This Is The Most Hospitable Town In New Jersey

Just 16 miles from midtown Manhattan, Montclair, New Jersey, welcomes visitors with the kind of variety that turns a quick trip into a full weekend. This Essex County town, named in the 1850s for the French phrase meaning “clear mountain,” grew from Lenape homeland and colonial farmland into a railroad-linked cultural hub known today as the Restaurant Capital of New Jersey. Along Bloomfield Avenue, more than 200 restaurants range from Faubourg’s polished French fare to Laboratorio Kitchen’s sought-after house-made pasta. Between stops, you can browse handcrafted gifts at Eclectic Chic Boutique, blend custom candles at Alchemy Scent Bar, and catch the Montclair Jazz Festival, which fills five stages and draws 30,000 people annually.

The History of Hospitable Montclair

Montclair has a history that predates its separation from Bloomfield in 1868 and its incorporation. The region was initially home to the Lenape people. The land where the town now sits underwent waves of change after English and Dutch settlers arrived in the 1600s, bringing massive farms and steadily growing the community over more than a century. Though mostly unnamed for many years, the place eventually earned the title Montclair in the 1850s, a French term for "clear mountain."

It was the introduction of the railroad in the 1830s that made the most significant change, propelling Montclair into the community it is today. Suddenly, farming was no longer the predominant occupation here, and homes were built quickly to accommodate commuting workers, now connected by the efficient and reliable railway. The connection to places like Manhattan also brought about a cultural shift as well, drawing in the likes of famed artist George Inness in 1885, allowing the New York Times to describe the growing town as the ‘home of more prominent artists’ and this ideal was truly solidified 20 years after Inness’s death when the Montclair Art Museum (New Jersey’s first public art museum and the first in the state devoted solely to art) officially opened. This spirit of art, culture, and history is alive and well on the streets of hospitable Montclair today.

Dining in The Restaurant Capital of New Jersey

Bloomfield Avenue is the very heart of the downtown area, and where many of the more than 200 restaurants of Montclair call home. Faubourg has been one of the top-rated options on Bloomfield Avenue since opening in 2019, consistently making an appearance on the annual list of the state’s best restaurants in NJ Monthly. This fine-dining location has become synonymous with fine dining in Montclair, offering a range of signature dishes from delicacies like coq au vin to simpler staples like steak frites.

Up the road a few blocks, pedestrians strolling the main thoroughfare will find the incredibly popular Laboratorio Kitchen. This upscale dining location is so popular that its limited availability makes reservations highly recommended. The eatery is not open on Mondays, and is only open on the other days of the week for dinner. This Italian restaurant is known for fresh, perfected dishes featuring house-made pasta and fresh seafood.

Local Shops Worth Visiting

Shopping is a lot like dining here in Montclair, and there are countless retail stops that are worth exploring to get the most out of a visit. Small, locally owned storefronts have always held the district together, and one of the best examples is the Eclectic Chic Boutique. Found at 547 Bloomfield Avenue, this is where shoppers go to find handcrafted gifts and products. In fact, the store has been a big help to more than 30 New Jersey creators and artists, helping them find their footing through selling their creations in the shop and setting up virtual events to get the public involved with local artisans and creators. This added layer of how the Eclectic Chic Boutique operates is a testament to the hospitable nature of small-business owners here, who are always looking to improve the community.

Another special shop that differs from the box stores and chains is the Alchemy Scent Bar, which operates at 30 Church Street and offers custom fragrance and candle-making products made from all-natural soy. The idea of the store here is simple: patrons have more than 100 scents to infuse into body products, candles, and home oils, creating results that are truly one-of-a-kind and personalized. Alchemy Scent Bar offers consumers an experience that cannot be replicated in any department store.

Annual Events That Keep Montclair Fresh

Each year, thousands come to walk through downtown Montclair to soak in the sweet sounds of the Montclair Jazz Festival during the summer. This is one of the largest of its type in the whole country, under the direction of multi-grammy-winning musician Christian McBride. Since 2010, when the festival began, it has grown each year, reaching 30,000 attendees in 2025. A total of five stages stretch over a half a mile on Bloomfield Avenue, with more than 150 food and art vendors stationed in the middle of all the action.

A few months later, in the fall, Montclair comes alive again with its hospitable, welcoming spirit for the extensive 10-day Montclair Film Festival, a celebration of cinema that brings global creators together. Over the week and a half, many films screen at the Wellmont Theater and at The Clairidge. Panels throughout the event spotlight up-and-coming artists, and there are showcases for indie films, comedies, documentaries, and more.

Nearby Towns to Explore

Nutley

If you swing east from Montclair, you will soon find yourself in Nutley, another borough with a history that is both rich and underappreciated. In the late 1880s, painter Frank Fowler formed an artists' colony in The Enclosure, a small street right alongside the Yantecaw River. By the turn of the century, Nutley had more famous writers and painters per capita than any other place in the state. Historic preservation is a big part of the charm here in Nutley, whether that is the town hall building dating back before Nutley was even its own community, or supporting local businesses that have stood the test of time, like Sophie’s Garden, the town’s first floral boutique. Plan a trip around one of Nutley’s annual festivals to get more for the money, such as the Nutley Summer Festival and Fall Festival in the Park.

Bloomfield

Bloomfield is a popular name for places in this part of New Jersey, such as the dining district of Montclair and the entire community south of Nutley, because of one man: General Joseph Bloomfield. This local hero of the Revolutionary War, who later became the governor of New Jersey, is renowned in the region and honored in a namesake. For those who really want to deep-dive into the history of Essex County, check out the Bloomfield Steak and Seafood House, a popular eatery located in the county's oldest home, built in 1676. Nature plays a big part in what makes this village worth visiting, beginning with Brookdale Park, which spans over 120 acres with trails, game courts, open green spaces, and a grandstand for local performances.

There’s Nothing Like Montclair

Montclair has been one of the New Jersey boroughs that has thrived because of its residents. When the railroad came through in the early 1800s, it brought new and exciting ideas and people to be permanent residents of Montclair. So famous artists like George Inness didn’t just have a studio here; he inspired the Montclair Art Museum and its continual support of American artists since 1914. That spirit of creation and community appreciation is in the very shops here, like the connection The Eclectic Chic Boutique has to 30 different vendors and creators in the region. Here in Montclair, you are already welcome.