beans is going to taste as good as the ones my mother made. 
)
1 Like
I heard they opened in April, then lost their chef and recently got a new chef. I look forward to reading about their food.
1 Like
I found their Facebook page and i think your right about being open since then. I live in the River Plaza section of Middletown and work in Lincroft and had no idea they were there until today so I don’t think they were advertising at all.
1 Like
New restaurant with no website, limited social media presence, and zero advertising? NO WAY! 
2 Likes
Not to rain on the parade, but is there a significant Spanish population in Lincroft? This reminds me of when Inkanto, a Peruvian restaurant, tried to give it a go in Hazlet a few years ago and lasted maybe two years after serious struggles.
What I have observed in–how do I put it?-- overwhelmingly white areas in this region, is that when it comes to Spanish food, if it ain’t Mexican or over-hyped empanadas, it ain’t gonna work (this regardless of food quality).
Still, I’d be curious to see what Justin thinks of this food. When dine-in service resumes, I’ll have to check it out. Could be a good post-teaching lunch after I get out of Brookdale (when in-person classes come back).
3 Likes
Lol. I’m thinking my summer class I teach at Brookdale will be cancelled. If not, I’ll be happy to “meet” you there and eat at a table 6 ft from you two.
2 Likes
Sounds good to me.
Right now my lectures for their Lifelong Learning and Continuing Ed. program have been through Zoom. And while I miss the classroom and interaction, nothing beats being able to teach without leaving the house. And the dress shirt and gym shorts combo is not quite as atrocious as I thought it would be. 
3 Likes
we should start s thread just for this topic. It’s so sad man…It takes 0 $$ to start a barebones twitter/Ig/FB account to let people know about your spot. It just shows effort and desire…
2 Likes
I’ve been doing a lot of video meetings with multiple participants due to current conditions and with certain groups have been suggesting we stand and have a moment of silence for the folks we’ve lost to the virus. After a pause, I say just kidding, I’m wearing shorts too.
2 Likes
I’m all for more non-Italian/Mexican/generic Mediterranean spots for our fair county. I don’t think that area is a huge hotbed of Spanish/Latin activity, but perhaps serving an under represented cuisine is the hook? Only other Puerto Rican spot I know of is the food truck in Old Bridge (that is supposed to be quite good).
I’d love to try it out one day- but given the present reality they opened into and the fact that that location is the graveyard of restaurants in Monmouth County, I’m not sure it’s going to be a long haul (hoping very much I’m wrong of course).
2 Likes
I do wonder if (in this case) a language barrier is also contributing to the issue of not having any info out in the world…? Still, if you’re going to open a business, you need customers, so I’d like to think someone would be able to figure out how to set up and use a simple website and social media.
2 Likes
At the risk of being nit-picky, “Spanish” is not the same as “Mexican” or “Puerto Rican” when it comes to food. (And “Puerto Rican” is not the same as “Mexican” either.)
They may all speak Spanish, but you wouldn’t call Haitian food French or Surinamese food Dutch.
You probably mean “Hispanic”, which does include Spain, but not (e.g.) Brazil. " Latino" would include Brazil but not Spain.
–Evelyn (who is Puerto Rican and also worked on various AA/EEO committees at Bell Labs that got to navigate this minefield of labels)
2 Likes
@gcaggiano, Your contention that Spanish “ain’t gonna work” is belied by the popularity of Albariño, in Shrewsbury. We had several meals there, all of which were delicious. And , if memory serves, other HOs have also been there. According to their website, they are now offering take-out, including two paella kits (though both are currently sold out).
I’m in Perth Amboy a lot, which has the best Puerto Rican/Hispanic cuisine in the area IMO (within 20-30 minutes of Holmdel).
1 Like
Perth Amboy is also almost 25% Puerto Rican. (Before Maria, I think it had the third highest percentage on the mainland.)
I definitely agree about that plaza being a tough spot. I know Luigi’s has a following and seems to be very successful and Queso has been there for years, but nothing else seems to stick. My wife and I loved Saigon 2 when it was in that spot, but when we were there for lunch there was never more than one other table occupied. The Korean place was meh to us and we LOVE good Korean food. The first Greek spot was also meh. Stamna we thought was horrible and obviously didn’t try it when they just changed the name but were the same owners.
1 Like
So I don’t know if this would be on the restaurant or the owners of The Lincroft Grove or just not being able to get it replaced due to Covid but I was driving by again today and noticed the sign on the side of the road still says The Greek Taverna of Lincroft.
I would say with a certain degree of confidence that commercial sign replacement companies are not deemed essential and thus not currently operating.
1 Like
I’m the owner of this so called not going to make it, no web site, no Puerto Rican a in lincroft place and just so you know, all of your negative opinions on a place that you’ve never visited or eaten at totally suck, I invested in this place to bring something new to the area and yes I speak English and served as a police officer in New Jersey for over 20 years, it pisses me off that uneducated people as yourselves who speak without knowing the restaurant business have any opinion, web site? I mean really, who the hell in our neighborhood in lincroft or Middletown uses a web page to select foods they dint know about? Our customer base is mixed Culture and our reviews in other pages but yours are impecable, not often does a restaurant get constant calls about how great their food was and how they will recommend us to all their friends “ yes that’s us!” Yes we are here, and yes we are all that and then some, unless you have been there personally your opinions are worthless “now that’s our response, Puerto Rican style”
1 Like
