Dan Campeas and Dayanna Ordonez know Upper Montclair well enough to understand one simple fact: this neighborhood really likes fried chicken.
So this summer, the owners of Dan & Day’s Burger Place are opening a second restaurant directly across Bellevue Avenue dedicated almost entirely to it.
Mike had no role in this business decision and would like the record to reflect that.
The official name is Farmhouse Fried Chicken, although Campeas admits most people already just call it “the chicken place.”
“We joke that we should’ve just named it The Chicken Place,” Campeas said on The Montclair Pod. “Because everybody just calls it the chicken place. Even now we call it the chicken place.”
The restaurant is expected to open in roughly six to eight weeks.
For Campeas, the project is personal. He grew up in Montclair and has built his business life around Bellevue Avenue.
“This particular part of town, I just think, is the most beautiful part of town,” he said. “I grew up on this side of town, so I’ve been running around here as a kid.”
That neighborhood connection shaped the design of the space, too. Early plans leaned heavily into a farmhouse aesthetic before the team pulled things back and went more understated.
One of the centerpiece details is an Olmstead counter made from the century-old oak tree that stood in Anderson Park until it was brought down in a storm. The restaurant will also feature stained pine walls and black outdoor tables designed to visually connect the space to Dan & Day’s across the street.
The restaurant itself is still under construction, but the fryers are already installed.
What Will Be on the Menu?
The easiest comparison, according to Campeas, is a classic fried chicken chain menu — but made with higher-quality ingredients.
The menu will include fried chicken pieces, sandwiches, nuggets, wings, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cornbread, biscuits, corn, coleslaw, and bowls. Both spicy and regular chicken options will be available.
The restaurant is using Bell & Evans chicken, the same premium poultry supplier Dan & Day’s already uses for its burger restaurant.
“We’ve tested other brands that are also very good, but we just keep coming back to Bell & Evans,” Campeas said. “It’s just the best quality.”
The kitchen will also use commercial pressure fryers similar to the systems used at Chick-fil-A and KFC, which cook chicken quickly while sealing in moisture.
One Important Note About Gluten-Free Options
Campeas said the restaurant will offer grilled chicken tenders, grilled sandwiches, and gluten-free buns. But he also wanted to be upfront that the kitchen will not be safe for customers with celiac disease because of constant flour exposure and cross-contact during food prep.
“Our kitchen people are always going to be touching a breaded piece of chicken,” he said.
Dan & Day’s Burger Place across the street will continue to offer more accommodating options for customers with strict dietary restrictions.
From Food Delivery Driver to Restaurant Owner
Before opening Dan & Day’s, Campeas was a 20-year-old college dropout delivering food for Tinga and Mr. Dino’s in Montclair.
One conversation with a manager about restaurant revenue numbers changed how he thought about the business. Shortly afterward, he moved to Austin, Texas with a friend to start a food truck.
After a few years in Texas, he returned to Montclair and opened his own restaurant.
He hasn’t worked for anyone else since.
