Northern Hospitality: Montclair Restaurants in the Aftermath of Sandy

by Melody Kettle in


*Also published in the Montclair Times

Outside, the smell of wood burning fireplaces, the hum of generators and a haunting sense of déjà vu filled the damp air.  Trees stood shattered or lay uprooted across yards and roads, while phone and power lines hung dangerously low.  Inside, eighty percent of Montclair homes were dark and cold, while the refrigerators, ironically, were warm. 

In the aftermath of Frankenstorm, residents scrambled for blankets and batteries, while Montclair restaurateurs gathered staff, organized deliveries and opened their doors. In a food-town, like Montclair, it’s easy to take these open doors for granted. 

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Italian Countryside Cuisine at Salute

by Melody Kettle


A good meal is always better enjoyed in comfortable environs.  Salute, Montclair’s one year-old restaurant that specializes in  “Italian Countryside Cuisine” embodies that belief.

Last week, I attended a family dinner at Salute.  The restaurant is filled with rustic décor; the walls, the fixtures, and the earth tones speak to an era past.  The cavernous dining room is suitable for a romantic diner, yet welcoming to families. Gerry Cerrigone, along with co-owner Robert Gaccione, has mastered the delicate balance of kind familiarity.  In the mind of this food blogger, who also happens to be the mother of a five and six-year-old, this is gold.

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Salute! Best New Restaurant!

by Melody Kettle


This just in from a tipster:

Expect to see Salute, 173 Glenridge Ave., Montclair, voted "best new restaurant" by Suburban Essex's annual Best of Essex Readers' Choice Awards!

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