Ray’s Luncheonette has been announced as one of the winners of a nationwide $40,000 grant by American Express. The grant that is given is for small restaurants that have a historical and cultural impact, to assist them from the effects COVID-19 left.
“When my former colleagues at Amex announced this program, I immediately reached out to my colleague David Cummings, who has a deep understanding of the history of this town, to help me identify a restaurant in Montclair for this award,” Yacobellis said in a statement.
Read More: La Salbuen: A European Inspired Eatery in Montclair
Ray’s Luncheonette was seen as a good fit for the grant.
“After reviewing the criteria, he suggested a few places including Ray’s Luncheonette. I then went to my former running mate, James Cotter, who I knew had a longstanding relationship with the owners to see if he would discuss and feel out if they were interested in applying. Once we confirmed they were, James worked with Ray’s and I worked with Amex to help give Ray’s strong consideration.”
To learn more about the program click here.
Where to Find Baklava in Montclair + Essex County
Even though everyone loves desserts, it can be hard to find one dish that’s a true crowd-pleaser. Popular in many cultures like Greece and Turkey, baklava is an excellent dessert option. Known for its phyllo (or filo) dough + butter to create flakey layers, crushed nuts like pistachios + walnuts, and sweetness from syrup or honey, it touches on a lot of textures that are delicious when they work together. Regardless if you have a specific preference for baklava, there’s bound to be a spot on this list that is worth exploring. Read on to hear more about finding baklava in the Montclair + Essex County area to decide which one to visit, or stop by all of them.
Bloom Cakes + Bakery | 79 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
Bloom Cakes + Bakery is located near the corner of Bloomfield Avenue + Linwood Terrace. The bakery has cakes, sweets, + cookie trays available for patrons as well as Turkish coffee. Baklava is listed under the sweets section of the menu and is prepared with pistachios + walnuts.
Read More: Gluten-Free Versions of Foods You Miss: A New Jersey Guide
The Bosphorus | 226 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
Located near the corner of Franklin Avenue + Centre Street, The Bosphorus serves Mediterranean-style food for lunch + dinner six days a week (closed on Tuesdays). Enjoy a kebab (available with meat or veggies), grilled octopus, or a gyro before ordering the baklava for dessert.
Chris + Angie's Dinette | 545 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
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Located on Nutley’s ever-bustling Franklin Avenue, Chris + Angie’s dinette serves breakfast, lunch, + dinner options six days a week (closed Mondays). Diners can keep it Greek by ordering a spinach feta pie from its Greek Corner menu. Then finish the meal with baklava from the dessert menu.
Efi's Gyro | 521 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Located near the corner of Bloomfield Avenue + Park Street in Montclair’s center sits Efi’s Gyro. This establishment serves up Greek dishes such as gyros, pita + dips, souvlaki, + more Monday through Saturday. Baklava is listed on the dessert menu in good company with items like rice pudding, Greek yogurt, + a triple chocolate chip cookie.
The Green Chicpea | 59 Halsey Street, Newark
Located near the corner of Halsey Street + New Street, The Green Chicpea is open Monday through Thursday and serves Middle Eastern dishes to diners. Options for starters are chicken + veggie platters, soups like vegetable or cream of broccoli, hummus with chicken or falafel, + more. Baklava exists on the dessert menu to finish this meal off right.
Jackie + Sons | 134 South Orange Avenue, South Orange
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Jackie + Sons is located in the South Orange Village and serves up breakfast + lunch options Monday through Saturday. For a sweet + savory combo, try ordering the Shakshuka (two sunny-side-up eggs, spiced tomato sauce, feta, parsley, sourdough toast) or the shawarma Bowl (chicken shawarma, rice, arugula, chopped salad, lemon cabbage salad, feta, + tzatziki). Then try the baklava from the bakery menu to end the meal on a sweet note.
La Fontaine Cafe | 12 North Willow Street, Montclair
La Fontaine Cafe is located near the corner of North Willow Street + Glenwood Avenue. The cafe serves breakfast + lunch Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays) and provides options like sandwiches, crepes, smoothies, + more. Baklava options are to order a single piece, a box of three, or baklava ice cream (vanilla ice cream with a piece of pistachio baklava).
Manouche + Co. | 176 Broad Street, Bloomfield
Manouche + Co is a Lebanese restaurant located near the corner of Broad Street + Belleville Avenue. The menu consists of pies, soups, appetizers, sandwiches, + more. Baklava is listed on the dessert menu and is made with walnuts and a mist of sweet syrup.
Rumi Mediterranean Grill + Cafe | 265 Glenwood Avenue, Bloomfield
Located near the intersection of Conger Street, Glenwood Avenue, + Lackawanna Place, Rumi Mediterranean Grill + Cafe is open seven days a week from 11 AM through 10 PM. Menu options include Chicken Shish Wraps, Lamb Chops, + Falafel Plates, and food is available for dine-in, take-out, and catering. Turkish pistachio baklava is listed on the dessert menu.
Stamna Taverna | 1055 Broad Street, Bloomfield
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Located just three storefronts from Bloomfield’s Holsten’s Ice Cream + Chocolate Restaurant is Stamna Taverna. Menus are available for lunch and dinner. Diners can start their meal with a gyro wrap or lamb kebab before moving on to baklava (made with almonds + walnuts with honey) for dessert.
Sweet Kitchen | 533 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Sweet Kitchen sits in Montclair’s town center on the corner of Bloomfield Avenue + Park Street. The establishment serves brunch-type foods all day, seven days a week. The bakery has options like muffins, brownies, croissants, + more. Baklava is listed under its dessert menu along with pies, tarts, + cakes.
Toros Restaurant | 594 Valley Road, Montclair
Located near the corner of Valley Road + Bellevue, Toros Restaurant has a Turkish menu focusing on native cuisine. The Montclair menu includes traditional Turkish dishes, kebabs with yogurt, + more. Baklava is available on the dessert menu with walnuts. There is also Kadayif available on the dessert menu. Similar to baklava, kadayif uses phyllo dough; however, it is shredded to create a stringy texture. In addition to the Montclair location, Toros has two other locations in Clifton + Paterson.
Uncle Momo | 702 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
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Uncle Momo is located on Bloomfield Avenue near the center of Montclair. Menus are available for brunch, lunch/dinner (also known as the regular menu), dessert, + drinks. Baklava is available on the dessert menu to order alone. If splitting with a friend, try ordering it with the pistachio ice cream.
See More: A Definitive List of Hoboken Desserts You Must Eat ASAP
Zeugma Mediterranean Grill | 44 South Park Street, Montclair
Zeugma sits on South Park Street between Evolve Med Spa + Chocolate Works. Menus are available for brunch, dinner, + dessert. Start with the pistachio steak burger (roasted cherry tomatoes, pistachio pesto, smoked ketchup, house-cut french fries, pickles) or the mushroom manti (handmade dumplings, stuffed with trio mushrooms and a special mix of spices served with 16-hour process double fermented warm yogurt sauce), before ordering baklava for dessert.
