NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — From the heart of Harlem to New Jersey, a popular soul food restaurant is expanding to Newark.
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Melba Wilson announced last week her famed Melba’s Restaurant will be opening a second location in downtown Newark.
The New Jersey branch, called Melba’s 550, will be located at 550 Broad Street and is expected to open later this year, though an exact opening date has not been announced yet.
Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem is a favorite for celebrities and the chef has been featured on a number of TV shows including ABC’s “The View” and Food Network’s “Throwdown with Bobby Flay.”
Wilson opened the Harlem location in 2005 and the soul food eatery became known for its fried chicken and waffles, mac and cheese and appetizers like Melba’s spring rolls stuffed with rice, peas and collard greens.
The new Newark location will offer seating in the building’s original bank vault as well as additions like a separate coffee shop and takeout window on Broad Street.
Wilson’s new space is part of a partnership with Fidelco Realty Group, owners of the 550 Broad Street building. The addition of Melba’s is a part of a $30 million overhaul of the historic downtown property.
“This is a very exciting moment for us: A Jewish guy from Newark and a Black woman from Harlem are showing that we all have so much in common through our love of food, family and community,” Wilson said. “The new restaurant will be in Newark, of Newark and for Newark.”
The realty group purchased the building in 2019 with plans to revitalize the bottom floor and make it a space for a prominent restaurant.
“The addition of Melba’s to 550 Broad’s roster of tenants speaks volumes about this building’s significance to the Harriet Tubman Square neighborhood.” said Marc Berson, Fidelco’s chairman. “From the moment we met Melba, I knew we were going to do something special together. We are gut renovating the lobby of this historic building and constructing a new front entrance from Broad Street that will align with the back of the building to create a public thoroughfare for the neighborhood.”
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