Parisa Burton 
If you’re dreaming of a European-style summer this year but don’t have the budget to book the flight, Montclair’s newest Greek restaurant might be the next best thing. Joining the town’s diverse food scene is Sardela, a new Greek seafood restaurant that just opened up at 571 Bloomfield Avenue. Read on for more about what Sardela is bringing to Montclair, NJ just in time for summer.
About Sardela
Sardela officially opened on May 8th in the former Guerriero Gelato space on the corner of Bloomfield Avenue and Maple Plaza. While the restaurant hasn’t publicized its opening yet, it has been quietly welcoming walk-ins and reservations.
When strolling through Bloomfield Avenue, we couldn’t help but notice the Santorini-inspired blue-and-white painted exterior and had to stop in for a bite.
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Sardela adds to over a dozen new businesses in Montclair that are open or will open in 2026.
The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 12-10PM, Fridays and Saturdays from 12-11PM, and Sundays from 12-10PM. It joins a growing list of Greek-inspired dining spots in Montclair, including Greek Taverna and Efi’s Gyro.
Owner Xenofon Lampryniadis told us the venture was a year-long process that has finally come to life. “We are looking forward to welcoming you all into our Sardela restaurant, which is part of our hearts, all our efforts, and providing Montclair with a real Greek taste and experience,” Xenofon said.
The interior mimics Santorini island to a tee, with a blue-and-white color scheme throughout, from the walls to the seating. Faux bougainvillea, the pink flowering plant seen throughout Santorini, drapes the walls and wraps around the architecture. There are also big windows looking out into Montclair to keep it bright and airy inside.
Sardela’s cuisine is inspired by the vibrant spirit of the Aegean Sea with a menu centered on coastal flavors and Greek traditions. The menu includes fresh seafood, grilled meats, and shareable mezze plates. Each dish is prepared with olive oil and fragrant herbs. The kitchen is led by chefs Ahmed Medyan and Anastasios Varelis.
What We Ordered
We wish we could’ve ordered the entire menu, but we narrowed it down to a few standouts. Before the meal, we were served hummus and sliced bread, and, yes, we finished the basket before our food arrived, oops. (Also, it’s BYOB in case you were wondering).
To start, we ordered the Greek salad, or “horiatiki,” made with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, red onion, olives, oregano, extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), and red wine vinegar. We also tried the beet salad (patzaria), which features roasted beets, red wine vinegar, and evoo. We then snacked on Sardela’s chips, thin crispy slices of zucchini and eggplant, served with tzatziki and garlic dip.
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For the main event, we tried a whole charcoal-grilled branzino, dressed with lentils, ladolemono (lemon + evoo), oregano, and sea salt. Our absolute favorite of the night was the kritharoto, a creamy orzo dish topped with scallops and graviera cheese.
Everything we ate was delicious. Safe to say Sardela is entering our rotation of nights out in the Montclair food scene.
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