By Christina Martin
There is a different feeling in the air as the summer season at the shore comes to a close and the off-season begins. The streets have less traffic, beaches have fewer people and the restaurant business has slowed down. It is a good time for residents to come out of their shells and support local businesses.
I recently visited a restaurant that has been on my off-season bucket list for quite some time: Hannah G’s at 7310 Ventnor Ave. in Ventnor.
Owners Donna and Kevin McCarthy will celebrate 24 years at that location on May 5, 2025. Donna sat down with me to talk about Hannah G’s and why they offer vegan and gluten-free items on their menu.
She has been working in the restaurant business since she was 10 years old. Her 20 years of experience ranges from food courts to fine dining with The Ark Company, which currently has a restaurant at the Tropicana in Atlantic City.
Although she is from the area, she has also traveled, having lived in California, Boston and Florida. She eventually found her way back to the Jersey Shore. She and her husband purchased the space that is now Hannah G’s from an owner who was also operating it as a breakfast restaurant.
In 2012 they expanded, purchasing the adjacent building and doubling their dining space. They are open 7 a.m.-2 p.m. daily, closed on Tuesdays.
During the pandemic they offered to-go meals – dinners as well as catering. They still offer catering and to-go dinners in the winter months.
About eight years ago they added the vegan and gluten-free menu items as summer vacationers from New York and Philadelphia started to request these options. Donna did some research and began adding these options to the menu board. Although not vegan, she said she’s conscious about what she eats and actively supports local food sourcing. She said she would rather purchase quality, local products.
“You either pay at the doctor or pay at the grocer,” she told me.
In the summer she supports the local farmers markets by purchasing fresh produce for the restaurant. She travels to Stella Farms in Berlin Borough, Camden County, for corn as their corn is considered to be some of the best in South Jersey.
She bakes a daily loaf of bread that is gluten-free and often vegan as well. She omits any seed oils because she prefers not to eat them, and uses avocado or olive oil.
The banana bread I tried was gluten-free, vegan and did not contain any white sugar. Instead Donna uses coconut sugar and cacao nibs in place of chocolate chips. The bread was paired with a seasonal pumpkin butter which was also vegan and a perfect addition to the bread.
Their most popular menu items are the vegan burrito which is loaded with potatoes, avocado, chopped tomatoes, red peppers, black beans, mushrooms, shredded cabbage and vegan cheese. The burrito can be made gluten-free with a corn tortilla.
The blueberry chia pancakes are vegan and made with a flax egg and soy milk. One of the servers shared with me that many of their vegan regulars order the sausage and vegan breakfast hash, which includes sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, zucchini, potatoes, smoked paprika and a Beyond Meat sausage patty.
Other vegan menu items include a black bean veggie burger, vegan shrimp tacos, a breakfast sandwich which contains a “just egg” product which is a vegan egg replacement. There is also a quinoa breakfast bowl which sounds like the perfect breakfast for the winter months ahead. It has quinoa, topped with chia seeds, hemp hearts, fresh berries and almond butter.
Hannah G’s has homemade soup daily. In the winter they offer two or three soups on the menu, and most often you will find that one or more of them is vegan.
On their Thanksgiving catering menu they have options for vegan and gluten-free meals. Just contact Donna McCarthy to create a custom menu with these options.
It is nice to have more and more restaurants with plant-based options, and the off-season is a great time to check out these healthier menu options.
Hannah G’s is located at 7310 Ventnor Ave. in Ventnor. Call 609-823-1466, see hannahgs.com or find Hannah G’s on Facebook and Instagram.
Chef Christina Martin is a dedicated chef educator, passionate advocate for healthy eating, and mother. Christina’s expertise has been spotlighted in Independent Restaurateur Magazine and she has been awarded 2024 Chef Educator of the Year from the Professional Chef Association of South Jersey.
