Mercado Montclair has officially opened at 605 Valley Road. The new restaurant, which is owned by the same owners as Sandwich Theory, brought a concept to Essex County that was inspired by marketplaces where they grew up in Portugal. Read on to learn more about Mercado being part of the expanding Montclair community.
The Making of Mercado
It was a long time coming before Mercado opened its doors on Monday, November 29th. The owners, Marcelo Silva and Carla Silva, had originally signed the lease before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. They were starting to plan the move from their former location, Sandwich Theory, to their new location right down the road when the breakout began and plans had to be put on pause for businesses all around the world.
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“As you can imagine, this was a challenging time. We were also incredibly fortunate that we had our former location still open. Our regular customers truly held us over while we were setting up the new location. We are so grateful for that,” the owners shared with Montclair Girl.
Sandwich Theory, which was previously located at 590 Valley Road, has been in business since 2009. After 10 years, the owners decided they needed a larger location and wanted to update the concept behind the sandwich shop’s menu and space.
Mercado’s Inspiration
Luckily, Marcelo and Carla found an open space nearby their former shop and signed the lease right away. “We always loved the cozy and friendly feeling on our block — seeing the same faces on a daily basis and being in someone’s life in this way. When we realized we needed a larger space, we knew we would stay right here,” the Silvas shared with us.
So where did the new restaurant get its name from?
“We are originally from Portugal. Growing up, we would visit our local food hall in town, which is known as Mercado (The Market). These traditional markets are a combination of a large, indoor farmer’s market and a food hall. They are a fun and lively mix of butcher shops, charcuterie, fresh fish stands and produce where you can also gather with friends for a quick meal, coffee, or even drinks,” the owners said. “We wanted to bring this lively energy into our place here in Montclair. This is the inspiration for Mercado.”
About The Menu
As told to Montclair Girl, Mercado pays homage to traditional Portuguese marketplaces. Per the website, the new eatery values “genuine ingredients and real food” and offers “delicious staples, coffee and espresso drinks, and curated market goods.”
The breakfast and brunch options include the Mercado breakfast sandwich, egg white frittata sandwich, avocado toast, and buttermilk pancakes among others. For lunch and dinner options, there are various salads, warm grain bowls, signature sandwiches, grill pressed sandwiches, and wraps.
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Aside from coffee drinks and teas, there are cold-pressed juices and various smoothies such as strawberry tart, avocado rush, triple berry, and spiced chocolate. The full menu can be found on the website here.
The newly opened Mercado Montclair is open Monday through Saturday from 8AM to 8PM and Sunday from 8AM to 4PM. The restaurant is available for catering, dine-in, takeout, and delivery. For more information, follow them on Instagram, found here.
