4-minute read
Inside look at Classified, Newark’s Airport’s ‘secret’ restaurant
We took a look inside of Classified, a ‘secret’ restaurant in Newark Airport’s Terminal C for flyers in United’s loyalty program.
Kevin R. Wexler and Miguel Fernandez, NorthJersey.com
I’m choosing between the maple chili chicken and waffles, grilled mango and pineapple yogurt bowl, falafel sandwich, scrapple skillet (I’m a sucker for that Pennsylvania Dutch pork scrap mush), and the barbecue chickpea and avocado flatbread when I realize: this trip to the West Milford Airport Diner will be neither a typical diner experience nor a typical airport meal.
Diners come in all shapes and sizes, but the large, actual plane attached via a staircase to West Milford Airport Diner should have been the first clue that this place is different.
The plane’s there because, as the name implies, there’s a small airport on the grounds.
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During a late afternoon lunch, several planes took off and landed while I chowed down — I opted for the maple chili chicken and waffles, which featured a chicken cutlet pounded thin and fried until crispy, Milanese style, served atop a fluffy waffle with a sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce.
The airport diner isn’t the French Laundry, but it does hit every note one hopes from a diner meal: delicious, quick and affordable, served by a friendly staff. Indeed, almost everything on West Milford Airport Diner’s menu is under $15 — it’s as if walking past that large plane into the diner is walking into a time machine that takes you back before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The diner changed from a barbecue joint a little over a year ago, says manager Tiffany Connelly. As one of the few diners in the region, she says the feedback has been positive from local folks and those who make the journey through North Jersey to eat there.
More: We got in to the secret restaurant at Newark Airport. Here’s what it’s like
“This is people’s hometown diner, you know? This is it,” she says, adding that what makes it an instant local favorite isn’t necessarily the gimmick of the airport, but “the people. It’s the staff. It’s the environment.”
Connelly changes the specials menu of about a dozen dishes weekly, often dreaming up unique combinations and working with the chefs to make it happen. Those creations include specials from breakfast to dinner, like breakfast chorizo tacos, Cajun salmon alfredo, pesto shrimp with zucchini noodles, fig and apple grilled cheese, s’mores waffles, brisket sliders and so much more.
Connelly says the kitchen staff is usually game for her creations — or, at least they have to be because there’s not much room for conflict: “They’re pretty good. We are with them more than our families so we get along,” she says.
Like any good diner, West Milford just has a good vibe. Dawn Thompson of Hackensack, agrees. She’s been coming after church on Sundays with a group for the last few months.
“Honestly the food is good, we love the people who work here, they’re very friendly and they cater to you. It’s a really good diner,” Thompson says.
Go: West Milford Airport Diner, 126 Airport Road, West Milford; 973-506-6020, facebook.com/WMAirportDiner.
West Milford Airport Diner isn’t the only place in New Jersey where you can watch planes take off and land while enjoying a meal. In fact, there are several worth a visit if you’re looking for a decent meal and a unique dining experience.
The Airport Diner, Wantage
The folks behind West Milford Airport Diner, namely owner Eric Blasone, also run The Airport Diner in Wantage. That means you can expect the same expansive menu and rotating specials, plus holiday meals and date night packages (two meals for $30). It’s another local favorite with huge portions, reasonable prices and, oh yeah, airplanes coming and going at the Sussex County Airport.
Go: 51 County Road 639, Wantage; 973-702-1025, facebook.com/airportdineratFWN.
Sky Cafe, Pittstown
This spot in Hunterdon County is worth the trip. You can sit on the patio on warm weather days and watch planes take off and land, but the food is the real star of the show. Rosella Caloiero of the Frenchtown Café manages the kitchen, which serves fantastic omelets, Benedicts, sweet breakfasts and always inventive specials — ahi tuna sandwich with chow mein noodles, crispy skin salmon with fiery asian slaw, and Parisian steak on a croissant with ricotta and pistachios, to name a few.
Go: 48 Sky Manor Road, Pittstown; 908-996-3442, skymanorairport.com/sky-cafe.htm.
The Airport Cafe, Blairstown
Head out west for a classic diner menu of breakfast staples like omelets, Benedicts and waffles as well as lunch offerings like burgers and sandwiches. You’re practically on the runway here and you’ll be blown away by the quality of the simple things, like the home fries and coffee.
Go: 36 Lambert Road, Blairstown; 908-362-1600, theairportcafeblairstown.com.
Sunset Pub and Grill, Lincoln Park
Here’s a fun environment with live music, a full bar and kitchen menu and the backdrop of a small runway to watch planes come in while you eat and drink. Though Sunset Pub offers a menu of unique specialty cocktails and handcrafted martinis, I bet you can order an Aviator if that’s not too on the nose. The menu has elevated pub grub, pizzas, strombolis, sandwiches, burgers and more.
Go: 425 Beaverbrook Road, Lincoln Park; 973-694-8700, sunsetpubandgrill.com.
Runway Diner, South Hackensack
We’ll give a special nod to Runway Diner, which — although not actually at an airport — uses its proximity to Teterboro Airport to maximum effect with aviation-themed dishes and ambiance. You’ll get everything you expect from a diner menu here but also poke bowls, top-shelf cocktails and more. Head over on the weekends for complimentary mimosas at brunch (and try the Cubano breakfast — chorizo, fried plantains, eggs, avocado and rice and beans).
Go: 380 Route 46, South Hackensack; 201-843-7601, runwaydiner.com.
More airport diners in New Jersey
Sky Lounge at Ewing, which is actually in Trenton-Mercer Airport before security Al’s Airport Inn, an all-day food and drink purveyor in EwingRunway Cafe, a cozy diner at the South Jersey Regional Airport in LumbertonApron Cafe in Hammonton, which is worth a visit for its Prime Rib Night on WednesdaysVerna’s Flight Line Restaurant in Millville, with local sourcing and rotating specialsFlight Deck Diner in Rio Grande/Cape May, for one of the best breakfasts around
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Publish date : 2024-08-25 21:24:00
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