There’s a scene at the end of Marvel’s first Avengers movie with all the heroes trying Shawarma for the first time, alone in an empty restaurant.
Had they decided to have their victory meal at Jackie Small’s, they would’ve had a pretty long wait for a table.
And they would’ve had to get there far earlier. I wonder if superheroes brunch?
Jackie Smalls is a bright, comfortable, bustling year-old restaurant on Valley Road that offers shawarma, but so much more. This daytime spot is one of four closely-related “modern Mediterranean” restaurants in the area that’s bringing a new vibe to Wayne.
“I wanted to bring the best of what we’ve been doing in our other family locations to Wayne,” explains owner Labeeb Arsheed. His family has operated a bistro called Jackie’s Grillette for years and has since opened similar eateries in Little Falls and South Orange. He and his brother Wassem own Jackie Smalls. They also own Jackie’s Grillette in Little Falls.
Calling them “family locations” is spot-on. They’re all named for Labeeb’s sister, Jackie (who owns the South Orange location, called Jackie and Son). The family brand is really a point of pride. “We’re super happy and proud of the Jackie brand we’ve been building. We all bring something to the table that helped create what we have – we wouldn’t have the success we’ve had without each of us lending our strengths to it. I really don’t think we’d be where we are today without us working together. We really are a team.”
Labeeb saw an opportunity in Wayne to bring what he values most to an area hungry for something new. “We always had a sense of inclusion in our restaurant. There’s something for everyone here, it’s healthy and fresh, with a level of quality that I really take a lot of pride in.” Jackie has played a big part in the success of all the restaurants, adding connective tissue between the unique, discrete locations.
“Jackie’s the foodie of the three of us. We each bring our individual talents to it, but she’s the one who’s most likely found in the kitchen,” says Labeeb.
Jackie Smalls sets itself apart from the others with its focus while putting Labeeb’s own stamp on the family legacy. Each location has a slightly different menu and their own personality. He’s taken what’s worked well for the others and offers sort of a “greatest hits” menu, along with some options unique to Jackie Smalls. And they’re only open during breakfast and lunch, unlike the others which also offer dinner. Not only does this allow Labeeb to efficiently serve high-end breakfast and lunch options that are hard to find locally, it also helps him give back to his loyal staff.
“I really value offering a high-quality experience, and that has to include the people I work with. We open at 7AM and stay open until 4:00. That’s still a long day, but people can work here and still see the sunshine when they’re done. That work/life balance is really important.”
For a restauranteur to have that much consideration for his team, it shows that he takes pride in the quality he provides for everyone – especially his customers.
“I saw that a lot of people eating at our other restaurants were coming from Wayne. I thought it was a great way to bring what people were looking for even closer to them.”
Even the focus upon “modern Mediterranean” is intentionally inclusive. “There are so many influences that we include that we don’t want to be pinned down to one singular ‘type’. We bring in spices, techniques, and ingredients from everywhere.”
That’s why you’ll see that popular shawarma grain bowl, but also Greek salad, French toast (and yes, avocado toast), grilled cheese, blueberry pancakes, veggie bowls, BLT’s – in Jersey, that might sound like one of our blessed diner menus.
But that’s about as close to a diner as Jackie Smalls gets. Would it fit in South Beach, Southern California, or the Amalfi Coast? Without a doubt. The family is globally inspired. We’re lucky that such a refined daytime dining experience is right here, tucked in the side of the Valley Ridge Shopping Center.
The breakfast menu is a healthy collection of classics that level up the most important meal of the day. They open at 7AM, so there’s no sane reason to make the trudge through another Dunkin run when there’s a far more sublime option a few doors down. You owe yourself an elevated morning to set your day off right.
And you never know – you could see a superhero looking for a better shawarma experience there. But rest assured, once you go to Jackie Smalls, you’ll likely feel pretty super yourself.
Jackie Smalls is in the Valley Ridge Shopping Center on Valley Road in Wayne. They’re open from Monday-Saturday, 7AM-4PM. For their menu and more, go to jackiesmalls.com.