Central Jersey small businesses you need to visit this weekend

We had a busy "Small Business Monday" on the trail in Monmouth and Ocean County on "Eclipse Monday". Our first stop was a meeting at The Tiger's Tale in Somerset County.

It's our go-to for local meetings and our server Lucy is always at the ready to serve up a Dogfish IPA and burgers for our guests.

From there, Jodi and I had a scheduled tour with the team at Taliercio's Ultimate Gourmet on Route 35 in Red Bank.

They had food ready as we got there and Jodi was more than happy to sample the fried ravioli, a company specialty.

The owners, "Mo" and his son Eric started the business in 1988.

They survived and thrived through the COVID lockdowns and are now booming with Eric's promotions on social media.

The trick to a business like this is the ability to deliver a great product with great service at a reasonable cost. I can speak directly to the incredible food, yes, late last night after four stops, we heated the chicken parm and chicken "Taliercio" for a late-night dinner. Delicious. Satisfying. Real food. We will be back.

Just so you know, it's pronounced: "Tah-Lair-See-Ohs".

Our third stop of the day took us back to a great location in Tom's River. Riv's Toms River Hub on Hooper Ave.

It was bingo night and owner Tony Rivoli invited us in to meet and greet some of his regular customers. The place was packed so of course I grabbed the mic and said hello to the enthusiastic crowd.

Another fantastic place for a burger if you're looking for lunch, dinner, or late night. We love Rivs and you will be impressed with the food, beer selection, and friendly atmosphere.

Tony even has a room set aside for families with kids with autism. The room accommodates families for an out-to-dinner experience without worrying about having to deal with a noisy restaurant crowd.

It was also great seeing my friend Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little who stopped in to say hello. Mitch is one of the strongest and most successful chiefs in the Garden State and I'm proud to stand with him and all the officers and staff at the TRPD.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

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