Zeugma Grill — Restaurant in Montclair

36 Around the Sun ✨ | Birthday Dinner at Zeugma Grill

I couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate turning 36 than gathering with my cousins to enjoy most incredible dinner at Zeugma Grill in Montclair, NJ.

Zeugma isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a journey across centuries, cultures, and flavors. Rooted in the rich culinary traditions of Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Greece, Egypt, and beyond, every dish feels like a love letter to the Mediterranean, where cultures and cuisines have blended, evolved, and inspired one another for generations.

Their philosophy says it all: "Cultures, nations, flavors... The Mediterranean is a crossroad." At Zeugma, you taste that story with every bite — the soul of Anatolia, the fresh zest of the Aegean, the warmth of Middle Eastern spices, and the timeless spirit of Greece. It’s a modern homage to ancient dishes, where east meets west, and tradition dances with innovation.

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with such genuine warmth by the host (Cean pronounced John), and the attentiveness of the entire staff made the evening feel even more special. Every interaction felt thoughtful, gracious, and sincere — the kind of service that turns a dinner into a lifelong memory. You could feel the heritage, the passion, and the heart poured into the food.

The ambiance was absolutely beautiful — sophisticated yet cozy, with Mediterranean-inspired decor that immediately transported us. Every detail, from the elegant lighting to the thoughtful table settings, created the perfect setting for a celebration filled with laughter, love, and incredible food.

And now the food-- it was absolutely phenomenal. Every dish was a beautiful reflection of the Mediterranean’s rich culinary heritage, interpreted with modern creativity and passion. We savored: Grilled Za’atar Pita Bread — warm, fluffy, perfectly seasoned; the ideal beginning to our meal. Pumpkin Muhammara — a stunning blend of sweet pumpkin purée, walnut, garlic, and feta, topped with black sesame seeds. It was rich, unique, and absolutely delicious.Labneh Za’atar — luxuriously creamy yogurt with the bold, herbaceous flavor of za’atar spices. Babaganoush — smoky, silky, and balanced with just the right touch of tahini and olive oil. Mezze Burrata — a gorgeous dish with apricot, pesto, raw tahini, and hazelnuts — vibrant, fresh, and indulgent all at once. Halloumi Salad — grilled halloumi paired with a bright sesame-lemon dressing, pomegranate seeds, baby greens, and roasted pecans — a perfect harmony of flavors and textures. Truffle Goat-Wagyu Cheese Burger — a decadent wagyu beef burger with 24-month truffle tremor cheese, caramelized onions, & their signature special sauce, served with perfectly crisp fries. Rich, juicy, and utterly unforgettable.

Every dish felt like a celebration — deeply flavorful, beautifully balanced, and plated with care. You could taste the love and cultural heritage infused into each bite. And I always love to end a night on a sweet note, and the homemade pistachio gelato was an unreal, sublime, decadent experience. So so delicious and creamy, salty, crunchy-all the notes. 10/10 the entire dining experience-food, flavors, ambiance, generous, attentive, warm hosts/waitors/waitresses. Hats off to the chef and owner of this incredible restaurant.

Zeugma Grill isn’t just a restaurant — it’s an experience, one that nourishes the heart as much as it delights the palate. I feel so grateful to have spent such a meaningful evening here, and I can’t wait to return to create even more beautiful memories.

It was a night full of family, good conversations, incredible flavors, and the kind of memories that remind you all of the best parts of life. Grateful for another year, and for beautiful moments like these that remind us all to enjoy our lives fully. 🌿🍷 (Piece de resistance?...

Dined at this venue Friday the 12th of July. The feel was like a trendy upscale outdoor cafe on South Beach in Miami. YOU MIGHT SAY WHAT? Well let me tell you a little narrative. We arrived at 8:00PM for an 8:15PM reservation. My wife, my stepson and I were seated just inside the entrance near the front door and facing the bar. The weather that evening was soporific to say the least. As I said at the outset like,an outdoor Cafe on South Beach Miami. After waiting ten minutes we noticed that it was very hot and humid inside. No knowing we thought it was the proximity to the front door. The rest of our party arrived . Hence 6 in total. It was a surprise birthday for my Stepson. They also noticed the temperature and humidity. Upon INQUIRING, we found out that the air conditioning had failed. Also there were no ceiling fans. Being late we had no choice but to stay. We were seated at a nice table in the back. Relatively private. No one was pleased. Our server was ARIANNA. She was a breath of fresh air. She apologized profusely for the heat and immediately brought us an ice bucket with cool towels to wrap around our necks. And filled out water glasses to the brim. The staff was attentive. It appeared that some mention of an adjustment to the tab was conveyed to my stepdaughter. My wife and I savored an excellent organic chicken on a skewer, my son in law and excellent lamp and veal, my daughter a superb Grilled salmon. I couldn’t see what the rest of the party had, but they all seemed pleased. We were given a complimentary backlavah. The water was constantly refilled and our server was charming and engaging and very attentive. She made it a fine dining experience under adverse conditions. I nick named her WONDER WOMAN. She had style,class, stature and grace under fire. We will ask for her again. The management did not once come over to the table to ask how we were doing!!!! Nor did they have back up floor or ceiling fans. Shame on them. Had it not been for our server ARIANNA and the good food we might add this restaurant to our NEVER AGAIN list as having left a bad taste in our mouths. You all have been to those. Moving forward, let this be a lesson, in summer call and see if air working and winter if heat working. And above all is WONDER WOMAN our server working. The evening did somewhat go downhill when the conversation drifted...

I am not writing this review because I am a Turkish American. In fact, being Turkish American makes me a pickier client. I am also not writing this review because I had the best birthday at this place. I am writing this review because Zeugma is the best restaurant overall in terms of customer service, cleanliness, COVID 19 compliance, tastiness of their food, healthy and delicious food, conscientious and respectful service, attention to detail. They are also the best representative of the Turkish cuisine. When we call in, or enter the restaurant , Chef Can greets us. He always delivers! Not only with his amazing dishes, but also his warm smile that you can see even beneath the mask with his kind, friendly sky blue eyes welcoming you to his heaven. And yes this is a heaven on earth from Turkey. This cute, cozy, warm restaurant always delivers even in the midst of a pandemic. I love everything in the menu! From the pumpkin muhammara to the beet heaven, everything in the mezze (appetizer ) section is a delicacy. Even though I have been here for 25 years, I still miss home cooking. And this place brings me back to my childhood memories, with shiitake mushroom manti, grilled sea bass (almost as good as my dad's cooking :); cacik (aka tatzdiki) . Whatever you order , you will not get disappointed! I dont know how you will decide between the desserts, but I say try everything. Last night I had the Z chef no sugar added raspberry base meringue. I am still dreaming about it. Of course I had to have the hazelnut pudding, and natural aphrodisiac pistachio baklava for my friends so that they could share with me :)) They go beyond and above to take care of you; to take you to the Mediterranean coast; to make you taste the delicious Turkish village ladies' home cooking and they do it with smile, care and utmost best customer service!! The week it opened, I brought myself to this joint and then I wanted to keep coming back. With friends, cousins, family! Just try it out. You will not get disappointed. On the other hand, you will get addicted! PS: I am not a family, or friend to the owners:) I don't get paid for this review either!! Just saying what it is ! Thank you Zeugma for delivering each and every time. While you are there ask about the story behind the ancient city Zeugma, and check out the mosaics on the wall n your way to...