CULINARY CORNER

France meets Italy

You no longer have to travel to Staten Island to sample the goodies of Italian/Frenchinspired Bruno’s Bakery—it’s opened a new location in Freehold. New York and Italian cheesecakes, butter cookies, tarts, traditional French and Italian pastries—you’ll find all that and more. (Guess we’ll start the diet a little later.)

• Bruno’s, 356 W. Main St., Freehold, 732.301.5126; brunosnyc.com

A beast of a burger

Popular virtual restaurant and YouTube sensation MrBeast Burger is coming to Manasquan and will operate a ghost kitchen at Blend on Main. Monmouth residents will get a chance to try the internetfamous smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and more.

• Blend on Main, 152 Main St., Manasquan, 732.223.0030; blendonmain.com, mrbeastburger.com

Sip on this

Music To Our Ears

Downtown Belmar is getting a pretty cool gift for the borough’s 150th anniversary this year. The Belmar Arts Center plans to donate a high-tech, outdoor piano that will be installed at Pyanoe Plaza. The piano will honor Belmar’s own Stelma Sancious and her son, musician and original E Street Band member David Sancious. Already the heart of the downtown district, Pyanoe Plaza will become the community’s musical center with this new addition. The date of its unveiling and dedication was not yet determined at press time. Those interested in contributing to the Arts Center may do so at belmararts.org.

Need a beverage to wash down Bruno’s pastries or MrBeast’s burgers? Head to Birdsmouth Beer, located in The Commissary at Fort Monmouth, for a true New Jersey-brewed lager. The craft brewery is now open, with a selection of lagers and pilsners on tap. Food isn’t available just yet, but visitors may bring their favorite snacks to the taproom while enjoying good conversation, bar games and live music.

• Birdsmouth Beer, 675 Oceanport Way, Oceanport, 973.352.2842; birdsmouthbeer.com