Renovation of the 1894 building in downtown Summit that originally housed the YMCA has finally been completed. Its transformation into Summit House, a seasonal American restaurant and bar, has taken longer than expected; the scale of the project may make it the most ambitious debut of 2017.
The highly anticipated restaurant will open for dinner Monday, April 10, with chef Martin Kester, formerly of Ninety Acres in Peapack-Gladstone, running the kitchen.
Kester plans to comb the Garden State for ingredients, and his menu will feature a raw bar, house-milled pastas and breads, and “Chef Martin’s Dinner Party” – a seasonal dinner-for-two that will open with “Lava Lake Lamb” served with roasted asparagus, spring potatoes and ramps.
The Summit House team includes general manager Justin Lord, formerly sommelier at Per Se in Manhattan, and Dylan Baker, operating partner. The restaurant’s beverage program was designed by Tad Carducci of the mixology team known as the Tippling Bros.
The restaurant will feature an open kitchen, cafe areas, a 16-seat bar and a private dining space.
Reservations are now being accepted for dinner. At a later date, lunch and weekend brunch service will be added.
Summit House, 395 Springfield Avenue in Summit. 908-273-6000. summithousenj.com
Opening soon:
I FISH, 114 Country Road in Tenafly, is scheduled to open in early April. The Asian/Chinese fusion restaurant has outlets in Texas, but this is its first venture in New Jersey.