Jack's Cafe, the funky Westwood spot that closed last year, is returning. Where?
Jack's Cafe, the funky all-day, all-American restaurant in Westwood that closed at the end of 2022 after 16 years of service, is coming back back — as a pop-up.
Jack-s Cafe Pop-Up will open at at B&M Market in Park Ridge on November 4. The new Jack's Cafe will be takeout only — at first —and initially four nights a week. The original Jack's location was recently replaced by 1950 Originals, founded by Daniel DeMiglio, the grandson of North Jersey hot-dog institution Callahan's.
"I was bored," said chef and owner Chris D'Eletto, 61, when asked why he decided to relaunch Jack's. He closed in Dec. 2020 due to the devastation COVID-19 had inflicted on it, and had hoped to retire.
"My yard has never looked so good: I re-mulched, replanted, you name it" he quipped — but "I can't sit at home all day." Besides, he said, "I'm too young to retire."
D'Eletto said he is friends with Jonathan Goldstein, the owner of B&M Market, a full-service gourmet market and butcher shop on Kinderkamack Road, and they agreed to work on this venture together. Goldstein he said, is a partner in the new business.
"B&M is a brand name," D'Eletto said. "I will be using its great quality prime meats and people can come in and shop for top ingredients and go home with one of Jack's dishes."
More: Callahan's is gone, but the same owner is opening a new hot dog joint in Westwood
The pop-up cafe will not serve breakfast or lunch, but it will offer the restaurant's most popular dishes including cheesesteaks, hangar steak and dill-cranberry chicken salad. "It's a trimmed menu for now," D'Eletto said.
Jack's Cafe Pop-Up will open Nov. 4 at B&M Market, 146 Kinderkamack Road, Park Ridge; 201-666-0400. Hours: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jack's Cafe, the Westwood favorite, is coming back to North Jersey
