Photo Credit: Sam’s Table
One of Montclair’s newest restaurants is leaning fully into international soccer season. Starting June 11, Sam’s Table at 377 Bloomfield Avenue will pause its regular tasting menu and transform into a European-inspired shared plates pop-up for the duration of the tournament, a format that will temporarily give way to a more casual, lingering experience built around the matches and communal dining.
For roughly six weeks, the 26-seat restaurant shifts from intimate special-occasion dining into something closer to a neighborhood wine bar: shared plates, bottles of wine, desserts, a large match screen, and the kind of low-lit atmosphere where people settle in for “just one game” and accidentally stay all night.
The World Cup pop-up runs through July 19, with reservations already open. The regular tasting menu returns afterward.
“This won’t feel like a sports bar,” co-owner Deborah Stymest said in a press release announcing the concept. “The focus remains what Sam’s Table has always been about: food, hospitality, atmosphere, and bringing people together. We wanted to create the feeling of spending a summer evening in a neighborhood café somewhere in Europe during the matches.”
What’s on the Menu?
The experience centers on passing plates rather than sitting through a tasting. Chef Sam’s pop-up menu features globally inspired shared plates and seasonal desserts alongside Beneduce Vineyards spring and summer wines, sold by the bottle. Amanti Vino, the Church Street wine shop, is also available for delivery directly to the table via a QR code on the menu.
How to Get a Reservation
At 26 seats, Sam’s Table fills quickly. Walk-ins are welcome as space permits, but anyone who wants a guaranteed spot for a specific match should book ahead. Reservations are open now through Exploretock, the restaurant’s booking platform.
The pop-up begins June 11 and runs through July 19, Wednesday through Sunday, 3 to 10 p.m., at 377 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair.
