Experience Management Group will opens Essex Junction Craft Kitchen & Bar, a neighborhood restaurant and craft beer bar in the heart of rapidly growing downtown Bloomfield, New Jersey. The 200-seat gastropub offers guests signature dishes of elevated comfort food accompanied by a rotating list of 40 craft beers with 16 on tap, a fun cocktail program revolving around notable New Jersey natives and artisanal wines. The owners have created a lively, accessible area destination where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily along with weekend brunch and happy hour. Located just steps from the Bloomfield train station, Essex Junction will also be serving breakfast from a convenient pass-thru window for commuters on the go. The 4,080-square-foot custom-designed space has a dining area for 90, bar space for 70, and 40 seats outside for seasonal, al fresco dining.
CEO and partner Jeremy Goldberg, a North Caldwell native, CIA graduate and three-star Miami restaurateur, has returned to his New Jersey roots to open Essex Junction. Jeremy says, “Community is of utmost importance to me and I am proud to open a fun, community social gathering place that I believe area residents will enjoy.” Jeremy was recently voted onto the Bloomfield Center Alliance’s board.
As part of its mission to support community, Essex Junction will run an ongoing promotion to benefit the Bloomfield Educational Foundation. When guests order and then post their Jersey celebrity namesake cocktails on social media (and show evidence of same to their server), 50 percent of the proceeds of that drink purchase will be donated. In addition, there will be other special events and activities such as “Friday Buck a Shuck Oysters,” trivia night, and more supporting local causes. Essex Junction is also proud to feature New Jersey local businesses’ products such as craft beer from Magnify, Carton, Kane, Rinn Duin breweries; spirits from Jersey Spirits Distilling Co.; dessert from Anthony’s Cheesecake.
Essex Junction, the first of several planned gastropub concepts by the group, is a polished industrial chic space designed by JAB Design Group and is one of several new businesses sprouting in Bloomfield, a town undergoing major redevelopment. The space features the work of talented and in-demand Brooklyn graffiti artist Nicholas Forker and incorporates Bloomfield historical references.
Bloomfield’s Mayor Michael Venezia says, “We are excited Essex Junction chose Bloomfield as their home and the redevelopment is attracting more top tier talent from around the country. We are pleased to welcome them, along with other new businesses that are quickly making Bloomfield’s downtown a vibrant, new destination.”
Consulting Chef Doug Vincent, a CIA graduate and successful restaurant consultant in New Jersey, has created a menu of house-made dishes with universal appeal using quality, seasonal ingredients including some vegetarian items.
The bar will have a strong craft beer focus, with 40 exceptional selections, 16 on-tap including four featured local New Jersey brews; a cold brew coffee and growler fills are also available. For the beer lover, a loyalty program will be available as well as discounts for New Jersey Craft Beer (NJCB) members. Artisanal wines by the glass ($8-15) and bottle, ranging from ($30 to $120) will be offered. The menu features a list of hand-crafted cocktails incorporating artisanal spirits and are named for famous New Jersey natives such as: The Queen’s Cocktail (Queen Latifah), Premium 90210 (Ian Ziering). Specialty coffees and teas come from local Yogic Chai in Montclair. Juices from Liquiteria will also be available.
