It is with great emotion that we announce Dorcas of Bay Head will not be opening this summer. After nearly 50 years of holding down our beloved corner of Bridge and Lake Avenues in the center of Bay Head, we have decided to hang up our aprons and lease the space out. We spent the winter extensively renovating the kitchen to bring it into the 21st Century (removing 50 years/layers of linoleum in the process!) and are thrilled to announce that the Dune Grass Café will be opening in the coming weeks. They expect to be open for ice cream on Memorial Day, and in June will begin serving breakfast and lunch. They also will keep the ice cream parlor open in the evenings!

The family of Dorcas Cotsworth is forever grateful to the town of Bay Head and Dorcas’s loyal customers, employees and suppliers for nearly 50 years of support. My grandmother was always so happy when she thought about what an enterprise and institution she had built – really built on a whim back in 1965. She worked hard to serve delicious food and provide a welcoming spot to sit in the center of town. She also loved giving kids summer jobs (often their first jobs) and then staying in touch as they moved beyond dishwashing and waitressing to bigger and better careers and exciting lives.

We have lots of fun photos and memorabilia from over the years that we will continue to post to this FB page from time to time, and we would love it if you would post your own memories of time spent under the awning or perched on one of the soda fountain stools…In the meantime, please frequent the Dune Grass Café – we know we will!!

Thanks again,

 Caroline Berry Manogue