When Salute Brick Oven Bistro abruptly closed its Glenridge Avenue doors last year, Montclair residents were left to wonder what would fill the cozy Italian restaurant-shaped hole in town. As it turns out, when one bistro door closes, another one opens — making way for Montclair’s newest Italian restaurant, Luigino’s Parmigiana, which opened last Wednesday, April 5th. From the mind of Chef Luigi Tripodi + brought to life by interior stylist Cindy Blanco, this new “funky traditional” spot is bringing a taste of the Amalfi Coast to MTC. The menu boasts traditional, Southern Italian dishes with a modern twist, plus an open-kitchen “dispensa” concept, which isn’t what it sounds like (think: cheese board station), but… more on that later. Read on to learn more about Luigino’s Parmigiana, the new Italian restaurant open now at 173 Glenridge Avenue, the old Salute spot.
(Photo Credit: Cindy Blanco)
All About Luigino’s Parmigiana
Luigi Tripodi is a chef by trade, working out of various notable restaurants — some in the Montclair area — for the entirety of his career. When the 173 Glenridge Avenue space opened up (the former location of Salute Brick Oven Bistro, which closed in 2022), Luigi seized the opportunity to embark on his first solo adventure. He calls this project his “swan song,” the final hoorah before hanging up his toque blanche.
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Luigino’s Parmigiana is a “funky traditional” Italian spot drawing influence from Luigi’s Southern Italian roots. With big open windows, faux fruits hanging from the ceiling, and olive wood furnishing, the space is light and organic. The project’s interior stylist, Cindy Blanco, worked hard to create a vibe that is simultaneously retro and modern, adorning the walls with vintage photos of Luigi’s family from the 50s + 60s. She told MG that dining at Luigino’s Parmigiana will feel like “sitting outside on the Amalfi Coast.”
(Photo Credit: Cindy Blanco)
This fusion of the old + new is present on the restaurant’s menu, too. 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.
These aren’t your average charcuterie boards though. There’s an open-kitchen station within Luigino’s Parmigiana where master chefs will assemble these boards using fresh ingredients delivered from Italy. Cindy told MG that the dispensa station evokes imagery of a true Italian market, with various links of meat hanging like Christmas tree ornaments and cheese options abound.
(Photo Credit: Cindy Blanco)
Luigino’s Parmigiana had its grand opening in Montclair last Wednesday, April 5th. Just in time for warm weather, the spot will also have outdoor seating at its 173 Glenridge Avenue location. We visited this spot over the weekend and can confirm that it deserves a seat on your NJ foodie bucket list. A standout item was the truffle gnocchi stuffed with cheese and mushrooms — but really, everything was chef’s kiss.
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