Closings:
David Burke at Orange Lawn, South Orange
One of Chef David Burke’s many restaurants will be closing its doors for good, reports NorthJersey.com. David Burke at Orange Lawn, located at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange, opened in 2019. The restaurant will be closed permanently as of October 26. After opening the Garden Terrace in June for outdoor dining, and only for limited hours from 5–9 pm, Burke has decided it’s best to not continue. The last day of service will be October 25, with reservations available online until then.
David Burke Orange Lawn, 305 North Ridgewood Road, South Orange; 973-552-2280
Stephen Starr’s Buddakan & The Continental, Atlantic City
Although these two Atlantic City hot spots have been closed to the public since the start of the Covid pandemic, restaurateur Stephen Starr has announced that both locations will shut down permanently. Playground Pier, where both restaurants were located, has gotten little to no traffic this year. When the state allowed indoor dining at 25 percent capacity, Starr and his staff decided they could not operate profitably at that level and did not reopen. The Continental featured a variety of burgers and seafood, while Buddakan focused on modern Asian cuisine. These were Starr’s only two restaurants in New Jersey. His group’s 19 other locations, in Philadelphia, remain open.
Openings:
Summer and Autumn Cafe, Lodi
When chef Chris Paolello’s fiance was fighting cancer last year, the two remembered that tomorrow isn’t promised. They opened Summer and Autumn, their dream cafe, in early fall. The restaurant occupies the space that previously held 17 Summer, which closed last September. Their brunch menu includes a French Toast Waffle Sandwich (with fried egg, sausage, and cheddar cheese) and the Hangover (bacon, egg, and cheddar on a glazed donut). Chef Paolello is also offering healthy meal-prep items that you can pre-order on their site. The cafe offers indoor, outdoor, and bar seating, where you can see your meal being prepared in the open-kitchen. Open 8:30am–4pm, Tuesday-Sunday.
Summer and Autumn Cafe, 17 Summer Street, Lodi; 973-777-7771
Sushi Kai, Fort Lee
This sushi bar opened in Fort Lee on September 30, sourcing their products from Toyosu Market in Tokyo, Japan to bring you the freshest ingredients. Although they are only currently offering pickup and delivery, the menu at Sushi Kai is filled with beautiful and creative plates. From Ebi (black tiger shrimp), Unagi (freshwater eel), and Sake (New Zealand king salmon), Sushi Kai is serving the freshest fish and seafood for an authentic omakase experience.
Sushi Kai, 206 Main Street, Fort Lee; 201-429-2820