New Jersey has countless cities and towns perfect for day trips, filled with hidden gems and unique spots. Hoboken, being one of the most popular of these cities, has many restaurants and cafes that have gained lots of well-deserved attention. As the weather is getting nicer and visits here become more common, one way to see a few of these places at once is cafe-hopping. You can experience multiple places and what they have to offer in one trip while not overindulging or spending too much money. These few cafes are a great way to start planning your own personal cafe tour.
Hidden Grounds Coffee
79 Hudson St.
Hidden Grounds Coffee, only about a two-minute walk from the NJ Transit train station, is an Indian American fusion cafe offering specialties in chai, coffee, and breakfast foods. During our visit, my friend and I ordered a lavender-honey latte and a honey-bee latte, both of which were sweet enough and had a good balance of coffee and flavor. As this was our first stop of the day, this was also the only place we ordered food, although most cafes had plenty of pastries, snacks, and meals to offer. We ordered their salmon bagel sandwich, which had fresh smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese, cucumbers and onions on an everything bagel and was one of the highlights of our trip, along with an egg and cheese on a biscuit, which was surprisingly light and flaky. The cafe had a very modern vibe with neon signs, contemporary paintings, and lively plants scattered throughout the shop.
The Roost Outpost
55 1st St.
Our second stop, The Roost Outpost, had more of a rustic, American feel. The shop was decorated with lots of wooden shelves and decor, flags, and plaques on the walls. There were also couches and chairs in the middle forming a pit, creating a friendlier atmosphere. There we ordered a matcha latte and a toasted marshmallow latte off the winter specials menu. While I thought the latter would simply just have a marshmallow syrup mixed in, it came with a fully toasted marshmallow floating in the drink. Both drinks were made very well, and the winter specials drinks were definitely worth it.
Hey Coffee People
103 Garden St.
Hey Coffee People had a very cute look from the outside, and stood out against its surrounding buildings. Though pretty small inside, it was decorated very well with pop art posters of bands and places, and had a really visually pleasing aesthetic. The service was great, and the woman working who we assumed to be the owner was very sweet. We each got an iced chai latte, which was just the right blend of chai and milk. They also had plenty of sweets to offer and a variety of hot and iced drinks.
Cafe Vista
527 Monroe St.
Cafe Vista was our last stop, and about a 20 minute walk from the other cafes. If it’s a nice day and you want to explore a bit more of Hoboken, this is a great walk to go on. In our opinion, this cafe had the best look and aesthetic to it. Between the furniture and fine china they served you with, it had a very unique and antique vibe. We ordered a lavender latte which had beautiful latte art and a cappuccino to end our day with. The shop also had vinyls, paintings and framed wall art, and vintage-looking decor. It was a great way to end our day, and all of the shops were reasonably priced and gave us great experiences.