Toast opens Red Bank location Third time is a charm for mother of three

By Michelle Gladden

One of Asbury Park’s most popular breakfast, brunch and lunch spots spread its wings north this week.

Toast opened its Red Bank doors Monday to great community support, owner Amy Russo Harrigan [shown above] said.

“It just took a short 13 months,” she said via a telephone interview Monday. “If you take away the build out of the building this was my easiest opening yet.”

This is the mother of three children’s third eatery that boast a simple mantra of Peace, Love, and Pancakes. This time around she has taken on a managing partner, Adam Solan, who will run the daily operations.

Toast’s flagship Montclair location opened in May 2007. The Asbury Park location opened in 2011.

“This is way more emotional,” she said. “It’s been the best opening yet. I guess the third time is a charm.”

Opening day guests totaled close to 200, twice the number that attended her Montclair store opening 8 years ago, she said.

While the Red Bank eatery will offer the signature menu at the other two locations, diner-style specials will honor the building’s history as the Broadway Diner.

“We’ll have a few diner specials like meatloaf or turkey platters,” Harrigan said.

Broadway Diner closed following the death of Harrigan’s father Bob Russo two years ago. Russo and partner Rocky Coviello ran the business for 18 years.

Harrigan has said that she and her father planned to transition the diner into her trademark Toast eatery.

“I think it’s really a void that was missing in Red Bank,” Harrigan said. “There are a lot of great places to eat dinner but only a few that offer breakfast, lunch, and brunch. We’ll have to make our name and get to know the community day by day but I think it’s going to be a nice coffee shop for the locals.”

The Toast fare ranges from Huevos Rancheros and grilled cinnamon buns to a fresh lobster roll and Brookdale cheesesteak. Vegan and Vegetarian offerings are

Toast is located at 45 Monmouth St. in Red Bank, 516 Cookman Ave in Asbury Park, and 700 Bloomfield Ave. in Montclair. The hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 7 days a week. They are closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

For more information, visit the local website and Facebook page.

[Toast Red Bank photos courtesy of managing partner Adam Solan]

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Oct 20, 2015