Anthony's Cheesecake - Bloomfield, NJ

What started out as a small neighborhood bakery specializing in cheesecake has blossomed into a community-gathering destination for seekers of homemade comfort food—for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The team behind Anthony’s Cheesecake, in Bloomfield, NJ, believes in utilizing local suppliers, changing the menu weekly, and making customers feel right at home.

A couple of weeks ago, this writer was invited to a small media dinner (my meal was complimentary) to sample a wide range of menu items. Owners Anthony Lauro and Philip Byrne warmly greeted us, and encouraged us to order off the menu so we could get a good feel for their culinary chops.

We jumped right in with a delicious broccoli rabe, ricotta, and sausage pie (quiche, Italian style—shown at top). A flaky pie crust (a given at a bakery!) stuffed high with hot and sweet sausage, ricotta and mozzarella, and of course, sautéed broccoli rabe—the table clamored to scoop up every morsel. Along with the pie, we got the empanadas platter topped with a cilantro pesto. With fragrant ground beef inside another flaky crust, you could not go wrong with either of these appetizers.

Empanadas

Flounder Oreganata

Not realizing the size of entrees at Anthony’s, we each ordered a separate dinner. As a group, we were overwhelmed by the generous portions. I ordered the flounder oreganata, baked with lemon, fresh herbs, and white wine. The fish was delicate and flavorful. 

With Thanksgiving on the brain, another guest could not resist ordering the carved turkey over a savory waffle (made from stuffing!). Yes—the genius hack here is that they actually make a waffle out of their homemade stuffing acting as a mini Thanksgiving on a plate. The turkey is topped with buttermilk mashed potatoes, and gravy, and served with cranberry relish. If you’re craving Thanksgiving flavors now, head to Anthony’s.

Chicken and Waffles

Rigatoni Calabrese

One of my other dining companions raved about the buttermilk chicken and waffles, a Southern classic that’s popping up all over. Anthony’s version includes crisp bacon, melted cheese, roasted pears, and a drizzle of maple syrup. 

Yet another group favorite was rigatoni Calabrese with crisp prosciutto and burrata. They had me at “crisp prosciutto and burrata,” but the addition of a sliced egg and melted mozzarella sealed the deal.

Cheesecake

And then came dessert! Of course, at a restaurant that got its start as a cheesecake bakery, you would expect great cheesecake (the ricotta cheesecake won my heart). What I didn’t expect was a fabulous flan, a delectable coconut layer cake, and several other non-cheesecake desserts.

Anthony and Philip are home-taught cooks who love taking their favorite childhood recipes and turning them into new restaurant classics. Anthony opened a small diner (The Lunch Box) in Bloomfield in 1996, and it is still in operation today. Running two operations keeps them incredibly busy but they love what they do—from welcoming new friends to their cafe, to creating new cheesecake flavors, to enthusiastically participating in fundraisers for local schools. Stop by Anthony’s for breakfast, brunch, lunch or a full-on dinner. And don’t forget to order dessert!

Anthony’s Cheesecake

71 Washington Street
Bloomfield, NJ
973-415-8885
BYO

Hours

• Thursday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Open Thanksgiving Day until 12 noon.

Hours are subject to change.

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My Turn...

Hi!  Thanks for coming by today. I want to talk with you about an idea I've been toying with for a long time.

You may know from reading my bio, that I used to co-own a dessert catering business. That business, called I Love Cheesecake!, was started with a recipe from my late mother's baking collection. And while successful for a few years, my good friend/partner and I came to a crossroads that eventually led us to disband the business (keep the friendship, leave the business). But I've always had a small voice in the back of my head, quietly saying, "someday I will do that again." Well, that day is here.

But it's not without a little bit of fear and trepidation that I tiptoe back in. I certainly can't afford to give up my full-time job. But if I don't take a stab, it will never happen. And while this is something I am passionate about from my foodie side, it's also something I want to do to keep my mother's memory alive. Being an only child, I don't have the collective history of siblings to fall back on. And as I've gotten older, memories of my childhood and teen years get harder to recollect. My mother died when I was 19 so I don't have alot of years with her in my memory banks. But I do remember the wonderfully delicious cakes and cookies she made. And the warmth of the house on baking days. She and my grandmother made many fabulous baked items, but the most standout thing was this cheesecake.

So I am excited to present

I've decided the best way to honor my mom's memory is by naming this venture after her. I just love how it sounds! 

I'm starting small -- just baking for family, friends (and friends of friends) so I can keep the quality top-notch (one cheesecake at a time). And as the tag line says, this is classic cheesecake, albeit with a slightly modern twist. No "frou-frou" flavors here - no jelly bean or margarita cheesecakes! 

What makes this cheesecake different from others? This is the lightest, creamiest cheesecake I've ever had (and believe me, I sample them everywhere I go!). This is not dense, New York style cake (no offense, NY cheesecake lovers). And the modern twist? Well, the original flavor is kicked up a notch with a hint of freshly grated orange rind. The hazelnut? It's baked in a vanilla cookie crust and the batter has an essence of Frangelico liqueur. Are you a chocolate lover? Then the double chocolate cheesecake is for you. And at Thanksgiving, look no further. With a bit of Jack Daniels in the batter and gingersnaps in the crust, this pumpkin cheesecake will be the star of your holiday table.

More info to come as my adventure progresses. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you started a small business recently? Any tips/advice you'd like to pass along?

Thanks for listening!