Aviation memorabilia adorns the tables of the Sky Cafe at Sky Manor Airport. Spend enough time at New Jersey's local airports and you'll begin to notice the nearby birds. Hawks and vultures seem attuned to their mechanical counterparts: Cessnas and Pipers, gliders and biplanes. They swoop and dive along the airport perimeters, displaying their natural grace.
However, there is another charming aspect to these general aviation facilities dotted across the the state: runway restaurants.
Attracting pilots, locals and the aviation-obsessed, they're a place to get away -- if only in spirit. Many are steeped in World War II and flight lore. Each serves classic comforts, often at vintage prices. Best of all, they offer a peek at aviation life over a tasty meal.
Have a pilot friend? Hitch a ride and join the "$100 hamburger fliers," slang for the fuel cost added to an otherwise inexpensive meal. Or follow the lead of plane spotters. (They're the ones furiously tapping numbers and letters into phones.) With just the ID on a plane's side, its make, model and journey can be revealed.
Following is a flyby look at runway restaurants across the state and what other activities are in the area, should you choose to visit.
SOUTH JERSEY AIRPORTS
FLIGHT DECK DINER
Cape May Airport
Snag a seat at this lively spot and then listen in. One of the regulars goes by Pop Pop. The waitress is his granddaughter. It's that kind of place.
Sean and Christine McMullan took over in 2010, keeping the original team intact. As they chat up customers, model airplanes hang overhead and huge portions are served. A Jersey Fresh menu features options such as the "H-Bomb Panini," roasted beef with sauteed onions, provolone and horseradish mayonnaise. Drinks come from the "refueling station."
Sean McMullan worked as a barkeep, waiter and cook in Northern Ireland before moving to the United States. "One does that there," he says. "You wear many hats." True to form, McMullan is also GM of the historic Anglesea Pub. Here, you'll find banter, descending Lear jets and murals evoking the building's former life as the airport terminal. Police, military and aviation patches fill the walls, a point of pride.
Flight Deck Diner | 505 Terminal Drive, Rio Grande | (609) 886-1105 | flightdeckdiner.com
OTHER STOPS
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, a rare, wood hangar that was a naval torpedo and dive-bomber training station | 500 Forrestal Road, Rio Grande | (609) 886-8787 | usnasw.org
Cape May Brewing Company, a local microbrewery | 1288 Hornet Road, Rio Grande | (609) 849-9933 | capemaybrewery.com
Historic Cold Spring Village, a 19th-century living history village | 720 Route 9, Cape May | (609) 898-2300 | hcsv.org
WHERE TO LAYOVER
Beachcomber Camping Resort | 462 Seashore Road, Cape May | (609) 886-6035 | beachcombercamp.com
Congress Hall | 200 Congress Place, Cape May | (888) 944-1816 | caperesorts.com/hotels/capemay/congresshall
Albert Stevens Inn | 127 Myrtle Ave., Cape May | (609) 884-4717 | albertstevensinn.com
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OC AIRPORT DINER
Ocean City
Municipal Airport
Husband-and-wife team Bill and Donna Juhas, former oncology nurses, are third in a line that has owned the diner for 20-odd years. Now, they're just caring for people in a different way. In the 1950s, this was a pilot's lounge, with showers in the back to prove it. Locals, golfers and pilots glide in to feast on chipped beef and chili (hold the Wiz). Claim a mustard-yellow booth on the far side for runway sightlines.
OC Airport Diner | 2602 Bay Ave., Ocean City | (609) 399-3663 | airportdinerocnj.com
OTHER STOPS
Ocean City Municipal Golf Course, tee off right at the airport | 2600 Bay Ave. | (609) 399-1315 | ocnj.us
Stainton Wildlife Refuge, a suburban freshwater marsh | Bay Avenue, between 23rd and 30th streets, Ocean City | (609) 399-6111 | ocnj.us
Ocean City Boardwalk | oceanfront, between 5th and 23rd streets | (800) 232-2465 | oceancityvacation.com
Pirate Voyages, gather your mates and set sail | 232 Bay Ave., Ocean City | (609) 398-7555 | piratevoyages.com
WHERE TO LAYOVER
The Flanders Hotel | 719 E. 11th St., Ocean City | (609) 399-1000 | theflandershotel.com
The Bayberry Inn | 811 Wesley Ave., Ocean City | (609) 391-1183 | bayberryinnoc.com
VERNA'S FLIGHT LINE
Millville
Municipal Airport
Situated in a WWII guardhouse, Verna's is packed with aviation memorabilia, much of it donated by customers. Generations come to pay homage, filling the space with chatter. The museum quality is fitting. Millville was "America's First Defense Airport" in '41, and more than 1,500 P-40 Warhawk and P-47 Thunderbolt pilots trained here.
When Verna Herman took over the restaurant, after working 10 years for the prior owner, she left much of that history intact. With close to 28 years under her belt, she greets most customers by name. "Some have been here since my first day," she says. "Hon" is another common refrain.
Need a pancake the size of your plate? (The answer, clearly, is yes.) Specials such as sausage gravy also draw raves, but really, it's about Herman's warm welcome. She even donates a canteen lunch for hundreds of veterans during the annual Appreciation Day at the museum next door. "I've never done an event for any group so appreciative," she says. "They make you smile the whole time." Ditto a visit to her sweet restaurant.
Verna's Flight Line | 302 Beacon St., Millville | (856) 825-3200 | facebook.com/vernasflightlinerestaurant
OTHER STOPS
Millville Army Air Field Museum, where military history comes to life |
1 Leddon St., Millville | (856) 327-2347 | p47millville.org
Glasstown Brewing Company | 10 Peterson St., Millville | (856) 327-7770 | glasstownbrewingcompany.com
East Coast Distilling | 20 Peterson St., Millville | (856) 300-5633 | drinkjerseyshine.com
New Jersey Motorsports Park | 8000 Dividing Creek Road, Millville | (856) 327-8000 | njmp.com
Wheaton Arts | 1501 Glasstown Road, Millville | (856) 825-6800 | wheatonarts.org
WHERE TO LAYOVER
Fairfield Inn & Suites Millville Vineland | 301 Bluebird Lane, Millville | (856) 776-2400 | marriott.com/hotels/travel/aiyml-fairfield-inn-and-suites-millville-vineland
RUNWAY CAFE
South Jersey Regional Airport
Flipping through the guestbook, a few things become apparent. Home fries are the thing to order (fried crisp), people love the strong coffee and folks have been coming here for ages. No wonder. This rustic, homespun dinette is a cheerful place to land.
Take this note from Capt. Janis K. Blackburn, a pioneering female pilot: "I was a student pilot here in the '60s and enjoyed the cafe. Today, I'm a retired airline pilot being inducted into the N.J. Aviation Hall of Fame in September 2015 and I still enjoy your cafe."
Blackburn was the first woman in the United States to crew an A300.
Since Vinci Lunt took things over at the Runway nearly 18 years ago, she's worked to attract locals, and there's a strong after-church crowd. "I absolutely love it here," Lunt says. During rare slow moments, she gazes out and wonders who is making their way down the tarmac. Often enough, she gets to find out.
Runway Cafe | 68 Stacy Haines Road, Lumberton | (609) 518-0400 | facebook.com/RunwayCafeNJ
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AVIATOR'S CHOICE COFFEE BISTRO @ TAILSPINNER
South Jersey Regional Airport
Under-caffeinated? Head one driveway past the main airport entrance to this aviator-chic coffee bar, brainchild of pilot Michael Sciarra. One part flight school, one part coffee shop, it's a unique place to sip a hot drink while observing the culture of flight. Flight-themed art fills the walls and beans-to-go are micro-roasted to order, a testament to pilots' affinity for an expert cup. Sciarra's ultimate goal is to bridge the gap and inspire the next generation of fliers.
Aviator's Choice Coffee Bistro | 68 Stacy Haines Road, Northeast Ramp, Lumberton | (856) 495-6919 | aviatorschoice.us
OTHER STOPS
Air Victory Museum, sit in a P-80 Shooting Star | 68 Stacy Haines Road, Lumberton | (609) 267-4488 | airvictorymuseum.com
Sky Zone Trampoline Park, another way to reach new heights | 2834 Route 73 North, Maple Shade | (856) 230-7090 | skyzone.com/moorestown
Village Idiot Brewing Company | 42 High St., Mount Holly | (609) 975-9270 | villageidiotbrewing.com
Spellbound Brewing | 10 Lippincott Lane, Suite 12, Mount Holly | (609) 832-0077 | spellboundbrewing.com
WHERE TO LAYOVER
Flying W Motel | 60 Fostertown Road, Medford | (609) 267-7673 | flyingwairport.com/flying-w-motel
THE PATTI WAGON CAFE
Flying W Airport Resort
Prepare to time travel. The Flying W opened in the 1960s and hasn't lost its mid-century verve. Exhibit A: a gloriously kitsch plane-shaped pool, with tiki bar and live bands. Exhibit B: echoes of a Western theme. (In '62, the AOPA Pilot magazine called it "as ranchy a ranch as anyone's ever seen -- in New Jersey at least.")
While the horses are gone, vintage planes often entice. These are best spied from Patti Dole's fun cafe, where fliers and aviation geeks converge. You can tell a thing or two about the place by the signs outside: "Did you lock your airplane?" "Did you close your flight plan?"
As omelets hit tables, people leap from their seats. "She's a beauty," exclaims one gentleman, eying a '67 Piper PA-30. A kid leaves his plane-shaped pancakes to do the same.
The crowd is equally intriguing. Retirees from Eastern Air Lines, the original incarnation of which shuttered in 1991, swing by for breakfast twice weekly. Philly's CBS Chopper 3 cameraman Al Nugent -- "no relation to Ted" -- calls Patti's his second home. Each year, he says, a group of Irish pilot friends from Ryanair glide in en route to AirVenture in Wisconsin, "the world's largest gathering of aviation enthusiasts." Digging into French toast or floating in that plane-shaped pool, you never know who'll land next.
The Patti Wagon Cafe| 60 Fostertown Road, Medford | (609) 265-2233 | facebook.com/thepattiwagoncafe
OTHER STOPS
Landing Strip Beach Club, sun and plane worship align | 60 Fostertown Road, Medford | (609) 267-7673 | flyingwairport.com/the-landing-strip-beach-club
Freeflight Aviation, get an eagle's-eye view | 60 Fostertown Road, Medford | (609) 265-0399 | freeflight-aviation.com
Golden Pheasant Golf Club, play a round after breakfast | 141 Country Club Drive, Lumberton | (609) 267-4276 | goldenpheasantgc.com
WHERE TO LAYOVER
Flying W Motel | 60 Fostertown Road, Medford | (609) 267-7673 | flyingwairport.com/flying-w-motel
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NORTH JERSEY AIRPORTS
SKY CAFE
Sky Manor Airport
Hidden amid Hunterdon County's curving farmland is the home of the Bi-Plane -- aka the perfect spinach-and-provolone omelet. Maybe it's the local eggs, or the savvy in Rosella Caloiero's kitchen. Either way, it's a wonder, evoking the soft clouds on display through wide windows in this quaint, but buzzy space.
If you can, sit overlooking a restored 1924 beacon light. It commemorates the first illuminated airmail routes, when lamps from New York to San Francisco helped the mail on its way. Views are spectacular and diners flock from the skies and area farms. You're as likely to see jeans and suspenders as clean cuts and aviator glasses.
After eating, claim a bench and watch the helicopters and aircraft circle this 1940s airfield. Then, walk a winding path to Beneduce Vineyards and toast the wonder of flight.
Sky Cafe | 48 Sky Manor Road, Pittstown | (908) 996-3442 | facebook.com/SkyCafeRestaurant
OTHER STOPS
Beneduce Vineyards, see a Cornell-trained viticulturist at work | 1 Jeremiah Lane, Pittstown | (908) 996-3823 | beneducevineyards.com
Balloons Aloft, play out your "Wizard of Oz" fantasies | 48 Sky Manor Road, Pittstown | (908) 996-3333 | njballoon.com
Alexandria Balloon Flights | 48 Sky Manor Road, Pittstown | (888) 468-2477 | njballooning.com
Sky River Helicopters, go luxe with a sunset-and-champagne tour | 48 Sky Manor Road, Pittstown | (908) 809-5942 | skyriverhelicopters.com
Frenchtown shopping | Race and Bridge streets, Frenchtown | visitnj.org/city/frenchtown
WHERE TO LAYOVER
The National Hotel | 31 Race St., Frenchtown | (908) 996-3200 | thenationalhotelnj.com
* * *
SUNSET PUB & GRILL
Lincoln Park Airport
In the early 1930s, this was a carrot and celery farm. When folks caught aviation fever in the wake of Lindbergh's solo Atlantic flight in 1927, plans for the Lincoln Park Airport took shape. Today, you're most likely to find celery alongside buffalo wings.
If you want to party with the pilots (and locals), this is your place. "We attract everybody," says assistant manager Jayne Garcia. She recommends the DeRosa burger, topped with mozzarella, bruschetta and pesto, which is named for the airport's owner, Pete DeRosa. Craft beer is also a draw. Outdoor seating gets competitive, and with good reason -- air traffic and those namesake sunsets, to name two.
Sunset Pub & Grill | 425 Beaverbrook Road, Lincoln Park | (973) 694-8700 | sunsetpubandgrill.com
OTHER STOPS
Garden State Helicopters, skyline views await | 425 Beaverbrook Road, Lincoln Park | (845) 702-2779 | gardenstatehelicopters.com
Sunset Valley Golf Course | 47 W. Sunset Road, Pompton Plains | (973) 835-1515 | sunsetvalleygc.com
Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area | 472 Boonton Ave., Montville | (973) 334-3130 | nynjtc.org/park/pyramid-mountain
WHERE TO LAYOVER
Crowne Plaza Fairfield | 690 Route 46 East, Fairfield | (973) 227-9200 |
ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/fairfield/ffdnj/hoteldetail
Best Western Regency House Hotel | 140 Route 23, Pompton Plains | (973) 696-0900 | regencyhousehotel.com
DONNA'S RUNWAY CAFE
Blairstown Airport
"So, I was cruising at 100 knots ..."
It's lunchtime, and a pilot and his pals fill the four-seat counter at this tiny place. Taking turns holding court, they shift from fast cars to in-flight errors. (Thank God for the bracing capacity of tree branches.) As for FAA paperwork, don't get them started. Things ain't like they used to be ...
Times may be a-changing, but you wouldn't know it here. When Donna Nodzak took over in 2014, after waitressing here for 17 years, customers begged her not to change anything, right down to the green pleather booths. We have that effort to thank for the vibe: one part old-school diner, one part pilot snack bar -- which it was, back in the day.
Upon entry, a painted runway guides you to your seat. When pilots offer to take her up, Nodzak jokes: "This is my runway right here." On the menu, a turkey club sings with Jersey tomatoes. Order that or some homemade soup, and then "fasten your seatbelt and sit back," as Nodzak says. From the banter to the plate, this is a fun ride.
Donna's Runway Cafe | 36 Lambert Road, Blairstown | (908) 362-1600 | blairstownairport.com
OTHER STOPS
Jersey Ridge Soaring | 36 Lambert Road, Blairstown | (908) 362-1239 | jerseyridgesoaring.com
Orlandi Flight Center, fly over the lakes | 36 Lambert Road, Blairstown | (201) 874-5458 | orlandiflightcenter.com
Paulinskill Valley Trail | 1 Footbridge Lane | traillink.com/trail/paulinskill-valley-trail.aspx
Millbrook Village, travel back to the 1800s | Old Mine and Millbrook roads, Hardwick | (908) 841-9531 | nj.gov/nj/about/gallery/millbrook_village.shtml
Lakota Wolf Preserve | 89 Mount Pleasant Road, Columbia | (908) 496-9244 | lakotawolf.com
WHERE TO LAYOVER
The RoseMary Inn | 88 Hainesburg River Road, Columbia | (908) 496-8855 |
therosemaryinn.com
(At press time the inn was closed and under new management.)
ALSO TRY
Apron Cafe | In blueberry country, Joan Pelham pays homage to her great-grandmother's apron and the aircraft parked outside. | Hammonton Municipal Airport, 75 Academy Drive, Hammonton | (609) 878 -3342
Focaccia Pizza & Pasta | Thin-crust and wood-fired pizzas battle it out at the mouth of the airport. | Central Jersey Regional Airport | 1034 Millstone River Road, Hillsborough | (908) 526-2822
Airport Diner | Swivel seats and booths keep it vintage. | Sussex Airport, 51 Route 639, Sussex | (973) 702-7324
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NOTE: Check airport websites for information on annual air shows.
Read more here: http://www.nj.com
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