Since opening last year, The Fox & Falcon has become a staple of the South Orange Village through lively events and popular food. David Massoni, a South Orange local and owner of the Fox & Falcon, has worked in the restaurant business since he was a teenager. Throughout his career, he has worked with many other restaurateurs to open and run various restaurants. However, the Fox & Falcon is Massoni’s first restaurant where he is the sole owner. “I wanted to do something in the community that I had started to fall in love with,” Massoni said. “It was time for me to split off and go on my own.”
Massoni said that The Fox & Falcon serves “American cuisine” with “a bit of a contemporary edge.” The recipes also have a “seasonal thought process” and are very “approachable.”
Massoni urged customers not to be scared by some of the prices because there is a wide price range. He said that there is something for many different budgets.
“I try to tell people, especially people that are on a budget like many students are, that there are a lot of options on our menu,” Massoni said. “Don’t be afraid if you see a dish on the menu that says $36 because there’s also great dishes for $18 and $12.”
The restaurant provides a number of specials, such as half-priced wings for Monday night football games. These specials may help students on a budget enjoy all The Fox & Falcon has to offer.
The Fox & Falcon hosts a number of events, even some with Seton Hall. They have weekly trivia nights on Thursday, live music on Fridays and karaoke on Saturdays. The restaurant also holds monthly comedy nights and an all-vinyl DJ night. Seton Hall’s Campus Ministry also has collaborated with The Fox & Falcon to host a monthly “Theology on Tap.”
“Theology on Tap” is an event that discusses important religious questions and debates. Massoni said that this is one of the many ways that The Fox & Falcon works to give customers an experience that goes beyond the food and drinks.
“We want a kind of community center in some ways,” Massoni said. “We want to be able to offer lots to do for a night out. We try to do as many activations to give people reasons to go out. They will be spending their money on food and drinks, but we try to give them something more.”
The restaurant’s Sunday brunch has become very popular, as they offer bottomless mimosas and bellinis at brunch. Those under 21 can still enjoy the food, but are not allowed to sit at the bar.
Massoni described The Fox & Falcon Sunday brunch as a perfect “low-key, easy, fun way” to start off a Sunday. The brunch menu has many options, with Massoni’s personal favorite being the “eggs in purgatory.”
“It’s an egg dish that gets cooked with a spicy porky tomato sauce with a little bit of pecorino cheese on top,” Massoni said. “It’s just really savory and satisfying.”
The Fox & Falcon tries to create a great atmosphere. During their Sunday brunches, they often incorporate live music. During football season, they will put on the game instead. Julia Carmedelle, a missionary from Seton Hall Campus Ministry, went to the restaurant to see a friend who was performing live music.
“I went [on] a Friday night, and I had a friend who was performing, so he and his wife had a gig,” Carmedelle said. “It was an awesome atmosphere, and it was really fun. There was a bunch of people that went out to support him.”
The activities and specials have caught the attention of students, like Colleen Carroll, a senior marketing and finance major. She added that The Fox & Falcon has become her favorite bar in town.
“The Fox & Falcon provides amazing service and has great specials such as happy hours, bottomless brunch, karaoke night and Sunday football specials, just to name a few,” Carroll said. “Sitting at the bar tables upstairs with all my close friends are some of my favorite memories at Seton Hall because the environment is so friendly and welcoming.”
Genevieve Krupcheck can be reached at genevieve.krupcheck@ student.shu.edu.