jc-eats
The Jersey City skyline at sunset along the Hudson waterfront

A local food guide · est. on the Hudson

The best places to eat in Jersey City.

Six rooms worth crossing town for, plus a handful of quieter favorites - addresses, the short version of why, and the one dish to order at each.

Start with the listPlan a crawl

The shortlist

Six spots we send everyone to

Not a ranking. Just the places that earn the trip, from a counter-service pizza window to a months-deep ramen broth.

ItalianPizzaTacosRamenBakeryCafes
  1. A wood-fired pizza at Razza in Jersey City
    01Pizza · Downtown

    Razza

    Dan Richer's temple to naturally-leavened dough. The crust is the whole argument here: blistered, chewy, fermented for days, and built on local flour and water Richer obsesses over. Worth the wait on a Friday night.

    Address
    275 Grove St, Jersey City
    Must try:
    Project Hazelnut pie
  2. A plate of fresh Italian pasta
    02Italian · The Heights

    Corto

    A tiny, ever-changing Northern Italian counter from the Razza team. There is no fixed menu - you eat what the kitchen made that morning, written on a board. Bring cash, bring patience, leave very happy.

    Address
    507 Palisade Ave, Jersey City
    Must try:
    Whatever pasta is on the board
  3. Tacos al pastor topped with cilantro and onion
    03Tacos · Village

    Taqueria Downtown

    The neighborhood's no-frills taqueria, slinging some of the best street tacos in Hudson County since before the area got fancy. Double corn tortillas, a squeeze of lime, salsa from the squeeze bottles. That is the move.

    Address
    236 Grove St, Jersey City
    Must try:
    Al pastor tacos
  4. A bowl of tonkotsu ramen with chashu pork and egg
    04Ramen · Downtown

    Ani Ramen

    A dim, modern ramen-ya where the tonkotsu broth simmers for the better part of a day. Snag a seat at the bar, order a highball, and watch the bowls come out steaming. The kind of place you end up at when it is cold and you want comfort.

    Address
    279 1st St, Jersey City
    Must try:
    Tonkotsu black with extra chashu
  5. Rustic sourdough loaves on a bakery counter
    05Pizza & Bakery · The Heights

    Bread & Salt

    Part bakery, part Roman pizza-by-the-slice counter, all serious craft. The pizza al taglio comes in long rectangles cut by the gram, and the laminated pastries sell out early. Get there before noon on a weekend.

    Address
    435 Palisade Ave, Jersey City
    Must try:
    Pizza al taglio, potato and rosemary
  6. A cappuccino with latte art on a cafe counter
    06Cafe · Downtown

    Lackawanna Coffee

    A bright, calm corner cafe pulling carefully-dialed espresso for the downtown crowd. Good light, good wifi, better milk drinks. The reliable first stop on any walk around Grove Street.

    Address
    164 Newark Ave, Jersey City
    Must try:
    Cortado and a morning bun

Off the main drag

Hidden gems

The ones that do not show up on every list, and a few we almost kept to ourselves.

  • Choc-O-Pain

    Hamilton Park

    A French boulangerie with croissants that hold their own against anything across the river.

  • White Star Bar

    Downtown

    An unfussy late-night spot for a burger and a beer when the kitchens close.

  • Frankie

    Downtown

    Australian-leaning all-day cafe and bar, big on brunch and natural wine.

  • Boon Sushi

    The Heights

    A quiet neighborhood omakase counter that locals would rather you not write about.

Get your bearings

Eat your way across three neighborhoods

Jersey City is small and walkable. Start downtown with coffee and tacos, ride the light rail up to the Heights for pizza by the gram, and finish with a late ramen. No car required.

  • 01

    Downtown

    Grove Street and Newark Ave - the densest stretch of good eating, all walkable.

  • 02

    The Heights

    Palisade Ave up on the hill, where the chef-driven counters hide.

  • 03

    The Village

    Quieter blocks near the Square, old-school taquerias and corner spots.