Cafes and bars in Downtown Jersey City, Jersey City
Downtown Jersey City packs very different stops into a few minutes of walking. A chai house built on neighbourhood regulars, a bakery with a real weekend queue for its egg tart, a family cafe with a play space and a backyard patio, a tiny Jersey Avenue espresso bar where most people take the cup to go, a Turkish-leaning cafe on Erie Street that is easy to settle into for brunch or an afternoon of work, a small French bakery on Jersey Avenue with a pain au chocolat worth the detour, a roomy all-day kitchen on Bay Street with wifi and long breakfast hours, a small cafe tucked inside a wine store, a basement cafe on Grove Street with a ping pong table in the backyard, a bright Warren Street cafe with tables upstairs for working, a dimly lit cocktail bar with a patio out back, a book-lined Newark Avenue bar with a mezcal-forward menu, a rustic Newark Avenue cafe with good wifi and front porch tables, and a single-drink cafe quiet enough to read in. None of them are trying to be the same kind of stop.
14 venues reviewed.
- Dames Coffee Espresso Bar Steep PickDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.7/10
A tiny Jersey Avenue espresso bar with coffee-minded baristas and a backyard patio garden out back.
- Dullboy Steep PickDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.6/10
A dimly lit cocktail bar on Grove Street with a cocktail-minded crew, a long bar menu and a backyard patio out back.
- Choc O Pain French Bakery and Café - JC Downtown Steep PickDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.5/10
A small French bakery cafe on Jersey Avenue with baguettes, croissants and tarts, and a pain au chocolat worth crossing town for.
- Hidden Grounds Chai & Coffee HouseDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.4/10
A cozy Powerhouse Arts District chai and coffee house where the masala chai and the sense of neighbourhood camaraderie are both the real draw.
- Lackawanna CoffeeDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.4/10
A small basement cafe on Grove Street with a backyard patio, a ping pong table and a long drinks menu, popular enough to queue for on weekends.
- The Archer Steep PickDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.4/10
A dim, intimate speakeasy-style bar on Newark Avenue with table seating, a proper bar and a long cocktail menu.
- Vis à Vis Cafe & BistroDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.2/10
A rustic cafe on Newark Avenue with good wifi, front porch tables, and a long breakfast and lunch menu at fair prices.
- Lackawanna Coffee Warren StDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.2/10
A bright Warren Street cafe with a high ceiling, tables upstairs and working wifi, easy to settle into alone.
- Daily ProvisionsDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.1/10
An all-day neighborhood kitchen on Bay Street with plenty of seats, wifi, a long breakfast and lunch menu, and a salted caramel cold brew worth ordering.
- The HiveDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.1/10
A bright, cozy Jersey Avenue cafe with a play space for little kids, a backyard patio, and the viral cinnamon buns.
- SOBER SHOTDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.0/10
A quiet, chill cafe built around one signature drink, sparkling espresso finished with a whole milk and condensed milk white top.
- Scram BakeryDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 8.0/10
A Hamilton Park bakery built around fresh-baked everything, hearty sandwiches, egg tarts, cinnamon rolls, though the coffee itself falls short of the pastry case.
- The Butler CaféDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 7.9/10
A quaint little cafe tucked inside the CoolVines wine store, with a warm room and a friendly barista. The cortado is the part to skip.
- Cafe TabarkaDowntown Jersey City · Steep Index 7.9/10
A Turkish-leaning cafe on Erie Street with a warm room, a welcoming owner and a menu of brunch and desserts. Order the food, not the latte.
Walk it as a route
- Bay Street to Van Vorst Park 5–6 hours
- Jersey Avenue, Thursday to Sunday 4–5 hours
- Two Bars After Dark 2–3 hours