There’s nothing like being able to enjoy a great meal with a favorite wine, beer, or cocktail. That’s the beauty in BYOB restaurants — the food and drink pairings can really be left to the diner’s choice. These restaurants also happen to be well-known for their great food and vibes. We’ve rounded up a list of the best spots in Montclair to enjoy the BYOB setup.
Disclaimer: This is a growing list, so if you know of one that we missed, please email [email protected].
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Elkashab
Ah’ Pizz | 7 North Willow Street
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Ah’Pizz is celebrated for its traditional pizza, creative entrees, and welcoming atmosphere. This BYOB pizzeria crafts its pizzas using dough made exclusively from finely ground Italian wheat flour, natural Neapolitan yeast, sea salt, and water, as stated on the restaurant’s website.
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Boschetto | 111 Grove Street
Boschetto is a fast-casual restaurant with an elevated twist, a concept created by long-time restaurateur Robert Spina, his partner Ryan Held, and Michelin-starred chef Joseph Sergentakis. While Boschetto’s cuisine is Italian, Chef Joseph puts his own spin on the dishes. He only uses the highest quality products, most of which are either made in-house or are imported from Italy. There are a variety of pizzas on the menu, as well as paninis, pastas, and salads. It’s BYOB, with a wine shop nearby and no corking fee.
Cafe Giotto | 42 Church Street
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Walking into Cafe Giotto feels like an escape to the Italian countryside. The cozy cafe has a window banquette and a handful of tables so seating is always limited but very much worth the wait. There are so many delicious freshly-baked pastries, paninis, homemade pasta, and gelato to choose from, three meals a day might seem restrictive. If pasta is the move, technically sixteen combinations can be made by picking one of four shapes to be paired with any one of four sauces — sign us up.
da Pepo | 54 Fairfield Street
Da Pepo, The Montclair Girl’s winner for the best pasta in the “Best of Montclair 2021,” is tucked away inside Watchung Booksellers and is truly a pasta-and-book-lovers dream. Traditional Italian recipes, made in-house, are learned from Italian ancestors, making the pasta selection top-notch. The Penne Arrabiata catches the eye with red onion, olives, hot cherry peppers, San Marzano tomato, and cream, as well as the Spaghetti Carbonara with guanciale, egg, pecorino romano, and black pepper.
Laboratorio Kitchen | 615 Bloomfield Avenue
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Laboratorio Kitchen is a BYOB restaurant that keeps customers coming back for more. With its modern, minimalist interior and approachable, comforting food, it provides a delightful dining experience. MG particularly loves the Hand-Rolled Ricotta Cavatelli.
La Rocca Osteria | 23 Midland Avenue
Walking to your table at La Rocca, whether inside or outside behind the French doors, you’ll feel the romance of Italy through the wooden tables and chairs, dimmed lighting met with candlelight and decorative roses on the tables. The food can be described as “simple” Italian food with “good quality” ingredients — with an array of classic Italian dishes up for grabs.
Le Salbuen | 97 Walnut Street
Le Salbuen is a farm-to-table eatery where the food is inspired by the two chefs’ unique backgrounds, and influences, which include countries like Portugal, France, and India. All of the produce, meats, dairy products, and even furniture (the pair own an antique store next door), are seasonally curated from local farms they partner with throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu has an abundance of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items. The pulled duck tacos and pan-seared wild salmon are great for any time of day. This husband and wife team’s mission is to “share a local and organic meal with family and friends as you create lasting memories in a warm European setting”.
Luigino’s Parmigiana | 173 Glenridge Avenue
Photo Credit: Cindy Blanco
Luigino’s Parmigiana is a “funky traditional” spot that is bringing a taste of the Amalfi Coast to Montclair. The menu boasts traditional, Southern Italian dishes with a modern twist. There’s a choice selection of traditional Italian dishes (including an entire section dedicated to the namesake, Parmigiana) to more explorative Roman-style pizzas + paninis. Perhaps the most exciting, though, is the “Dalla Dispensa” portion of the menu, which includes an array of specialty meat and cheese boards.
PastaRAMEN | 6 S Fullerton Avenue
Since opening last year, PastaRAMEN has rightfully earned its status as Montclair’s most elusive and hard-to-book restaurant. There’s no signage indicating the eatery from the street — only a circular, glowing light similar to the Bat Signal. Inside, is an Asian-Fusion concept like no other, with dishes like Cacio e Pepe Gyoza and Wafu Italian Caesar Salad. If you can snag a rez, be sure to pick up your favorite wine or spirit on the way, as this experience is BYOB.
Samba Montclair | 7 Park Street
There aren’t many Brazilian restaurants on the dining scene where the focus isn’t on rodizio, the all-you-can-eat meat affair, but Samba highlights an entirely new perspective on the culture. If patrons are willing to step outside of their culinary comfort zones, they will be surprised by the tropical ingredients and bold flavors in this fully gluten-free restaurant. If dining on the weekend, try the feijoada, which is Brazil’s national dish of stewed black beans and various cuts of pork. The estrogonofe de alcatra, a take on beef stroganoff, and moqueca de peixe com pirão (fish and shrimp coconut milk soup) are also fan favorites.
SLA Thai | 596 Valley Road
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Simple, Love, Authentic — SLA Thai teaches diners all about authentic cuisine from Northern Thailand, where both chefs are from. The focus is on balancing salty, sweet, sour, and spice in the dishes, and based on what’s coming out of the kitchen, they must be getting it right. Try the pad thai or pad see ew, which are both made with rice noodles if Thai food is something new. The nam thok pla tod is a whole fish fried until crispy and worth the journey. If it’s in season, finish off with the sticky rice with mango for a perfectly sweet ending.
Turtle + The Wolf | 622 Valley Road
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When looking for a five-star meal without breaking the bank, check out Turtle + the Wolf. The menu is eclectic and hearty, leaving guests with all the warm and fuzzies. The food highlights local and seasonal ingredients and the hospitality is grade A. The charcuterie meats are cured in-house, the pasta is handmade, and the bread is baked daily on the premises. There are also large format menus for special occasions and holidays, think New Year’s Eve and biscuits. Pay special attention to the dinner menu on the steak tartare, fresh-shucked oysters, and duck pot pie.
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Zeugma Grill | 44 South Park Street
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Named after an ancient city in Turkey, this Mediterranean fusion grill features all the beloved flavors from the area straddled between Europe and the Middle East. There are mezze to share, ‘In the Middle’ plates that can serve as appetizers or even lunch, and entrees that are big enough to eat twice more. Try the Avogannush for a trendy take on the traditional smoked eggplant dip, the miso calamari or grilled octopus, the pistachio steak burger, and, of course, the baklava. For those who couldn’t swing by the wine shop on the way, half and full bottles are sold by the restaurant. Foolproof.
