Sooo delicious! We had the gnocchi telephono, the mista salad & herb infused iced-tea. It all was sooogood! The gnocchi, was in a tasty fresh tomato basil pesto sauce. You can order a smaller or larger portion. I opted for smaller & still could only eat half of it, took the rest home. Many of the other choices looked so good as other’s orders passed by our eyes & noses! Zucchini blossoms stuffed with crabmeat, a special that evening & tomato watermelon gazpacho! We need to go back, hopefully soon! Very nice hip atmosphere, book store vibe inside. Rain closed the outdoor seating, we hope to enjoy that one day soon. Buon Apetito!
Location has its charm, it’s part of a bookstore. The fried cheese asparagus was delicious. The pasta however were undercooked a bit.Meals were served a bit too hot.
Awesome local place! The food was delicious and attention to detail was obvious. Such a cute restaurant inside the charming bookstore! Can’t wait to return to try everything on the menu!
I LOVE this place! It has so much charm with the shared space of a bookstore and petite seating area. Its cozy nature keeps things intimate and it doesn't feel like a cafeteria where people are all talking over each other. The food is DIVINE, I was shocked to discover this place wasn't banking solely on its library-esque appeal! The portion sizes are generous without leaving you feeling stuffed. I tried the Arugula Pear Salad-- the arugula was perfectly lightly seasoned, the poached pears had a delectable sweetness and combination of textures that made it almost melt in your mouth but still had enough body to not feel mushy. The cheese was sweet and not overpowering, A+. Then the sausage soup was perfectly balanced, delivering a homey comfort food feel, with 5 star flavor. The entree was slow braised pork shoulder that fell apart with juicy tenderness with fresh homemade paccheri pasta cooked to the most amazing texture, leaving that sought after mouth feel-- still chewy, not mushy, impossible not to inhale in one bite. Even though I REALLY shouldn't have, I made room for a beautifully presented slice of berry layered cake with caramel drizzle and an espresso that brought me back home Portugal. As if this weren't enough, the staff is what really makes this place shine. Ella, Emma and Lindsey have a seamless system of rotation without the pettiness of territory and best real estate. Their focus is on the customers and their satisfaction. They work hard and they take serving their guests seriously, while still delivering your meal with warmth and a friendly smile. I felt welcome as if I was having dinner at a friend's family's house. They bring your dishes swiftly and work together like a well oiled machine. They check on you without making you feel rushed, and even at their busiest-- they take a moment to engage with their guests and make that special connection that makes you feel like you belong there. I'm happy I was introduced to this place and I can't wait to see you there!
Love this restaurant! It’s small & intimate so a reservation would be best for the weekend.Food is beyond amazing!! Definitely a hidden gem in montclair
Very tasty food. It is a tiny place but complements nicely watchung booksellers next door. Highly recommend
Came on a Wednesday night with a group of 11 people. We had arranged it in advance and thankfully we did as this restaurant is pretty small but completely charming and warm! Harriet took amazing care of us even though we know we were overwhelming. Everything we ate was fantastic! Loved the meatballs and fried asparagus! Pastas were fresh and delicious. Even heard the salmon was wonderful. The desserts were really great as well. It’s BYOB asp pick up some bottles before you arrive. If I lived locally this would be my neighborhood spot!
The food here is beautifully prepared across the board, but staff seems overwhelmed and not friendly or helpful. In fact they seem annoyed with takeout orders. The small space contributes to this but it costs you nothing to be nice!
What delicious food!! Really fresh, exceptional taste & totally homemade feel. Really cool concept for a restaurant. Very intimate & super cute.
Da Pepo is simply one of the best restaurants around. It's small in size but huge in flavor! Service is super friendly as well. Great for date night or family outing. Highly recommended!