New Opening Date Set For Mexican Restaurant, Cocktail Bar At Westfield Train Station

WESTFIELD, NJ — An update on the opening of the much-anticipated Maize Cocktails & Cocina was announced this week.

The new Mexican restaurant will be coming to the North Avenue train station in Westfield this spring, according to Westfield NJ - Downtown.

Mayor Shelley Brindle and the council previously unanimously voted in March 2022 to authorize an award of contract to Maize Cocktails and Cocina — a globally-inspired Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar — to open at the train station building.

The restaurant was initially set to open in late 2022. Now the opening has been announced to open in the Spring of 2023. Read More: Mexican Restaurant, Cocktail Bar Coming Soon To Westfield

The town leased the building to Chef Jesa Hennebery — a culinary expert who most recently appeared as a cast member on the new Food Network series "Big Restaurant Bet" with Geoffrey Zakarian. She also previously appeared on "Chopped" — winning her episode in 2016.

In 2017, Hennebery was the creative culinary consulting chef behind New York City’s acclaimed plant-based Mexican restaurant "Jajaja" — recognized as one of the top vegetarian restaurants in America by Thrillist and Eater. Jajaja has four locations throughout New York City.

Experienced restauranteur Kamal Arora of Arora Hospitality Group will also be leasing the building alongside Hennebery. Arora invested in Moghul Express and Moghul Catering back in 2007, which is now the biggest Indian catering company in the U.S.

The new restaurant, Maize, will feature a square cocktail bar with seating for 25, as well as indoor and outdoor dining and patio seating.

Maize also plans to provide live music and entertainment, transforming the North Avenue train station parking lot into a permanent pedestrian plaza.

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