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.

Hybrid Coffee and Kitchen is the fantastic new coffee shop at 398 Manila Ave. Situated on the ground floor of Villa Borinquen, the cheerful airy space was formerly home to a chiropractor and a hair salon. While it is the first food establishment in the spot, it is not owner Evan Santiago’s first business venture.

Just checking, Cocoa Bakery fans. Have you had the chance to check out the second location in the Heights? They opened at 475 Central Avenue back in summer 2019. At 2,500 square feet it’s triple the size of the first Cocoa Bakery downtown on Grand Street.

Argentinian Bakery Dulce De Leche is most famous for their cakes. Blissfully beautiful concoctions that taste as scrumptious as they look. The signature House Cake is a vanilla cake with layers of dulce de leche, whipped cream and peaches covered in a topping of crunchy merengue - somehow both light and decadent at once.

Sushi pizza. Sushi lollipops. Ramen tacos stuffed with pork belly, pineapple and cilantro. The softest Shrimp Dumplings ever. Crazy fresh sushi and expertly made ramen. A family-run business that passed on from father to daughter and grew in the middle of the pandemic. What’s not to love about Ichiban-To-Go?

The SLF is an invasive planthopper native to South and East Asia that eventually made its way to other parts of the world, including the U.S. It was first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014 and spread to Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Ohio and New Jersey.

As any culture vulture knows, what was old and cool (either ironically or actually) will eventually re-emerge in popular culture. Needlepoint. Sewing. Baking. And of course, the old-style men’s barbershop.

There is no limit to the nice things to say about LaKoet Salon. For one, owner Kitty Varco is a creative genius. A native of Buffalo, NY, she is an expert hair colorist and cutter. She is also an amazing maker of products. Yes, LaKoet supplies top notch brands that like their own are cruelty free and natural.

Dream Vista Café just opened on York St., in the space that formerly housed Vogue Café. If you are familiar with owner Balsayat’s original café in Hoboken – Café Vista – it will be no surprise to you that the interior is gorgeous.

Yaso Tangbao opened their 4th location last November at 30 Hudson. It was the team’s first foray into JC following on the success of their popular NYC restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Have you frequented The Lil Dove Café on Palisades Ave. in the Heights? It is an utter delight on so many levels. The food, the drinks, the merchandise, the décor…it’s all so light, lovely and charming.

Another niche ice cream store has come to Jersey City. Located in the Heights, Stack Creamery is a family-business devoted to the art of ice cream. The 3 siblings who opened Stack used to live in Jersey City for 6 years.

Shalea Walker has been working internationally as a licensed esthetician and professional makeup artist for nearly two decades. Her work has been featured in countless magazines and media outlets including Vibe, The Today Show, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, Black Beat, Real Simple, Fitness, New Jersey Life…the list goes on and on.

Support your health naturally at Raine and River, a new apothecary on Grove St., close to City Hall. Owner Natasha is a spiritual herbalist who creates plant-based medicines, potions, tinctures, extracts, teas and tonic to both promote overall health and healing as well as target specific maladies or conditions.

Monticello Avenue has a new vegan restaurant. Poor Man Vegan opened in May serving vegan comfort food at budget friendly prices. The wife and husband team behind this new spot began their business as a vegan catering service, delivering food and baked treats to events and parties.