By Taylor Smith 

Situated on Church Street, the latest bakery to hit downtown Montclair is decidedly French in scope and personality. 

Owner and head baker Arben Gasi makes special effort to use New Jersey-sourced ingredients for the regional French menu. The majority of food products are from an urban farm in East Orange, and all of the cheese is made in the Garden State. “We use organic, stoneground flour so we minimize the loss of nutrients,” says Gasi. 

French Dad does an extensive bread-baking business, offering daily warm loaves of whole wheat, rye, buckwheat, spelt, and several other varieties. Classics like Pain au Chocolate, Lentil Soup, Croque Monsieur, Petit Parisien (a bistro sandwich featuring Jambon de Paris, Gruyere cheese, and Vermont butter on a signature baguette), and Breton (tuna spread with cornichons, mayonnaise, tomatoes, egg, and lettuce on baguette) are a few of our favorites. 

Delicious quiche offerings that can be eaten hot or cold any time of day are Ham and Swiss, Bacon and Cheddar, Spinach and Goat Cheese, and Mushroom and Roasted Red Pepper. The popular Onion Soup is caramelized onions simmered in beef broth, topped with Swiss cheese and a slice of baguette. 

While most of the tasty products can be traced back to New Jersey farmers, the aromatic coffee is from Nice. 

For more information, call (973) 746-0288 or visit lefrenchdad.com.