Get a weekly serving of the hottest NJ food news sent right to your inbox with our Side Dish newsletter Montclair is unusual in that it has three “downtowns”—north (Upper Montclair) with restaurants on or just off the avenue which runs parallel to Bloomfield Avenue a few blocks north Montclair is one of the hottest restaurant towns in New Jersey home to a striking range of vibrant and delicious restaurants that seems to be growing by the day Below are our top picks for the best restaurants in Montclair New Jersey Monthly knows New Jersey’s dining scene Our editors and restaurant critics spend endless amounts of time traversing the state to dine at all types of establishments from fine-dining restaurants to pizza places old favorites to new restaurants bringing their own flavor to New Jersey’s culinary scene [RELATED: The Best Restaurants in New Jersey] For a fast-casual restaurant, Boschetto (which made this year’s list of the best new restaurants in New Jersey) certainly feels more like fine dining—and that’s what the faces behind the restaurant (restaurateur Robert Spina and Michelin-starred chef Joseph Sergentakis) are aiming for With its stellar regional Italian cuisine and gleaming new digs a lunch or dinner here is worth every penny and your food will be brought to your table inside or on the spacious patio—but don’t skimp marinated tomatoes with stracciatella cheese Don’t miss the zucchine fritte; the pizza is also fabulous Da Pepo’s spaghettoni chitarra with crab meat The Italian home cooking at Da Pepo is as authentic and compelling as the space is, well, a bit tight. There are 19 seats. But after a career cooking in big Italian-American restaurants, chef Carlo Orrico is living his dream, cooking time-tested family recipes from Southern Italy. BYO. Check out our review here saffron and lemon makes a fine starter or main After distinguished careers with the famed Daniel Boulud, chef Olivier Muller and manager Dominique Paulin set out to create their own palace of modern Mediterranean cuisine with French accents Transforming a long-ago bank from empty shell to stunning showcase complete with an outdoor bar and multilevel patio which ranges from the adept and endearing coq au vin to the fricassée of snails and chicken “oysters,” which hits like a slot-machine jackpot It earned a spot on our 2024 list of New Jersey’s Best Restaurants modern Peruvian restaurant may be small in size which also combines culinary techniques from Italy boasts flavorful takes on typical Peruvian dishes a traditional Peruvian stir fry with strips of beef homemade dark caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream Oysters at Gioia Mia Photo: Courtesy of Zack Perl/Gioia Mia Diners may have been disappointed when Montclair’s popular Fascino closed after two decades red-leather booths will make them feel happy and relaxed Gioia Mia more than lives up to expectations with appealing dishes that don’t require a gastronomic dictionary to decipher with sundried tomatoes giving them an unusually sweet tang The classic Korean rice bowls—bibimbap and bulgogi among others—can be ordered in a sizzling hot stone bowl vegetable dishes and a kids’ menu to bolster the selection of spicy grilled meat entrées Herbed falafel pita Photo: Courtesy of Marcel Meny Vaknin learned to cook from his Moroccan Jewish mother Vaknin’s Mediterranean influences and baking skills have made Marcel a community hot spot since it opened in 2017 It works as a grab-and-go cafe or a relaxing hang at its community table and two-tops hummus or rice bowls topped with meat or vegetables; shwarma chicken tacos; and a variety of smoothies and coffee drinks Photo: Courtesy of Jerikho Brathwaite (@thecreatorsdistrict) Despite never having worked in a restaurant sisters Berekti and Akberet Mengistu fearlessly opened Mesob in 2003 They’d grown up in an Ethiopian family of 10 children; with relatives dropping by all the time cooking dinner for 40 on little notice was no big deal They figured they could handle the business—and they were right Patrons have taken to the Ethiopian way of eating—scooping up subtly spiced meat and vegetable stews with hand-torn strips of cool Ethiopia’s uniquely absorbent sourdough crêpe Photo: Courtesy of pastaRAMEN/Peter Bonacci Some of the most popular dishes at pastaRAMEN are Japanese Wagyu steaks Raymond’s serves up American staples in a vintage-luncheonette setting One of Montclair’s most popular meeting places The built-from-scratch interior could be the set of a luncheonette from a 1940s Hollywood movie The menu is basically all the American favorites people love to eat and there’s outdoor seating in warm weather One of the better breakfast/lunch/brunch spots in town Red Eye aces the staples and also offers such rewarding mashups as coconut grits (a bowl of grits mixed with shredded chorizo and toasted coconut Brunch includes enticing twists on classic dishes made with a custard base and tapioca flour for a firmer Brazilian native Ilson Gonçalves opened Samba in 2010 and ever since has been showing patrons there is more to Brazilian food than steak (though his sirloins are very good) And you don’t have to be gluten-free to be greedy for the warm cheese biscuits Photo: Courtesy of SLA Thai/Pandech Saleewong The initials stand for “Simple Love Authentic”—and owner Meiji Pattamasingchai radiates that L-word She grew up in northern Thailand and learned the local cuisine (the A-word) from her mother is too rich in flavor and varied in texture to be summed up by the S-word Montclair native Lauren Hirschberg rose to a high level in celebrity chef Tom Colicchio’s Crafted Hospitality organization Hirschberg and longtime friend Matt Trevenen fulfilled their dream of opening their own New American restaurant in their hometown The food is hearty and contemporary; the atmosphere hip and relaxed Chef Can (pronounced John) Alp trained in Turkey and brings a fanciful, modern take on Mediterranean food to Zeugma Think: Crunchy beet falafel (delicately flavored with cumin) and calamari (ringed with miso aioli) BYO—or try wine from California’s Domenico Winery Read more Eat & Drink, Top Restaurants by City articles and website in this browser for the next time I comment Alumni Alumni News Golf outing raises more than $130,000 for student athletes and programs Posted in: Alumni News and Events, Uncategorized There was plenty of enthusiasm and sunshine on Sept. 30, as 135 golfers hit the links to raise more than $130,000 for Montclair State University student athletes and programs at the 12th annual Red Hawk Open held for the first time at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton Attendees enjoyed a day on the course that included a BBQ lunch and dinner reception Silent auction items included rounds of golf at Upper Montclair Country Club “It’s terrific that our alumni and friends rallied their support to benefit Montclair student athletes and sports-related initiatives,” says Rita Walters vice president for Development and Alumni Engagement Proceeds from the 2024 outing will continue to support the University’s athletes by providing updates to the Panzer Fitness Center and enriching the student-run and produced Red Hawk Sports Network (RHSN). “We appreciate the great support that we receive from our alumni friends and campus partners to enhance the student-athlete experience at Montclair,” says Rob Chesney three student athletes thanked guests for their support and shared the difference it makes for Montclair students “Montclair has led me to unbelievable opportunities,” said senior Grant Holbrook part of the men’s basketball team who is majoring in Business Administration being a student athlete means being dedicated to bettering yourself on and off the court while excelling in the classroom and in the community.” who is studying business management and is a member of the baseball team shared: “My coaches have always been – and will always be – there for me … That is what makes Montclair such a special place All of us are here to get a great education and win championships but it’s what takes place day-in and day-out that leads to all of the success.” “As a first-generation student in a single parent household I hadn’t imagined I could reach these heights in my college career,” said senior Tiffany Sosa a Sports Communication major and member of the women’s basketball team in sharing how her Montclair experience has helped her grow Montclair President Jonathan Koppell thanked attendees for their partnership in creating opportunities for Montclair students pointing out the importance of students gaining professional hands-on experiences that prepare them for their careers “The outing’s success was made possible by each of our sponsors the hard work of my fellow Red Hawk Open committee members and all the golfers who participated,” says Anthony Carlino ’77 who serves on the Red Hawk Open committee as well as vice chair of the Montclair State University Foundation For more photos, please view the photo album For more information about how you can support Montclair Athletics, please contact Kara Baldwin Brennan ’92, director of Annual Giving, at 973-655-7492 or brennanka@montclair.edu Montclair State University Policies Return to Top you're considering making the move to Montclair Situated in northern Essex County between communities like Glen Ridge and West Orange some may view Montclair as an overrated commuter town with an expensive lifestyle But with a population of residents that is passionate about community engagement neighborhoods that are filled with historic homes and a trendy downtown area with a booming arts and food scene Is the perception of Montclair — a quiet and congested suburb with overpriced homes and uppish residents — the reality Here's your guide to deciding whether Montclair is right for you Montclair is just a congested commuter town with a sleepy social scene and overpriced housing Reality: A diverse and bustling hub in North Jersey The artsy suburb is also home to trendy shops favors all different types of lifestyles and offers plenty of ways to get involved in the community Sometimes referred to as "The Park Slope of New Jersey," Montclair is a trendy and historic suburb in the foothills of the Watchung Mountains The town spans 6.3 square miles in Essex County and is home to a diverse population of about 40,000 residents all within about 17 miles of Midtown Manhattan the town is often a popular choice among North Jersey commuters "It’s a very diverse community and there’s a lot of community spirit Also it’s proximity to New York City makes it the best of both worlds," said Jackie Apicella marketing and events director for the Montclair Center BID and director of Experience Montclair Montclair is broken up into six main districts: Montclair Center Each of these districts offer their own array of local businesses and restaurants as well as a variety of different housing styles a broker associate with Stanton Company Realtors said Montclair is unique in that there is not just one type of person that calls the town home Having these different districts and a variety of neighborhoods lends Montclair to be an appealing place for many different demographics "It's not like a lot of these commuter towns that are like Wall Street there's a lot of film production people and there's a lot of writers," she said "You've always had people who do a lot of different things which I actually think has really insulated the town in economic downturns." Apicella said that whether you're looking to be in the thick of the town's hustle and bustle If you want to be close by to the downtown area and always visit the town's different events Or if you want an environment that's more relaxed but still within close distance of the downtown And despite having residents with so many different lifestyles and interests Montclair has managed to maintain a close-knit community that prides itself on getting involved in what the town has to offer Apicella said that when she's out and about in Montclair it's nearly impossible to not run into someone you know 'There's Bob from the shoe store,' and 'Oh there's Sally who I met at the Jazz Festival,'" she said "The great part about Montclair is really the community It's kind of like the whole 'Cheers' thing Montclair is home to supermarkets like Acme And while Montclair does not have any major shopping centers it is full of local businesses in each of its six main districts Apicella said that one of the biggest highlights of Montclair is its booming dining scene restaurants owned by celebrity chefs and more than 100 spots that offer outdoor dining she said its impossible to name just how many options are available Perception: Montclair is an affluent community so the town must only offer multi-million dollar homes and luxury rentals Reality: Montclair is known for being one of North Jersey's priciest suburbs and therefore housing here is more expensive than other North Jersey towns Raegner said that home prices in Montclair have rapidly increased over the last several years But she noted that potential buyers should keep in mind that this is not a unique issue to Montclair It's an east coast and tri-state area problem," she said "Having these rapidly escalating prices is pricing people out who have been here for generations It's great that our biggest financial investment is rapidly increasing in value But as far as it being a healthy dynamic for the town Still, those considering a possible move to Montclair should expect to pay a pretty penny for a home here. The median listing price for a home in Montclair was about $1.15 million in September, according to Realtor.com As of mid-October, listing prices range anywhere from $249,000 for a studio condo on Valley Road to as much as $17 million for an eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom estate on Club Way But a majority of homes listing for sale in Montclair sit in the $600,000 to $1 million price range When it comes to the styles of homes available in Montclair the town is known for having a high supply of historically-significant properties Expect to see classic architectural styles like Colonial Revival as well as homes that feature a mix of these styles ""We have a lot of different neighborhoods and I would say a majority of our housing stock was built in the 1920s So we have amazing architecture," Raegner said "We have a lot of houses that were built by really interesting and special architects who either lived in Montclair or who did work in Montclair That's a really neat part about being a realtor here And if you're someone who isn't looking to permanently settle down quite yet or just prefer renting over owning there is an abundance of rentals available in Montclair Raegner said that housing in Montclair is about 35% rentals which is a higher-than-usual amount for most towns These rentals primarily consist of those found in newer luxury buildings — like Two South Willow Apartments Alister Montclair and Valley & Bloom — or other existing rental communities in Montclair the Whitehall Apartments and Eagle Rock Apartments There are rentals sometimes available in multi-family houses as well but Raegner said that there have been less of these units available over time "Montclair is interesting in that there was a big push where people took all these huge homes and made them into multi-family homes," Raegner said so we actually do see people buying those and returning them to these enormous single-family homes which is actually a shame because it takes more of the more affordable rentals off the market." As for pricing, Montclair's town council passed a rent control ordinance in 2022 This ordinance applies to rental units within a building but excludes single-family homes and owner-occupied housing that contain three or fewer rental units Raegner said this rent control can only apply to buildings that were built within the last 30 years She said this means that this rent control ordinance does apply to many buildings in Montclair but will not apply the new luxury rental buildings that are constantly being introduced Perception: Because Montclair is known for its arts and culture scene Reality: In addition to its abundance of arts and culture attractions the town is also home to thriving local businesses public parks and a variety of highly-rated restaurants Because Montclair is a popular hub for artists the town is full of attractions for those looking to foster these interests And most of these can be located in the town's downtown arts district The Montclair Art Museum — founded in 1914 and featuring a diverse collection of more than 12,000 works — regularly updates its exhibits, and hosts a variety of workshops and events throughout the year. There's also the Montclair History Center which stewards three historic houses on Orange Road and showcases the local history For theaters, The Claridge — a six-screen theater owned by non-profit Montclair Film — holds screenings of recently-released films and is home to the annual Montclair Film Festival. And for live entertainment, The Wellmont Theater constantly has a calendar full of musical arts Other arts and culture events in Montclair include the annual Jazz Festival Apicella said the Montclair Center BID often hosts events throughout the year as well there's like 100 fall events that happen within Montclair Big means like the Jazz Festival and the Film Festival but we have zombie walks and a haunted house We have a winter wonderland in the winter," Apicella said "We have all sorts of different things throughout the districts." Montclair is also home to an abundance of green spaces, with approximately 175 acres of parks You can also visit the Brookdale Park Rose Garden and the Van Vleck House and Gardens which features an array of brightly colored flowers during the peak blooming months The Montclair Public Library — opened in 1893 after the town's residents voted to create a free public library — has two locations open to the public today: the main library branch on S Fullerton Avenue and the Bellevue Avenue branch You can also explore the shelves of Montclair's two bookstores Watchung Booksellers and Montclair Book Center or add a record to your collection at Almost Ready Records you can visit cafes like Paper Plane Coffee Co. You can also spend a day looking through the treasures at Jerry's Antiques and Estates Commute from MontclairPerception: Located about 17 miles from Midtown Manhattan Montclair offers residents a convenient commute to New York City and surrounding North Jersey towns Reality: Montclair is known for having a large commuter population with residents having access to several train stations bus lines and highways in and around the town making it an ideal town for those who have to regularly commute to New York City and nearby North Jersey towns Montclair has consistently ranked as one of New Jersey's best commuter towns you'd need to figure out if you're commuting and working in the city What part of Montclair makes sense for that?" Apicella said "You'd have to look into that if you were going to be a commuter to make sure it makes sense for you whether you'd be taking the bus as opposed to the train." Montclair has six different train stations: Bay Street Station Mountain Avenue Station and Montclair Heights Station All six of these stations are serviced by NJ Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line which runs directly to New York Penn Station — including stops at Newark Broad Street and Secaucus Junction for transfers to Hoboken — on weekdays The trip from Montclair to New York City takes anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour depending on the time of day and which train station you use And a month worth of rides will cost you anywhere from $241 to $261 the Montclair-Boonton Line does not regularly travel directly to New York Penn Station A direct train to Midtown Manhattan runs every hour on the weekends only at Bay Street Station so those looking to travel to Secaucus Junction or New York Penn Station will have to transfer trains at Newark Broad Street With a limited number of these buses running — check the schedules for times — the trip takes about an hour and costs commuters $192 for a monthly pass Boxcar Transit offers weekday rides for those commuting to Midtown Manhattan No major highways run straight through Montclair but there are several just a short distance away for those who prefer to drive residents often stress that finding parking in Montclair is difficult keep that in mind if you choose to commute by driving Montclair schoolsPerception: Because Montclair tends to foster a wealthy lifestyle most residents must send their children to private schools and therefore the public school system must be lacking Reality: While some students in Montclair may attend private schools many students are enrolled in the town's public schools system The district tends to be highly-rated in New Jersey and actually provides specialized education between its different schools There are seven elementary schools in the Montclair school system This includes Nishuane Elementary School (pre-K-2) and Hillside Elementary School (3-5) for students considered to be gifted and talented as well as Bradford Elementary School (pre-K-5) — known as "The University Magnet" for its partnership with Montclair State University The remaining elementary schools are K-5 and offer different magnet themes: Charles H Northeast Elementary School (global studies) and Watchung Elementary School (science and technology) For students in sixth through eighth grade Renaissance Middle School for liberal arts and Glenfield Middle School for visual and performing arts And Montclair High School services students in ninth through 12th grade Montclair Public Schools is considered to be an above average school district in North Jersey Many students throughout the school system's elementary middle and high school tests above the state level in math and reading there are also several preschool programs in Montclair Park Street Academy and Parkside Montessori School The Montclair social scenePerception: Montclair's downtown is home to so many different events and attractions so it would only make sense that there's also plenty of options for nightlife Reality: Montclair does offer plenty of lively nightlife options for residents but there's also an abundance of community organizations clubs and places of worship for residents to get involved in so regardless of whether you want to join a recreational club listen to live music or just relax with a cold drink there's bound to be something that appeals to you you can get a drink at places like Montclair Brewery where you can try a custom Italian cocktail by globally acclaimed mixologist Luca Cinalli a Halloween-themed punk entertainment venue where you can catch live music just about every night of the week For adults looking to participate in recreational sports Montclair offers a women's pick-up slow pitch softball program for residents 21 years or older a softball league for residents 30 years or older as well as open gym basketball for residents 21 years and older So move right in to Montclair: An artsy hub with a rich dining scene districts that foster different lifestyles and a close-knit community The oldest (by 10 minutes with her twin Joan) of six children Jane was born in 1944 to the late Elizabeth and John Macel always excelling academically and graduating as salutatorian Her siblings all attest that she was the smartest in the family She won a state-wide “The Voice of Democracy” contest with a speech the prize being a phonograph!  After receiving a degree from Mount Mercy College (now Carlow University) and a master’s degree in education from Duquesne University Jane went on to an illustrious career including Admissions Director for Duquesne University ultimately retiring from Buzz Aldrin School in Montclair.  working for many years in the Junior League and other organizations Jane’s strong spiritual belief fostered by her family was evident in her everyday life Prayer and reflection gave her great comfort and she exuded a kind spirit to everyone that knew her.   Most important was family - her husband Dan (married for 55 years) Brian (who passed away in 2010) and Jennifer her husband Brian and grandson Luke who brought her great happiness and the grandmother’s right of bragging Joyce and Jill and their families were a constant source of celebration and joy in her life Jane had a remarkable way of making each of them feel special whether through occasions with personalized photo albums or her sensible advice and unwavering support  Dan’s relatives were part of her extended family all of whom fondly remember her warm smile and genuine interest in hearing about their lives multi-generational family card games were a cherished tradition during many family visits Jane was all about giving – whether it was through creating beautifully presented dinners and epic desserts offering kind words or simply taking the time to listen always ready to laugh and savor the moment She was one of those rare people who when she asked “How are you?”  truly wanted to know making you feel like you were the only person in the room Calling hours will be at the Cody White Funeral Home Burial to Follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery In part to test a theory, we ordered the duck pie at Montclair’s Turtle + The Wolf. The theory: Kids (mine 6 and 8) can be adventurous eaters and appreciate haute cuisine if given the opportunity and the context is right Because what’s not to like about this dish tender duck leg confit packaged in a thin sheath of crispy cabbage and baked in a crumbly glazed with foie gras and served alongside uber-sweet lightly caramelized halved baby carrots and velvety puréed potatoes I was inspired to try this at Turtle + The Wolf because of chef-owner Lauren Hirschberg’s own introduction to food which set him on a culinary journey he didn’t really see coming “We got used to eating really good food,” Hirschberg says of his family — parents and five siblings in Montclair back in the ’90s “Our parents would take us out to fancy French restaurants when I was like a little kid and we’d walk in and you'd see like the snooty guy being like The verdict from my kids of the duck pie at Turtle + The Wolf: a singular thumbs up (I don’t know what the conversion rate of kid thumb to star or typical rating metric is the beginnings of a more adventurous palate it was moments just like these and in the kitchen with his family that launched Hirschberg into the food world — from Montclair to Syracuse seasonal comfort foods and an inherent knack for putting pleasure on a plate Joes and parsley sprigsHirschberg wasn’t an adventurous eater early on but he was drawn to the ceremony of dining out as a kid — even if he had to entertain himself at times Joes and I would take the parsley sprigs and I would just sit quietly,” he recalls “but I remember seeing Caesar salad made from scratch tableside for the first time and tasting it and being like coming out to the table for the first time But the first indication that Hirschberg might become a chef happened as a kid too he’d be left to fend for himself: “I'd be like ‘What are we having for dinner?’ and [my mom] would be like His family would often host large groups of people whom they had to feed: 40 to 60 people for booster club events or holidays Hirschberg had fond memories of helping out in the kitchen and seeing the fruits of that labor and it was like a series of coordinated events and moves,” he says Hirschberg had no plans of becoming a chef as he got older He went to Syracuse “because I wanted to see good football and basketball games and his first advisor (a chemistry professor) said was coming home from classes in a chef’s coat and thinking that coursework sounded all right Hirschberg worked toward a degree in nutrition and hospitality It was more just like I need to do something tangible with my hands; I can't sit at the computer all day long,” Hirschberg says my dad was a securities attorney; if he was a woodworker I'd probably be building houses right now.” But Hirschberg fell deeper down the culinary path — summers washing dishes at Stowe Mountain Company in Vermont then a year waiting tables and managing a restaurant at a St He says he went down there with $700 in his pocket and left with the same but also gained insight from the chef’s there on how to build a culinary career Hirschberg enrolled in the French Culinary Institute “to learn how to cook,” and then proved his mettle at Tom Colicchio’s Craft in Manhattan working his way up from station chef to executive chef When a restaurant spot opened in 2015 on Valley Road in his home town Hirschberg — already living back in Jersey and starting a family of his own — and his old friend It's fitting that Hirschberg opened Turtle + The Wolf in his hometown "I love his restaurant and his food so much is because it's very much in my wheelhouse and I think that it just feels like home when you eat his food," says Leia Gaccione chef/owner of South + Pine and participant on Iron Chef "It's something that's craveable and something that's familiar but also luxurious and memorable Gaccione stumbled upon Turtle + The Wolf shortly after it opened and appreciated Hirschberg's "tasty It think he's incredibly talented," she says environment and Hirschberg himself are all skinny restaurant off Upper Montclair’s charming Valley Road There’s an open kitchen where Hirschberg and his team work art from Tom Nussbaum that ranges from the odd abstract arrangement of color to sculptures that blend the natural and ethereal worlds (we particularly liked a bird with a tiny human head in its beak) The environment is upscale but unpretentious The duck pie for one: a hearty parcel of well-executed typically high-end elements (the succulent confit the unctuous foie gras) masquerading as a homely pot pie Sometimes it’s the opposite: the dish seems simple but the flavors indicate complexity Turtle + The Wolf (named for clans of the Lenape Indians that once (solely) inhabited North Jersey) offers daily variations on Berkshire pork In a seemingly simple plate of pork shoulder and polenta — real commoner food — the flavors and textures almost surprise you: bright notes of pepper enliven a creamy polenta that saves room for the white corn grit itself to bring its nutty flavor to the fore necessary punch of acid and texture from pickled cabbage my goodness; it would fall apart under the pressure of a feather and yet the blackened edges retain earthy “I cook food that I want to eat,” Hirschberg says the chicken liver mousse and a plate of pappardelle I’ve heard this sentiment before from chefs but Hirschberg backs up the talk with a menu of comfort food dishes like that chicken liver mousse (fatty liver balanced with spicy mustard seeds sweet jellied quince cubes and pickled onion) His guiding principle in creating menu items is his intuition “I think cooking is a little bit more like playing jazz There's not really a set structure,” he says That’s where Hirschberg got the inspiration for his Lo’s Famous Fried Chicken He started visiting the Memphis in May festival a decade ago and came upon the fantastic Gus’s Fried Chicken (before it expanded nationally) It inspired him not only to make fried chicken at the restaurant but also serve it family-style “It's like you get the tray of chicken right in front of you,” Hirschberg says of the Gus’s experience “The sides are in Styrofoam cups with one spoon Hirschberg’s fried chicken starts with a house-butched chicken (you order in half or whole chickens) then fried and seasoned with barbecue spices Turtle + The Wolf has one other family style offering — a whole roasted suckling pig ($450) — that originated from Hirschberg’s home spit; he’d barbecued a pig as a welcome to neighbors when he moved back to Jersey Barbecue has extended to Hirschberg’s Pineapple Express in Montclair’s Lackawanna Plaza (which he opened with fellow Craft alum Damon Wise in 2021) The food is the thing You’ll find a balance of comfort flavor and refined cooking through the menu at Turtle + The Wolf in the dynamite agnolotti: sweet potato-stuffed pasta pockets with a dash of balsamic glaze and the roasted crunch of pepitas Hirschberg’s team can make a wildly good pasta: their pappardelle is rich and tender thick-cut for sauce gathering and impossible to resist We began and capped our meal with two carbs: a light-as-air focaccia with a thin dredged in sugar and served with a thick caramel sauce and I’d recommend certainly bringing an acidic white or heftier red to dinner to complement some of these luscious winter dishes (though there’s plenty of freshness to be had And though Hirschberg’s story certainly informs the type of cuisine you’ll eat at Turtle + The Wolf he’s just as happy if you didn’t know a thing about him and just came in for a good meal “I'd rather people talk about the restaurant than talk about the guy behind the restaurant,” he says and I think the thing that I'm most proud of personally is just that we're here We’ve been doing it for nine years and I think that says Go: Turtle + The Wolf. 622 Valley Road, Upper Montclair; 973-783-9800, turtleandthewolf.com Matt Cortina is a food reporter for NorthJersey.com/The Record Brick Lane Curry House in Montclair announced it will be closing its doors In a post on its Facebook page on Monday the owners wrote: "With heavy hearts but treasured memories The last day for the Valley Road restaurant located near the Acme supermarket in Upper Montclair we hope our little curry house has become a beloved spot serving our British-style curry to so many wonderful people," the post read The owners called the experience "magical - we've forged lifelong friendships and hopefully added a dash of spice and warmth to the vibrant tapestry of Montclair." the owners may not be ready to hang up their aprons just yet our love for food and Montclair remains strong keep an eye out − there might be a new adventure on the horizon for us soon," the social media post read thank you for 15 unforgettable years of curry MONTCLAIR ― George Louvis has broadcast WVRM on a small radio transmitter from his office on Valley Road since the late-1990s only commanding antennas for one block between Bellevue and Lorraine avenues Unwitting listeners tuned to 91.9 FM as they drive through the uptown shopping district are delighted to find the signal as it plays its only program: a one-minute loop of Boyz II Men’s 1994 hit “I’ll Make Love to You” that repeats ad infinitum But the bemusing broadcast is no irreverent prank who’s been pumping the signal into Upper Montclair’s airwaves for more than 15 years “The mystery of it has been so amusing to people,” Louvis said from his home in the Midwest ― although he still returns to New Jersey regularly “I feel obligated to let it play until the machine dies.” that machine is a DGX 1050 Drive By Broadcasting transmitter They were manufactured for commercial use by businesses to advertise upcoming sales or pipe Muzak through a store’s PA system who leased them to car dealerships and strip malls which would play their advertisements for passing motorists tuned to a frequency of the business’ choosing Louvis had installed one in the office he kept above his family’s former restaurant — now under new ownership as Montclair Diner — and ran ads for stores situated along the small retail strip he connected the transmitter to a five-disc CD player broadcasting a mix of carols and holiday themed radio plays from the 1930s and ‘40s everyone at the diner downstairs told him how much they appreciated hearing the nostalgic holiday shows like Fibber McGee and Molly Louvis leased copper wire from the phone company to send his feed to multiple transmitters he’d placed around town in friends’ homes and even had one installed on the roof of Town Hall He played music under a classic rock format and created original Montclair-relevant programming interviewing residents on air and produced a talk-show called Sports Yak But a live feed proved prohibitively expensive “It was like $3,000 per month to have a stream that could handle 10 listeners I saw it as the future and I wanted to be a part of it But I was too far ahead of that wave and it crashed on me,” Louvis said “I couldn’t sell enough ads to recoup the cost.” By uploading audio files of WVRM’s live broadcasts to a website — a forebearer of the podcasting boom to come — he could increase listenership and rationalize selling ad space to businesses he no longer had use for the countless transmitters he’d set up around Montclair or at least until his friend Gary asked to borrow one for a party The DGX 1050 has an added feature that allows the user to record a 60-second audio loop directly into the device allowing the user to broadcast the brief message in lieu of a live feed the machine will automatically default to the recorded loop when electricity is restored his friend Gary asked to borrow one for a party he was hosting at his home It’s difficult for Louvis to remember exactly when this occurred but guesses it was about 2007 and WVRM had been effectively off terrestrial air for a few years The friend had issues with neighbors quick to phone police when his music was too loud he devised a trick whereby he could use one of Louvis’ transmitters to pump his playlist into various FM radios placed around his backyard who placed it on a shelf in his office and forgot about it there was a power failure in the building and the loop starts to play I’m not even thinking about that thing,” he said he recorded that one-minute loop of Boyz II Men “My only guess is — when he was going to do the live broadcast — he hit the wrong button and ended up recording.” At some point a video appeared on YouTube of a tickled driver motoring down Valley Road between Bellevue and Lorraine avenues showing that 91.9 FM appeared to play the saccharine ‘90s Motown hit over and over Friends brought the video to Louvis’ attention “I didn’t want to turn it off because people were going there to see it,” he said ‘this is just dumb.’ But I didn’t bother unplugging it I just hit stop.” Another power failure shut down service to his office and the loop started broadcasting all over again The accolades the station receives from locals is amusing even if that particular song might not have been Louvis’ first choice — he’s a bigger fan of oft-forgotten R&B trio Tony His current office where the transmitter is located was once Stardust Recording Studio which Louvis operated from 1981 until 2010 produced and engineered songs for Diana Ross and the soundtrack of Whoopi Goldberg’s 1996 racial farce “The Associate” in the cozy studio over the years He sang on stage at the Grammy Awards and “did the rockstar thing” in the 1980s playing shows along the I-95 corridor in a band called The Persuaders one of his songs is set to appear in a motion picture Louvis can’t help but chuckle that a local in-joke of which he was as much the victim as its perpetrator would garner the most attention of anything on his curriculum vitae One day he went to his office to find a pile of shirts illustrated by an anonymous fan who wanted to help promote the station The graphic jokingly misrepresented Village Radio Montclair’s call letters as “WBYZ.” “It’s funny to me that would be my legacy,” he said Editor's note: This article was changed to accurately describe the type of radio transmitter used by WVRM 2024 at 10:29 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Montclair Planning Board granted site plan approval to an application for the Bellevue Theater at their June 10 meeting (Google Maps)Editor's Note: This article has been updated with new details about the renovation plan for the Bellevue Theater NJ — The Montclair Planning Board has given a thumbs up for a new proposal to renovate a beloved local movie theater The board granted site plan approval to an application for the Bellevue Theater – which is located at 260 Bellevue Avenue – at their meeting on Monday. More information about the proposal (which will still include spaces to screen movies) can be seen online here Here are some key details about the additional renovation plans, according to an April memo to the town’s Historic Preservation Commission: SITE DESCRIPTION – “The subject property is located on the south side of Bellevue Avenue adjacent to the access driveway to the Upper Montclair Plaza parking lot The subject property is a corner lot that is 12,713 square feet in size with 72.2 feet of frontage along Bellevue Avenue and 160 feet of frontage along the driveway to the parking lot It contains a historic building comprised of a front 2-1/2 story building that historically contained retail stores and the theater lobby attached to a larger two-story building that contained the theaters Most recently while operating as a theater the building had 885 theater seats in 4 theaters and 5,000 square feet of personal service retail space PROJECT DESCRIPTION – “The application to the Planning Board is for site plan approval to convert the upper floors in the front of the building to create three dwelling units The plan includes two 2-bedroom apartments and one 1-bedroom apartment the applicant proposes to convert part of the theater space facing the driveway to the parking lot to three retail storefronts The application proposes a new trash enclosure on the west side of the building and the removal of the external fire stairs on the east and west facades of the building The applicant previously received approval from the Historic Preservation Commission to install a new storefront for the retail space to the right of the building entrance from Bellevue Avenue and to repair/improve the exterior façade of the building.” Plans to revive the Bellevue Theater have been in the works for years The theatre operated without a break for 95 years until 2017 After the lease of former tenant Bow Tie Cinemas expired Thousands of fans signed an online petition to prevent the venue from “wasting away into another gentrified retail or office space.” Their wishes took a leap towards becoming reality when owner Jesse Sayegh signed a new lease with a group dedicated to returning the theater to its former glory The company's backers included some big names in show business including producer Luke Parker Bowles and actor Patrick Wilson as well as real estate developer Steven Plofker including installing a bar on the first floor and a restaurant on the second floor which would have required approval from the local Zoning Board of Adjustment But the group eventually announced that it hit a major speed bump amid the coronavirus pandemic The zoning board application was withdrawn in 2021. See Related article: Plan To Save Beloved Montclair Theater Put On Ice Amid Pandemic The theater’s supporters later announced that a plan for a lower-key revival was being launched. Read More: Plans To Revive Beloved Montclair Movie Theater Back On Track "Reopening Bellevue Theatre is more than a major preservation milestone," said former town council candidate Ilmar Vanderer who has been working with the owners on the reopening plans "It’s about reinvigorating a cornerstone of our community’s arts and culture sector which is a powerful force for social change as well as an essential economic engine for Montclair providing immediate benefit in the form of a newly restored state-of-the-art cinema as a commercial anchor for the local business district and an entertainment destination for area visitors," Vanderer added the plan still includes several places to screen films there will be three theater spaces for screening movies: one on the ground floor and two on the second floor Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. 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