dining out
Everything Tastes Better
Outside
When the weather turns nice, local diners turn out for al fresco dining
WRITTEN BY JOYCE VENEZIA SUSS
RAYMOND’S
28 CHURCH ST., MONTCLAIR
(973) 744-9263
MOST ENTREES $15-$20,
BYO, OPEN 7 DAYS, BRUNCH
SERVED, FAMILY FRIENDLY,
NO RESERVATIONS, TAKE OUT
60
MAY 2018 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE
SUGGESTION: Enjoy Raymond’s
refreshing (non-alcoholic) lime rickey
and a triple-decker turkey club, with
smoked turkey, ham, Gouda cheese,
slab bacon and spicy mayo.
>
I
f you live in California, eating outdoors may be no big thing. But in New Jersey,
with its four seasons — and blizzards in March — eating outdoors is a highly
anticipated pleasure.
Fortunately for us, the greater Montclair area is blessed with a wide variety
of restaurants that offer seasonal outdoor dining. Here are some great spots for
enjoying fresh air and fine meals together.
Restaurants that offer outdoor
dining face logistics challenges, such
as having more wait staff and buss-
ers on call, “but it’s a great thing for
us,” says Joanne Ricci, co-founder
of Raymond’s in Montclair. “We are
getting another 50 seats filled, and
when we do, it’s like having another
restaurant.” Raymond’s has a loyal
following drawn to its updated diner-
style menu in a retro atmosphere; in
warmer weather, when the sidewalk
café reopens, the lively scene liter-
ally expands. Bright red café chairs
and tables, set under shade trees, are
typically filled with locals and visi-
tors enjoying the pleasures of Church
Street. The menu is not large, but the
selections are consistently good, and
include traditional fare such as BLTs
on seven-grain toast, beautifully com-
posed Cobb salads, and hand-spun
milkshakes. Raymond’s also appeals
to modern tastes with items such
as a kale salad combined with goat
cheese, grapes, apples, celery, radish-
es, quinoa, farro, and toasted walnuts.
Brunch, featuring Raymond’s signature
French toast, is especially popular.