Marcel Kitchen — Restaurant in Montclair

Montclair is a lovely place to take in the streets and the beauty of nature and its older homes. But in the heart of its main street filled with little coffee shops and restaurants lies a small/medium enclosure that has no equal. The atmosphere is alive, and personal. The smoothest coffee aroma permeates the air that warms your soul to cozy perfection in the winter, and relaxes you 2 degrees more in the Summer. The food is cooked fresh and it wanders freely, gracing all visitors' nostrils.

The staff smile at you, and it's not a fake smile - but a smile where they work hard but enjoy doing what they do. This place is excellent for a brunch date. It's a great place to take your mom to on her birthday. It's even more excellent for fulfilling catering orders. They make foods for occasions year round, so maybe consider buying a turkey from them on Thanksgiving.

But you're probably wondering what the food is like. This is Mediterranean-Israeli food. There's emphasis on healthy olive oil, spices like zaatar, cheeses, veggies - and they mix in an excellent avocado toast with quite possibly the best poached egg in the tristate area. They have vegan options too. Shakshuka, bagel toasts, shawarma, and a crazy amount of flavor in each one of their sandwiches, what more do you need!

Outside of the Mediterranean area this is likely the best hummus, tahini, smoked eggplant, babaganush places you will find. The pastries are to die for. Their specials change frequently and each one is its own experience.

The latte art, the aesthetics of the place, the presentation and delivery of the food are all instagrammable. It's been reviewed by the Hoboken Girl, and you can see why she comes here. The only thing I don't understand is why haven't you gone yet? Spice up your weekend, explore your area a little more and head to Marcel in Montclair for a unique...

"Regulars" visit the same place regularly for a reason. My reason for frequenting Marcel is the Mish Mish Shakshouka.

Yesterday, my bowl was exceptionally tasty. For persons that don't know the dish, I'd explain it as a tangy tomato stew filled with spices, topped with salty feta cheese and two poached eggs swimming comfortably in the yum. Marcel serves the house specialty with a side of pita. Chunks of warm bread are enthusiasticly torn apart to sponge up every last morsel of food. It's a little embarrassing what the bowl looks like when I'm finished.

The spinach, mushroom, and cheese omelet is my alter ego. Served with airy salad greens and topped with a light dressing, this side screams healthy eats. The portion is generous, large enough for another meal later in the day.

Za'atar potatoes are a perfect indulgence, and a dirty chai rounds out the meal

The comfortable ambiance welcomes college-aged young adults, stroller-pushing families, and a work from home community all sitting side by side. Order at the counter. Don't try to resist the pastries and consider a smoothie. Grab the numerical placard and an empty table. The server will find you, deliver your steaming plate, and cheerfully wish you to enjoy.

Enjoy.

It's not hard to do at Marcel Bakery...

It is so hard to be impressed by anything these days, but finally Montclair has a breakfast, drool worthy bakery and lunch spot to rave about. This is a new location as of September 2017 and it definitely sets itself apart from the surrounding mediocre bakeries and overly inflated eateries. The aroma from their kitchen is heavenly and the decor is beautiful and inviting. You will appreciate the courteous and friendly service. This is our new go to spot for pastries which are so flavorful and well-made. This is what pastries are supposed to look like and taste like. Their pastries are soooo good, I just wish they had more to buy!!! We fell in love with the almond tea cake which was so moist and tender with a strong and wonderful almond taste. Their danish has a beautiful dark golden color with a tender interior filled with glorious pockets of delicious dark chocolate. We also purchased their lemon scented blueberry scone and chocolate chip cookie. YUM!!Everything was crazy delicious and not overly sweetened. We could not stop eating these buttery delights! This is the spot for fantastic morning pastries to complement your coffee or to be had on their own. We cannot wait to go back for breakfast and lunch. This is a...