The Local Girl Team There’s a new wave of interactive coffee shops designed to bring people together. These coffee shops go beyond serving coffee, with everything from painting and plants to poetry nights. Grab a cup of joe, munch on some food, and engage in the multiple activities available at these welcoming coffee shops. Read on for a roundup of 20 multi-concept coffee shops in New Jersey.
Àbákẹ́ Books and Cafe | 2 Webster Avenue, Jersey City
This is a special literary space in Jersey City Heights where love, culture, coffee, and community thrive. It’s Black and queer woman-owned and was designed to connect others through storytelling, with a curated selection of books. The owner’s earliest known Yoruba ancestor was named Àbákẹ́, and, in translation, the meaning is “to be loved.” Here, you can enjoy coffee from beans sourced from Africa and read books from authors from across the diaspora.
Aura Pilates Studio and Cafe | 83 North Beverwyk Road, Lake Hiawatha
This welcoming space is wellness-inspired sanctuary. It combines Pilates, yoga, an esthetic spa, and a cafe altogether. Self-care may occur in many ways while you enjoy a refreshing lavender matcha, fresh juices with no added sugars, smoothies, or its fruit waffles. Guests who visit may also relax and rejuvenate with facials, + receive professional makeup care, eyelash extensions, waxing, and brow services. You will certainly “move, sip, and glow” in this space.
Read More: New Pilates Studios in Essex County, NJ
Bloombar Cafe et Fleurs | Multiple NJ Locations
These cafes come fully equipped with a floral market and boutique. Customers can also indulge in a selection of coffee, matcha, and pastries. There are locations in Long Branch, Allenhurst, and Deal, NJ. The Bloombar boutique carries modern homewares, gifts, beauty products, and lovely vases.
Casa de Flora Bar | 75 Washington Street, Bloomfield
This spot is a lovely combination of a charming cafe and a flower bar. Guests can create their own custom bouquet during the “Sip + Clip” flower experience. Enjoy brunch, coffee drinks, desserts, and signature lemonades while you relax. This floral café also hosts intimate celebrations, creative workshops, and seasonal experiences in the pink, floral-inspired event space next door. Casa De Flora Bar’s mission is to bring people together to gather, celebrate, and leave with something beautiful.
The Compound | 271 Grove Avenue, Verona BLDG C
The Compound in Verona hosts weekly group fitness classes, including yoga, and it’s a wonderful place to take charge of life and unwind. Additionally, there’s delicious coffee and a smoothie bar topped with healthy food choices, a retail store, library lounge, and outdoor area to soak up the sun. The owners of The Compound also opened another wellness hub in Caldwell called the Groundhouse.
A Cup of Literature | 704 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park
Happiness is coffee, a good book, and a strong workout. Start your day or enjoy an afternoon brew at Cup of Literature with signature menu items like the Maple Mockingbird Cappuccino, the Green Gables Matcha Latte, and the Chai Gatsby. You can also purchase an assortment of pastries, with vegan and GF options available. Books may be purchased. There’s also a cool book trade where you can leave a book and exchange it for another. The fitness program is catered to all fitness levels for Pilates, varieties of yoga, barre, plus restorative movement. The same space is used for hosting sound bowl healing, breathwork, book clubs, and Mommy and Me Yoga.
Sankofa Cafe | 319 Orange Road
Sankofa Cafe is a Black woman-owned cafe in Montclair’s South End serving coffee, matcha, pastries, and light bites. The neighborhood spot has become known for its welcoming atmosphere, hyperlocal sourcing, and vibrant community events. It feels like a community living room, with a curated book selection, comfy seating, and the friendliest staff. Read more about this spot here.
The Fine Grind | 101 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls
Not just a coffee shop, TFG is a suitable space for all types of creatives. Art exhibits are organized featuring local artists’ work. There are also ongoing events such as poetry, open mics, trivia, adult coloring, and live music.
Groundhouse | 307 Bloomfield Avenue, Suite 101, Caldwell
Located inside The Wilson, a staple building in Caldwell, it is so much more than just a wellness lounge and coffee bar. It’s a social space to create and develop like-minded connections. Whether you try the dry sauna or the cold plunge, you’re sure to feel rejuvenated afterward. It’s seriously the ultimate triple thread: coffee lounge, social space, + wellness club. Like hello?
The Hive | 1000 Park Avenue, Hoboken + 615 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City
This is a go-to spot for many coffee enthusiasts. It’s more than your typical cafe, with exceptional coffee drinks and lovely treats like the cinnamon rolls, AND it’s family friendly. It also combines as a retail store with latest beauty, wellness, and lifestyle products handpicked by two retail industry veterans. For your little ones, there’s a dedicated play area filled with toys, books, and more. It’s recommended for kids under 5 years old and is open during regular shop hours for a $7 fee. And IYKYK, its cinnies (cinnamon rolls) are to die for. The Hive is available or private parties such as bridal showers as well.
See More: 16 Montclair Area Coffee Shops for Every Type of Coffee Run
Hug a Mug | 222 Wanaque Avenue, Pompton Lakes
This coffee shop is calm and welcoming with a ceramics painting studio. People visit to relax, create, and connect for a sweet time. Hug a Mug serves specialty drinks, delicious toasts, oatmeal bowls, yogurt bowls, and freshly baked muffins. You need to make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance for the ceramic painting. There’s the friendly one-on-one pottery wheel class for older teens and adults where you can learn the fundamentals of working with clay and creating beautiful and functional art.
Jessie’s of Linwood | 136 West Poplar Avenue, Linwood
Jessie’s is a welcoming creative hub that’s open year-round. Even better, it’s just a stroll away from the ocean. Jessie’s proudly supports local musicians, local artists, and creators. Guests can enjoy light bites and specialty drinks in this friendly environment while making connections with other guests. There’s a live music booking registration on its website, for those interested.
Nightshade Coffee | 459 Broadway, Westwood
Mysteriously, it is known that a goth-themed coffee shop with dark elegance and vivid decor is a new spot Westwood. The provision of this space offers a Victorian-inspired coffee shop with curated eccentricities. Boldly enjoy espresso drinks, gothic treats, seasonal treats, and pastries. This space honors local connections and was designed to fill the gap in daytime community spaces for the goth scene where people can show up authentically as themselves. Additionally, Nightshade Coffee supports local bakers, roasters, and artists.
Plantshed Cafe | 47 East Palisade Road, Englewood
These fun, floral cafes were first introduced to NYC back in 2018, combining a lovely floral and plant shop with a wellness cafe. The OG locations of Plantshed are Nolita and the Upper West Side in New York. Nature is the overarching theme with lots of flowery, tropical greenery, foliage, cacti, and succulents. Premium flowers are sourced from around the globe. From selling bagged coffee and gift sets to home and lifestyle goods, New Jersey is lucky to have a this one-of-a-kind concept in Englewood, NJ.
The Plant Lady’s House | 1800 NJ 35, Oakhurst
This Brazilian-owned spot is the vision of Nubia Oliveira, who was inspired to open it by her childhood in Brazil, where plants and the aroma of fresh coffee were always part of her home. The cafe features an indoor serene plant store. This special spot is all about community and sources from local coffee suppliers and bakeries. Nubia upholds community support by showcasing local artists’ work on site. The artwork is lovely to see and is also available for purchase. The most popular plants are the spider and snake plants that help to purify the air and clean up toxins. Nubia runs a plant ICU, reviving and caring for her patrons’ plants. So many menu items are worth a try, like the Nutella Latte, Pistachio Affogato, and the delicious toasts. The space also hosts plant bingo every month.
Pilatte | 35 Belden Place, Montclair
Pilatte is a supportive women-only pilates studio focused on strength, confidence, community, and celebrating each other’s wins. From Mat to Sculpt and Strength classes, they do it all. The mini coffee bar is an ideal place before or after class for cultivating relationships and building community ties. They are Montclair’s first Reformer and Mat Pilates studio, and the space was designed exclusively to help women feel welcome. The studio is also hijabi-friendly, with a station to safely hang hijabs during workouts.
Running Latte Cafe | 189 North Washington Avenue, Bergenfield
The Running Latte Cafe hosts a running group, catering to the running community and run groups. One of the owners previously told MG that the inspiration behind the name comes from how “Filipinos and Latinos are always running late.” Specialty drinks include coconut matcha, brown sugar shaken espresso, and the very popular Spanish latte. Another popular item is the arepas with cheese and a side of guava drizzle.
SemiColon Cafe | 77 Hudson Street, Jersey City
This mother-daughter run cafe has a plant shop on the second floor called “Michelle’s Green Thumb” and serves sweet Korean milk shaved ice, a variety of coffee drinks, hot and iced teas, smoothies, and other fruity, refreshing drinks.
Thumbody | 80 East Route 4 Ground Floor Suite GFW, Paramus
Thumbody is a super cool cafe and record shop located behind a commercial building in Paramus. The record shop carries difficult-to-find vinyl records. Freshly baked goods, coffee, and teas are served daily. There is no doubt you will have an enjoyable and interesting experience here.
Waterview Art and Cafe | 689 East Bay Avenue, Barnegat Township
This cafe is a special space for artistic growth and expression, and for performers in comedy to theatre, jazz, and other genres. The space is also available for meetings, parties, events, seminars, and more. Rates can be found here.
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