Sunday, June 20, 2021 / by Teresa DiPeso
Trio North Wildwood: New Restaurant
The Jersey Shore boasts a variety of dining options. But Trio North Wildwood hopes to stand out by “bridging the gap between bar food and fine dining”. That’s according to Co-owner Debbie Gioquindo, one member of the “Trio” in the restaurant’s namesake. The team believes their restaurant fills a current void in the area.
Debbie describes the 3,600-square-foot interior of Trio North Wildwood as having a “soft industrial look” to it. The restaurant seats 74 indoors, in addition to 32 more on the sidewalk. Co-owner & Chef Gus Zimmerman labels Trio as “an American gastro eatery,” serving high-quality small and large plates. Patrons can select options such as steak, pork chops, seafood, or a combo of their choosing.
So far, Shanghai street wings and Oyster Rockefeller are popular starts at Trio. Meanwhile, main dish hits include shrimp crab cakes and the pork chop. But don’t ask Debbie to choose her favorite dish on the menu. “That’s like asking who your favorite child is,” she says. Though they are BYOB, the eatery serves as an outlet for Paso Robles Dracaena Wines. (Debbie is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a Wine Location Specialist in Port and Champagne.) Click here to see the full menu.
Rounding out the trio is Paul Gioquindo (cousins with Gus). Paul is Debbie’s husband, and together they handle the marketing, wine, and management. All three grew up spending summers in Cape May. However, in 2013 – unbeknownst to them – they moved a few blocks away from one another in North Cape May. After catching up at family party, they decided to start a business together.
The trio previously owned Kitchen 330 in Stone Harbor, which closed in October when their lease was up. “One of the things we learned during this time is that we needed to own our own building,” Debbie says. “We didn’t know if we would find a new home for 2021. But two weeks after closing, we found the building that we are currently located in.”
You can visit Trio North Wildwood at 700 New Jersey Ave in North Wildwood. (Click here to see them on Google Maps.) To learn more, click here to visit their website.