Allenwood General Store

I’m not quite sure how I’ve lived in New Jersey for nearly fifteen years and haven’t tried a pork roll (or Taylor Ham?), egg, and cheese before but I finally popped that cherry here at Allenwood. And it was AMAZING. It’s a quaint, family-​owned store filled with antiques and cool trinkets but also a place that can make a mean breakfast sandwich. In a world where Dunkin Donuts and other fast food chains dominate, it’s refreshing to have a great, small business by the shore that caters to our New Jerseyan needs for a good pork roll sandwich.
For those who are gluten sensitive or cater to gluten free diets, you’re in luck! They carry gluten free breads so you too can enjoy your pork roll (or Taylor Ham), egg, and cheese or whatever you want to slather on your breakfast sandwich. Just come here and try it: D

Usually a good experience here but a raw burger sent back and returned still raw in the center. Staff said they were sorry about it but still charged me full price, plus $ 3.00 for an ice tea I usually pay $ 1.75 for. Clueless kids behind the counter. Done with them for a while at least.

It’s a shame that the owner can’t kick the old nasty pretend ranchers from the dust bowl era out of the place, because the food is pretty good. Let’s call them Husky Pete, Rizzo and Frankie V. Unfortunately these pissed off octogenarians set up home base there around 4am, I guess, only to sip coffee and yell at each other until their late morning nap time comes around. If you are unlucky enough to open the door during a pause in what I only imagine to be their incredibly enlightening discussions and debates on social policy and fishing tackle, Husky Pete and Rizzo will scowl at you and make you feel like you stepped on your neighbors cat while sneaking into his house. Several times my wife and I got an earful for «not being neighborly» to everyone from Frankie V– I think he was referring to our desire to order respectfully and stand quietly awaiting our food in lieu of backslapping everyone around the table and buying them a round of Gaviscon and snuff. The best bet is to inspect the parking lot before going in and avoid if you see more than three late 90s Ford pickups with bald tires and the usual shovel and pick axe in the back. I’m giving 3 stars because the sandwiches are very good and I know the owner would love to kick Walter Matthau and the cranky bunch out the back door and I feel bad for him.

I don’t like to write negative reviews but they are necessary sometimes. APP raved about their pork roll sandwiches. They were fair at best. The coffee was served in dirty old mugs in a dingy dusty atmosphere. I was really looking forward to trying this place but There was much left to be desired. Colonial ranch in point pleasant still has the best pork roll and cheese!!!

We have been coming here for almost 20 years. You will not find another place quite like this. This is an excellent place to stop if you are biking or walking on the trail that runs alongside of it and leads into Allaire State Park or Manasquan. Excellent breakfast sandwiches, fries and pork roll. I hope the owner is still around– a very nice older man.

I think this place is definitely worth a visit! I was traveling in the area for work and needed to grab a sandwich. Someone had recommended the general store and hearing «general store» I did not have high expectations for my sandwich. I was pleasantly surprised! The deli section is great, the staff is super friendly and the whole store itself is a must see — it’s an interesting place!

In all the years I’ve been visiting my husband’s parents in Wall, i never stopped here. I ran by it a zillion times and figured it was just a little general store. So glad I finally took the plunge today!
Everything is made fresh and they of course have my favorite NJ staple: pork roll. Since I don’t live in NJ anymore I of course had to have it. The Dirty Herbert is pork roll, BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, grilled onions on a wrap. I thought I might be dainty and just eat half. Hahaha. Not even. Gobble gobble gobble yum!
I totally just negated biking here but I’m not one bit sorry. Will definitely be back!
I heard them saying they close at 4 but that’s reasonable since it’s just breakfast and sandwiches.
There are also antiques in the back. Nothing too fancy. But some gems hidden in there I think.

Outstanding comfort breakfast and deli food. All the New Jersey classics can be found here. Very friendly staff and the antique décor is super charming

YES! Thin-​sliced pork roll. It makes the sandwich!
Kitschy interior, reminiscent of a Cracker Barrel. Remember this is what people used to go to before they had Wawa. And it still serves it’s purpose just fine. Just a fully stocked general store to address all you country fixin’s such as fruit cakes and… bread…and better sandwiches… and other stuff.

This place is delicious but most reviews here are for the Deli section so let’s talk about the Antique side!
You pass through the Deli to get the Antiques. They are prettily organized and displayed. It seems more chaotic than it is and you can tell the owner really loves this stuff. The prices are decent and you can work on your haggling skills. Always stop by here a couple times a year.
Also, I’ve been here multiple times where there have been boxes of KITTENS seeking adoption. Like, cartoon style all mewing with a big sign. The best!

I have mixed feelings about the General Store. I love the old, small town, «locals only» vibe, but with the exception of the pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwich the food is just OK and my order often gets messed up. That being said, it’s worth a visit once in a while.

Pork roll egg and cheese was the worst I’ve ever had definitely not going back

Pork roll doesn’t require a bank roll.
Hey, okay, I don’t live at the shore. I’m here for a few days, and I’ve never stayed in Monmouth County in the past, so when I read about this place, especially since it’s around the corner, I wanted to try it.
It’s next to the bike path, which is convenient. It was a little confusing to drive there, since the road names change.
This pork roll sandwich is a specialty of theirs. I wasn’t sure how things worked, and really, they didn’t seem to have a clear method. There were two on the grill and they switched sides just as I arrived at the counter. I was paying more attention to their technique than to the menu board, which is just above and between customers and workers.
I figured that I would try the pork roll sandwich, not actually knowing what it was. It was egg + cheese or egg + meat, where the pork roll was the meat (or bacon or something else), and I wanted both the pork roll and the cheese. I ordered, and asked about drinks, since I saw the refrigerated case to the left. He said to pick something and I could pay after I finished eating.
After a while, I heard them calling numbers and names, but he didn’t ask my name. No problem – who is the weird foreigner who doesn’t live in the area? (This is where I raise my hand and then, feel embarrassed. :-D)
He found me, and brought a really good-​looking sandwich on a Kaiser roll with poppy seeds to my table.
I’m not the bread type, but I was enthusiastic at this point. They were smart enough to cut it in half to make it easier to handle. I still didn’t know what to expect but it was great. The pork was a bit salty, and reminded me of Virginia Ham. The roll was tender and warm. The egg was cooked well, with a little crispy edge, and the cheese wasn’t dribbling everywhere.
They could have used a third person to clean tables and take orders and cash but the food is good, so unless the tables become really bad, it’s not a real problem.

Old timey charm, good down-​home, family-​style-​welcome service, and the BEST New Jersey staple of pork roll egg and cheese on a hard roll! I advocate going via the bike path with a few good friends in tow. ;)

I’ve been going to the Allenwood General Store since 1985. The Herbert family has always provided excellent service and a quality product. Whenever I visit NJ, I always make sure to stop and visit, grab a burger and catch up with old friends.

The general store is the ultimate jersey shore breakfast spot. When you walk in you feel like family. I have been going there for over 20 years and I can’t stress how great the breakfast is! I’m a total pork roll egg and cheese junkie and they’res is the best around. The pancakes are delicious and the lunch meats are always fresh. Great spot for Sunday breakfast!

Best pork roll egg & cheese around.
Gets nostalgia points for being the spot right on the bike path.
As far as breakfast goes the general store is the best.

Good solid breakfast place. I have also enjoyed lunch on many occasions. The New Jersey staple is the Pork Roll Egg and Cheese but other offerings are well done here.
It is an old building, tables in multiple areas, including outside along a bike trail. I have taken my kids for a nice 4 mile bike ride to breakfast along the trail.
Nothing fancy, just a good sandwich and cold drink stop.

Best Porkroll Egg and Cheese sandwich going… Hands down! Great local spot. Kids love it. Tons of things to look at being an antique shop /​general store. The family that runs it are some of the nicest people going!
The only knock… On weekends they have a bunch of young kids working there. All nice enough and keep the quality consistent day in and out. However, the place desperately needs a system! The way they do it now is whoever takes the order cooks the order, plates/​wraps and rings the order. The griddle looks like a «chinese fire drill» half the time with them all trying to cook at once while reaching over one another… funny sometimes actually. However, because the food is great and the place is really unique they do get busy and that is when this «system» fails. Two people working an efficient system at the griddle and others plating/​wrapping and someone else ringing up would lessen the often painfully long waits. I’ve left because of it more than a few times… no hard feelings though. still love the place but they should do themselves a favor and GET A SYSTEM!

Cool place to hang out for breakfast. Very informal setting in a old turn of the century building. Nothing fancy here at all.
Best thing abut the place is that Pierer Chocolate is housed right next door to tempt you afterward. Also, some neat old stuff laying around to view/​purchase.