For those that missed it, I’m in a long distance, college relationship. My boyfriend and I live only a few minutes down the street at home, but he spends the majority of September-May at college in Jersey City, New Jersey. What that essentially means is that I have two homes: my house and his college apartment. So, this gives me just one more reason to explore another fun town {one of my fave things to do}. I love finding cute cafes and casual date spots, taking in the breathtaking views of the NYC skyline, hunting down all the best smoothie bowl and dessert spots, and so much more. Due to my frequent travels by train to Jersey City, I decided to throw together a food guide to all things Jersey City and Hoboken. Let me tell you, I’ve done a lot of exploring over the last three years, and this area gets better and better every time: it has SO MUCH to offer. In this guide you’ll find my must visit spots for coffee shops, pizza, trendy cafes, date nights, desserts, smoothie bowls, vegan food, and so much more! At the end, I highlight my top picks and a little bit about why I love them.
HOBOKEN
Coffee/Matcha: Tosti Cafe Bluestone Lane BWE Kafe Hidden Grounds Coffee
Cute Healthy Breakfast/Lunch Cafes: Bluestone lane Tosti Cafe La Bouche Best Pizza: Artichoke Basilles Grimaldi’s Panello Desserts: Carlos Bakery Thomas Icecream
Best v/gf Dessert: Honeygrow GFG Bakery Cafe
Best Smoothie Bowls:
Acai Ya Later
Playa Bowls
Shaka Bowls
Jungle Juice Hoboken
Date Night: Grand Vin Blue Eyes Restaurant Panello Sorellina
Bakeries: Carlos Bakery Choc o Pain Baking Mama
Most v/gf friendly:
HoneyGrow
Bareburger
Quality greens kitchen
NYC Views:
Battello
Blue Eyes Restaurant
Ainsworth Hoboken
JERSEY CITY
Coffee/Matcha:
Bluestone Lane
Hidden Grounds Coffee
The Grind Shop
BWE Kafe
Lackawanna Coffee
Cute Healthy Breakfast/Lunch Cafes:
Bluestone Lane The Cliff Frankie Square 1 Short Grain OhLaLa Cafe
Best Pizza:
Tony Boloneys
Razza
Dozzino
Porta
Dessert: Milk Sugar Love Bang Cookies Torico Ice Cream Ample Hills Creamery
Best Smoothie Bowls:
Sweetberry Bowls
Shaka Bowls
Date Night:
Orale Mexican Kitchen
Lokal Jersey City
Hudson & Co.
Bakeries:
Cocos Bakery
Dulce De Leche Bakery
Prato Bakery
Most v/gf friendly:
CAVA
Alfalfa
B.GOOD
NYC Views:
Lokal Eatery
Hudson & Co.
Cafe Hudson
TOP PICKS
Very small coffee shop on the main strip in Hoboken, but one of the cutest around! They have a great selection of drinks- from all things coffee, to matcha lattes. You‘re almost guaranteed to catch a line, but it’s worth the wait!
My favorite healthy cafe to exist, and this is perfectly located on the Jersey City waterfront, overlooking the NYC skyline! Not only is the aesthetic a dream, but the food selection is amazing. They have everything- from matcha lattes and gluten free banana bread, to avocado toast and granola parfaits. This is a must!
What a cozy pizza spot! My boyfriend and I came here for our Valentines dinner and loved everything about it. It’s small and intimate, but the quality of the food is outstanding. The owners stem from Culinary backgrounds and are highly experienced in making wood fired sourdough pizza. If you love wood fired pizza, this will be your jam!
What a classic! Any other Cake Boss fans out there? If so, this is a must hit spot- this is the main Hoboken location, so you are likely to see many members of the family working and even Carlo himself! If you go, you must get a slice of the chocolate cake. You'll thank me later.
What a unique Hoboken spot! If you love building your own salads and bowls, you’ll love HoneyGrow. They have signature creatures, such as red coconut curry, sesame garlic stir fry, greek out salad, and so much more. However, you can customize everything. This is a great spot for everyone, considering they have tons of vegan and gluten free options. I love it here because they believe in honest eating and growing local. Not to mention- their HoneyBar dessert is awesome!
Not too much to say here- If you have never tried Playa Bowls yet, you need to get on that asap. Like, make it a priority; you can find them anywhere. This one is located on the main strip {Washington St.} in Hoboken. Their smoothie bowls are next level and they have many bases, such as acai, pitaya, green, coconut, banana, chia pudding, and oatmeal. Their so customizable and great for any meal of the day!
My favorite restaurant for beautiful views of the Big Apple, especially in the spring and summer. It’s conveniently placed right on the Hoboken waterfront, and the food is delicious. I haven’t tried a wide variety of their menu, but their wood fired pizza is to die for! A great date night spot.
Another stunning restaurant with breathtaking views of NYC, but based in Jersey City! This restaurant is breathtaking, but the view is unmatched. This is definitely more of an fancy, upscale spot for special nights. So, if you’re into Italian fare and seafood, this is a great option!
This Jersey City spot perfectly nailed the whole “coffee culture.” They have a wide variety of hot and cold drinks, along with some small breakfast selections. The pastries are delicious, and they have a great selection of regular and gluten free options. Grab your laptop and head on over!
A hidden gem! It took me awhile to discover this place, but it’s a must in Jersey City! They are focused on almost completely vegetarian and gluten free eats, with some entirely vegan options as well. They have everything- from acai bowls and avocado toast, to kale salads and veggies burgers.
It’s also a great spot for coffee, lattes, teas, and juices.
The best pizza in Jersey City! The pizzas here are insane, and the entire menu is mouthwatering. This is located on one of the most popular streets in Jersey City- Grove Street. They make their cheese, bread, and butter, and put quality as a top priority. This is a casual date spot or fun night out with friends for killer wood fired pizza.
Truly a must! I just found this spot at my last visit, and I plan on returning every time. The cookies are made in house every morning, and you can see them making them right from the store. They have an endless array of mouthwatering cookie flavors, and their all organic. Plus, they have a cute {and funny} light up sign to take pictures with!
Torico is one of the best ice cream parlors I’ve ever been to! The aesthetic is so cute and fun, and they have over 30 flavors of ice cream; it's truly a dream in there. Not only that, they have vegan and gluten free options. They have decorated cones and fun flavors that are all homemade. There’s nothing better than homemade ice cream!
Such a great spot in Hoboken, whether you’re eating in or grabbing on the go. Again, the aesthetic is so cute and trendy, but the salads are so yummy! They have salads, soups, and something for any sweet tooth. Their menu features great gluten free and plant friendly options, as well.