Three Montclair Restaurants Named Best in State

It's déjà vu for Montclair's Fascino, Culinariane and Blu.

The three critically acclaimed eateries have once again made NJ Monthly's annual list of the Top 25 Restaurants in the state. The list was compiled by the magazine's critics and food writers and appears in the August 2013 Restaurant issue.

Blu is the brainchild of chef/owner Zod Arifai. Diners have come to expect the unexpected from Arifai, who calls himself a "dinosaur", but is always changing things up with a six-course tasting menu and other specials.

East of Blu and also in Montclair Center, Fascino, which turns 10 this year, features the food and desserts of son-mother duo Ryan and Cynthia DePersio. The restaurant recently re-opened after a renovation, and the family chose to close Bar Cara in Bloomfield to concentrate on Fascino.

Ariane Duarte remains one of Montclair's "Top Chefs" with Culinariane, tucked away on Walnut Street steps from the train station. Duarte, a Verona native, told NJ Monthly her recipes are simple and she cooks food she wants to eat.

All three chefs were recently featured in the second annual Montclair Food & Wine Festival.

The only other town to boast a trio of restaurants in the Top 25 list is Princeton, home to Agricola, Elements and The Peacock Inn.

Check out the full list on NJMonthly.com.