This year was jam-packed with happenings – from big news stories to fun festivals and everything in between. The Montclair Girl team did our best to keep up with the latest while highlighting unique and remarkable people and businesses in between. Every year, we like to reflect on the most popular articles from the last 12 months – thanks to our amazing readers! Read on to discover our top ten most-read articles of 2021.
#1 The Best Portuguese Restaurants in Newark
Starting in the 1950s, due to political instability and economic hardship at home, a large number of Portuguese immigrants moved to the east coast of the U.S. to find new economic opportunities which resulted in the closely-knit neighborhood nicknamed “Little Portugal.” We rounded up up the best places to eat Portuguese food in Newark. Read more here.
#2 The Best Brunch Spots in Montclair
From french toast to lox; bagels to bottomless mimosas, brunch may not be the most important meal of the day but it’s definitely the most fun. We’ve rounded up some of the best places for a great brunch in Montclair. Read more here.
#3 Your Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Dining in Montclair
Whether you’re looking for a sit-down brunch, quality seafood, a quick grab-and-go dessert, or specific ethnic cuisine, Montclair has endless outdoor dining options – and we listed our favorites. Read more here.
#4 The Millburn Deli Opens Storefront in Montclair
One of New Jersey’s most famous delis, the Millburn Deli, has opened its doors in Montclair. After opening in Morristown during the summer of 2020, its expansion has spread further into Essex County, specifically Montclair, this fall. Read more here.
#5 Your Guide to Sopranos Landmarks in North Jersey
The Sopranos is filled with award-winning drama, strong personalities, and it completely impacted our cultural landscape – while changing television forever. With a majority of the scenes taking place in North Jersey, we’ve put together an ultimate Sopranos tour around NJ, so that you can relive the hit drama 20+ years later. Read more here.
#6 The Best of Montclair 2021 Finalists Announced
The finalists for the Best of Montclair 2021 Guide are in, thanks to our readers’ nominations. We would like to thank everyone for nominating the local businesses to receive the recognition that they deserve. See here for the list of winners.
#7 10 Fun Fall Activities to Do in New Jersey
For those of you who may not share the same warm and fuzzy feelings (think pumpkin spice and cashmere), we thought it best to remind you that the fun doesn’t stop just because the leaves change color. In fact, there are tons of things to do in Jersey during the fall. Read more here.
#8 Avra: A New Gyro Restaurant is Opening in Montclair
In July, we got word that at the corner of Bloomfield Avenue and Park Street, Avra was opening its doors (now open) to serve fresh, authentic Greek gyro to Montclair. Read more here.
#9 No, The Animals at the Turtleback Zoo Didn’t Escape — But the Tweets Are Hilarious
At the start of September, during the flooding from Ida in Montclair, there was a rumor going around Twitter that the Turtleback Zoo’s animals escaped and were running all around Essex County. But, just so you know — it was a rumor. Read more here.
#10 Pilgrim Diner in Cedar Grove to Reopen This Summer
In June, we were excited to announce that Cedar Grove’s only diner, the Pilgrim Diner, was set to reopen in July, after being closed since the late spring/early summer of 2019. Read more here.
