Explore New Jersey

Your Ultimate Guide to New Jersey’s Sweetest Scoops: A Tour of Our Favorite Ice Cream Havens

There’s something undeniably magical about a perfectly scooped cone on a warm New Jersey day. From classic chocolate and vanilla to adventurous new flavors, the Garden State is a true paradise for ice cream lovers. We’ve crisscrossed the state, sampled countless scoops, and discovered some of the most delightful creameries, parlors, and stands that make New Jersey a premier destination for frozen treats. While we can’t list every single one of our many favorites, we’re thrilled to share some highlights that truly capture the essence of New Jersey’s vibrant ice cream scene.

Indulge in the Classics and Discover New Delights

You’ll find an incredible variety of ice cream experiences across New Jersey, whether you’re craving a rich, traditional scoop or something wonderfully unique.

A La Mode Ice Cream Parlor, Ocean City Located at the quiet south end of Ocean City, this parlor offers about 25 flavors. Their double chocolate chip is a nutty, fudgy, and incredibly fine choice, while their strawberry ice cream is surprisingly sweet and fruity.

Alaura Kitchen, Pitman Founded in 2015, this candy and ice cream shop grew from a family tradition of making caramels. They offer about 20 rotating ice cream flavors at any given time, including rich chocolate (made with Ghirardelli), fresh blueberry, lemon basil, black raspberry chocolate chip, and even boardwalk orange.

Bayside Creamery, Perth Amboy This ice cream shop truly lives up to its name, offering scoops with a view right on the Raritan Bay (though technically the Arthur Kill!). Grab a scoop or a shake featuring Hershey’s Ice Cream (and some from Nasto’s in Newark) with flavors like banana pudding, orange blossom, and oatmeal cookie craving, then enjoy a stroll in the marina.

Beach Plum, Bradley Beach Bradley Beach is known for its excellent food scene, and Beach Plum is the perfect spot to finish off a meal. Check out their banana cream pie, malt crisp, or cake batter flavors for a delightful treat.

Beenies, Morristown Beenies stands out because they make their own dairy base from scratch using fresh milk, heavy cream, and sugar. Owner Tony Franco opened the shop in 2017, and they now offer over 40 year-round flavors. While their chocolate is incredibly rich, the standout is often their honey lavender, which is fragrant and nearly fantastic.

Blue Sheep Bake Shop & Ice Creamery, Somerville This unique spot is one of the few bakeries that also makes its own ice cream. Beyond their gourmet cupcakes and macarons, you’ll find homemade ice cream flavors like birthday cake batter and strawberry shortcake. Their coconut cream, mocha cappuccino, and French lavender honey cream are all first-rate, with the coconut cream being particularly sweet and smooth.

Callie’s Creamery, Neptune City A newer addition to the ice cream scene, Callie’s offers over 40 flavors, from classic mint chocolate chip to intriguing options like key lime marshmallow and vegan toasted coconut. Their mango flavor is a sweet and summery standout.

Cherry on Top, Mullica Hill In the charming small town of Mullica Hill, Cherry on Top offers about 30 flavors, including salted caramel, rum raisin, raspberry cheesecake, and banana monkey. Their mint chocolate chip is notably better than most, and the mango also comes highly recommended.

Cliff’s Homemade Ice Cream, Ledgewood A true New Jersey icon, Cliff’s is famous for its vast selection, including about a dozen soft-serve flavors and 70 hard ice cream options. Their double dark chocolate fudge crunch is a legendary, choco-holic’s dream come true, and a definite must-try from this essential Jersey food experience.

Colonia Dairy Maid, Woodbridge This old-school stand right off Route 35 boasts more than 40 flavors. Among their offerings is “Bunny Tracks,” a whimsical mix of caramel, fudge, and peanut M&Ms swirled into vanilla ice cream.

Conrad’s Confectionary, Westwood Opened as a candy store in 1928, Conrad’s still makes its chocolates, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and syrups from scratch. Their chocolate ice cream is thick and fudgy, but the real winner is the black raspberry, which is silky and incredibly good.

Cookman Creamery, Asbury Park With its distinct lavender walls and a curated flavor board, Cookman Creamery offers both traditional and outstanding vegan ice cream options. If you’re skeptical about vegan ice cream, their Almond Joy vegan ice cream is a revelation.

Cranberry Junction, Hackensack One of the newer spots on the ice cream block, this bright red house alongside the railroad tracks offers about 20 flavors, including banana pudding and dulce de leche. Their chocolate ice cream is seriously rich and deep, making it one of the state’s best, and their coconut ice cream tastes wonderfully authentic.

Cream King, Hopewell A staple on Route 31 in Mercer County since 1956, this small walk-up shop serves incredibly delicious ice cream. Try a scoop of chocolate paired with raspberry chocolate truffle, or their highly-rated soft-serve.

Curly’s Homemade Ice Cream, Riverdale and Boonton With over 60 years of scooping and more than 40 flavors, Curly’s is 100% awesome, no matter which location you visit. Their soft-serve is great, but their hard flavors are also impressive. They also offer blended “flurries” like mint cookie and chocolate-covered banana.

Daddy O’s Creamery, Marlton Daddy O’s features “berry-licious” black raspberry, a “death by chocolate” that lives up to its name, and a vibrant mint chocolate chip with an assertive minty flavor that practically glows in the dark.

Dahlia’s Ice Cream Spot, Jersey City Found in Jersey City’s often-underrated Heights neighborhood, Dahlia’s offers a long list of homemade ice cream, soft-serve, sherbet, and ice cream cake options. Their chocolate fudge crunch is a personal favorite, with the cherry jubilee and mint chip also being sublime.

Dairy Swirl, Vernon This western Jersey shop, recognizable by its eye-catching rainbow sign, makes great ice cream cakes and boasts delicious soft-serve (sometimes including creamsicle). Their hard ice cream is even more impressive, featuring flavors like Graham Central Station.

Das’ Creamery, Budd Lake Komal Das uses her culinary school background to create and push ice cream boundaries in this bright and cheerful strip mall store. Discover unique flavors like black licorice (in “Black Knight Rises”), pomegranate, and Kulfi toasted coconut almond. They also have a “secret” flavor daily – just ask!

Day’s Ice Cream, Ocean Grove Good luck finding an ice cream shop in New Jersey with deeper roots than Day’s, which opened nearly 150 years ago in 1876. This old-school shop excels at classics like chocolate and mint chip, but consider their “trash can” ice cream, loaded with potato chips, M&M’s, and more.

Denville Dairy, Denville A Morris County favorite for over 50 years, Denville Dairy is known for its appealing ice cream cakes and pies, alongside a mastery of both classic and unconventional flavors like “Death by Cookie Dough” and “Raspberry Weave.”

Dot’s Homemade Ice Cream, Woodbury Heights The banana ice cream at Dot’s tastes wonderfully authentic, not artificial. Their chocolate ice cream is thick and rich, and the Rocky Road is commendable. Be sure to try one of their refreshing “wooder ices,” like the bracing and beautiful strawberry lemonade.

Duffer’s, Wildwood A Wildwood summer tradition since 1974, Duffer’s offers over 30 flavors, including chocolate banana, cotton candy, and peaches and cream, alongside a restaurant, arcade, and miniature golf.

Fajji’s Homemade Ice Cream, Perth Amboy Despite the modest claim of “The best ice cream ever!,” Fajji’s offers many Caribbean-accented flavors like fresh coconut (cracked by the owner himself), pineapple, and passion fruit. Their Thin Mint ice cream tastes just like the real thing.

Falls Creamery, Little Falls This tiny shop boasts a long list of impressive and creative flavors. Their “Main Black Bear” (vanilla swirled with black raspberry and chocolate raspberry mini melts) is decadent, as are their butter pie and banana Oreo. They also feature an overwhelmingly large array of sundaes.

Fine Fellows Creamery, Cape May Just across from Cape May’s top beach, Fine Fellows offers a perfect complement to a day by the sea. Their raspberry truffle ice cream is a true revelation.

Gabriel’s Fountain, Martinsville If the sound of “lemon lavender blueberry” doesn’t make your heart flutter, you need to check your pulse! It’s a standout flavor here. If you love chocolate, their milk chocolate is smooth and creamy. Gabriel’s also offers burgers, sandwiches, wings, and salads.

Grochowicz Farms, Glen Gardner Joining the growing number of farms offering ice cream, Grochowicz Farms on Route 31 serves divine double rich chocolate, marvelous mint chocolate chip, and truly “berry, berry good” black raspberry. Enjoy your treat at one of their tree-shaded picnic tables.

Guernsey Crest, Paterson Don’t let the exterior fool you; this long-time favorite with a faded “Taste Tells” sign delivers. Step up to the glassed-in counter and choose from over 30 flavors. Their milkshakes are notably silky-smooth.

Halo Pub, Princeton, Hamilton With locations in Princeton and Hamilton (and their main farm store next to the Trenton Farmers Market), Halo Pub offers delightful chocolate chocolate almond. Their Tahitian vanilla bean is a stand-out vanilla, slightly spicy, tangy, and altogether delicious.

Hilltop Creamery, Blackwood A true paradise for ice cream lovers, Hilltop Creamery offers over 50 flavors of regular ice cream and more than 35 soft-serve options year-round. Their “Cookie Monster” flavor, with chocolate chip cookie, chocolate sandwich cookie, and cookie dough bits, is the perfect base for a sundae.

Ice Cream Charlie’s, Rutherford With goofy exterior graphics and delicious ice cream inside, Ice Cream Charlie’s has been serving tasty frozen treats for 24 years. They offer wild flavors like caramel Kit Kat and Rice Krispy Treat, plus their beloved “sand pails” filled with soft-serve and graham cracker crumbs (cash only!).

Ice Cream Shop of Manahawkin, Manahawkin Down the shore, this shop gets incredibly creative with its flavors. Think nostalgic “Dunkaroos” ice cream or the wild “Sea Slime,” loaded with Oreos, cookie dough, gummy bears, Fruity Pebbles, marshmallows, and waffle cone pieces.

Ice Cream Station, Cape May Court House Beyond the charming trolley out front where you can sit and enjoy your cone, Ice Cream Station offers a unique blend of mainstream and Indian ice cream flavors. Their saffron pistachio is a magical mix, and their fabulously fruity mango might be the best mango ice cream many have tasted in years.

Kreme & Krumbs, Montclair Calling itself “a dope-ass ice cream shop,” Kreme & Krumbs offers eight unique flavors like “Dorothy’s B-day” (Tahitian vanilla cream with fudgy frosting and confetti cake) and “peanutbutta milk + kookies.” A must-order is their “kremebell,” a tasty take on an ice cream sandwich.

Kwality Ice Cream, Edison “Alphonso King Mango!” These are the most important words here. This sweet and fruity treat is highly recommended. You’ll also find guava, black currant, English toffee, and saffron pistachio. Kwality is the largest maker of Indian ice cream in the country.

Last Licks, East Hanover Say hello to the cow out front before heading to the ice cream window. Last Licks offers about 40 year-round hard ice cream flavors, 12 seasonal options, and 16 Italian ice flavors, along with dazzling ice cream cakes. Their peach ice cream is wonderfully fruity, and the triple chocolate is astoundingly thick and fudgy.

Latteria, Swedesboro Jaclyn Ilacqua brought her wholesale ice cream making skills back home to open Latteria. About 30 rotating flavors are listed on a big chalkboard, from Mr. Vanilla Chip to strawberry cake batter PopTart. The interior is uniquely artistic, with tables and walls painted in swirling, kaleidoscopic colors.

Leo’s Ice Cream, Waterford If you’re not familiar with “yum-yum,” you’re in for a treat – it’s a South Jersey ice cream/sherbet/water ice hybrid that Giovanni Leo started making in 1936. Their sugar-free watermelon yum-yum is astoundingly refreshing, and their triple chocolate regular ice cream comes highly recommended.

Lickety Splitz, Maple Shade This spot is on the cutting edge with “boozy” ice cream flavors. Lickety Splitz offers 18 “sweet” and eight “sinful” flavors, including blueberry prosecco, bourbon butter pecan, and whiskey peanut butter party. The blackberry rum ice cream is a standout.

Lindy Hops, Galloway One of the state’s coolest ice cream parlors, Lindy Hops has a vibrant ’50s vim and vibe. Popular flavors include banana nut chocolate chip and orange pineapple.

Magic Fountain, Bayonne An old-school, no-frills roadside shop with vintage signage and a throwback feel, Magic Fountain proves Hudson County has great ice cream. Their Italian ice and soft-serve are excellent, but their hard ice cream, including “Monster Cookie” with Oreos and chocolate chip cookies, is also a must-try.

Margate Dairy Bar, Margate City Beyond Lucy the Elephant, Margate Dairy Bar is a local favorite known for incredible burgers and silky smooth soft-serve. Don’t overlook their shakes or hard ice cream, which come in flavors like banana pudding, cinnamon bun, and Boston cream pie.

Marita’s Ice Cream, Sea Isle City A Sea Isle fixture since 1987, Marita’s is known for perhaps the best peach ice cream Down the Shore. They offer 30-plus standard and 10 specialty flavors. Their love by chocolate and Almond Joy are standouts, but that peach is the one to start with. Marita’s also hosts an annual cancer researcher fundraiser.

Muller’s Creamery, Toms River Vegan ice cream lovers, take note! Their vegan strawberry is a sweet sensation. The mint chip is top-flight, and the chocolate custard (real custard, not soft-serve) boasts a deep, rich flavor. Muller’s is located inside the Downtown Shops @53 Main.

Nasto’s Ice Cream, Newark One of Newark’s great food institutions, Nasto’s opened in 1939 in a former brewery. Their secret to success? “Put the good stuff in and get good stuff out.” This blue-awninged shop supplies ice cream to hundreds of restaurants across New Jersey. Try the key lime if available.

Pee Wee’s Ice Cream, Medford Located at the Feed Mill in Medford (also home to a barbecue joint and brewery), Pee Wee’s offers delightful vegan options like vanilla bean, Betty’s banana pudding, and the superb blueberry lemon. Their dairy ice cream flavors – chocolate, Jersey strawberry, and mint chocolate – are all first-rate.

Penguin Ice Cream, Bernardsville With its red and white awning, mock picket fence, and American flag, Penguin Ice Cream perfectly embodies ice cream Americana. Beyond classics, they offer unique flavors like Gracie’s ginger snap cookie and crunchy pretzel nutztella. Their double chocolate lives up to its name, and the lemon lavender blueberry makes for a terrific trio.

Polar Cub, Whitehouse An ice cream legend in the state, Polar Cub’s popularity is evident by the lines of cars waiting to enter their Route 22 lot on weekends. They are especially known for their soft-serve, with flavors like peach, black raspberry, and pistachio. Vegan ice cream is also available.

Royale Crown Homemade Ice Cream, Hammonton As the blueberry capital of the world, it’s no surprise that Royale Crown makes unbelievably good blueberry ice cream. This diner-shiny ice cream stand opened in 1953 and offers about 40 kinds of hard ice cream and eight soft-serve flavors. The black raspberry soft-serve is another must-try.

Scoop to My Lou, East Brunswick Opened on Valentine’s Day in 2020, Scoop to My Lou offers about 40 flavors. Their chocolate is creamier than most, but the standout is often the rum raisin, a great alternative to plain vanilla.

Scoops The Ice Creamery, Scotch Plains A Union County favorite for over 25 years, Scoops The Ice Creamery is an ice cream oasis on Route 22. All 50-plus of their hard flavors are made in-store. Try the cinnamon oatmeal, strawberry cheesecake, Snickers, or cookie jar.

Skipper Dipper, Long Beach Township For many vacationers, a trip to Skipper Dipper is a quintessential Long Beach Island experience. Known primarily for its soft-serve, they also offer terrific hard options categorized as “classics,” “tasty,” “fruity,” and “nutty,” including Fat Elvis, s’mores, and java chunk.

South Street Creamery, Morristown While South Street Creamery offers sandwiches and crepes, the ice cream is the real draw. “Grandma’s Kitchen” is a delicious sugar overload with cookie dough, frosting, and cake batter, while “Chocolate Cookie Monster” boasts three types of cookies.

Springer’s, Stone Harbor One of the Jersey Shore’s most renowned ice cream shops, Springer’s was a beloved spot for Taylor Swift during her summers in Stone Harbor. If you appreciate creamy ice cream, Springer’s is your place; all their sampled flavors are surpassingly smooth. Their “Dark Nite” and “Prohibition Tradition” are favorites.

Summer Ville Homemade Ice Cream, Somerville Owner Elio DeFranco, a former computer tech, makes his popular “Somerville Mud” (chocolate chip cookies, M&Ms, Reese’s pieces, and Oreos). Also recommended are their Earl Grey and tart Key Lime, and recently, grapefruit paloma ice cream.

The Towne Scoop, Verona From the maroon-and-white checkered floor (Verona’s town colors) to the scoopers in white shirts and black bowties, The Towne Scoop offers a distinct vibe. Their confetti cake batter, cappuccino, and vanilla fudge ice creams are sure to seal the deal.

The WooHoo, Beach Haven Claiming to be “The Jersey Shore’s favorite ice cream,” The WooHoo, opened in 2016, offers a range of familiar and feisty flavors. Their “Minty Madness,” made with mint chocolate candies and Girl Scout Thin Mints, is a standout. The WooHoo also partners with the David’s Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation, donating proceeds from a specialty flavor.

Ummm Ice Cream Parlor, Burlington City Perhaps the state’s most gorgeously retro ice cream parlor, with wooden booths and chairs, this shop was once a detective agency. Favorite flavors include the chocolate-covered espresso bean and Rosanna Banana Dana. It’s also the place to try “Boost!” — a lemony cola little-known outside Burlington and Camden counties.

Van Dyk’s, Ridgewood Don’t be fooled by its unassuming exterior; Van Dyk’s has been scooping for nearly 50 years. Beyond the classic vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, you’ll find cappuccino Oreo, lemon vanilla, and blueberry pie. Remember, it’s cash-only.

Vincent’s Ice Cream, Mount Holly You’ve got to love a place with “Train Wreck Rum Raisin” on the menu! Owner Vincent Amico makes his ice cream in small batches. While the chocolate is nice and creamy, the must-order is the coconut Almond Joy, packed with real coconut flakes and almonds.

What’s the Scoop, Metuchen Open since 2001, What’s the Scoop, located in charming Metuchen, offers a staggering 70-plus flavors, from creamsicle and strawberry rocky road to cafe espresso and vanilla monster cookie. They also have soft-serve and sorbet.

Willow’s Way, Ventnor This rare ice cream shop offers hard ice cream, soft serve, and water ice. Their birthday cake, peanut butter cup, and blueberry cheesecake ice creams are superb, especially when combined with water ice in a “gelati” concoction.

Windy Brow Farms, Fredon Jake Hunt, managing partner at Windy Brow Farms, is known for his daring creations like Taylor Ham ice cream and tomato pie ice cream. But their classic flavors are also exceptionally well done. Their dark chocolate is legendary, and the vegan coconut blueberry lime is nothing short of sensational.

Ready to embark on your own New Jersey ice cream adventure? For more delicious food and beverage destinations across the Garden State, explore our dedicated section at https://explorenewjersey.org/food-beverage/. Which sweet spot will you visit first?

Welcome back to The Improv Cafe, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee always mixes perfectly with the sound of pure, unadulterated live jazz. That’s right, here at The Improv Cafe, and especially on our dedicated radio station, we believe in keeping the music alive and authentic. Every single note you hear, from the sultry crooning of a vocal jazz legend to the powerful blast of a big band horn section, is a live version. We’re talking about the real deal – spontaneous, vibrant, and full of the energy that only a live performance can deliver. So, whether you’re joining us for a latte or tuning in from home, prepare to be immersed in the unparalleled magic of live Jazz, Big Band, Swing, and Vocal Jazz, 24/7.

Tonight’s Highlight: Swing with the Big Bands Radio Show!

Looking for some fun on Friday nights? You’ve found your perfect evening destination! Tune into our ‘Swing with the Big Bands’ radio show, where you’ll hear nothing but legendary live performances from the top big band artists throughout history! Make sure to dance, bop, and swing to the beat as you indulge in these incredible, vibrant performances. It’s the perfect way to kick off your weekend with a burst of energy and timeless music, all brought to you live!

A Sultry Summer Night with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and John Pizzarelli

Just last week, on a sultry summer night, the Geffen Stage at Kaufmann Concert Hall at 92NY in New York City played host to a truly unforgettable evening of live jazz as part of the Jazz in July festival. The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, featuring the incomparable John Pizzarelli, delivered exactly what jazz aficionados crave on a warm Tuesday evening: a short, swinging, and utterly delightful big band performance. And yes, it was air-conditioned – a crucial element for maximizing enjoyment of such a vibrant show!

This was a concert designed for pure enjoyment, a direct and amiable big band experience that prioritized a good time over an overly long one. In just over an hour, the 19-piece Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (CHJO) showcased their unwavering dedication to the art of swing. There were no convoluted time signatures or moody, extended suites here; just a relentless, joyful commitment to the groove. They kicked off their set with a punchy, energetic arrangement of “Georgia On My Mind,” immediately demonstrating the band’s sharp dynamics and that signature, creamy brass sound that sends shivers down your spine.

The Los Angeles-based ensemble, celebrating 40 years of making incredible music, is firmly anchored by its co-leaders, both of whom remain remarkably youthful in their early 70s. Drummer Jeff Hamilton, a true master of timekeeping, might easily be underestimated. His rhythmic style, often described as “rub-a-dub,” is more supportive than assertive, laying down a percussive carpet that allows the music to soar without drawing undue attention to his own playing. An exception to this subtle mastery was his remarkable solo on “Back Home Again in Indiana,” performed almost entirely on brushes – an impressive feat when driving such a powerful big band.

Co-leader John Clayton spent much of the set conducting the orchestra, a permanent grin plastered across his face. He moved gracefully in front of the band’s crisp white CHJO music stands, employing emphatic gestures to guide what were largely his own brilliant arrangements. His blend of goofy charm and undeniable elegance made his repertoire of signals – like pulling a hand from his jacket and firing a faux pistol to initiate a powerful brass blast – utterly entertaining rather than a distraction.

Clayton also showcased his impressive multi-genre talents on bass, a skill honed during his tenure as principal bassist of the Amsterdam Philharmonic. He traded turns on bowed bass with lead alto player Keith Fiddmont during a captivating arrangement of “And So It Goes,” one of Billy Joel’s more affecting ballads, demonstrating the band’s versatility and musical depth.

The band’s first special guest of the evening was the renowned John Pizzarelli, a long-time collaborator with the CHJO. Their shared history includes extensive touring and the 2006 album “Dear Mr. Sinatra,” a heartfelt tribute to the Chairman of the Board. Pizzarelli possesses a relatively small voice, which truly shines in more intimate settings like his own trio in cozy cabarets. While his vocals were undeniably charming, they occasionally struggled to fully assert themselves against the CHJO’s swaggering, powerful brass. However, Pizzarelli, the son of string stalwart Bucky Pizzarelli, is also an incredibly solid guitarist – in fact, as accomplished an instrumentalist as he is a singer. The evening’s brief program, however, featured only a few concise choruses of his impressive soloing.

Much like John Clayton, Pizzarelli’s warmth and wit truly brightened the night. At one point, he fondly recalled an 85th birthday celebration for his father held in the very same auditorium, noting that January would mark Bucky’s 100th birthday. “He’ll be back for that [celebration], by the way,” Pizzarelli quipped, a poignant and humorous nod to his father, who passed away in 2020. It was a moment that reminded everyone of the deep personal connection musicians have to their craft and their predecessors.

While many capable solos emerged from within the CHJO ranks – including a wonderfully fluid outing from trombonist Stephen Warren Baxter – the two standout solo performances of the night came from special guests. Trumpeter Terell Stafford delivered a blistering yet remarkably controlled solo on the wonderfully titled “Squatty Roo,” a Johnny Hodges composition that Jeff Hamilton himself had played during his years in the Ray Brown Trio. Then, the artistic director of 92NY’s Jazz in July, Aaron Diehl, took over the piano to bring the set home, with Pizzarelli rejoining the stage.

Diehl’s playing on the two closing numbers was simply gorgeous and economic. He moved effortlessly between lyrical and rhythmic modes, sometimes evoking the spare elegance of Count Basie, who was famously never averse to letting a lonely, perfectly placed chord linger. This Diehl-dominated finale provided the perfect transition to Jazz In July’s second big band program, promising even more live musical delights. Indeed, on July 26, Diehl himself will be the featured soloist with the Secret Society ensemble, led by his frequent collaborator Darcy James Argue.

So, whether you’re reminiscing about this incredible concert or looking forward to the next, remember that The Improv Cafe and our dedicated radio station are your constant companions for the very best in live Jazz, Big Band, Swing, and Vocal Jazz. Tune in, dance, and let the pure energy of live music transport you!

A remarkable story of local ambition turning into national influence is unfolding right here in South Jersey. Amol Kohli, a Voorhees Township native whose journey with Friendly’s began as a high school waiter, has now orchestrated a monumental acquisition: his investment group, Legacy Brands International (LBI), has purchased Brix Holdings, the parent company behind the iconic Friendly’s casual dining chain. This move isn’t just a corporate transaction; it’s a testament to dedication, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of the restaurant industry.

The deal, announced on July 22, 2025, sees LBI not only taking the reins of Friendly’s but also acquiring Brix Holdings’ diverse portfolio of fast-casual, health-focused concepts. This impressive roster includes popular brands like Clean Juice, Orange Leaf, Red Mango, Smoothie Factory + Kitchen, Souper Salad, and Humble Donut Co. While the financial details of this significant acquisition remain undisclosed, it marks a pivotal moment for these brands and places a South Jersey entrepreneur at the helm of a substantial national restaurant conglomerate.

This acquisition is particularly noteworthy for Friendly’s, a brand that has faced its share of challenges in recent years. After reaching a peak of around 850 locations in the mid-1990s, changing consumer preferences and financial struggles led to two Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings and a significant reduction in its footprint to fewer than 100 locations. Brix Holdings had acquired Friendly’s just four years prior, following its second bankruptcy, in a deal reportedly valued at approximately $2 million. Now, under Kohli’s leadership, Friendly’s is poised for a robust comeback, propelled by menu innovations, restaurant modernizations, and savvy social media engagement.

Amol Kohli’s connection to Friendly’s is deeply personal. He began working at a local Friendly’s restaurant in 2009 at the age of 15. This early experience ignited a passion for the restaurant business that would shape his career trajectory. After graduating from Drexel University, he strategically transitioned into a Friendly’s franchisee, steadily expanding his ownership to over 30 locations across the East Coast. Notably, he currently operates five of the 13 remaining Friendly’s sites in New Jersey, including those in Sicklerville, Blackwood, Cinnaminson, Deptford, and Glassboro – a true testament to his commitment to the brand.

Under the new ownership structure, Kohli will continue to manage his existing Friendly’s franchises while stepping into the critical new role of Chairman of the Board for Brix Holdings. This dual role positions him to leverage his hands-on operational experience with his strategic vision for the entire portfolio.

Brix Holdings, which currently operates 250 restaurants across its various brands, has ambitious plans for accelerated development. A key focus will be on expanding the Friendly’s brand into new markets, particularly in the Southeast U.S., including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. This strategic expansion signals a revitalized energy for the beloved chain, bringing its nostalgic appeal and family-friendly offerings to new communities.

In a statement, Kohli shared his enthusiasm for this new chapter: “Friendly’s has been a part of my life since I was 15. I started as a breakfast table waiter, which evolved into owning, managing, developing, and overseeing several locations over the last 16 years. This was only made possible due to the everlasting support of my family, loyal team, partners, and faith. I have been able to create something special for all to enjoy. I plan to take that to the next level in this new chapter of Brix Holdings’ ownership to grow the size, scale and infrastructure for all our franchise networks and systems.”

John Antico, founder and managing member of Jamco Interests LLC, Brix’s principal owner, lauded Kohli as “the ideal candidate for ownership of Brix Holdings.” Antico highlighted Kohli’s “long history of success and dedication to Friendly’s,” emphasizing his “broad experience in the restaurant industry and in-depth understanding of multi-brand franchising systems and development,” which are expected to “contribute greatly to the continued growth of the Brix brands and its franchisees.” Jamco will continue its involvement with Brix, serving as investors in Legacy Brands International, signaling continued confidence in the new leadership.

Current Brix CEO Sherif Mityas will retain his position, continuing to oversee the existing leadership team based in Dallas headquarters. Mityas, a former TGI Fridays executive who joined Brix in 2021, expressed confidence in the new partnership, noting, “I’m confident in our partnership as we continue to grow the Brix family of brands with a team who believes in the company, our strategy and our path forward to support existing and new franchisees across our portfolio.”

The first half of 2025 has already shown promising momentum for Brix. The company has reported positive same-store systemwide sales comparisons in 2024 and is building on this growth, with several new locations already under construction or in development, and eight new franchise agreements awarded this year alone. This strong performance sets a solid foundation for Kohli’s ambitious plans for expansion and innovation.

This acquisition by a homegrown South Jersey talent represents a significant win for the region’s entrepreneurial spirit and a hopeful new chapter for several well-known restaurant brands. As Friendly’s and its sister brands embark on this exciting new phase of growth, New Jersey can proudly watch one of its own lead the charge in the national business landscape.

For more insights into the thriving business ventures and entrepreneurial stories across the Garden State, visit our dedicated Business section at https://explorenewjersey.org/category/business/.