By MADDY VITALE
What would the Boardwalk be without amusements, beach views, and, of course, pizza?
And there was one very strong indicator that pizza is a favorite when strolling by Gillian’s 6th Street Pizza & Grill, located on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Customers lined up on a recent weekday for a slice of the thin, but not too thin crust pizza, with a mild sauce topped with lots of tasty cheese.
“Boardwalk slices are just a part of the Ocean City experience,” explained Melissa Brown, manager at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, as she spoke with customers and staff at the eatery.
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian, who, along with his family, owns Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, opened the restaurant in the summer of 2016.
To view the menu for Gillian’s 6th Street Pizza & Grill click: https://accessglobal.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/siteimports/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/6thStreetTrifoldMenu2021.pdf
Gillian's 6th Street Pizza & Grill opened on the Boardwalk in 2016.
Over the summer months, the restaurant makes for a perfect part of a day -- enjoying rides at the amusement park and sitting at either the pizza counter with open air views of the ocean or in a spacious booth.
“We are a family-friendly restaurant located at Gillian's Wonderland Pier, a traditional, shore town eatery” Brown said. “What could be better than a ride on the Carousel, or a spin on the Giant Wheel, followed by a hot Boardwalk slice with your family?”
Brown emphasized that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Gillian’s strictly adheres to health and safety guidelines.
The popularity of the restaurant is due to several reasons. An ideal location with fantastic views of the ocean does not hurt.
But it is also because of the people who work at Gillian's, most longtime Ocean City locals, and others who come with a special gift in the kitchen.
One of the chefs came from a well-known restaurant in Somers Point and has a special recipe for the pies, among other entrees customers savor.
“6th Street Pizza takes pride in our ingredients and our attention to detail. Our chefs are proud of the dishes they serve. That is what makes all of the difference,” Brown said. “Besides our delicious pizza, our cheeseburger is to die for. We also always get rave reviews over our wings and tenders.”
Customers socially distance as they line up during a pre-season weekday.
Wing Wednesday is popular among customers -- especially locals who make it a weekly staple.
“Our crew is made up of experienced cooks, as well as young students working their very first job,” said Brown, who started her career at Gillian’s 20 years ago, returned from college and went back to the job she loved. “We are serving up dishes year-round by our team of all locals.”
High school athletes stop in before practice, while other Ocean City High School students come in for a bite after school, Brown added.
What helps to entice customers to keep coming back -- besides eating in an amusement park -- is the price.
“We have killer specials. The OCHS students get great discounts,” Brown added. “Our daily lunch specials also keep guests coming back for more.”
In addition, 6th Street Pizza not only gives free garlic knots with every delivery, but also keeps the other merchants in the community in mind.
“We also have 6th Street Pizza's Business of the Week, where we send pizzas to local businesses around town,” Brown said.
The restaurant, the amusements, the ocean and Boardwalk are all good reasons to stop in at 6th Street Pizza.
For customers, it may be the first time to try out a dish there, or one of many in a family tradition.
For more information visit www.gillians.com or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gilliansOCNJ.
Gillian's employee Paul Westcott prepares garlic knots that are free with every delivery.
