New Restaurant Openings & Sad Closing in Montclair – October 2021

Hey Montclair, here a list of new openings 🙂 and sad closings 🙁 of restaurants in our area! If we forgot any, please just let us know.

1. Zachy Platters & Grill

Zachy’s is a new Mediterranean spot and the food looks incredible! We haven’t had the pleasure of trying this place yet but the photos are telling us the food is delicious!
150 Valley Rd, Montclair, NJ 07042

2. Palato Caffe Cucina

New Caffe Alert! Palato is the cutest new spot here in Montclair. They are open for lunch & dinner, and are always adding special dishes as well as serving their staple plates. It is located at 377 Bloomfield Ave, and you need to check out this spot ASAP!

3. Empire Nutrition 

A new açaí, smoothie, meal prep & nutrition spot opened in Upper Montclair  a few months ago💪 Their walls are STACKED with protein, healthy candies and snacks too! You really have to stop by and check out this place, you won’t be disappointed. Go show them your support, Montclair!
598 Valley Rd, Montclair, NJ 07043

4. Il Laboratorio Del Gelato

Montclair we are obsessed with the new gelato spot  😁You can taste the high quality ingredients and flavoring, the gelato has great texture, and we love the cones & cups the ice cream comes in! These guys thought of everything + the ambiance is perfect 👍 make sure you go and treat yourself to some delicious gelato today or this weekend! 😁
598 Valley Rd, Montclair, NJ 07043

5. Efi’s Gyro

Guys, we cannot get enough of gyros and the fact that Efi’s opened up right on Bloomfield Ave is making our hearts throb! The have traditional dishes but also some unique and delicious ones as well! Run, don’t walk! to this new Montclair spot.
521 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair New Jersey

6. Sweet T’s Southern Eatery

Absolutely delicious southern comfort food has blessed our Montclair neighborhood! Plus, this spot frequently has live music, fun events and amazing specials. We love the diversity of the food in Montclair but we are extra excited about this cuisine!

Restaurant Closings

1. Villalobos

2. Ariane Kitchen & Bar

3. Vanillamore

We are so sad that three of our absolute favorite spots in our Montclair area have closed. These three restaurants were ones we went to frequently, and honestly, it doesn’t feel the same without them! One slice of good news is that while Villalobos did closed, the owner is not gone for good! He will be opening a new venture very soon! Stay with us for updates!

Dinner at Turtle and The Wolf!

About a year ago the Upper Montclair community welcomed Turtle and The Wolf to Valley Road a not so hidden (although not as popular YET) gem. Valley Road literally has it all; amazing homes, chain stores like Kings, William Sonoma, Starbucks, and quaint little shops like Sweet Home Montclair & Apple Village. And now you can top off a beautiful day about town with Dinner at Turtle and the Wolf!

Turtle and The Wolf is an American (New) Restaurant brought to us by the amazingly talented Chef Lauren Hirschberg. Having spent many years with Craft Restaurant Group, Chef Lauren brings his talents to Montclair, NJ where his culinary skills are displayed wonderfully when southern comfort meets big city dinning.

The dinner scene at Turtle and The Wolf is much different from Brunch with tables reserved 2 to 3 weeks in advance it is difficult to get a walk-in reservation any given weekend. But we finally lucked out! We mistakenly forgot to grab a bottle of wine, but conveniently there is a wine and spirits store right across from Turtle and The Wolf (Angelbeck’s The Wine Store). Saved by the wine store!

We walked into a warm room, dimly lit, filled with lots of chatter, glasses clinking, and laughter all around. There was a family of five out for a Friday night dinner, more than a few couples out on a date night and a handful of ladies in the corner enjoying a girl’s night. If the house made sausage on the brunch menu were any inclination, we should have known dinning at Turtle and Wolf would be nothing less than finger-licking good.

The menu….where to begin, I really really wanted to go for the deviled eggs, but having walked in knowing I was having dessert I opted for the Arugula, radish, cucumber salad. My date for the evening was not as modest, opting to start off with the hot wings. And from the looks of his pile of wipes, or better yet lack thereof, the wings were finger licking good… and we were in public… I can tell you it only got better and more fingers would be licked.

We ordered the roasted 1/2 chicken with red potatoes, fiddlehead, and gremolata and Braised Beef Brisket, Pommel Puree, radish, and Black Garlic Jus…. All I can say is people call things #fingerlickinggood often but this was #lickingyourplate #fingerlicking #pleaseletthisplatebebottomless Amazingly GOOD.

So, you’re probably thinking, salad, wings, chicken AND Brisket no way they had room for dessert (and remember I said Chef Lauren does not skimp on portion sizes)… Nope, you know how when your mom cooks your favorite meal and you know you’re no longer hungry but you could go for seconds, and then she reminds the table there is dessert and you feel like your entire life was just made! OK that feeling right there, enter Maple pôt de crême, Zeppoles, and Vanilla cake with house made whipped cream. I know I know you think every restaurant MUST make their own whipped cream, one taste of this ACTUAL house made whipped cream from T+ W and your night will be made! And yes, I have no shame in saying we ordered all 3 of their dessert items and boy am I glad we did!

It was just two of us, so we unfortunately could not try more from the menu, but never fear we will MOST DEFINITELY be back for more!!!

Tasting menus, Fried chicken, Duck pot pie, deviled eggs, I mean so much to eat (must wear stretchy pants….and maybe make a reservation for 4 next time?)

Who’s coming??

Dinner at Turtle and the Wolf
We were finally able to get reservations for dinner at Turtle and the Wolf last week…mouthwatering& delicious!
Dinner Turtle Wolf
Maple pôt de crême up front (my personal FAVE), Zeppoles, and Vanilla cake with house made whipped cream (Hubby’s FAVE)