Restaurant

Welcome to the New Owners of Vanilla Bean Creamery!

This past Saturday, Downtown Cranford Director Caren Demyen, Mayor Brian Andrews, Township Commissioner and Downtown liaison Kathleen Miller Prunty, and DMC Board members held a ribbon cutting to officially welcome the new owners of Cranford Vanilla Bean Creamery! Congratulations to Sherri, Mike, and their young daughters on this new (very delicious) endeavor. Sherri and Mike were Cranford residents from 2014-2020 before moving to Westfield, and have a special place in their heart for Cranford Vanilla Bean Creamery. When they originally met with Ralph, Mike proudly showed him the large stack of Vanilla Bean Creamery punch cards their family has collected over the past few years.

Mike and Sherri knew they would need Ralph’s guidance to make sure that Vanilla Bean Creamery would continue to put out the high quality ice cream it’s been known for. To that end, Ralph has been sharing his original recipes with them and teaching them how to make ice cream. “My one piece of advice for them is consistency,” said Ralph. “It’s what Vanilla Bean Creamery is known for, and what keeps bringing customers back.”

Ralph will be around for the next few weeks, assisting Mike and Sherri in any way he can. Vanilla Bean Creamery is open 7 days a week so stop in to wish Ralph well and welcome Mike and Sherri!

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With Ocean Prime Tavern, Cranford Welcomes a New Steakhouse to the Dining Scene!

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Earlier today, Downtown Cranford Director Caren Demyen, Township Mayor Brian Andrews, Commissioners Kathleen Prunty and Paul Gallo, and DMC Board members held the official ribbon cutting for Ocean Prime Tavern! This is the second restaurant that owner Sonny Gjevakaj has opened in a month in Downtown Cranford, following the recent opening of La Colina Mexican Cantina. Ocean Prime Tavern is located at 2 South Avenue West and focuses on dry aged steaks and high quality wines. The restaurant is open 7 days a week for dinner and reservations can be made by calling (908) 272-0045. Customers can park in municipal lots, on the street, or in the nearby parking garage.

Sonny owns a number of restaurants in NJ and has always had an interest in dry aged steaks and fine wine. When he was able to purchase a liquor license in Cranford, Sonny knew this was the perfect opportunity to share his passion with the community. “Our team is aiming to offer the best service and food and we’re constantly striving for perfection. We use one of the best steak suppliers in the area and I personally pick out the wines we serve. Dry aged steaks are more tender and flavorful, and all of the steaks we serve are prime cuts.”

In addition to offering different cuts of steak, including filet mignon, NY strip, and tomahawk, Ocean Prime Tavern also has seafood options including king crab legs, scallops, and salmon. Diners can start their meal with appetizer options that include fried calamari, seared tuna, clams casino, grilled octopus, salads, and more. Their meal can be rounded out with side dishes (we've heard the lobster mac and cheese is to die for) and homemade desserts.

“I felt confident opening a high-end steak restaurant in Cranford because I knew we were creating something special,” said Sonny. “This is a restaurant that will bring in people from all over the area. Customers have been speechless when they walk in and see the space. Personally, I’m so excited to see it come to life.”

For more information on Ocean Prime Tavern, including their menu, wine list, and contact information, you can visit their website, https://oceanprimetavernnj.com/. Congratulations to Sonny on Ocean Prime Tavern, and thank you for your continued investment in Downtown Cranford!

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La Colina Mexican Cantina Opens Its Doors in Downtown Cranford!

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Last week, Downtown Cranford, DMC Board members, Mayor Brian Andrews, and Township Commissioner Kathleen Miller Prunty officially welcomed La Colina Mexican Cantina to town! La Colina is located at 2 South Avenue West and is owned by Sonny Gjuvakj, who previously owned both Sonny G's and Romola's.

La Colina is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. "All of our dishes are prepared fresh," said Sonny. "Our most popular dishes include paella, burritos, and enchiladas." La Colina has a liquor license and customers will find a large variety of drink options, including over 300 tequilas.

"I love this town, and knew I wanted to open the second location of La Colina here," said Sonny. "In the next few weeks I'll also be opening Ocean Prime Tavern. I'm so excited to offer visitors to Cranford more dining options."

You can visit https://lacolinanewjersey.com for more information about the restaurant, including its menu and drink specials. We appreciate one of Cranford's longtime business owners continuing to invest in town and wish him all the best with his new restaurant!

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Love Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch? Then You Need to Visit Toast in Downtown Cranford!

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This morning, Downtown Cranford held the ribbon cutting for Toast Cranford, located at 10 Walnut Avenue, welcoming them to the community! Toast Cranford is owned by founder Amy Russo and her business partner Adam Torine. Amy and Adam had been searching New Jersey for the perfect location for Toast's next location, and when they came to Cranford they knew they had found the right place.

Toast officially opened for business this past Monday and the owners said that the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. “We joke that we make money ‘1 pancake at a time,’ which just means that every customer is important to us," said Adam. "We want all of our customers to have a terrific experience and dine with us in the future."

Toast’s Cranford location is the first iteration of what Adam and Amy refer to as “Toast 2.0.” Toast Cranford brings in elements from each of the other three locations in Asbury Park, Montclair, and Red Bank. “The design in our Cranford location is very deliberate. It has a certain feel and incorporates what we’ve learned in the past 15 years,” said Amy. "This is also the first location that I’ve opened with Adam and it was so nice that our partnership allows me to share the experience with someone.”

Adam and Amy have already become familiar with many of the neighboring businesses and business owners. They’re frequent customers at Perrotti's, Pastosa, Sweet & Fancy Emporium, and Cranford Hotel. “We’ve received warm welcomes in other towns, but Cranford has surpassed them all,” said Amy.

Toast is open Monday through Friday 8AM-2PM and on the weekends from 7:30AM-3PM. The restaurant includes a room that can be reserved as a private party space after hours, seating 40-60 people. You can visit Toast’s website, https://toastcitydiner.com/, or give the Cranford location a call at 908-312-9333. Thank you to Toast for choosing Cranford - we're thrilled to have you join our community!

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Toast City Diner Announces Plans to Open in Cranford This Fall!

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We are incredibly excited to announce that Toast City Diner will be joining the Downtown Cranford dining scene this fall! Toast Cranford will be taking over the space at 10 Walnut Ave (formerly Red Crab). Please see below for the official press release from Toast.

Toast City Diner is excited to announce the opening of their newest location in the heart of downtown Cranford, NJ. The store is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2023 and will be located on the corner of South and Walnut Avenue next to the Cranford Hotel.

The opening of Toast Cranford marks the start of an exciting future for founder Amy Russo and her partner Adam Torine. With 3 existing locations in Montclair, Asbury Park and Red Bank, this will be the first location that the pair is opening together. The Cranford store will be the first Toast location to showcase the new Toast 2.0 prototype which will feature a new design, updated logo and new signature menu items, while still serving the delicious food that fans of the concept know and love.

"I am so excited to bring this next chapter to downtown Cranford," Russo said. "It is the perfect town to open our next location and we look forward to fully embracing the local residents and visitors to one of the best downtowns in NJ.”

Residents of Cranford can anticipate a superior hospitality experience and delicious meal when dining at Toast, whether they go the simple route with a classic breakfast sandwich on a fresh brioche roll or try one of the signature items like the decadent carrot cake or red velvet pancakes. With such a robust offering of foods and drinks, Toast has something for everyone which makes it the perfect place to gather with family and friends.

“We can't wait to have you join us at Toast Cranford,” Torine remarked.“It will be a fun place for family and friends to enjoy a delicious breakfast, brunch or lunch together! We look forward to becoming a part of the Cranford community which will also serve as our launching point for expansion throughout NJ.”

For more information about Toast Cranford and for updates on the restaurant's progress, please contact us, ToastCityDiner.com

 
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