GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

tasty places to take your bike

When we go out for a ride many times we tend to ride along on familiar roads – but there plenty of times, especially when venturing out of the immediate area, we will look for roads we have never been on before. We like new places and things and, while riding on these roads, we keep our eyes peeled for just this. That’s one of the ways we nd all the places featured in Backroads. But occasionally we get an invite and such was the case with a friendly and cozy coffee place in the old New Jersey town of Asbury called the Asbury Coffee Mill when we received an email from the owner inviting us down to see her place. We were very glad we did. The town of Asbury is Jersey’s other Asbury – no Bruce here - but a lot of history instead. The community was named for Francis Asbury, the rst American Bishop to the Methodist Episcopal Church and the town was added to the National Registry of Historic Places on March 19, 1993, for its signi cance in architecture, industry, religion, community development, politics/government, and commerce. Although tiny and kinda out of the way – Asbury has chops! We rode along some new-to-us backroads and rolled up to the Coffee Mill and parked the bikes. Owned and operated by Malia Corde, the Coffee Mill is found in a building that was built back in 1862 and the Asbury Coffee Mill is called such as a nod to the great mills that dotted the region in the past. The building has its own history and has been several things over the last 160 years: general store, a deli, and even a furniture store. For many years Malia and her husband, Gary, would drive by this building and she would say again and again that they should buy it and make it work – somehow. Then Hurricane Sandy nailed New Jersey, and it sat vacant for a long time. Eventually, it went into short sale and the couple decided to “go for it.” Renovations began with visions of a coffee shop serving baked goods. These days it is a full restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. While we were there a few other riders stopped in for some of the Mills fantastic Homestead coffee – locally roasted in a 19th- century barn alongside the scenic Pennsylvania Tow Path, just steps from the Delaware River. The coffee, and we love coffee, is very, very good. The breakfast menu has a lot of Americana in it – but with a cheesy twist as you can order 3-egg omelets off the menu or create your own with any of the cheeses that oat your boat that day – American, cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, Brie or Goat. For we carnivores, you can add bacon, ham, pork roll, as well mushrooms, spinach, and the like. Oatmeal, fruit cups, homemade granola, pancakes, and waf es can be had, as well as some great breakfast burritos. Not long after we arrived another rider pulled up – Malia’s husband Gary. Shira was outside when he arrived and she was all smiles when she came back in and stated that the machine sitting outside was “a real rider’s bike.” Hmmm. I was introduced to Gary and looking at his gear I said…Ducati? Nope – something maybe not better, but certainly different. A small café-racer – created by Gary and powered by a thumper 650 from a Suzuki Savage. Wow, it was brilliant. Okay, we already were liking the Asbury Coffee Mill – but their stock just took off like a rocket with this bike outside. By this time it was afternoon, so lunch was the order of the day. The Asbury Coffee Mill has a number of salads – from their signature salad with mixed greens, avocado, bacon, grilled shrimp, plum tomatoes, red onion and drizzled with olive oil and fresh lime juice to their own takes on Apple Walnut, Caesar, Garden, a Southwest and a very tasty looking strawberry and spinach salad.

We spied several wraps and I went for the Asbury – a delicious turkey club variation – raising the question if a club does not have three slices of bread can it be in the club? Well, the answer is a hearty ‘yes ‘at the Asbury Coffee Mill. Our buddy (some say sidekick) Mike had the Southwestern and Shira split hers with the soup of the day, a tomato bisque, and half of the Asbury’s Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich. I think when you have a grilled cheese with bacon, brie, pear, and arugula it easily can snatch that name. You will also nd roast beef, chicken, and veggie offerings. If you have the room you will nd some delicious smoothies and shakes – or just be smart and order these with your meal…duh! Our waitress, who was a great saleswoman, convinced us that, even if we had no room left after lunch, to bring a few of Malia’s Scones home. What a great idea – as they were soft, peachy, and very moist and delicious. The Ginger Spice Cookies followed us home too. The Asbury Coffee Mill is open every day from breakfast till 2:00 pm and has live acoustic music on Sundays. Follow along with our route that will the Kanawauke Circle in Harriman State Park, New York to the Asbury Coffee Mill. We promise a seriously good ride and Malia, Gary and crew promise a seriously good meal. ,