First COVID, Now Ida: Montclair Restaurant Owner Not Giving Up

MONTCLAIR, NJ — When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Ilson Goncalves, the owner of Samba Montclair, didn’t escape its financial fury. In a bid to save his beloved restaurant, Goncalves sold his home and used the proceeds to expand his space so that customers could eat indoors safely.

It was a bold move for an unprecedented time. But unfortunately for the Park Street eatery – which has become known among local foodies for its farm-to-table, gluten-free culinary philosophy – fate had another nasty surprise in store: Hurricane Ida.

Samba Montclair was one of many North Jersey businesses to take a heavy hit from the recent storm and flooding. Read More: Essex County Now On FEMA Disaster List For Hurricane Ida Relief

The damage to the restaurant is cataloged on a GoFundMe campaign to help Goncalves recover; learn more or make a donation here.

According to organizers:

“The entire basement, including all food storage, supplies and air conditioning system, has been destroyed, along with the restaurant’s beautiful outdoor dining area and gorgeous plantings ... all gone. The restaurant experienced damage to the main dining rooms, which were just expanded and beautifully renovated a few months ago … You may not know this, but our most treasured small businesses (like this one) are unable to purchase flood insurance since this area is not considered a ‘flood zone.’”

Goncalves vowed to reopen, but acknowledged that there was a long road ahead to get Samba Montclair back to its pre-Ida condition. But thankfully, his supporters remembered the many times he’s pitched in to help his neighbors, including his weekly deliveries of meals to Toni’s Kitchen for the past 18 months.

As of Tuesday, hundreds of donors have contributed over $28,000 to the GoFundMe campaign – blasting past the fundraiser's $25,000 goal and helping him reopen.

Goncalves thanked his supporters with a message on Sunday:

“I'm so amazed by all of the community support for Samba Montclair in the week since the flood. Thank you so, so much. The generous outpouring of love, faith and contributions from family, friends, and customers past and present - some who visited only once while in town - has been unbelievable and deeply moving to me. In the 10+ years of Samba, the hardships many in Montclair have collectively endured have almost broken us ... but we're still here, as are so many of our neighbors.”

“I can’t thank you enough for the immeasurable support you've shown Samba and our team,” Goncalves concluded. “We look forward to thanking each of you in person and serving you again soon.”

• See related article: Montclair Business Owners Hit Hard By Ida Fear More Severe Weather Will Cause Permanent Damage
• See related article: Montclair Restaurant Owner Takes Gutsy Leap, Expands Amid COVID

Send local news tips and correction requests to [email protected]

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page.