Exploring Jersey City cuisine and city life
By Bonnie Siegler
For years, Jersey City has been overlooked; however, the city has blossomed, quickly emerging as a flourishing metropolitan area where job growth, reduced unemployment, and new residential areas—as seen in the Journal Square neighborhood—have brought new life and new opportunities to New Jersey.
Stylish restaurants, bars, and shops have emphasized the area’s appeal, along with new hot spots for the transplanted New Yorkers looking for a more modest lifestyle. Recognizing this urban growth, commuter ferry service—the newest being at Harborside, a one-of-a-kind cultural district situated on the Jersey City waterfront—to both Midtown and Lower Manhattan is within 6-8 minutes.
Delicious Dining
If you thought you had to embrace the hectic New York City restaurant scene in order to get great food, Jersey City rivals any ethnic cuisine—from Indian to Chinese, Italian to Mexican and more. Being a New Yorker at heart, I often say there is no pizza, no pasta, and no bagels like those in Manhattan—but Jersey City surpassed my expectations. To start off my day, I wandered into Wonder Bagels which serves a delicious breakfast, as well as paninis and wraps for lunch. Their home made flavored cream cheese schmears are fresh and flavorful; the most difficult thing is choosing between veggie, olive, strawberry, blueberry, dried tomatoes, or lox spread cream cheese. The New York Style Bagel order comes with fresh Nova lox and cream cheese topped with onions and tomatoes.
Barcade: The Perfect Combo
For dinner, my son Jesse and I came upon a bustling street fair in downtown Jersey City so we decided to eat at Roman Nose, a small, casual restaurant on Newark Avenue that served freshly made pasta and individual, crisp pizza to perfection. Also on Newark Avenue is a place called Barcade and it’s just what its name suggests: a bar and arcade all wrapped into one. I’m not one to imbibe with specialty beers—or any beer for that matter—but walking into Barcade brought me back decades when my sister and I would wage war with Ms. Pac-Man. The combination of bar and arcade that focuses on classic 1980s video games and American craft beer is a fun night regardless if you’re 21 or 70.
Places to stay In Jersey City
The Hyatt Regency Jersey City is situated on the Harborside Financial Center’s south pier, directly across from the World Trade Center. With unparalleled views of lower Manhattan, the hotel juts out into the Hudson River.
Residence Inn by Marriot Jersey City is located in the heart of downtown Jersey City at Grove Street. The property, with its spacious suites, provides easy access to Lower Manhattan attractions, and is in close vicinity to Hamilton Park, Hoboken, and Liberty State Park.
Don’t Miss Jersey City Stops
The Empty Sky—9/11 Memorial: Located in Liberty State Park, the memorial is dedicated to the 749 New Jerseyites who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Grove Street PATH Plaza: Music, food, and apparel vendors crowding the streets of downtown Jersey City makes for a great outing on any given weekend.
