Parisa Burton 
Walnut Street Kitchen, a globally inspired restaurant located at 98 Walnut Street in Montclair, will close at the end of July after four years in business, along with its more recent business venture, 3rd Joint Slice Shop + Bakery. Read on for more about Walnut Street Kitchen and its upcoming closure.
Photo Credit: @walnutstreetkitchen_
About Walnut Street Kitchen
Walnut Street Kitchen first opened its doors in April 2022, just steps from Walnut Street Station. The space is known for its cozy, inviting atmosphere, with a menu centered on seasonal ingredients from New Jersey and beyond. It’s a BYOB restaurant that brings a fusion Italian-Filipino dining experience to Montclair.
Read More: Walnut Street Kitchen Takes Over Corso 98 in Montclair
Prior to Walnut Street Kitchen, the historic Corso 98 occupied the space. The restaurant had been around since 1999 but closed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Walnut Street Kitchen owner and chef Beverly Lacsina worked at Corso for about a year before taking full ownership of the space. She also owned Walnut Street Bagels + Co., located next door, which closed in October. The bagel shop has continued through pop-ups held on the third Saturday of every month.
Walnut Street Kitchen’s menu includes everything from gnocchi, meatloaf, and risotto to pork cutlets and more. Beverly’s other business, 3rd Joint Slice Shop, which opened in April, will also be closing. The concept was Beverly’s third business venture, serving crispy pizza slices seven days a week. She also opened Bevs in Nutley last summer, a neighborhood bar located at 94 Bloomfield Avenue.
Beverly told Montclair Local that she will continue operating Bevs moving forward and said it has opened even more opportunities for her to pursue her passion for food and beverage.
When Beverly first opened Walnut Street Kitchen post-COVID-19, she admitted it was a huge risk. She said the decision to close now comes down to the current economy and shifting consumer habits, with fewer people dining out as often.
Beverly announced the closure in an Instagram post on July 1st, writing, “seeing how the nature of the economy is currently, plus the workforce struggles with many talented folks in this industry pivoting to other industries, it has forced me to cease operations in our space at 98 Walnut…We hope you join us during our last month… Love to ya, Bev.”
July will be the restaurant’s final month on Walnut Street, with a special Filipino-American pop-up dining experience called Bunso running July 7th through July 31st as a final farewell to Montclair.
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We have reached out to the Walnut Street Kitchen team and will update this piece as more details become available.
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