MORRIS COUNTY — With the remnants of Hurricane Debby impacting the area and ominous predictions of heavy rain, strong winds, flooding, and even a potential tornado right here in Morris County, what better thing to do than gather a few friends and head off for lunch at one of the County’s many beautiful restaurants.
On this day, we headed out to the serene and historically significant little town of Mountain Lakes to visit Hapgoods, a famous American eatery nestled in the heart of the community next to the local train station, built in 1912 by the Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western Railroad (DL&W). Mountain Lakes is noted on both the New Jersey and National Registry of Historic Places and a lot of that has to do with the 1910 Art and Crafty, European architecturally influenced homes, also built in 1912 by developer Herbert J. Hapgood, along with engineer Lewis Van Duyne, of which the now refurbished Hapgoods restaurant still stands as an impressive remnant of that era.
Hapgoods was opened in 2020 by brothers Bill and Dante Corvelli. It is still owned and operated as a family-owned venture by Bill and his wife, Lisa. Before 2020, and since 2005, it was the site of the Mountain Lakes Market, a local eatery where locals could grab a meal and buy staples like milk and eggs. A retired local police officer informed me that the building housed everything from shops to classrooms before that. Originally a BYO establishment, the Corvelli’s have since acquired a liquor license, so feel free to order a cold bottle of beer, a glass of wine, or your favorite cocktail to complement your meal.
Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to discuss the restaurant with the owners on this visit. Still, on their website, the restaurant is described thus: “At Hapgood’s, we offer our guests all the comfort of a casual breakfast, lunch, and dinner experience with a modern twist. Located in historic Mountain Lakes, our guests feel at home in our cozy, small-town setting.” Based on our visit, I would have to say that is a pretty fair description.
On entry, we encountered a vibrant, open, airy, bustling, bright, spacious yet cozy, comfortable setting. The room was filled with a lively assortment of families and groups eating, chatting, and having an enjoyable time. We were immediately welcomed by Fernanda, who would serve as our very personable and pleasant hostess and server throughout our visit. We were ushered to an adequately sized pair of wooden tables in a highly comfortable nook at the far corner. This perfect location allowed me to take in all the architecture and history of this storied setting.
As we perused the fairly extensive lunch menu, I could also take in the full décor of the dining area. The restaurant has been artfully transformed into a more modern appearance while retaining much of its historic character. The hardwood floors, archways that separate the restaurant into two sections, exposed beams, ornate woodwork, high ceiling, oversized exterior windows, ceiling fans, a plush sofa facing a working fireplace, and drop lighting give the space a rustic yet refined atmosphere. A warm ambient glow over the carefully placed wooden tables and chairs reflects an eclectic mix of styles—from mid-century modern to classic café aesthetics. You still have the sense that you are sitting in some family’s living room from days gone by. A smaller private section would easily accommodate a small private party or business meeting, and countertop seating would be available where you can work on your laptop or catch up on your email while having a casual meal.
The lunch menu includes much of your usual American/Comfort Food café choices, complete with appetizers, salads, soup, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and deli specialties. As our group often does, we ordered a square pizza to share, but sadly, the pizza was only available on the dinner menu. Yes, they have three different menus: breakfast, lunch, and dinner—all offering a tempting selection of many of your classic dishes, along with some interesting and unique options. Breakfast includes such choices as Steak and Egg Benedict, Shrimp and Grits, Huevos Rancheros, various omelets with some very cool names, griddle options such as Banana Pecan Pancakes and Chicken and Waffles, along with many more mouth-watering items that make it difficult, but fun, to decide. You will find Burrata Bruschetta, N.Y. Strip Steak, Beer Batter Fish Tacos, Short Ribs, and many other delicacies on the dinner menu, along with burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and that previously mentioned Square Pizza (which comes with a variety of your choice of toppings). It’s pretty much something to satisfy anyone’s appetite.
Our selections for lunch started with several shareable appetizers. The Buffalo Wings (16 wings with Celery, Carrots, and Blue Cheese) came out, and Nacho Fries (Pulled Pork, Jalapenos, Tomato, Green Onion, Black Beans, and Cheddar Cheese). They were quickly devoured, as usual, while we worked on our preferred entrées. I opted for the Thinly Hot Pastrami Sandwich. It came with Spicy Mustard and Swiss Cheese on toasted Rye bread. It was very tasty and satisfying, and it went well with my Miller Lite.
Others in the group ordered the Steak Au Poivre (Grilled Hanger Steak, Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, and Garlic Aioli), Cobb Salad with Chicken (Romaine, Bacon, Avocado, Pear, Tomato, and Crumbled Blue Cheese with Champagne Citrus dressing), Grilled Chicken Sandwich (with Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarella, and Arugula), and a Shrimp Bisque Soup.
All the sandwiches came with house-cut fries or salad, and all the Deli Specialties had a choice of side salad, fruit, coleslaw, potato, macaroni, or pasta salad. Everyone agreed that their choices were tasty, satisfying, and satisfying.
Rarely passing on dessert, I went with the Banana Bread Pudding (Topped with 3 Scoops of Ice Cream and Caramel Drizzle). Wow! Excellent! Other choices included the Chocolate Lava Cake (topped with a Scoop of Ice Cream and Cherry Sauce) and the New York Cheesecake (with Cherry Sauce): a Cappuccino to cap the whole thing off and another fantastic dining experience in the books.
I would certainly recommend you stop in and enjoy this place for yourself. It has a great ambiance, a touch of history, excellent and friendly service, and delicious food. I’m sure you will not regret it.
Bon Appetit!
Hapgoods is located at 44 Midvale Road, Mountain Lakes. Phone: (973) 299-3399.
Ample Outdoor Patio Seating | Working Fireplace | Serves Vegetarian Dishes | Dog-Friendly | Catering Available | Boxed Dinners for 4 Available | Reservations Accepted
Hours of Operation:
- Monday – Tuesday: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Wednesday – Thursday: 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Nearby Free Parking Lot/Street Parking
Outdoor Dining (weather permitting)
Reprinted from Parsippany Focus Magazine, September 2024. Click here to view the magazine.
