Looking back: Many Restaurants

Through the years the Township of West Milford has been known for its many lakes and ponds (about 62 ), and many restaurants and bars.

Coming into the Hewitt/Greenwood Lake area from Ringwood in the early 1940s the first restaurant on the right-hand side of Greenwood Lake Turnpike (Passaic County Route 511) was the Wanaque Valley Inn, later known in the 1970s as The Holy Mackerel. The building was a colonial home built in the late 1760s. The restaurant was originally opened, owned and operated by Max Seidl and his wife, Martha. The couple, of German origin, had strict rules for patrons. Men were required to wear jackets to be admitted to the dining room. In case a gentleman arrived without a jacket there was a long rack of many sized jackets available near the door for him to borrow for the evening. The huge dinner menu was extensive and included steak, lobster and anything else a diner might want to order for a dollar or little more. A popular favorite meal served was Sauerbraten, a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat, usually beef. It was regarded in the past as the national dish of Germany and served internationally. The sides that always were served with Sauerbraten were spaetzle dumplings (a type of egg pasta) and red cabbage. Max not only had an outstanding knowledge of food and preparing it, but he was also a talented musician. He entertained his guests by playing music for them. His instrument, a zither with many strings, sat on a flat table that he anchored on the top of a stand. He played his instrument with great skill, and it was obvious that he enjoyed doing so. In the 1970s the Decker family carried on the restaurant tradition of good food, service and friendship. The restaurant building was moved to the Long Pond Ironworks historic site nearby, when it was in the path for construction of the Monksville Reservoir.

The next restaurant at 1611 Greenwood Lake Turnpike was on the left, just a short way down the road. It was named Whitey and Iva’s. The Battanelli Company business now occupies the property.

The Phillips Inn, 1555 Greenwoods Lake Turnpike, was nearby on the same side of the road. It was owned by the Phillips family and featured some of their Hungarian food recipes along with American cuisine. Joseph Phillips, son of the restaurant owners, with his wife Mae Gibbons Phillips started a bus company adjacent to the restaurant and for many years transported school children throughout North Jersey to area schools. The Phillips restaurant had several names after they retired. One name was Billings Candlelight Inn. Today the historic restaurant, rebuilt after a devastating fire destroyed it in 2012, is known as Jessie’s Kettle.

The Appalachian Lodge was a popular restaurant on Warwick Upper Greenwood Lake from the 1940s until it was destroyed by fire. The Welch brothers Bill and Don, initially opned, owned and operated the business. In 1990 it was The Hewitt House and Lounge and before that it was Decker’s Steak and Seafood. All dishes at the Hewitt House were prepared by Chef Don Lightweis and at the time a seafood buffet offering diners, soup, salad ½ Maine lobster and a variety of other seafood, beef and chicken dishes, all for $14.95. In 2003 when it was known as “Café Amore” Robert Mahmudi was co-owner with Dejar Mersimi chef/co-owner. One day they had dropped by the restaurant and decided to buy the business. They redid the building inside and out and created Café Amore. They started out with 13 employees and later, including part time people, there were 20. The business offered lunch and dinner seven days a week with daily specials featured. The main dining room seated 130 patrons, and a private downstairs room could accommodate 70 people.

McKinney’s Windmere Restaurant was next to Bubbling Spring Lake in the 1940s and 50s. The house that the McKenney family lived in remains a private home on the opposite side of Macopin Road. The last name for the restaurant before it was destroyed by fire was Tres Vidas. One night the building was on fire and Macopin and other volunteer fire departments answered a call to fight the blaze. They evacuated the building because a bomb threat had been called in. Several years later someone came forward and confessed that a bomb had been placed in the restaurant before it caught fire. Reports said the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department had located remains of the bomb in the structure’s rubble.

Jessie’s Country Kettle at 1555 Greenwood Lake Turnpike in Hewitt originally was Phillips Inn in the 1930s and 40s. The ethnic background of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Phillips was Hungarian and “Grandma” Phillips prepared meals there that people drove for miles to enjoy. After the Phillips retired the restaurant had many different names and types of cuisine and remained popular. When it was “Pipers” Restaurant and Lounge Mexican food was featured. Newspaper advertisements told of Mexican food specials and Mexican drinks Monday to Friday 4 to 7 p.m. with snacks and drinks at half price. One week, there was an Animal Shelter Benefit with proceeds from the business donated to the West Milford Animal Shelter. A special menu price for Valentine’s Day featured an offer “Buy one dinner and get a second dinner at one-half price.”

Originally “Deer Trail Inn” off Berkshire Valley Road in Oak Ridge, the restaurant known later as “The Water’s Edge” in 1989 offered casual lakeside dining and cocktails in their advertisement. The restaurant had a popular Sunday brunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The advertisement suggested that readers “Treat your special someone to a romantic dinner.” A special limited menu offered Fettuccine Alla Romeo, Artichoke Casino, Curry Mussels; Bisque, Twin Lobster Tails, Grilled Veal Chops, Stuffed Filet Mignon and other delicious appetizers and entrees.” It suggested that patrons complete their dinner with one of the restaurant’s “tempting desserts or special international coffees” and noted that dinner “included salad, bread and potato.” There were special events. For instance, on Nov. 8 of that year there was New Orleans Night. A newspaper advertisement said, “Meet us on Bourbon Street for a magic evening as we salute Delt’s unique style of cooking and its delightful Dixieland music. Our special menu will include a variety of seafood specialties like Blackened Fish, Jambalaya, and Gumbo. The Dixieland Band will play all those old favorites which conjure up feelings of New Orleans. From the bar we “will be serving smooth southern libations and our friendly staff will dish out helpings of that old southern hospitality. So come on down and enjoy.”

So many memories of these and many other restaurants and bars back in the day in West Milford can certainly bring many smiles and personal stories – all topics for later.