North Beach Cafe & Creamery (formerly Mento’s) has been a Ventnor staple for years. Homemade ice cream, water ice, fresh baked goods. Breakfast, lunch and dinner too, all made in-house from fresh ingredients. All prepared to order.
A few years back, two legendary Ventnor businesses — Carisbrooke Café and Mento’s South Philly Italian Ice merged into North Beach Cafe & Creamery in Ventnor.
Owners, John Battista and Agnes Debicz love serving a variety of comfort foods.
- Carved Turkey
- Crab Cake
- Meat Loaf
Home baked scones, fluffy blueberry pancakes, homemade ice-cream, water ices and more.
North Beach Cafe & Creamery Restaurant. Atlantic Avenue and Little Rock in Ventnor.
“I have enjoyed Mento’s ice cream and Carisbrooke Cafe for many years. The water ices are the best because of the many natural flavors tangerine, lemon, chocolate, but black cherry with real cherries is my favorite.
Agnes’ homemade scones, muffins, and western omelets are delicious!
Hospitality entrepreneur, John Battista opened his historical landmark luxury bed and breakfast, Carisbrooke Inn in 2003, which has expanded to 18-rooms. “Hospitality is very engrained in the Italian culture and is in our blood,” says Battista whose family was originally from Bari, Italy. His business partner, Agnes Debicz is originally from Poland and has perfected her home-baked scones, cinnamon buns, pies and more.
North Beach Cafe & Creamery. The Ventnor place for homemade ice cream and water ice.
Fresh baked scones, muffins and cinnamon rolls direct from their on-site, micro-bakery.
In 2003, John Battista left his career as an engineer to purchase and operate The Carisbrooke Inn Bed and Breakfast. That same year, Agnes Debicz worked for Bob Mento, scooping ice cream while completing her masters degree in Logistics.
In the late summer of 2006, John was looking for some extra help around the inn. He was told by a friend to talk to this energetic and capable young woman working at Mento’s. John met her and hired Agnes. Over the next several years, they became close friends.
In late 2010, Bob Mento approached Agnes and John asking if they were interested in leasing his water ice and ice cream shop on Ventnor Ave.
Made to order breakfast, fresh salads and sandwiches. Try our famous homemade waffle sundae (using 100 yr-old family recipe).
John and Agnes agreed to lease the store and purchase all of the existing equipment. John and Agnes spent months with Bob, learning to run the store, order products and most importantly, John learned to make all of the famous Mento’s water ice recipes.
In the Spring of 2011 John and Agnes ran the store as Carisbrooke Ice, keeping the same operations and standards Bob Mento taught them. John continued to make all of the water ice in small batches, just as Mento did, using the same recipes. Over time, adding some new flavors.
In March of 2020, John and Agnes opened North Beach Cafe & Creamery on the corner of Atlantic Ave. and S Little Rock Ave.
They incorporated their micro bakery concept into homemade comfort foods and classic breakfasts. Many of the breakfast and pastry recipes originated in the Carisbrooke Cafe Bed and Breakfast.
A full line of homemade ice cream, and the original water ice recipes provided by Bob Mento.
John Battista loves NORTH BEACH.
Members of the NORTH BEACH committee sincerely appreciate him allowing us to move our NORTH BEACH boat and now flag pole to his property on Atlantic Avenue.
We are so very happy how successful he and Agnes are in NORTH BEACH. A simple result of hard work! Thank you, John.
Here is hoping Summer of 2021 might at least be heading back towards some form of normalcy.
Richard Gober and the NORTH BEACH committee
Coming tomorrow for a 4 pm late lunch with a friend.
First timers! Excited. Wish to sit outside. See you then!
Sing Praises! It’s a Second Coming…I thought Mento’s was lost and gone forever and now learn they’re comin’ back…
We need list of places serving
Gluten free food.