Every town has a main street, and in Lakewood that means Clifton Avenue and the blocks around it — the commercial heart of the town, where the shopping, the eating, and the people-watching all happen. For a visitor, an afternoon stroll down the main drag is one of the best ways to get a feel for the place. Here’s what you’ll find.
The Lay of the Land
Lakewood’s main commercial strip runs along Clifton Avenue and the surrounding streets, with shopping centers and storefronts stretching in every direction. It’s not a quaint small-town main street — it’s a bustling frum commercial district, dense with stores, always busy, and completely itself. On a Thursday afternoon, the energy is electric: everyone’s out, everyone’s shopping, and the whole strip hums.
Parking can be tight during peak hours — the lots fill up, and street parking requires patience. Go on a weekday morning for the calmest experience, or embrace the Thursday chaos as part of the adventure. Either way, wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be walking.
What to Shop For
Clothing. Lakewood’s clothing stores are a destination in themselves. The children’s clothing shops are legendary — racks of adorable outfits at prices that make Brooklyn parents weep. The women’s clothing stores range from everyday to Shabbos-finest, and the men’s shops cover everything from suits to shirts. If you’ve got kids who need new Shabbos clothes, this is the place to do it.
Judaica. Sifrei kodesh, mezuzahs, candlesticks, challah covers, children’s books — the Judaica shops here are comprehensive and well-priced. It’s also the perfect place to pick up a souvenir with actual meaning: a sefer for the kids, a mezuzah for the new house, a bencher set for the villa’s Shabbos table.
Housewares and gifts. The gift shops and houseware stores are dangerous in the best way. You’ll walk in for one thing and leave with a bag. If you’re staying in a rental and realize you forgot something — a peeler, a tablecloth, extra hangers — this is where you fix it in ten minutes.
Toys and kids’ stuff. The toy stores here know their audience: big selections, fair prices, and everything a kid could want for a rainy afternoon at the villa. Stock up if the forecast looks grim.
Where to Eat
The main strip is lined with eateries, and the density is the point: you can graze your way down the avenue. Pizza shops (everyone has a favorite, and everyone is wrong except you), falafel and shawarma spots, sushi takeout, bakeries with lines out the door, ice cream shops that do heroic business on summer nights, and sit-down restaurants for when you want a real night out.
For visitors, the move is simple: lunch on the strip, snacks for the road, and takeout for the villa. The bakeries deserve special mention — the challah, the babka, the rugelach, the cookies by the pound. Buy more than you think you need. You’ll be back tomorrow for more anyway.
A practical note: most eateries close well before Shabbos on Fridays and have their own Yom Tov hours, so plan accordingly. And the popular spots get busy at standard meal times — eat slightly off-peak and you’ll be seated faster.
People-Watching
This is the underrated attraction of the main street: just watching Lakewood be Lakewood. The young couple pushing a double stroller while debating which pizza shop is better. The zeidy buying candy for the einiklach. The groups of bochurim on a break, the mothers with a train of kids, the sheer beautiful chaos of a community going about its day. Grab a coffee (or a bubble tea — this is Lakewood, after all), find a bench, and take it in.
Beyond the Main Drag
Clifton Ave is the heart, but it’s not the whole body. The surrounding commercial areas — the shopping centers on the outskirts, the newer developments — have their own draws: bigger stores, easier parking, and some of the town’s best takeout spots tucked into unassuming strip malls. If you have a car (and you should), venture out. Some of the best finds are a five-minute drive from the main strip. Ask a local for their favorite off-the-beaten-path shop and watch their face light up — everyone has one, and they’re always right.
Bring It Home
Here’s the thing about a main street afternoon: you always come home with bags. That’s the point. And coming home to a LakewoodHosts villa — with a real kitchen to unpack the groceries into, a dining table for the takeout spread, and closets for the new clothes — beats coming home to a hotel room every single time. Shop the strip, eat your way down the avenue, and bring it all back to a place with room for it.
Lakewood’s main street isn’t fancy. It’s better than fancy — it’s alive. Go see for yourself.
