Hey everyone,
I have another amazing restaurant for you all to try, located in the heart of Morristown, New Jersey. It is called Café on the Green. Its’ whimsical and eclectic atmosphere makes it a great place for you to escape from reality and get a bite to eat.
Café on the Green is owned and operated by newlywed couple Jon McGloin and his wife Vita. After undergoing a mentorship with ice cream pioneer Malcolm Stogo, Jon and Vita made their gelato dream a reality by opening this vibrant café. Its’ staff is made up of young entrepreneurs and French culinary graduates whose passion for food is evident in every dish that is made. All the ingredients used are organic and local New Jersey farm fresh.
Café on the Green’s salads are filled with nutritious leafy greens, which means no iceberg lettuce found here! In place of iceberg lettuce you get spinach, fennel, arugula and watercress. To be honest, I was not familiar with watercress before having it here, but now I want to always have it in my salad because of the nutritional value. After doing some research to see what this forest was on my plate, I discovered that it is actually a weed that grows in almost every state alongside streams and riverbanks in the US. Despite being a weed, it is safe to eat and is known as an “antioxidant powerhouse”, whereas iceberg lettuce is referred to as the “polyester of lettuce” and for good reasons. Compared to other leafy greens, its nutrient make-up is extremely low, containing 95% water, a trace of fiber, and only one-twentieth the vitamins and minerals provided by other leafy greens.
- Watercress
Watercress, on the other hand, contains many phytonutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention properties. The leaves and stems contain gluconasturtiin, which is believed to be cancer preventing. Additionally, this leafy green has more concentration of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) than some fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps maintain normal connective tissue, prevent iron deficiency, and also helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents by boosting immunity. Watercress is also rich in vitamin A, β carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin K, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, thiamin, pantothenic acid, copper, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus. After learning this, I think I would swap any salad greens for watercress and enjoy the forest on my plate at Café on the Green every day.
Not only does Café on the Green have amazing salads, but also their paninis are to die for! They use the finest bread from Hudson Breads of North Bergen, New Jersey and it is toasted to perfection. It is hard choosing between the croque monsieur, thanksgiving, caprese and rainy day special paninis, but that just means you have to go back another day to try a different sandwich.
Did I mention that everything is homemade? The general manager, Chris Nguyen, even made the soup from scratch when I was there and it was amazing! All the gelato and desserts are also homemade, using the freshest ingredients that are local. There are even homemade dog treats available! Only service dogs are allowed inside, but you can certainly get your dog a treat while you grab something to eat.
Have a birthday coming up or need cake made for a special event? Café on the Green also has amazing cakes that can be personalized! They almost look too good to eat! Check out one of their cakes below or look at more of their creations here.
Café on the Green takes pride in bringing you the best in “Old World” comfort with a twist of whimsy. If you are in Morristown, you need to stop in and get a bite to it. Plus, their barista, Will Rosario, makes delicious coffee drinks with Black River Roasters coffee!
Ashley