New Restaurants in Essex County NJ

Essex County picked up a run of new restaurants in late summer 2026, from an all-day brunch spot in Montclair to an Indian sourdough pizzeria in Caldwell and a halal fried chicken counter in downtown Newark. Here is where they are, what they serve, and one more to watch in Nutley.

Pig & Butter

• Town: Montclair
• Where: 401 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ

Pig & Butter made the move from New York City’s Lower East Side to Montclair this summer, opening on Orange Road in August 2026. The website calls it an all-day eatery, with wine to stay and to go, and every dish is house-made from local ingredients.

The menu leans playful: creme anglaise French toast, truffle honey crepe pancakes, a PB&J waffle, a char siu roast pork breakfast on brioche, and Korean short ribs of beef with smoky cheesy grits. Coffee comes from Paper Plane. The restaurant is also advertising a 6-course dinner and beverage pairing for $95 on Saturday, November 14 at 7 p.m.

Pig & Butter

Rozana

• Town: Caldwell
• Where: 323 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006
• When: Open Tuesday to Sunday, 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Mondays

Rozana opened this summer and pairs Indian cooking with handcrafted sourdough pizza. The restaurant says its pizza dough comes from a 6-year-aged sourdough starter, and the lineup includes a Butter Chicken Pizza and a Paneer 65 Pizza.

The rest of the menu rotates with the seasons and draws on regional recipes from Punjab, Kerala and Mumbai. Rozana also offers table-side experiences, including a table-side Butter Chicken available in limited quantities. Reservations are taken through the website, or call 973-475-5575.

Rozana

Barn Bird Kitchen

• Town: Newark
• Where: One Gateway Center, 11-43 Raymond Plaza West, Newark, NJ 07102
• When: Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday

Maplewood’s Barn Bird Kitchen has opened its second location inside Gateway Center in downtown Newark, a handy lunch stop for commuters and office workers. The restaurant serves halal fried chicken, and its story is rooted in African American cooking and the bold flavors of West Africa, with Chef Emeka shaping the menu.

Everything is cooked to your spice level, from Naked with no Yaji seasoning up to the extreme heat of Barn Fire. Try the tender sandwich with house slaw and Barn Bird sauce on brioche, the chicken and sweet potato waffle, or the Yaji fries, and finish with house-made banana pudding. Online ordering and catering are available, and the Newark location can be reached at 973-943-5171.

Barn Bird Kitchen

Tenmomi Moffle Bar (Coming Soon)

• Town: Nutley
• Where: 301 Franklin Avenue, Nutley, NJ 07110

One to watch: Tenmomi is moving from Rutherford to Nutley and teaming up with Moffle Bar on a permanent ramen shop and bakery on Franklin Avenue. The new website describes it as Tenmomi Ramen House and Bakery by Moffle Bar, with custom-made bakes and in-house-made ramen.

Plans call for ramen alongside Asian-inspired desserts and baked goods, plus a Sunday brunch menu down the road. An opening date has not been posted yet, so keep an eye on the website for updates.

Tenmomi Moffle Bar

New spots keep opening around the county, and we will keep tracking them. Check back with Shop Essex County for more food news and things to do around Essex County.