The new restaurant The Fox & Falcon in South Orange is something between an Irish pub and an Italian restaurant, which is exactly what owner and restaurateur David Massoni envisioned it to be. “All roads were leading toward this project,” he said. “My family heritage is half Irish and half Italian. I wanted to combine that hospitality of a great Irish pub with the culinary tradition of Italy.”

The large space was formerly the home of Ricalton’s then, more recently, South Mountain Tavern. The Fox & Falcon is named after two of Essex County’s main predators: red foxes and peregrine falcons. Massoni is known for helping open restaurants such Talde in Jersey City, Rice & Gold in NYC, The Crown in NYC and more with Three Kings Restaurant Group. His partnership with Three Kings recently came to an end, and he was looking to open a restaurant close to his home in South Orange so he could be near his family. When the space occupied by South Mountain Tavern went up for sale, Massoni knew he had found the right spot.