North Jersey residents don’t have to travel far for Southern style comfort food; Sweet T’s Southern Eatery is a new spot in Montclair serving healthy and authentic Southern/soul food. Of course, they cook every dish with love (the most important ingredient in soul food).
Sweet T’s seats 56 indoors within a 3,000-square-foot space, and will soon also have a backyard patio; Co-owner Tonza Houston describes the interior as “a chic, modern New York vibe brought to the suburbs”. Tonza is “the T behind Sweet T’s Southern Eatery,” co-owning the spot with her longtime love, Dre Perrin.
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Soul Food That’s Also Good For Your Heart
The menu at Sweet T’s takes inspiration from the soul food dishes Perrin ate growing up in the south. However, after watching his grandparents suffer health issues from unhealthy eating, he wanted to make some slight changes. After voicing his concerns to his friend, Chef Carlos Swepson, Carlos found a solution; he showed Perrin different ways to create authentic soul food, minus the unhealthy ingredients.
After this menu breakthrough, Perrin spoke with Houston, sharing his idea of a healthy, authentic soul food restaurant. Houston, hailing from the Caribbean and growing up on soul food, loved the idea. She also noticed the Montclair area had very few soul food options. With that, Sweet T’s Southern Eatery had both a menu and a location. The couple always dreamed of opening a restaurant and want a legacy to leave behind for their kids.
What’s On the Menu
Sweet T’s promises dishes that are healthy, transparent, and authentic. Southern comfort menu favorites include fried chicken, catfish, and baked mac and cheese. But Houston admits she eats the seared, seasoned, and braised short ribs three times a week. “And of course, you must try our fresh-baked cornbread with homemade strawberry butter,” she adds. In addition, they also serve homemade sweet tea, a drink staple synonymous with the south. Meanwhile, gluten-free patrons can order items like collard greens and fried potato wedges.
Chef Swepson – born in Mississippi but raised in New Jersey – helms the kitchen. His cooking style is a fusion of Creole Southern cuisine and traditional American fare. He also owns and is the executive chef at Blvd Bistro in Harlem.
Though Sweet T’s is still in its infancy, early success has Houston and Perrin looking towards the future. They plan to add more menu items and also aim to open another restaurant in South Jersey next year.
You can visit Sweet T’s Southern Eatery at 387 Bloomfield Ave in Montclair. Look for them online to learn more.
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Sweet T’s Southern Eatery FAQs
Yes, they accept reservations.
There are gluten-free options, yes.
There are vegetarian options, yes.
Yes, Sweet T’s offers takeout.
They offer delivery through DoorDash, GrubHub, and Uber Eats, yes.
No, they do not serve alcohol.
There is not a kids’ menu, no.
All Photos: © Sweet T’s Southern Eatery
