Fitzpatrick’s 2017 Pick of the Year!

Fitzpatrick’s 2017 pick of the year!

           By Kimberly Shurig


Asking me to choose my favorite restaurant for 2017  is a kind of culinary walk down memory lane. I get to rifle through a year’s worth of food and beverage reviews and relive the meals that most seduced my palate. That being said, it’s no easy feat, and requires me to cut out some seriously awesome spots in the process. whether it’s a dive dealing in fried chicken or an ultra-high-end steak house, I simply went with the very best food and the experience tied to eating it. So after looking through my dining receipts and consulting with my foodie team/radio show Family at 2 Chicks and a Chef. My pick for 2017 (insert drum roll here) Fitzpatrick’s Deli & Steakhouse.  


A well-loved local standout, Fitzpatrick’s Deli & Steakhouse is a top-notch alternative to commercial chain restaurants. You can expect a convivial but intimate and soothing atmosphere, a fantastic menu selection, peerless service and, of course, incredible steaks. The dishes, while painstakingly composed, never feel overly precious, likely because they are absolutely stunning both in conception and taste.

Using locally-sourced ingredients, Chef William Hurst crafts an ever-changing seasonal menu of small and large plates for lunch and dinner. Good luck eating these delights slowly. Odds are you’ll spend hours licking between your teeth trying to get one last taste.


Dinner specials change frequently , often getting a mid-week tweak depending upon the whim of the chef, but some menu items never change. One item, the Meatloaf that my go-to dining companion swears by is no Longer on regular menu, however, you can find it on the winter specials menu. I can always count on Fitzpatricks food to be  consistent while maintaining a focus on “redefined” American comfort food. The oh-so-tender New York strip steak masters that divine ratio of blackened char to juicy interior rareness, and is served with a side of sautéed asparagus spears looked like they’d been carved and painted by hand, bought from the asparagus museum gift shop.

Fitzpatricks is my number one go-to restaurant in the world. I enjoy spending my  day hanging in the kitchen and witnessing the food-making magic firsthand. But let me

Be completely honest, I’m just trying to get the chicken quesadilla soup recipe that sells out the day it’s made, and no I’m not going to share which day it’s made  because quite frankly I’m selfish when it comes to my soup. I need to make sure I get a bowl. In the words of the beloved soup Nazi “no soup for you”
It’s a true privilege to be able to spend money on restaurants and is one that I cherish deeply. I am so grateful to be able to explore the depths of New Jersey’s food scene. As such, I am very picky about where and how I spend my food dollars. My philosophy: if I have the power to invest in the restaurant industry why not support local? Especially Fitzpatricks who give so much back to the community. For the last 9 years Patty and William hurst run The Somers Point Restaurant Association, the program’s mission is to highlight restaurants in  Somers Point. The program Hosts Somers Point restaurant week and kick off party with all proceeds will go directly to the  Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Southern Branch, and awards Two Atlantic Cape Culinary scholarships will be awarded as well.