Vital Restaurant & Juice Bar

The only reason I’m not giving this place 5 stars is because their service is unbearably slow. I think they’re still stuck in island time. HOWEVER, the food here is AMAZING. It’s all so fresh and well prepared and all the dishes are very different then what you find at other restaurants that offer mostly vegetarian dishes. I’ve gotten multiple smoothies and the curried cauliflower. It was so good, especially with the coconut rice that I didn’t even take time to fully enjoy it before it was gone. It’s clean inside, has a beautiful décor, and the music is POPPIN. They always play a reggae style music which is very nice and relaxing. Definitely come here. Food and experience is worth the wait.

Okay, I really wanted to like this spot.
We came in and grabbed a seat by the bar and opted to split a few sides.
The vegan mac and cheese was really good. The cabbage was alright. The plantains were a little too large, hard, dry, and a bit flavorless.
The service was a bit slow sadly. Also, took forever just to get a glass of water and asking over 3 times.
I’d definitely try it again to give them another chance.

2 hours for scrambled eggs?
Carribean flavor?
Sad to watch an entire restaurant eat before you are served, including 4 tables who walked in after you. I can’t imagine how they manage a full menu.
Maybe they should just focus on their juices…

We were excited about experiencing this food after the reviews, and looking for something different. On top of that, several days after we made the reservation (it was show night in Montclair), we saw a news «review» on WABC TV.
In terms of service, it was the slowest we have experienced in a long time. it took 25 minutes after being seated to place an order, and 35 minutes total to get drinks. The restaurant was not at all busy when we arrived. An additional 30 minutes to get our appetizers, and another 20 for our entrée. One woman was hostess, waitress, and food runner. The other 2 ladies appeared restricted to pouring /​making drinks (smoothies, lemonade, etc.) and bussing tables.
The best food was the Jerk Shrimp appetizer. The spicing was bright, with a little heat, and the jonnie cake was crisp and lightly sweet. The black-​eyed pea hummus was light and tasted good, though the plantain chips were not crisp. The main, Escovitched whole snapper, was crisp, with nice flavor. Some areas were a bit dry, but that’s not unusual with whole fried fish. The pickled veggie topping was nice (though we would have enjoyed more of it), and the arugula was fresh and tasty.
Also note that a lot of the lunch menu is not available at dinner. We were hoping to try the highly reviewed salmon burger and the fried okra, to no avail. The bottom line is EH, but YMMV, especially if they get more/​better front end staffing. I hope this is of help.

The most wonderful people who serve amazing food. Everything is flavorful and delicious. They go out of their way to make sure that the customer is happy and make sure to give the best possible food. I couldn’t recommend a better place in Montclair

Food was amazing! I had the vegan burger! An excellent choice! The staff was very nice, welcoming, and helpful. Will definitely be back when I am in the area.

I was in town visiting a friend and she took me here for lunch. Everything was AMAZING! I loved the black eyed pea hummus so much I bought an extra order to take with me. I had the jerk chicken wrap with okra fries. The okra fries were perfect and I’m from the south so I’ve had my share of fried okra! The service was great. They even serve the water with lemons and cucumbers. Everything was super fresh and very flavorful. I can’t wait to return!

I came here a second time within the same week I made my first visit. I thought the food was very good the first time and wanted to bring more friends along to enjoy. The first time i came the service wasnt the fastest but not terrible. The second time I came it took nearly 2 hours for our tables entrees to come out. The food was still good but the wait was just too much. I even ordered a drink that never came out. I really wanted to keep coming back to this place since the food is good but I don’t want to end up waiting 2 hours again, especially if the restaurant wasn’t even that packed.

So I’ve been dying to try out this restaurant heard many great things about it especially about the okra fries, which I detest okra but if I could enjoy the okra fries it just means that I didn’t like the way my mom cooked okra (sorry mom) and I could attempt to make them at home and bake them…
Anywho, decided to stop by on a Saturday afternoon, and it was empty (not a good sign but it didn’t discourage me to actually eat here and I’m glad I actually stayed);
So I went along an order basil spinach passion fruit smoothie… What can I say it was fresh and I was impressed…
While I got my drink the nice waitress brought along some sweet plantains and black bean hummus, now I don’t like hummus but this black bean hummus was magnificent. I will honestly go vegetarian and live of this hummus…
So when I placed my order I was excited for the okra and they were out of it!!!
Really??? It’s only Saturday and you’re famous because of the fried okra, no worries I guess is an excuse to come back…
I did order a chicken wrap with some red peppers, and fresh tomatoes with a delicious signature sauce…
Can’t complain JUST need to try the okra fries…
Great service. great clean restaurant, great music … Phenomenal spot.

We made reservations for brunch on Sunday. Vital has a homey ambiance that they play up with the warm wood and green walls. Vital has now become our monthly brunch meet up. My party of three dined and chatted at Vital from 12 – 3:30 and they allowed us to stay after they closed at 3pm. Vital is BYOB so I was able to bring a nice Prosecco to mix with one of their juices for a tasty mimosa. The Vital Hummus was delicious. I say this a someone who does not like black eye peas. I really enjoyed it and it while we waited, we were given a complimentary portion of this signature dish. We ordered the coconut waffles, chicken apple sausage and the ackee and saltfish. They were out of the cod for the ackee and saltfish so my brunch companion was able to substitute with the chicken apple sausage. The coconut waffle and chicken apple sausage was yummy. The star was the coconut waffle. It was light and tasty yet filling. The only thing I would suggest they work on is the wait time for the food. Other than that, it was a great brunch experience and we will most definitely be back!

When you eat out, and go back on a second day for more, that means a lot. And if you have the patience to write a review, oh! That’s going above and beyond buddy!
We tried the St. Mary’s breakfast and banana waffles, and omg! It was so good. Literally, we tasted every flavor used. So we’ll sautéed and freshly made.
We finished eating too soon. We couldn’t help ourselves. The presentation precise, well executed, the aromas defined how good the food tasted. This is one of the places everyone must eat in a lifetime. It’s a tough statement to make, but you have to go there to understand why we say that. An exemplary display of Caribbean recipes in marriage with every cultural tongue. We’ve been there twice this week, and this certainly will not be our last.
We took some menus home, and they deliver– we all know what that means!

I love fresh food and this place has it! I had the salmon and it was juicy and delicious. Also had the spinach salad and that was good too. Real good!
The plantain chips and hummus they give you as an appetizer are the best I ever had. And this place is all organic! Oh yes the lovely hot teas are good tasting.
Nice ambiance and nice service. Very clean and comfortable as well as quiet which is what I prefer!
That was my first visit. My second visit however, they had ran out of salmon and I was upset about that. Otherwise a great place to eat, enjoy while alone or with others!

Heard about vital over a year now and Decided to stop in with my friend Donna last week and I must say It felt like I was in the city, the feeling of the place and the atmosphere was just so refreshing for Bloomfield. Jamaican vibe from the music playing in the back ground, reminds me of home and I loved that. For my starter I had the black pea hummus with plantain chips omg was to die for!!! Guys I could go on and on. You Just have to go and experience vital on your own because you’re not going to regret it. healthy food& delicious smoothies #vegan option and so much more. Thx again guys I’ll b back! 387 Bloomfield Ave

First time here and I had the jerk chicken wrap with jerk chips. The food was delicious and the service was great. The owner was even on hand to help out when the restaurant got a little crowded. Nothing like great food AND service.
I will definitely be back.

So, if you loved HLS, you’ll most definitely enjoy Vital. I ordered the Jerk Chicken Wrap with Okra fries. Girl. Everything
The wrap actually had sweet plantain and avocado spread that changed my view on life a bit, bite after bite. And in between this reflection, the okra fries made me understand that everything will be okay.
Clean cute restaurant. Everything is made fresh. Great vibes and awesome service. Definitely fits the Montclair vibe of eclectic restaurants.

Was so excited to try Vital and definitely was not a disappointment!
Started off with the Vital Hummus — really tasty. The plantains were a perfect mix of crispy and soft and salted to perfection. My friend got a lemonade with basil that I tried, which was also superb. The water was served in mason jars with cucumber and lemon and was very refreshing.
For dinner, I got the Cauliflower Curry. It was seasoned amazing and not overly spicy (could even have been a bit more spicy). The coconut rice was amazing. I was craving a healthy, but different meal with rice and this was perfect. Just hope it was healthy! I felt a tad unsettled as if there was maybe too much oil or something in the curry sauce, but maybe it was because I devoured the dish! My friend got the Avocado Salad with chicken, which she loved. I tasted the almond mixture in the avocado and that was extremely different and satisfying.
We ended with the perfect Milkless Milkshake… so good!!! Great service, great vibe and great food. Highly recommend!

Hip hip hooray for healthy food with a Caribbean flair! This place is a wonderful addition to any dining scene — they promote health, clean eating and overall goodness and you kind of have to appreciate it. I did find my dinner entrée a tad bit expensive, but I think as long as you are aware of this factor going in, it’ll be all good.
It’s quite a casual spot, but they do have a serious dinner menu featuring vegetarian and vegan options, but also have a grass fed steak for those who can’t go without. I opted for a water and the vegan dumplings. The waitress was so nice and started me off with complimentary plaintains with a black bean hummus — delicious!
As I sat and used the free wifi, enjoying some Bob Marley, I couldn’t but help and take in the ambiance. I loved that they were providing health food facts on the flat screen and the bright colors definitely keep things alive.
My dumplings came out shortly and while I was expecting more Asian inspired dumplings, it was instead more Caribbean gnocchi status. Doughy little gems in a cassava wrapping smothered in a tomatoey sauce. Delicious, nicely seared, great flavoring and at $ 16 a tad bit more than I was looking to spend. But at the end, I ended up having a great vegan dinner, although I gotta admit, I was still a bit hungry after.
I love that they offer juices and smoothies all day and their lunch menu looks much more casual with price tags ranging from $ 8-​$ 12 entrée’s.
Overall, Vital is awesome and I definitely see myself returning when I’m in Montclair since I’m always on the lookout for some clean and healthy eating!

For authentic caribbean food (and/​or dairy free food), Vital is the best!
I was delighted with the level of service. The waitstaff were kind and very willing to answer any questions about the menu.
The food was delicious and farm-​to-​table-​fresh. I started off with AUTHENTIC jerk chicken wings, and plantains with black bean hummus. For my main dish I had the the tamarind BBQ chicken, which was out of this world.
Also, Vital has a great selection of drinks and shakes! I highly recommend their «milkless milk shake» with raw almonds and dates.
Overall, Vital is a great bet if you are in the mood for caribbean fare, or if you have dietary restrictions that prevent you from having dairy.

Stopped by for an early lunch. Turns out, we were WAY early and walked in like we owned the place a good 15 minutes before the place officially opened. Nevertheless the owner was extremely nice about it and allowed us to check out the menu while they prepped to open.
Was enticed by their selection of smoothies. I went with the vitality smoothie and a sirloin wrap with chips. The smoothie was refreshing, however, the ginger was a little overbearing for me, and the steak was good. The chips were okay. I had a chance to taste their salmon and okra fries, as well as their paradise smoothie. My company really enjoyed his meal. The salmon wasn’t overly fishy and the okra fries tasted fresh. I downed the paradise smoothie like no other. They also serve their water with a cucumbers in them. Very refreshing.
Overall, the owner of the establishment was kind enough to welcome us and introduce us to Vital and its commitment to fresh and organic cuisine. To be frank, I just wished the heat was turned up as I was pretty cold throughout my meal.

I would give Vital 3.5 if we were allowed half stars on Unilocal.We utilized the Groupon deal allowing $ 60 worth of food for $ 30 for four people. Vital has a lot of various health drinks that range in price. The juices and «non-​milk milkshakes» were about $ 6 – 8 and some of the other drinks were around $ 3.50. I ordered the Basil/​Pineapple lemonade and it was amazingly delicious and green colored! This was an unexpected combo, but I recommend it.
Next we ordered the sampler appetizer which consisted of fried okra, cod fritters, and black bean patties. The fried okra was by far the tastiest of this trio. The fried coating was light and buttery and the okra gave it a crunchy fresh bite.
I ordered the cassava dumplings for dinner which reminded me of gnocchi. It was served in a red sauce with spinach and sliced peppers. Although the portion wasn’t huge, the dumplings were filling.
There was a community atmosphere when we went due to the talented band that was playing on the «Open Mic Night.» Everyone was clapping and watching the band, which created a good vibe. I believe they mentioned they hold this event every other Friday night.
I would go back to try some of their lunch options.