HomeFeaturesFoodPopolari Brings Classic Italian Favorites to Bloomfield

Popolari Brings Classic Italian Favorites to Bloomfield

Many restaurants in New Jersey serve Italian dishes and handcrafted pizzas. But if you ask owner Mido Emad, he’ll tell you none look quite like Popolari in Bloomfield. The stylish, family-friendly Italian restaurant sports a retro chic vibe matching the lounges in Italy. In fact, the interior is made to match the authenticity of the menu.

At Popolari – “popular” in Italian – you’ll find 14-foot ceilings with exposed wooden beams and French pendants with candles; in addition to walls lined with vintage posters of famous Italians. Of course, they also play European music and display soccer matches on the TV. “It’s one of the coolest pizza and pasta places in the state of New Jersey,” Mido says. Meanwhile, the 1,000-square-foot indoor area seats 40 and the 500-square-foot outdoor pizza garden seats 60. (Pets are even welcome outdoors.)


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Popolari serves unique twists on classic Italian dishes and a fresh take on pizzeria food, according to Mido. For instance, the pastas are fresh and homemade and the pizzas come in different styles; from classic 16-inch American pizza to 10-inch Napoletana gourmet pizza made in their Italy-imported Neapolitan oven.

At the moment, fan favorite dishes include chicken parm and the Popolari gnocchi with pistachio basil pesto crème sauce. The spicy vodka with homemade rigatoni is also a crowd-pleaser. Likewise, their Popolari pizza is a hit featuring tomato, burrata, prosciutto, arugula, and basil oil. However, Mido’s favorite dish is the melanzane spagnole (smoked eggplant over labneh).

Arancini

About The Owner

Mido is the creative director of his own advertising agency, Mido Group. The Montclair resident has been designing, marketing, and building restaurants for 20 years. This time around, he opened his own restaurant with design input from his girlfriend Victoria Yordanova. Together, they worked on projects like designing the bodega above the front door; which is full of hanging cured meats and wheels of cheese. Mido plans to open more Popolari locations in the future.

Meanwhile, Chef Floyd Montiel has 25 years of experience and created the menu for Popolari. He has ownership experience as well, operating his own Italian restaurants for 20 years. Together, over the course of three months, Mido and Floyd built the restaurant with their own hands.

Restaurant Interior

Visit Popolari at 1047 Broad St in Bloomfield. Look for them online to learn more.

Click here to find the latest restaurants open in New Jersey.


Popolari FAQs

Do you accept Reservations?

Yes, they accept reservations via OpenTable.

Are there Gluten-free options?

Yes, there are Gluten-free options for both pasta and pizza crust.

Are there Vegetarian options?

Popolari has over 15 vegetarian items as well as vegan cheese, yes.

Do you offer Takeout?

The restaurant offers takeout, yes.

Can you offer Delivery?

Current delivery is through GrubHub and DoorDash. In-house delivery is coming soon.

Do you have a Liquor license?

No, but they are BYOB.

Is there a Kids’ menu?

Yes, there is a kids’ menu.


All Photos: © Popolari

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