After more than a year of construction, Laura, Marty, Nick, and Mory, four intrepid partners, opened Square 1, Community Eatery. As the name suggests, they wanted to focus their commitment to community and get back to basics: shared space, connection, good food, nourishment. And whether you run in for a coffee to go or sit and eat lunch, their vision is palpable.

Mana Contemporary opened in Jersey City in 2011, but until a recent visit on a Thursday afternoon, when and how the public could gain access remained a little mysterious. So here's a handy guide for those wishing to visit the cultural center.

You can smell it before you see it. Along Marin Boulevard, on the very edge of Jersey City just before Observer Highway in Hoboken, a roasted aroma hangs in the air, making Kobrick Coffee Co’s facility unmissable despite their modest signage. And even though their familiar logo includes NYC, Kobrick’s entire operation has been running out of Jersey City since 1983.

Sitting in the shadow of The Beacon, built into the side of Bergen Hill, 77 Cornelison Avenue is one in a line of attached commercial buildings that could be overlooked, but if you’re paying attention to the streetscape of art in Jersey City, Deep Space Gallery is on the map.

Journal Square Pub reopened earlier this year as JSQ Lounge and has been delighting regulars and newcomers alike with great drinks, great service, and now great food has launched too. Jersey Digs has been reporting on the evolution of the beloved Journal Square Pub into JSQ Lounge since late last year when bar owner Joseph Barone sold the neighborhood staple after 28 years. Closed in early 2019 for a two-week deep spring clean, JSQ Lounge debuted its old-school-new vibe in mid-March and has been staying true to the regulars while steadily welcoming newcomers since.

If you’ve been to France, then you know the unmistakable scent of fresh butter sizzling on a griddle and the heavenly taste of an authentic crepe — perfectly thin and delicately folded to contain its sweet or savory filling. But whether you have been to France or not, now you only really need to go as far as Ohlala in Jersey City for the real thing. Open since March at 688 Bergen Avenue, Ohlala French Kitchen is bringing bona fide French fare to McGinley Square in an impossibly charming space.

On a cold winter’s night in 2015, Andrew Kruep was living in Montclair and in between gigs when he realized his online cart full of candles totaled $75. Kruep had just finished a fun run in “ELF The Musical” at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, but technically speaking on this night in 2015, he was an out-of-work actor, so he emptied his cart and bought a DIY candle making kit instead. The rest, as they say, is history and Little Batch Candle Co. was born.

Snapdragon Coffee & Social, open since November 2018 and already taking care of a steady stream of regulars, is both a welcome and really welcoming addition to McGinley Square. Located at 190 Monticello Avenue just south of Jewett Avenue in a charming red brick row house, Snapdragon spreads out across two floors with space enough for any kind of coffee house pursuit, and it is immediately clear upon entering, it would be very easy to spend all day there.

Departed Soles opened over two years ago, in the summer of 2015, and shares their ground floor space with neighborhood favorite Bucket & Bay Craft Gelato Co at 150 Bay Street, but the burgeoning brewing company in the Powerhouse Arts District is still under residents’ radar despite their beer being on tap around town.

Third & Vine, since the beginning of this year, is under new management and the fresh leadership has spent months renovating and refining to reveal a lighter and brighter take on the Downtown wine bar regulars know and love.

Jersey City’s first and Hudson County’s only distillery, Corgi Spirits is premium, small-batch, handcrafted, and inspired by Great Britain–the birthplace of so many bespoke bottles of superb spirits and a perfect place to start for Founder and all-around Anglophile, Robert Hagemann.

The sweet shop front on Summit Avenue has already made its mark as Jersey City’s first Bangladeshi eatery. Korai Kitchen serves authentic fare according to secret family recipes that will stick to your ribs in the best way — it’s not surprising they ran out of food on opening day.

Since 2011, Ben LoPiccolo and his real estate development group, BLDG, have been reimagining and restoring the space, preserving the building’s craftsmanship and creating a venue that is sure to put Jersey City on the performance tour map.

Roses and Rebels, a new tattoo shop and gallery space, just opened its doors downtown and is sure to be a serious new addition to the vibrant Jersey City arts scene.

The Peccary is more than a specialty coffee shop; The Peccary is a call to action, commanding baristas and guests to take notice of a new kind of shop in town. The exterior signage even exclaims “Baristas Assemble!”, an imperative that turns the traditional business model on its head and delivers an experiential service as a result. Located in downtown Millburn along Millburn Avenue, The Peccary opened this fall and is quickly setting itself apart with strong coffee. And an even stronger ethos.

Now open at 743 West Side Avenue, The Coffee Factory is Jersey City’s newest coffee shop and a refreshing new storefront on the West Side. Neighborhood locals have begun to discover the spot and its specialty La Colombe coffee and are fast becoming regulars. Open for just three weeks, The Coffee Factory is really a pioneer along West Side Ave., serving a premier product in a polished new space.