I'm Here For The SUPER BOWL. Now Where Do I Eat?

Taken from http://www.wplgroup.com/ism/events/2014-super-bowl-xlviii.asp



Well, friends (and strangers), it's here. Super Bowl Week! And more than that, Super Bowl Week in Jersey City! As has been noted, there is some contention over the fact that the 2014 Super Bowl is not being held in New York as advertised, but rather, in New Jersey. Whoever gets the credit, there is no denying that Jersey City is playing host to both teams and a whole bunch of fans. So, if you are visiting our wonderful city to better enjoy the event, welcome! If you live here and are just hoping to make it through the week, best of luck! And here's some hopefully useful food & restaurant information for visitors and residents alike.

What is Jersey City?
Jersey City, nicknamed Chilltown, also nicknamed the 6th Borough (although that one is less popular) is a bustling metropolis located in the Northeastern part of New Jersey, very close to Manhattan. It's made up of dozens of neighborhoods, each with their own character. For the purposes of this post, I'll primarily be focusing on Downtown Jersey City because that's the area being most prominently featured for the Super Bowl but the rest of the city should by no means be discounted.

Luckily, Jersey City has a lot of great public transportation options including the PATH, bus, cabs, and Uber so no matter where you're trying to go, it shouldn't be too hard to get there.


Where Do I Eat?
Jersey City is home to some amazing restaurants with a ton of variety in both price range and cuisine and I can't urge you enough to take advantage of this. Here are some places I highly recommend.

The Can't Miss Places:
I'm not going to say these are the "best" because I don't really believe in the concept of best, especially when it comes to food and we really do have a ton of options around here, but the following three places are ones I would recommend to absolutely anybody and provide consistently great food and great experiences.

• Thirty Acres - Modern American. Arguably Jersey City's most famous restaurant and the one responsible for really landing us on the culinary hotspot map. Not inexpensive although it is possible to keep the price down, but it is a wonderful night out filled with delicious, unique, and beautifully cooked food and a happy, busy but intimate and friendly atmosphere. Check their website before going as they do change the menu pretty frequently.
• Razza - Italian/Pizza. I've written about Razza several times and for good reason. There isn't a bad meal to be had and more than that, the pizza is delicious, original, and you can't help but feel at home here. Plus they have some excellent cocktails. Also, if they're offering any specials the day you go, you should probably just go for it.
• Second Street Bakery -  Italian. If you want to get a real feel for Jersey City, this is where you should go. It's a small family-run store where you can walk in and feel transported back thirty years. They have amazing sandwiches - I especially recommend the chicken cutlet special, the brasciole (pronounced sort of like BRE-SHUL) parm, and if you really want to go for it, the #5 on sausage bread - as well as stuffed rolls, mini-pizzas and breads, excellent breakfast sandwiches, and best of all, just about everything (unless you get a large sandwich) will cost you less than $5

I Need Breakfast:

• Sam A.M. - Modern American/Seasonal. Relatively new to Jersey City, Sam a.m. has quickly become a city favorite serving Stumptown Coffee, wonderful meals with quality ingredients, and a huge amount of charm. It's a small place so can get crowded, but it's worth it to start your day well.
• Madame Claude's Cafe - French. Madame Claude's is only open for breakfast on the weekends but they have a wonderful brunch that's worth planning ahead for. It is BYOB and again, a small place that gets crowded so think about calling ahead; they happily take reservations. If you can't make it for breakfast, believe me, it's just as wonderful a dinner spot and you can also check out their wine shop, located close to Hamilton Park.
• Brownstone Diner - American/Greek/Diner. You can't really come to Jersey without eating at a diner, and Brownstone is one of the best. Infamous for their spot on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" as well as their extremely long lines on the weekends, this diner is best known for their numerous pancake options including some very large, very good pancake wraps. 

Sweet Treats:

• Cocoa Bakery - this spot has all your baked good needs covered and then some. These are sophisticated and delicious desserts that will appeal to everyone and put a smile on your face. It's also a great place to pop in and warm up a bit before heading back into the cold!
• Downtown Yogurt - very new to our area, Downtown Yogurt is both delicious and fun with a DIY set-up so you get exactly what you want. The options are pretty endless, so feel free to go back and keep trying more and more.
• Torico Ice Cream - Another Jersey City classic, Torico has been hand-making their ice cream for years with a huge variety of flavors available at any one time, all of them worth trying. Just because it's winter does not mean it's a bad time for ice cream.

Burgers:

• Left Bank Burger Bar - also relatively new to the Downtown area, Left Bank can offer you a burger pretty much any way you want it, including in veggie form, lamb, etc. 
• Park and Sixth  - Although Park & Sixth has lots of comfort food favorites, the burgers are always worth checking out for the interesting toppings alone. Park & Sixth also has a gastropub if you're looking to step it up a bit. 
• White Star Bar - White Star has two locations for your eating convenience and has some great food, but the burgers are particularly notable. This is also a great place to just go grab a beer and relax a bit. Friendly, but never overwhelmingly crowded or crazy.
• New Park Tavern - If you feel like going outside Downtown Jersey City, New Park Tavern is considered the best place for burgers around. To be honest, my one experience didn't go terribly well for a lot of reasons, but countless others will argue in its favor so why not give it a shot?

Mexican:

• Orale Mexican Kitchen - Orale takes Mexican cuisine to a new and delicious level, creating quality and well-composed dishes as well as lots of excellent drinks. They frequently run specials and deals so you have added motivation to go.
• Taqueria Downtown - Taqueria Downtown is a local favorite with some great, authentic dishes and a very cool space. Be forewarned, there can be a bit of an attitude, but for the most part, it's not an issue
• Taqueria Viva Mexico Kitchen - TVMK is another classic and authentic Mexican kitchen where you can some amazing food in a slightly out of the way spot at very reasonable places. It's BYOB so make sure to take advantage!

Vegetarian/Vegan (Super Bowl is not Equivalent to Eating Meat):

• DOCO Market and Cafe - Great for picking up and taking out, DOCO carries both housemade, ready to go items as well as vegan/vegetarian friendly products so check it out for lunch or to get a snack on the go.
• Subia's Organic - Subia's is the go-to place for vegan products and food in Jersey City with a rotating menu and lots of fresh, delicious food including soups to warm you up on these cold days.

There are actually lots of places in Jersey City that are vegetarian, if not vegan, friendly with at least a few options regardless of the rest of the menu. Look at this post from Seen in Jersey City to find out more!

Coffee Shops:

There are lots of great places to get coffee in Jersey City, but some particular ones are WORD Bookstore & Cafe, Dame's Coffee, Warehouse Cafe, and Brewshot, all with a fair amount of seating so you can take a break from Super Bowl madness

Other Stuff:

Besides these options, Jersey City also offers some excellent Vietnamese, Polish, Puerto Rican  - seriously, try the mofongo, Middle Eastern,  and so much more. If you feel like expanding your exploration of Jersey City beyond downtown (or if you live here and want to take advantage of the tourist flux to try something different), the Journal Square area (easily accessible by PATH and bus) is also home to Little India where just by walking down the street, you can find countless different Indian restaurants to try (maybe make your own tasting tour?) or try some of the many Filipino restaurants and bakeries this area has to offer. We also have lots of bars and pubs around if you want to spice your evenings up a bit including the always popular Barcade. Also keep in mind that Hudson County Restaurant Week is still going on at many restaurants as part of a special "Super Week" so you can get prix-fixe meals at low prices all week long!

This list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully, it gives you a place to start. Whether you live here or you're visiting, I hope you enjoy this week, this momentous occasion, and all that Jersey City has to offer.