Community Corner
Montclair's Oases: The Best Outdoor Dining Spots
A look at restaurants with outdoor seating.
The oppressive heat has been replaced with gloriously dry and sunny days, which are expected to be all ours for the next 10 days or so. Now is the time to enjoy a meal outdoors almost anywhere in Montclair. It seems everyone knows the pleasure of sidewalk dining. From simply dragging a few tables and chairs outside, to creating enclosures that hint of exotic far-flung places, Montclair restaurateurs offer creative spaces that beckon us to sit, eat, drink, relax, and savor the summertime. Here are some of the best places to enjoy the glorious days of summer.
Montclair Station at the Upper Montclair Train Station at 275 Bellevue Avenue offers a small front porch with tables bedecked with flowers; casual dining for the family. Come meet your commuting spouse, or hop off the train and relax with a glass of wine and order from their casual menu, which includes sandwiches and such and special entrees each evening for the very hungry. Manager Charles Nuzzo offers coffee and baked goods for the morning commuters and lunch until 3 p.m. Happy Hour is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays with special drink prices and complimentary appetizers and, of course, dinner. More on Montclair Station in an upcoming review so stay tuned.
Thai Chef's outdoor courtyard at 664 Bloomfield Avenue is a water garden surrounded by umbrella tables, an oasis of calm along one of the busiest streets in the county. Combine that oasis with delicately prepared Thai and French menu items such as Mee Krob, Thai Lime Sausage, Green Papaya Salad, or any number of chilis to cool you in the summer sun. Bring along your own bottle of wine. Thai Chef opens a new restaurant called Tee Time in a few weeks time. Check in with Patch soon for a review.
Raymond's, at 28 Church Street, defines Church Street on a Sunday morning or any lunchtime or dinnertime with its rows of red tables and chairs. Their French toast, for breakfast or brunch, Vegetarian Chili, and my personal favorite, Shrimp and Grits, satisfy indoors or out. Raymond's is popular and a reservation is a good idea for dinner on a weekend, but the mood and food are divine.
Bonjour Montclair at 254 Park Street makes crepes, breakfast, lunch, or dinner as well as sandwiches and salads with the freshest possible ingredients. Fresh brewed ice tea and homemade lemonade … have I got your attention yet? And homemade soups … at least two varieties each day, which you'll love, even in the heat of summer. Apple Carrot is a must try! Outdoor is the thing here as their indoor space is small. But, above all, the food is marvelous!
Mediterranea at 578 Bloomfield Avenue has an outdoor patio and elegant indoor space protected from the noise of passing cars and buses on Bloomfield Avenue and from where you can enjoy a wide array of specialty dishes from Syria, Lebanon, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, and Spain. After dinner, don a traditional Turkish robe and enjoy fruit flavored Hookah in their outdoor dining space.
Cuban Pete's at 428 Bloomfield Avenue is definitely a destination in Montclair, winter and summer, and their outdoor space pulses with tropical heat no matter what the weatherman predicts. For singles, families, groups, special events, Cuban Pete's entices with Albondigas, Chicaron de Pollo, Jamon Con Pina, and more from their Tapas menu and Cuban Classics, Nuevo Cobano and Viejo Cuban entrees. Kid's menu offers no worry choices for the younger set.
In addition:
Enter Upper Montclair along Bellevue Avenue and you'll see clusters of outdoor tables in front of Falafel Hut, Tinga Taqueria, and Da Vinci's Pizza. The mood is one of one big outdoor café where strollers are parked next to couples or groups of young adults savoring a summer evening, noontime or, come fall, a Friday after-school respite. Deliciously prepared food from restaurants with small kitchens bursting with flavors from around the world make up the eclectic tastes of our not-so-small town.
Of course, I haven't even covered the Walnut Street neighborhood and Osteria Giotto at 21 Midland Avenue or V-Bar at 30 Park Street or the new 32 Church Creative Cooking right next to Raymond's. Get out there and enjoy them all ... and let me know what to order next time I'm out and about.
