Pet Shop Celebrates 5 Years in JC
Congratulations to Pet Shop JC, the beloved Newark Ave. bar, eatery and event space that celebrated its’ 5th year anniversary this past August. Pet Shop is/was one of those places that upon opening somehow seemed fully formed as a business. They quietly and quickly became a go-to spot for drinks and food, first dates, friendly get-togethers, work/group outings, celebrations and everything in between. For one, the generous physical space lends itself to all of that. There is a swinging bar up front, rows of hi-tops, booths and lounging areas in the back of the interior, along with the lovely and large outside patio. The warm wood, soft lighting and vintage décor create an ambience that is both hip and welcoming and the energetic and skilled staff stay on top of service no matter how busy the nights get.
The drinks – a nice selection of beers, natural wines along with a full-service bar - come fast and taste great. The all-vegetarian and vegan menu is first rate to the point it is a non-issue whenever dining out with even the most hard-core carnivores, in our experience. The tasty bar nosh includes meatless versions of favorites like wings (cauliflower), jalapeno cheese poppers, Thai-flavored tater tots, salads, bowls, burgers and sandwiches. The music upstairs is always rocking, and then there is the downstairs wine bar, where we have enjoyed memorable nights dancing to 80s tracks via one of their rotating DJs (music genres do vary if that’s not your thing). Pet Shop also hosts live music, and it was exciting to see the return of these events this summer.
Pet Shop currently opens Monday – Friday at 4pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 12pm and stays open until last call 7 nights a week.
193 Newark Ave. petshopjc.com