Grana BYOB

Prepare to feast on dishes prepared by one of the area’s most acclaimed chefs

WHERE IS IT? Corner of Broadway and West Perry Street, directly across from Wilbraham Park.

WHY SHOULD I GO? Ever since he fell in love with cooking (inspired by his older brother Glenn), Carl Messick has had a dream... to own his own restaurant. Lucky for locals and visitors, he’s now heading into his fifth season in America’s Original Seaside Resort.

Chef Carl opened Grana BYOB in downtown Cape May, offering the kind of exquisite cooking that became his trademark at the beloved Peter Shields Inn, where Carl ran the show for a dozen years. “I was trusted as the chef and able to do things how I wanted,” Carl says. “It really set me up to do it on my own and bring in a different crowd for a more relaxed fine dining experience.”

Grana is located at the former site of Godmother’s Italian eatery — and, although you may find a pasta dish or two on the Grana menu, that’s where the similarities end. Chef Carl’s menu is an eclectic offering of New American dishes that will help sustain Cape May’s stellar reputation as a proper restaurant town.

“The menu is sustainable and changes seasonally,” Carl says. “The summer menu is lighter with more fish, and we always have a steak dish. Vegetarian options are also included with our coursed menu and some à la carte items as well.”

Whichever options you choose, be confident in the knowledge that your dishes are being prepared with love and precision. That’s how it goes at Grana.

INSIDER TIP Grana is BYOB, so bring some of your favorite wines to blend with Chef Carl’s fabulous concoctions.