The 35 best boardwalk foods at the Shore

Manco & Manco started as Mack & Manco in 1956. The Mack family ended its partnership with the Manco family in 2011, while Manco & Manco's owners were found guilty of tax evasion in 2017. The legend goes on; there are 20 or so pizza stands on the Ocean City boardwalk, with Manco & Manco easily the most famous. I've always considered their white pie their best creation, and it didn't disappoint on this mission. 

A newcomer to the Jersey boardwalk scene, Guma Spicy Pies is the brainchild of Augustine Guma, a childhood survivor of civil unrest in Uganda whose first job in this country was as dishwasher in a New York City restaurant. He now oversees a restaurant in Woodbridge, Va., a food truck and the Wildwood boardwalk stand. The pies are available in beef, chicken, veggie, crab and lobster versions. Call them a tasty, slightly spicy cross between a dumpling and empanada. 

Let's be blunt: With a few exceptions, Jersey boardwalk pizza is mediocre at best. Pizza Plus looks like dozens of other boardwalk pizzerias, but the Sicilian comes as a saucy surprise, with commendable cheese and crust. It was a bit undercooked; they need to keep those pies in the oven a minute or two longer.

Taco stands can be found up and down the major boardwalks; Blue Cactus stands out for fresh fillings and homemade guacamole and salsa. The tacos are a bit pricey - $5 for chicken, $6 for steak, carnitas and brisket, but you can save a couple bucks by buying three. They have Alex's Lemonade here, better than any of the boardwalk stands not named Bob's or Pucker.