Around the Watchung Plaza
Watchung Booksellers. Image courtesy of Jamie Conlon
By Mike Delia
Hello Montclairians! Hope all is well. As previously mentioned, I will be doing an “Around The Neighborhood'' series on the different districts in Montclair. Last month I wrote about the Montclair Center and two weeks ago I put the spotlight on Upper Montclair. This week I will be featuring the Watchung Plaza district. Watchung Plaza is a small group of stores & restaurants located at the crossroads of Watchung & North Fullerton Avenues, Park Street, and the Watchung Plaza train station on the NJ Transit Montclair-Boonton line.
Dining:
Just a few dishes Mr. Dino’s offers. Image courtesy of Mr. Dinos Pizza
Mr. Dino’s has been serving up pizza, pasta, and heroes for over thirty years. A no-frills establishment the menu has quite the variety to choose from. My go-to is their chicken parmesan hero on their toasted Italian bread. Simple and satisfying. A classic.
If you are in the mood for simple diner fare be sure to head over to Bluestone. A popular breakfast, brunch, and lunch stop Bluestone serves up mouthwatering omelets, pancakes with real maple syrup, challah French toast, yogurt parfaits, frittatas, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. The prices are very reasonable. Their coffee is great too!
La Couronne has been another mainstay in the Watchung Plaza area for quite some time. Cozy and intimate with some of the best Italian food around including their thin crust pizza. The restaurant is also BYOB.
Sushi at Sushi Koshi. Image courtesy of Brothers Who Eat
Sushi Koshi has some of the best sushi in the Montclair area. From vegetable and house rolls to sushi and sashimi sets to teriyaki and yakisoba. Sushi Koshi has everything that you are looking for in Japanese dining.
Coming soon is the highly anticipated arrival of the Millburn Deli located at 256 Park Street located in the newly built Westerly apartment building. A longtime fixture in Downtown Millburn, Montclairians won’t have to travel far to get their Sloppy Joe fix.
Shopping:
Tucked away on Fairfield Street, Watchung Booksellers has been catering to the residents of Montclair for over twenty years. Although small the collection of books and gifts that they sell is quite impressive. Everything from fiction to nonfiction, cookbooks to children’s books Watchung Booksellers will be sure to have it. If they don’t they can special order it. If you aren’t sure what to get the book lover in your life you can always pick up a Watchung Booksellers gift card. The store also holds monthly events. Be sure to check out da Pepo which is located adjacent to the store. This cozy restaurant serves up classic Italian fare including pasta, salads, and small plates, and is BYOB.
Yarnia’s Storefront. Image courtesy of Yarnia LLC
Originally located on Valley Road near Tierney’s Tavern, Yarnia moved to its new digs a little over a year ago. The new location is able to carry more merchandise including yarns, tools, fibers, and accessories, and more space for classes and events.
In two weeks, I will be covering the Walnut Street neighborhood. Until then, see you soon Montclair!
