Parisa Burton 
Toastique, a Washington, D.C. born fast-casual café known for its health-forward menu of smoothies and gourmet toasts, and smoothies, is set to open in Montclair on June 20th on Church Street, marking its sixth New Jersey location. The new location is owned and operated by Zariah Ahmed, marking her first-ever business venture. Read on for more about Toastique and what to expect from its new location in Montclair, NJ.
Photo Credit: @diazschloss
About Toastique
Toastique got its start in 2018, founded by former college cheerleader Brianna Keefe, with the goal of making healthy eating more accessible. The brand has grown to over 50 locations in the U.S., with about 60 stores slated for development.
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Its menu includes gourmet toast, cold-pressed juices, smoothie bowls, handcrafted coffee, and other healthy delicacies. Toastique is known for its high quality, fresh ingredients and its Instagrammable environment and food presentation.
New Location on Church Street
Local owner Zariah Ahmed’s inspiration for opening the café is deeply personal. According to NJBIZ, after her father suffered a stroke more than a year and a half ago, she stayed by his side, helping him improve his diet and be active. Around that same time, she discovered Toastique while he was receiving medical care in Washington, D.C., an experience that sparked the idea to bring the concept to Montclair.
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Zariah graduated from Rutgers University with an undergraduate degree in business and later earned her MBA. She then began a career in personal training and went on to become a Pilates instructor. This venture combines her longtime passion for fitness and a personal mission for her father’s recovery.
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“I was like ‘Oh my god, I really like this.’ And he really enjoyed it a lot, too. So, I wanted to bring it back to New Jersey,” Zariah told NJBIZ. She is also very familiar with the Montclair area, as she has many family members who live there. If the Montclair venture is successful, she plans to open up additional locations in the future.
According to NJBIZ, Montclair is often ranked among the healthiest towns in the state, making it a fitting location for Toastique. The New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute also recognized the township as one of 45 communities named Mayor’s Wellness Campaign “Healthy Town” winners for 2025.
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