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Inside Classified, Newark Airport’s “secret” restaurant
We took a look inside Classified, a “secret” restaurant in Terminal C at Newark Airport for United loyalty program passengers.
Kevin R. Wexler and Miguel Fernandez, NorthJersey.com
I’m deciding between the maple chili chicken and waffles, the grilled mango pineapple yogurt bowl, the falafel sandwich, the scrapple skillet (I’m crazy about this Pennsylvania Dutch-style mush made from leftover pork), and the flatbread with grilled chickpeas and avocado when I realize: This trip to the West Milford Airport Diner isn’t going to be a typical diner experience, nor is it a typical airport meal.
Diners come in all shapes and sizes, but the large, real airplane connected to the West Milford Airport Diner via a staircase should have been the first clue that this place was different.
The plane is there because – as the name suggests – there is a small airport on the site.
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While I was munching in the late afternoon, several planes took off and landed – I opted for the maple chili chicken and waffles, a thinly pounded and crispy Milanese-style chicken cutlet served on a fluffy waffle iron with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce.
The Airport Diner may not be the French Laundry, but it meets all the expectations you have of a diner meal: delicious, fast, and inexpensive, served by friendly staff. In fact, almost everything on the West Milford Airport Diner’s menu is under $15—it’s as if walking past the big airplane into the diner is stepping into a time machine that takes you back to the days before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The restaurant transitioned from a barbecue joint to a restaurant a little over a year ago, says manager Tiffany Connelly. As one of the few restaurants in the area, feedback from locals and those who make the trek across North Jersey to eat there has been positive, she says.
More: We came to the secret restaurant at Newark Airport. This is how it is
“This is the people’s hometown diner, you know? That’s it,” she says, adding that it’s not necessarily the airport location that makes it an instant local favorite, but “the people. It’s the staff. It’s the atmosphere.”
Connelly changes the specials menu of about a dozen dishes weekly, often coming up with unique combinations and working with the chefs to execute them. These creations include breakfast-through-dinner specialties such as chorizo tacos for breakfast, Cajun salmon Alfredo, pesto shrimp with zucchini noodles, grilled cheese with figs and apples, s’mores waffles, brisket sliders and more.
Connelly says the kitchen staff is usually sympathetic to her creations—or at least they have to be, since there isn’t much room for conflict: “They’re pretty good. We spend more time with them than with our families, so we get along,” she says.
Like any good restaurant, West Milford has a good atmosphere. Dawn Thompson of Hackensack agrees. She has been coming here with a group on Sundays after church for the past few months.
“Honestly, the food is good, we like the people who work here, they are very friendly and look after you. It’s a really good place,” says Thompson.
Go: West Milford Airport Diner, 126 Airport Road, West Milford; 973-506-6020, facebook.com/WMAirportDiner.
The West Milford Airport Diner isn’t the only place in New Jersey where you can watch planes take off and land while enjoying a meal. In fact, there are several that are worth visiting if you’re looking for a decent meal and a unique dining experience.
Airport Diner, Wantage
The folks behind the West Milford Airport Diner, namely owner Eric Blasone, also operate the Airport Diner in Wantage. That means you can expect the same extensive menu and rotating specials, plus holiday dishes and date night packages (two meals for $30). It’s another local favorite with huge portions, reasonable prices and, oh yeah, planes landing and taking off from Sussex County Airport.
Go: 51 County Road 639, Wantage; 973-702-1025, facebook.com/airportdineratFWN.
Sky Café, Pittstown
This Hunterdon County spot is worth the trip. On warm days, you can sit on the patio and watch planes take off and land, but the food is the real star of the show. Rosella Caloiero of Frenchtown Café heads up the kitchen, which serves amazing omelets, Benedicts, sweet breakfasts, and always inventive specials—ahi tuna sandwich with chow mein noodles, crispy-skinned salmon with fiery Asian slaw, and Parisian steak on a croissant with ricotta and pistachios, to name a few.
Go: 48 Sky Manor Road, Pittstown; 908-996-3442, skymanorairport.com/sky-cafe.htm.
The Airport Cafe, Blairstown
Head west for a classic diner menu of breakfast staples like omelets, Benedicts, and waffles, and lunch items like burgers and sandwiches. You’re practically on the runway here, and you’ll be blown away by the quality of the simple things like home fries and coffee.
Go: 36 Lambert Road, Blairstown; 908-362-1600, theairportcafeblairstown.com.
Sunset Pub and Grill, Lincoln Park
It’s a fun atmosphere with live music, a full bar and kitchen, and a small runway in the back where you can watch the planes landing while you eat and drink. Although Sunset Pub has a menu of unique specialty cocktails and hand-crafted martinis, you can certainly order an Aviator if that’s not too much for you. The menu features upscale pub fare, pizza, strombolis, sandwiches, burgers, and more.
Go: 425 Beaverbrook Road, Lincoln Park; 973-694-8700, sunsetpubandgrill.com.
Runway Diner, South Hackensack
We’d like to give a special shout out to Runway Diner, which, while not directly at an airport, makes the most of its proximity to Teterboro Airport with aviation-themed food and ambiance. Here you’ll find everything you’d expect from a diner menu, plus poke bowls, top-notch cocktails, and more. Stop by on weekends for free mimosas with brunch (and try the Cubano breakfast—chorizo, fried plantains, eggs, avocado, and rice and beans).
Go: 380 Route 46, South Hackensack; 201-843-7601, runwaydiner.com.
More airport restaurants in New Jersey
Sky Lounge in Ewing, which is actually located in Trenton-Mercer Airport before security Al’s Airport Inn, an all-day food and beverage provider in EwingRunway Cafe, a casual diner at the South Jersey Regional Airport in LumbertonApron Cafe in Hammonton, worth visiting for its Prime Rib Night on WednesdaysVerna’s Flight Line Restaurant in Millville, with local ingredients and rotating specialtiesFlight Deck Diner in Rio Grande/Cape May, for one of the best breakfasts around
