A Skyline Supper: How AP Rooftop Is Elevating the Boardwalk Experience
For our latest Culture Coverage feature, we stopped by AP Rooftop, the new third-floor boardwalk spot in Asbury Park that’s turning panoramic ocean views into the centerpiece of a dining destination. Asbury Park’s food and nightlife scene already hums with energy, but AP Rooftop adds a fresh layer of elevated experience, blending coastal Mediterranean-inspired fare, carefully crafted drinks, and a view that makes every sunset feel like an event.
A New Perspective on the Boardwalk
AP Rooftop sits above the rhythm of the beach and city, occupying the top level of the Fifth Avenue Pavilion with floor-to-ceiling views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Arthur Pryor Bandshell below. From inside its stylish interior to its outdoor balcony overlooking the boardwalk and water, the restaurant was designed to make every seat feel like a front-row view.
The concept leans into a coastal Mediterranean identity, with a menu that blends fresh pizzas, vibrant salads, seafood, small plates, and handhelds all meant to pair naturally with the salt-air breeze and seasonal Asbury Park energy. Guests arrive for lunch or sunset cocktails, stay for dinners with friends, and linger long enough to see the lights of the boardwalk twinkle.
Food Worth Looking At (and Looking From)
Executive Chef Rob DiBlasi and the culinary team have crafted a menu that feels both refined and approachable, the kind that makes you want to sample multiple small plates while taking in the view. From delicate tuna crudo with capers and lemon zest to house-made meatballs and vibrant salads kissed with Mediterranean flavors, there’s a rhythm to the menu that matches the ebb and flow of the ocean just beyond the windows.
AP Rooftop’s seafood offerings, fresh pizzas, and creative interpretations of coastal classics speak to both locals and visitors looking for something a little elevated without losing the relaxed vibe the Shore is known for. It’s food that feels at home with a sunset toast as much as it does with a celebratory dinner.
A Gathering Place With a View and a Vibe
AP Rooftop is more than just a restaurant. It was built to be a destination, a place where people come to connect, celebrate, or simply enjoy a moment above the bustle of the boardwalk. Its connection to the Arthur Pryor Bandshell, home to free summer concerts by the Asbury Park Concert Band, adds another layer to the experience, especially on nights when music drifts across the boardwalk and up to the rooftop patio.
The space itself balances casual elegance with a social atmosphere, lounge areas with fireplaces, bar seating primed for pre-show drinks, and tables with skyline views that make sunset dinners feel cinematic. Whether it’s a date night, a gathering with friends, or a spontaneous sunset stop, the restaurant’s design encourages guests to slow down and enjoy the moment.
Where Ocean Waters Meet Night Skies
Asbury Park’s boardwalk has always been a place of movement, a place where the Shore’s iconic culture meets beachside energy. AP Rooftop steps into that narrative by adding a space where food, architecture, and nature converge. It doesn’t compete with the boardwalk’s bustle; it elevates it. It turns ordinary beach moments into framed memories, all through a combination of panoramic views, thoughtful design, and a menu that feels at once both local and worldly.
In a town that thrives on reinvention, AP Rooftop is the type of spot that reflects where Asbury Park is now: vibrant, stylish, and unapologetically scenic. It’s a place you visit not just for a meal, but for the view, the vibe, and the feeling of watching the world go by from above.
Where to find AP Rooftop:
📍 1200 Ocean Ave, Third Floor, Asbury Park, NJ 07712
🌐 Website: aprooftop.com
📲 Instagram: @aprooftopnj