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A new Italian steakhouse is in the works for Montclair, with longtime local restaurateur Demetri Malki, owner of De Novo, at the helm. Slated for the former Chase Bank location at 475 Bloomfield Avenue, Demetri hopes the space will be a comfortable, casual, neighborhood destination. If all goes according to plan, the restaurant could open in spring 2027. Read on for the details on this upcoming restaurant.
From Chase Bank to Italian Steakhouse
The restaurant is planned for a former Chase Bank building that Demetri and his partners purchased in April 2025. The project has been in the works since then, but transforming the longtime bank into a restaurant has presented some unique challenges. The Montclair Girl spoke exclusively with Demetri, and he explained the difficulties. The building’s walls are approximately 24 inches thick and filled with concrete, making demolition and renovations particularly challenging.
“It’s extremely difficult because it is an old building,” Demetri said. “So anytime you need to take down a wall, you have to hire a company… and it just takes forever and a day to do anything.”
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The team submitted the plans for permits about three months ago. The next step is getting the necessary approvals so construction can officially begin. If everything goes according to plan, Demetri is targeting an opening date in April or May of 2027.
The new steakhouse will be a family-and-friends venture. Demetri’s brother and cousin, who run the Edgewater and Montclair locations of De Novo, will be partners, and Robert Pantusa, owner of Montclair’s La Rocca Osteria, will serve as a partner and chef. The concept came together after the group considered what was missing from Montclair’s dining scene.
“We have all these different ethnic cuisines, but we didn’t have a steakhouse, so that’s where the idea came from,” Demetri said. “Robert is an Italian chef, and there’s no steakhouses, so that’s what we’re gonna do.”
The result will be an Italian steakhouse, with Robert leading the culinary side of the restaurant. While menu details are still in development, Demetri already has a clear vision for the atmosphere. Rather than creating a formal, special-occasions steakhouse, he wants the restaurant to feel approachable and neighborhood-oriented.
“I want it to be comfortable, casual, a neighborhood restaurant like I’ve created at De Novo Montclair,” Demetri said. “I want to be a place where people could just go on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and just enjoy a nice meal, great atmosphere, great service.”
For now, diners will have to wait a little longer for additional details on the menu and design. But Demetri said he is excited to bring another restaurant to the community he considers home.
“I’m really excited about this new restaurant. I love the town of Montclair,” Demetri said. “I’ve been there 26 years. I think the community is amazing, and I’m really excited to open up this new restaurant in my hometown.”
A Longtime Montclair Restaurateur
Demetri has been part of the New Jersey restaurant industry for decades and has called Montclair home for 26 years. He struck out on his own in 2001, opening his first restaurant, D’Metri’s, which quickly became a local success. In 2005, he opened Table 8, an American restaurant that became a fixture of Montclair’s dining scene for six years. The restaurant received coverage and praise from publications including The Star-Ledger, The New York Times, The Record, and Savvy Living. After taking a break from the restaurant industry to focus on his family, Demetri returned to the Montclair dining scene with De Novo, which is located at 275 Bellevue Avenue in Montclair.
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Dining and Cooking