Cape May has more good restaurants for its size than almost any other small town in the Northeast. Most are clustered on Washington Street, Beach Avenue, and Carpenters Lane. Seafood is the default — local scallops, oysters from Delaware Bay, and softshell crabs in season — but the scene is broader than that, including some of the most ambitious tasting menus in southern New Jersey.
Cape May is dry in town (the town centre is BYO for many restaurants), so check whether the place is licensed or whether you should bring your own bottle. Reservations are essential in summer.