dining out
Two’s the Company
A couple of Cooks are the designers, chefs and operators of the excellent Tillie’s
WRITTEN BY ESTHER DAVIDOWITZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY VIOREL FLORESCU
PAN ROASTED SWORDFISH
L
esson learned dining at
Tillie’s, a near four-year-
old New American restau-
rant in Short Hills: Don’t
judge a restaurant by its
outside appearance. It’s
easy to pass by this unassuming family-
owned-and-run restaurant located in
a small strip of stores. There isn’t an
awning or cute little sign on the side-
walk to summon you in.
Go in, though, if you want to
do right by your palate. This small,
45-seat restaurant is serving some
of the best seasonal food I’ve had in
North Jersey in a while — and one of
the best key lime pies I’ve had this side
of Florida.
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BACK TO SCHOOL 2019 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE
Short Hills
TILLIE’S
519 MILLBURN AVE., (973) 564-9700
TILLIESONMILLBURN.COM
The food is bought, prepped,
cooked and plated by husband
and wife team Wirt and Karen
Cook. (Yup, Cook is their last name.
“Convenient,” says Wirt.) They even
wash the dishes. “We don’t have a
dish washer,” says Wirt, an alum of
the Institute of Culinary Education,
where he and Karen met. “It’s just
me and my wife in the kitchen.”
They are also the ones taking
reservations by phone and through
their website’s email. “The glamorous
lives of small business owners,”
Wirt quips.
It’s been a family project from
Day One. The couple, along with
Karen’s dad, can take credit for
much of the building and designing
of Tillie’s, which has a homey look,
with wood floors, tin ceiling and
mismatched “antique-y” plates and
silverware that are all flea-market
finds. “We got a lot done before the
children arrived,” Wirt says. They
have four kids, ages 10 months to
4 years.
Karen and Wirt sure can cook.