Lucille's Luncheonette, once visited by Anthony Bourdain, is for sale
Lucille's Luncheonette, a nearly 50-year-old breakfast and lunch spot that once lured chef Anthony Bourdain to the Barnegat Pine Barrens, is for sale.
Sisters Karen Bates-Flynn and Diane Brown run the restaurant, which was opened by their parents, Lucille and Jim Bates, in the Warren Grove section of the township in 1975. After losing their mom in 2016, Bates-Flynn and Brown kept Lucille's going, serving homestyle food like scrapple and eggs, pancakes, soup, chili, sandwiches and homemade pies.
"Spending most of our lives in this restaurant, as our family has had it for the last 50 years, has been a true joy," the sisters shared in a social media post. "But along with that, it has been a lot of hard work. Not that we like to admit it ... no one gets younger, and we have to look to the future.
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"We have listed the restaurant in hopes of finding the next generation of caretakers for Lucille's legacy," the post continued. "We want to find a buyer that is interested in continuing to serve our clientele in the best way possible, who is open to continuing our "PINEY" traditions and still bringing some fresh ideas to 'the counter.' "
The restaurant was previously listed for sale, "but the right fit just didn't come along at that time and we don't know if it it will now ... so please don't think this is 'the end' or that we are closed/closing. We are continuing to operate Lucille's as we always have and will (be) serving fresh fare with a smile and a side of laughter ... until we find a comfortable fit for both ourselves and for you."
The restaurant and land are listed for $650,000.
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A visit from Bourdain
Lucille's Luncheonette, which through the years has been called Warren Grove Snack Bar and Lucille's Country Cooking, became one of 10 stops on the Anthony Bourdain Food Trail after the late chef visited the Garden State for a 2015 episode of his CNN food and travel show, "Parts Unknown."
Bates-Flynn said that ahead of filming, her mother was told not to tell anyone that the chef would be visiting.
“That lasted about five minutes,” Bates-Flynn said, and when Bourdain arrived, the restaurant was packed.
During the episode, Bourdain sat at the counter and talked about the Jersey Devil while dining on eggs with scrapple, chili, and blueberry pie.
Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to [email protected], follow on Instagram at Jersey Shore Eats and subscribe to our Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lucille's Luncheonette in Barnegat is for sale
