Consigned Designs recently opened downtown on Jersey and Newark Ave. and simply put this is a gamechanger for the retail scene in Jersey City. The store is the passion project of a recently married couple Amanda and Tommy Atkinson.

Have you been to LoFi (Low Fidelity) Bar in the Heights? They opened 5 years ago by the same team that runs the Archer downtown. We recently stopped in for a post-work crafty cocktail and we stayed for the utterly delicious, worth-a-trip-alone-for pizza.

2024 is gearing up to be a banner year for Greenville’s very own Odie Henderson! He has a fantastic new book out called “Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blackploitation Cinema”. For fans of this genre and great writing in general, this is the book for you.

Gaia and Loki describes itself as an upscale vegan eatery and it certainly is, based on the quality of the international-leaning menu and the lovely service and space. Gaia and Loki is open Wednesday – Friday from 12pm – 10pm and on Saturdays from 11am – 10pm and Sundays from 11am – 7pm.

Congratulations to the mother-daughter duo behind Jersey City’s own Bangladeshi restaurant Korai Kitchen. Head Chef Amma (Mother) has been nominated for a James Beard Award, adding to an impressive list of accolades and accomplishments.

Chickie’s for the win! Congratulations to John Gondevas and his awesome team at Chickie’s Italian Restaurant. They are the winners of “Best Chicken Parm in Jersey City” in the recent 2023 Best of Hoboken and Jersey City Awards, courtesy of HobokenGirl.

Steve and Jenny are the affable couple behind Waffle It & Co. He is Belgian born-and-raised while she hails from the U.S. Together, they do a lovely job bringing comforting food to JC.

A seasoned photographer and three-time author, Alex has shown her striking photos across New Jersey and recently in Brooklyn at Greenpoint Gallery. She is drawn to the beauty of ravaged and abandoned buildings and overlooked, overgrown landscapes.

Sushi and Sashimi are just two of the main draws here and it is as excellent as you would expect. An optimal way to sample the many delicious cooked and raw sushi rolls is via the Deluxe Sushi Platter or Sushi and Sashimi Plate.

Opened a little over a month ago on Broadway, Americano is over the top in the best way, like an old-fashioned movie. The space is large, airy and swish. Walk in to immediately find the pastry and barista counter (which opens at 8am).

301 Collective is located at the corner of Coles and First Street at the intersection of Downtown and the Village. It’s in the 800 square foot spot that used to house LaKoet Salon which has relocated itself to 160 Newark on the Pedestrian Plaza.

Juicy City recently celebrated their first anniversary at their Mallory Ave. storefront. You might have also run into some of the team as they have been working at farmers markets across town, generously handing out ginger shots and introducing folks to their amazing juices.

The Café serves Kobrick coffee and makes your standard coffee drinks as well as some specialties like the Caramel-Vanilla and the Golden Turmeric Tea Lattes. For eats, they are currently serving croissants, pastries, mini-beignets, brownies and cakes.

This is the mantra behind the newest yoga center to open here in Jersey City. Sound of Om Yoga is located on the 3rd floor of the Brunswick Center and offers classes 7 days a week as well as workshops and retreats – the first one is in Bali, no less!

Last month we posted about PingPod, a self-service table tennis facility in Newport. JC now has, in Kotofit, yet another local tennis table shop that offers automated access to courts for not just table tennis, but badminton and pickleball too!