The Promise of Pleasantville

With economic fortunes tied to Atlantic City, this New Jersey city’s diverse food scene reveals its revival

A trio holds hands as they head toward Main Street in Pleasantville, a diverse 5-mile-square city on the southern coast of New Jersey. All photos: John Taggart

Welcome to Hometown Appetites, a recurring look at the way this country eats, neighborhood by neighborhood.

There are plenty of summer stories about Jersey Shore food, the vanilla cones and clams and red sauce…