One of the most diverse cities in the country, Jersey City is a mecca for international cuisine. As you take in the sights along the waterfront, stroll the pedestrian walkways or explore parks in The Heights, stop for a bite at one of these hot spots.
Pizza: Razza Pizza Artigianale
Razza is one of the best pizzerias in the world, run by six-time James Beard Award nominee Chef Dan Richer, a Matawan native. Unique selections include the East Coast Margherita, Project Hazelnut and Pea Pie.
French Cuisine: 87 Sussex
The French/New American cuisine elevates dinner with escargot wontons with black garlic marmalade, duck a l’orange, blue fin tuna with crispy rice and their signature braised short rib.
European-Style Cafe: Satis Bistro
The more unique dishes here include Flemmish Carbonnade (beef and Belgian beer stew), crispy Iberico pork tenderloin, Scottish wild salmon, and delicata squash with Moroccan-spiced quinoa.
Fancy Night Out: The Feathered Fox
The steakhouse-meets-sushi bar is located in Liberty State Park, meaning you can have mashed potato rings with grainy mustard fondue, lamb chops with miso butter, lobster fettuccini carbonara or duck confit mac & cheese while overlooking NJ and NY.
Cinnamon Rolls: The Hive
The Hive is THE place to go for cinnamon rolls, made from scratch, and served hot out of the oven, only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Only a few hundred rolls are baked starting at 8 pm, and sell out within 2 hours. That gives you limited time to get in line for rainbow cookie, blueberry pancake and cannoli cream cinny rolls.
Po Boys: Po Boy Riche
Satisfy your NOLA craving with po boy sandwiches stuffed with roast beef, muffuletta, oysters or mushrooms. There are also beignets, jambalaya, gumbo, and a weekend Bayou Brunch with a now-famous Hemingway French Toast.
BYOB: Corto
This cozy Italian restaurant has a rustic menu of handmade pastas, perfectly cooked octopus, and its “angry chicken.”
Eclectic Indian: Rasoi
Jersey City’s India Square, also known as Little India or Little Gujarat, has one of the largest Asian Indian populations in the Western Hemisphere. Rasoi made national headlines for its North and South Indian specialties like pani puri, paneer pakora, chicken curry and dal makhani.
Latin Tapas: Perquin
Drawing on Honduran roots, street food staples include baleadas, salchipapas, chucos and saltenas. Try the corn pancakes, taco arabe, quesadilla Salvadorena and pollo a la brasa.
Tequila: Meximodo Cocina Mexicana & Tequila Bar
Meximodo holds the Guinness World Record for the largest selection of tequila and agave in the country, with more than 1,000 bottles.
Matcha Drinks: Jane’s Matcha
Try a hand-whisked matcha in pink cloud & jasmine honey, or black sesame & banana.
Bagel Sandwich: B Bagels
In the one year that B Bagels has been open, the lines have pushed out the door. People line up for the Maple Drip, made with bourbon maple butter, sausage, egg and cheddar on a French toast bagel. The Morning Glory has scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, cheese, hot honey and hash browns on a bagel.
Brunch: White Star Bar
Every Saturday and Sunday the chef cooks up a breakfast burrito, Taylor ham sandwich and chorizo kale hash.
Stuffed Breads: Second Street Bakery
A brick oven cooks fresh and crispy loaves, with stuffed pepperoni-and-mozzarella or cinnamon breads as the go-tos. Or, order a roast beef, pastrami, meatball or eggplant sandwich.
NYC Views / Waterfront Dining:
Rooftop at Exchange Place has seasonal handcrafted cocktails like the Passionate Elixir and Tropical Breeze. Porto Leggero, along Hudson Street, caters to businesspeople during the week, and families at night. Top menu items include porcini ravioli, panko-crusted halibut in a lemon wine sauce, and beef mignon in a sherry wine sauce. Maddy Rose, the former Liberty House that’s tucked inside Liberty State Park, prides itself on steaks and seafood, including sushi, prime rib, and a butcher’s board.
Spicy Szechuan: Peppercorn Station
The vibe is spicy, adding lots of flavor to the Szechuan dishes. Try the truffle fried rice, green peppercorn chicken, spicy braised beef and the brown sugar rice cakes. Honshu Lounge serves authentic sushi, ramen and Japanese dishes, like the spicy salmon roll, sashimi dinner, maki deluxe and rock shrimp.
Nostalgia: Just Friends Café
Harken back to the days of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin at this Rat Pack-themed bistro serving Italian-American comfort food like rigatoni vodka, chicken parmesan, the JF Burger and bucatini Carbonaro.
Gluten-Free: Busy Bee Organics
This place definitely has a buzz about it, using only the healthiest of ingredients in both its café menu and the weekly prepared menu. For breakfast, try a GF or vegan twist on the traditional BEC; or have a pulled mushroom sandwich for lunch. Bakery items are gluten-free and dairy-free, like the “buffins,” quinoa carrot cake cookies and donuts.
Make a Day of It:
Take the kids to Liberty Science Center where hands-on exhibits include The Touch Tunnel, the Infinity Climber, the new SUE T. rex exhibit and the Izzo Family Touch Tank. Liberty State Park has amazing views of the NYC skyline, a Nature Center and an access point for Ellis Island.
Shop for fresh produce at the farmers market along Grove Street, or stop by Newport Centre Mall. There are also street fairs and festivals held year-round.
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Read More:
Things to Do in Jersey City
The Ultimate Guide of Where to Eat in Montclair
The Ultimate Guide of Where to Eat in Collingswood
The Ultimate Guide of Where to Eat in Hammonton
The Ultimate Guide of Where to Eat in Asbury Park
The Ultimate Guide of Where to Eat in Princeton
