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This article is part of a guide to new York by FT Globetrotter
Few of us dream of ending up in our 50s in New Jersey. Unless you end up in Montclair, New Jersey.
My hometown for the past three years has been an oasis of culture and good life in the Garden State, just 13 miles west of Manhattan. Like other American suburbs, Montclair is leafy and neat and obsessed with his schools. But unlike many others, it is diverse, rich in restaurants and arts, and dirty with journalists. There is apparently a New York Times editor on every block and an NPR correspondent across the street. (There are also a handful of highly regarded FT correspondents.)
Montclair has long been a favorite landing place for families fleeing New York City, and its popularity has exploded during the pandemic. Homes for sale regularly attract a dozen or more bids and end up fetching tens of thousands of dollars – sometimes hundreds of thousands – above their asking price.
“It’s surprising that someone remains in Brooklyn,” marvels Elizabeth Ruvo, broker at Sotheby’s International Realty.
No need to travel to Montclair to enjoy its many splendors. Instead, you could make it an easy weekend getaway from New York City. Here is a list of a few things to do if you find yourself here.
Why not get an early start on Saturday morning at the Walnut Street Station Farmers Market? It features an ever-changing assortment of meat and produce from the interior of the state and neighboring Pennsylvania, as well as fresh seafood from the Jersey Shore – proof that public corruption isn’t the only one. thing that thrives in the state. The man with the pickles is doing a roaring trade; I suggest his horseradish chips. I also developed an odd taste for Cactus Pete’s homemade cured beef (I prefer its smoky campfire flavor; my son prefers black pepper).
After you’ve filled your tote bag, take a stroll down Walnut Street for brunch and people-watching. Here you have many options: The Corner is always popular and usually features carefree young couples lounging outside; the Red Eye Cafe offers homemade corned beef mince and Huevos Rancheros; and a few doors down is Brick and Dough, a Mediterranean bakery offering everything from sesame and stracciatella pizza to rugelach chicken and za’atar honey sandwiches.
For dessert there is Piccola Cucina 98, a small family bakery where the resident nonna boasts that her pignoli cookies are the best in the world – and she might be right. (His homemade lobster ravioli are also special, if you have easy access to a fridge.)
After so much food, it’s time for some culture. The Montclair Art Museum dates back to 1914 and occupies a large classical building which bears witness to the ambition and wealth of the city’s first bourgeois. Visit its galleries of American and Native American art or take a stroll through its sculpture garden.
Then stroll along Upper Mountain Avenue, past Gatsby-style mansions set back on expansive lawns. From this elevated perch, you’ll have a crystal-clear view of the Manhattan skyline – so close and yet so far.
Among the estates is the Mediterranean-style Van Vleck house. Built in 1916, it has housed three generations of horticulturalists. You can walk around their gardens. For an even better view of the city, follow the winding, wooded trails up the hill to the Eagle Rock Preserve (watch out for deer). The Highlawn Pavilion Restaurant, a popular wedding venue, is at the top. Hikers and dog walkers also flock to the trails at Mills Preserve, a few miles north on the same rocky ridge. Joggers, meanwhile, can take a tour of Brookdale Park.
Now for more food. I suggest a sandwich from Nicolo’s Italian Bakery and Deli, a local institution. Number three – the Italian hero, with ham, salami, provolone, salad, oil and vinegar – is a reliable favorite; my wife loves broccoli rabe and breaded eggplant. Drool over the homemade mozzarella and sausage rolls as they prepare it. But Nicolo’s isn’t the only Italian-American game in town. Some have a weakness for breaded chicken cutlets at Belgiovine’s (“Belgie’s” for the locals) in downtown Montclair. There is also the charcuterie counter at the Rosario Butcher at Watchung Plaza. Step out of the mortadella into the aisles of Watchung Booksellers, where some of the books produced by all these journalists can be found.
If you’re visiting in October, there’s a good chance you’ll stumble upon the Montclair Film Festival, one of the city’s most beloved events. It offers 10 days of screenings, panels and parties, and reminds us that many Montclair residents work in cinema and theater. (Among its leaders is Luke Parker Bowles, our local royal.) In addition to Montclair Film’s new headquarters, the town also has two historic arthouse cinemas, Clairidge and Bellevue (both in progress renovation) and a performance hall.
And now for the drinks. If it’s late on a Saturday afternoon, stroll along Church Street – past antiques, boutiques, the temptations of gelateria Benvenuti and solid breads from Le French Dad bakery – to Amanti Vino for a wine tasting (you’ll likely meet Gary Silverman, the US financial editor of FT, sipping and sniffing). A few blocks away is the Faubourg open-air bar, an elegant French restaurant that has managed to transport some of Manhattan’s sensuality to the suburbs. You might almost feel young in the Faubourg – until you have to rush home to pay for the babysitter. For the no-frills drunkard, there’s the well-worn Horseshoe Bar at Tierney’s Tavern (a sentimental Sotheby’s Ms Ruvo favorite) on Valley Road or the friendly Egan & Sons on Walnut Street.
After relaxing at Egan’s, you can stroll to the nearby Halcyon or Salbuen for an elegant dinner. Another favorite is Turtle + The Wolf in Upper Montclair. Like many Montclair restaurants, it does not have a liquor license. The beauty is you can bring your own wine. There is a store across the street.
Now it is late and you have eaten and drunk too much. Where to get a good night’s sleep? The Marriott-affiliated MC hotel opened in 2019 with great fanfare. It has a rooftop bar and good reviews. (I just wish the exterior didn’t look so much like a Walgreens.) Half a mile away is The George, an inn in a 1902 building that was remodeled by Bobbi Brown, the cosmetics mogul and native of Montclair. Each of its 31 rooms has its own style. Dogs are also welcome.
In the morning, you will need food. Find it at Hot Bagels Abroad. Don’t be put off by the location of the mall or the line up to the parking lot. It goes quickly. Bagels are plump, warm and invigorating. The variety of French toast is so good that you might briefly forget that you spent the night in New Jersey.
Montclair is 40 minutes by train from the NJ Transit from Penn Station in Manhattan
Photograph by Matthew Stith
What are your favorite New York getaways? Tell us in the comments
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