Quick Bite

Red Eye Cafe

Red Eye Cafe
94 Walnut Street
Montclair
973-509-3663; drinkredeyes.com

Hours: Mon, 7 am–5 pm; Tues–Fri, 7 am–11 pm; Sat, 9 am–11 pm; Sun, 9 am–5 pm.

Price: $/$$

Style: Intimate, industrial-chic cafe with blackboard walls, old-fashioned wood counter, vintage lighting and a hip vibe.

Don’t Miss: Green eggs and ham ($8), scrambled eggs with kale, shallots, Gruyère and diced ham served with multigrain toast and a generous fruit salad (bananas, melon, berries) from the Feel Better Brunch menu, one of the cooler brunch menus around. For a sweet touch, try Double Happiness, a light and wonderfully crunchy (that’s what makes it Hong Kong style) waffle with two scoops of house-made salted-caramel ice cream and a side of candied bacon ($10). Pumpkin-buttermilk pancakes topped with honey whipped cream also banish the brunch blahs ($9). Inventive breakfast sandwiches beckon: Red Eye Sub (two fried eggs, hash and espresso hot-sauce gravy), $7.95; Elvis (banana, peanut butter and honey on multigrain), $6. The coffee menu brims with special blends, French press, lattes, chais and iced options ($1.40–$4.44). Lunch sandwiches are equally eclectic, ranging from hummus and hot sauce with cucumber, roasted peppers and carrots on multigrain ($6) to house-roasted beef with pickled blueberries, shallots, cream cheese and arugula on ciabatta ($8.95). Slightly more classic is ham with smoked Gouda instead of Swiss, plus artichoke, garlic mustard and spinach ($7.95); and tarragon chicken salad on cranberry-nut bread ($7.95). Dinner selections, while limited, can be lively, such as shrimp and grits kicked up with coconut, chorizo, Moroccan curry sauce and tomato jam ($16).

Heads Up: For dessert, a Red Eye strength, choose from house-made ice cream (Earl Grey, vanilla malt, salted caramel) ($4) and baked goods such as cupcakes (lime, hot chocolate, chocolate cherry) ($4), pear-pecan bread ($2), and slices of huge layer cakes displayed under glass.

The Scoop: Opened in May 2012, Red Eye delivers locally until 6 pm. Brunch is served all day on weekends; expect to wait at peak breakfast hours.

What are Quick Bites? Short takes on casual, affordable dining.

Restaurant Details

  • Cuisine Type:
    American - Breakfast
  • Price Range:
    Moderate
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