Plum On Park

It’s in a diner car, but the food is much better than a diner. Because it is tiny, sometimes getting a table is difficult. Sitting at the counter is not as uncomfortable as some reviews suggest, and the service at the counter is better (faster and more attentive). Love the shrimp ‘n grits.

Went to Plum on Park on Sunday and was very happy. I just moved to the area so I have not had the chance to try Raymond’s or Toast yet because the waits are usually an hour or more on the weekend but I have to imagine this place is just as good if not better. Only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table and the service and food was great! I will be returning.

12:00 on a Saturday. Busy inside, but found two stools at the bar. Took a few minutes for a server since they were very busy, but they were very nice and service was great. They allowed us to switch to a table since the stools were uncomfortable, after placing our order and already mid-​coffee.
The gentleman who was leaving his space for us recommended the shrimp and grits on his way out. I had heard good things, so naturally, that is what I ordered. Delicious! Creamy, flavorful, filling. I only could eat half of the bowl and took the rest home. My mom got the homemade chicken sausage with 2 eggs over easy and home fries. It was okay in my opinion, but not as good as mine. She also wished she had gotten mine. The sausage patties sort of fall apart since they’re homemade– not the consistency I am used to. She liked it though, and was impressed with the herb flavor in the dressing on our mixed greens.
There were several other menu items that I would have liked to try, so I will return. Interesting but delicious sounding menu items, which is what I love in a restaurant.

I’m crushing on PoP. I feel like I might write them a letter and leave it on the table that says:
Do you like me as much as I like you?
_​_​Yes
_​_​No
_​_​Maybe someday
It’s not like I spent the better half of my life wishing I could dine in a what amounts to a purple train, but once I did, it was on. Now when I go there, which seems like three times a week (because it is), a Babyface song starts playing in my head because I am getting in the mood. The food is a knockout every time and with a carefully curated menu, I don’t have to hem and haw for ten minutes.
Lately, it’s the Baby Kale Cobb Salad all day, every day. It comes like a piece of art, so much so that you feel bad messing it up to eat it. I mean I don’t feel that bad when I am pounding it down and then grabbing that last drop of baby kale off the side of the bowl it sits so gently in. If one of my bacon shards would happen to fall from my Kale bowl and hit the ground, the four second rule would most definitely apply.
I love the ambience of this place. It’s hip diner meets farmer’s market with a side of «give me that breakfast right now.» I am flummoxed to see 2-​star reviews for this place. If I was guessing before I read the reviews, the only person I would expect to give this place a 2-​star review would be Richard (David Spade) in Tommy Boy.
To the terribly angsty reviewers: {terribly designed space?} Really? It’s small and it makes the most out of its space with the counter and the tables set up like that. Any other way would reduce the amount of people who could fit in there by a lot. {the chorizo was fatty?} If you look up the breakdown of all of the varieties of chorizo, the first or second most important ingredient is fat of some kid. I don’t recall anyone ever looking for some lean chorizo — it’s sausage!
Plum on Park… can you answer my letter above please? Say yes, say yes, say yes.

We love to come to this place. The food is always delicious and the stuff is extremely friendly. We usually go there for brunch, besides regular brunch menu they have great specials. They also make fresh squeezed juices and smoothies. Make sure to come early because it gets pretty crowded and you’ll have to wait. Highly recommend this place. It’s one of our favorite brunch places in the area.

I’m a lot less impressed by this place now than I used to be.
While most of the staff seem sweet and kind, this place has a lot of «rules» that they allow to be broken, which makes me frustrated because I never know the deal. For instance, one afternoon I came in to have lunch alone and was told that I could eat at the counter but that they reserved their tables for parties of two or more. When I pointed out that there was a man eating by himself at that very moment, I was told by the women with whom I was speaking that she wasn’t around when he was sat, but had she been…
Another example is that they say the counter is for full service only, and I myself have been refused the opportunity to have a coffee at the counter while I waited for a table. That’s cool – I get it, and I respect the rule. Yet today, there were two parties who sat at the counter while they waited for a table.
I know the owner likes to get on people for griping on here when they only know part of the story and I can assure you that I was there for the whole thing – each of their entrances, their expressed desires for a table, each asking if they can wait at the counter – one party with coffee the other without – and each permitted to do so. I know because we, in fact, stood awkwardly in the middle of the room while waiting for our table to be ready, out of respect for the rules.
Another time – and I could be wrong about this one but I’m pretty sure – I was told they didn’t seat incomplete parties and, as such, had to wait until my friend arrived before we could be seated, but I’ve seen them seat people solo who are waiting for their guests to arrive. In fact, it happened earlier today.
Look, I don’t want to be a pain in the ass. I understand there need to be rules to control the masses, and I’m happy to comply with said rules. What I struggle with, however, is when it feels like rules are being made up as they go along, or that existing rules – some of which are framed and scattered all over the counter – are simply disregarded at the whim of the staff. This kind of inconsistency kills me.
It’s a terribly designed space – only a handful of tables and uncomfortable counter seats circa 1955 diner. But make it work by being fair and consistent.
All this on top of the fact that, frankly, the menu is really quite limited.
Sadly, I don’t think I’ll be returning to Plum.

Plum did not disappoint. I live in Brooklyn, regularly eat amazing brunches, and also work in the industry — I can be a tough sell!
I had brunch here and everything was amazing. The staff is top-​notch. We were indecisive about sitting at the bar or waiting for a table, and I never had even the slightest sense of impatience from the staff. We waited for a table and had a fabulous brunch. I had the beat/​quinoa/​egg dish — everything was very fresh and the presentation was spot-​on. I also had a side of grits, which were delicious. The food quality and price were perfect. I’d rather eat here then Toast or Raymonds any day.
Yes, the place is small — isn’t that part of the charm? I didn’t feel like any part of my meal was rushed, everyone was absolutely attentive, and my food was prepared with care. Natalie knows what she is doing and does it well.

Plainly stated, this is my favorite restaurant in town. Not only is the food delicious, but it’s all gluten free. For someone with celiac disease, that’s a truly wonderful thing! The owner is gracious, the food is perfectly prepared and presented, and it’s immaculately clean. While I agree that it’s small (it’s inside an old diner car), it has a cozy and romantic feel.

Oh baby its cold outside. That said, and because we were told we had to wait approx 30 minutes before we could be seated, I went for a coffee at the Starbucks down the block. The coffee was good. What wasn’t, was the lecture by the server who scolded me like a child who had just nailed her with a spitball, because I dared to walk in with a coffee. She actually asked that I toss it or gulp it down. I did neither. I did drink it discreetly, but just so as not to upset my wife and our friend who we were having brunch with. Otherwise the food was «ok» but not worth risking another invasion of a starbucks cup of coffee.

A tiny, cute, but fancy restaurant especially perfect for brunch with friends. The food and staff made the restaurant.

Cute vintage diner feel, creative and delicious options. Mostly reasonably priced. Food delivered relatively quickly. A bit of a packed feel but worth it!

Solid brunch at Plum on Park. Good option in Montclair if you’re tired of Raymond’s or Toast, but much smaller. I tried my first ever eggs benedict, and it was pretty amazing, Feel like I’ve been missing out for years. We also had the black bean dish, it was served over bread with some kind of peanut-​type sauce. Both meals were great. Service was top notch. They’ll make mimosas and bloodies, so bring your alcohol!
Not sure if there was a parking lot, but there’s a deck nearby, and plenty of street parking. Nice bar to sit at if you’re solo. Overall good experience at plum on park

Since I’ve only been here for breakfast, I’ll give Plum a reserved 4-​stars.
Beautifully presented food at matching prices — Plum offers a fresh breakfast menu that is especially friendly to vegans and gluten-​free eaters. Meat lovers on the other hand may want to go somewhere else. Not that they don’t serve ham/​bacon/​what have you, but you’ll be paying extra for that and the portion won’t be as nearly satisfying at some yummy but greasy diner elsewhere. Having said that, the breakfast selection at Plum was generally pretty solid. My companion loved his quiche. My blueberry ricotta pancakes were light and fluffy — I wanted a bit more blueberries but generally it was on point.
I would come back here for breakfast if I had company, but looking forward to trying dinner here.

I am so glad I happened to stumble into Plum and discovered this hidden gem! It’s a small place with lots of charm, a clean new take on a classic diner. Offering fresh juices and smoothies and a list of house brunch specials. I’d recommend trying out something new see what specials that the chefs are offering, be adventurous you surely won’t be disappointed!

Stopped in for dinner after checking out the reviews (and not realizing that this is more of a brunch joint).
The menu is WEAK and limited.
Food was good, nothing amazing, absolutely not worth the price. $ 80 plus tip for two entrees and one appetizer. Ridiculous. So many other options in the area with better food, better prices, better ambiance, liquor, etc.
The space was cramped and awkward. Completely empty until a family decided to come in with their young kids (thanks for that).
Will not be back.

Have been here for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.
This little known gem has never failed to satisfy.
The food is delicious.
The presentation special.
The ambiance for dinner especially is warm and cozy.
The wait staff and especially the owner Natalie are delightful.
I think dinner at Plum on Park is a well kept secret. I selfishly hesitated writing this review with the thought that if it became more popular it would make it more difficult for me to get a reservation in the future. But Natalie deserves her well earned success and I would be too self serving to keep the knowledge of this little treasure all to myself.

Plum on Park has become my new fav brunch place in Montclair! The cute little dining car with its retro chrome, funky mini chandeliers and plum colored booths has captured my heart and stomach. At a recent Sunday brunch I had a delicious Eggs Benedict made with both avocado and chorizo. It featured home fries and a nicely dressed salad on the side. I started off with one of their amazing fresh juices, a green juice blend of spinach, apple and carrot. My friend had homemade lemonade made with agave and a custom spinach and cheese omelet. She raved about their plum jam for the toast. Their coffee and espressos were very good, too.
The service was excellent as we stayed for over an hour and were not rushed out. There were some interesting brunch selections like special summer omelets and grits. On my way out, I had to get a black and white cookie to go, that was staring me down the whole meal, next to some homemade muffins. I will be back here again soon for their amazing brunch and maybe for dinner as well!

Amazing! Specials are always delicious and exciting to taste, takes breakfast to a new level. Try the zucchini blossoms.

Recently came here for breakfast with a co-​worker of mine and after reading the rave reviews we were both SO excited! However we ended up leaving feeling pretty underwhelmed. The coffee was strong and hot definitely a plus! But when I asked the server about the croissant platter that several people on here mentioned he said they don’t make anything like that?! Then we both ordered the chorizo Benedict which they were out of the bread it’s supposed to be served on (it was 8am and empty) so we had to settle for toast. Then the actual meal itself was just okay.
I really wanted to force myself to love this place but foodie love isn’t something I should have to work on. I don’t think I’ll be back.

Had another dinner there and my GOD this chick can cook!
Started with the charcuterie app — Nat picks out all the cheeses and meats herself and really always has a nice assortment. On this day, she had her own home made liverwurst along with the assortment.
Next I had the double cut pork chop — came with baby carrots — the most amazing, juicy piece of pork I’ve ever laid my eyes on and the taste was out of this world.
Ended it all with her famous grapefruit/​chocolate tarte…
speaking of baked goods…
Guess what folks? Plum is opening a 100% GLUTEN FREE bakery called … what else… Plum Bakery!
all baking done on premises. Bagels and all!
Look for it on Glenridge ave in Montclair — should be opening sometime in April 2015 !

Took myself out to breakfast here.
This place is adorable. I feel like I’m in a little French bistro. The food was so fresh and good. I ordered one of the specials– pita with sweet potatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, greens and tzatziki, which came with a side salad, and a side of eggs and coffee (a huge mug!). Everything was wonderful and it came to just under $ 20. Perfect start to the day.

I’m not sure how long Plum on Park has been here, but it’s so tiny that I must have missed it over and over the countless days and nights I have passed right in front of it. Finally checked it out for brunch yesterday and it is surprisingly bigger inside than it appears on the outside. That said, it was packed and we had to sit at the bar. Those stools will hurt unless you have some junk in your trunk.
Food: Small portions (meaning, just right!) of really fresh and delicious offerings. I had the Veggie Benedict which replaced the english muffin with a grilled tomato, the ham was replaced with slices of avocado and the usual egg and sauce were on top of that. Served with some crispy home fries (a bit on the lukewarm side, though). My partner had the omelet with spinach and avocado. Everything was just about perfect.
I felt like I had some room left at the end of the meal so decided to order a freshly squeezed juice to go. I went with the Hangover Helper (even though I wasn’t rocking a hangover) which is carrot, beet, apple, ginger, lime and some cayenne. The juice was really good but I think I had it too soon after my meal. I was just way too full and had a stomachache all day. My fault for mixing all that goodness at one time. My partner also had a juice (the Energy Boost) and he was fine. So the stomachache was of my own doing and no reflection on quality of food served.
Will happily return!

We had a great breakfast here this morning. We ordered fresh squeezed OJ, two coffees, the special omelette, the bacon sandwich and a kids portion of pancakes. Everything was fantastic. The bacon sandwich was like a really fancy BLT. It has arugula, tomato, avocado and this really good spicy mayo with well done bacon on multigrain toast and it came with a salad. I loved it and ate every bite. The pancakes were really good too. They were light and fluffy and I really liked the syrup that was served with them.
We also had great service and got our food extremely fast. It was a little pricey ($ 47 after tax and tip) but it was worth it. I will definitely be back!