Openings:
The View at Lokal Eatery & Bar, Jersey City
Lokal in Jersey City is opening the View—a patio space on the Hudson River with unobstructed skyline views of Manhattan’s Financial District—on Thursday, May 21. The menu is comprised of small, shareable plates and seasonal cocktails, though the Lokal’s full dinner menu will be available in this section. At a preview event this week, bites included golden potato mille-feuille topped with caviar and tuna tartare cones with tuna mousse, cucumber-truffle dressing and sesame cones. The Rogue Line cocktail was also served: a fusion of London dry gin, housemade hibiscus-pomegranate syrup, Cocchi Rosa, fresh lemon and aquafaba.
Simmi’s Table, Hawthorne
This new homestyle Indian concept, fueled by family recipes, serves a rotating menu for lunch and dinner, caters small gatherings and even offers a weekly meal kit. The kit’s menu drops on Mondays and is available to order through Wednesday; pickup is Wednesday through Friday. This week’s offerings included paneer kali mirch, lobia, kadai chicken and chicken kebab.
LowTide Smoothie Co., Normandy Beach
On Saturday, May 23, this smoothie shop’s opening-day celebrations will feature a DJ, complimentary samples of smoothie flights and branded giveaways. Regular menu items include a coffee protein smoothie and hydrating juice blends.
Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, Ridgewood
This chain, which has one other New Jersey location in Asbury Park, specializes in lobster, shrimp and crab rolls. Not in the mood for seafood? Hot dogs are also available.
West & Co., West New York
This new waterfront brasserie serves dishes like French onion soup, mussels and frites, octopus carpaccio and seafood towers alongside classic cocktails. Housed within the restaurant is the Wax Room, a speakeasy-style space with a music-inspired dining experience that includes an extensive vinyl collection.
Dining news:
- Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency on May 20 in response to devastating agricultural losses caused by a late-April cold snap. The prolonged overnight freezing temperatures are estimated to have destroyed at least $300 million in crops.
- Harry’s Daughter, a Caribbean-inspired restaurant in Jersey City, is set to reopen after a fire that occurred last June. The restaurant will welcome guests back on Friday, June 5; the menu will include both longtime favorites and new dishes inspired by family recipes.
- One World Pizza in Jersey City has been named to Food & Wine’s list of the best new pizzerias in the country. The eatery, which opened in 2024, draws inspiration from global cuisines, serving such pies as the Indian Chicken Makhani and Korean Bulgogi.
