New Jersey's Bell Works, described by its developer as a self-contained metropolis in suburbia, is finally getting its first full-service restaurant.
Chef restaurateurs Laura Brahn and Grace Crossman will be opening Mabel, which will serve coastal European bar food, at Bell Works in Holmdel next Friday.
The 4,200-square-foot eatery will be located by the On the Block section of Bell Works and have the capacity to seat 210 guests, according to the property's developer and owner, Inspired by Somerset Development. The firm transformed a 2 million-square-foot former Bell Labs research campus designed by Eero Saarinen into a mixed-use hub with offices, retail, casual dining and hospitality that's been dubbed a "metroburb."
The new restaurant was named in honor of Mabel Gardiner Bell, wife of inventor Alexander Graham Bell, in order to reflect Bell Works’ heritage as a former Bell Labs campus, Inspired said.
“Mabel represents more than another eatery, but a space that fosters a new level of community and connection within the Bell Works ecosystem," Inspired founder and CEO Ralph Zucker said in a statement. "This exciting culinary addition from a reputable hospitality team is a natural extension of our vision to establish the campus as a destination for businesses, locals and visitors alike.”
Mabel is the second restaurant by Brahn and Crossman, known for their brunch spot, Cardinal, at 513 Bangs Ave. in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
In a joint statement, the two chefs said Mabel's menu will honor "the vibrant mix of tenants, locals and visitors at the metroburb."
The restaurant will offer cuisine featuring the flavors of Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese food. Its signature dishes will include duck rillettes, croquetas de papa packed with fresh herbs, fontina cheese and an ajo blanco for dipping, a seafood tower, oyster mushrooms Milanese, prawn bomba rice, handmade pasta dishes, and steaks with housemade sauces.
Mabel is the latest addition to Bell Works’ array of dining options, following in the wake of Miznon Kosher’s opening in September.