American bar fare with Asian accents will be the order of the day—and night—when Piggyback Bar opens on Thursday, September 21 at Plaza 2 in the Harborside, 200 Hudson Street in Jersey City.
That’s the date, according to a spokesman, that Top Chef alum Leah Cohen and her husband, Ben Byruch, will open the sibling to Pig and Khao, the Lower East Side of Manhattan hot spot that features the cuisines of Southeast Asia.
Chef de cuisine at Piggyback will be Mike Landas, formerly with the New York-based Little Beet organization. Cohen will divide her time between Piggyback and Pig and Khao.
Expect to see such cross-cultural dishes as Mapo Chili Dog and Korean Honey Butter Wings on the initial bill of fare, in addition to Asian-inspired cocktails, plus wines and beers.
At first, Piggyback will be open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday; weekend dinner and brunch will start later in the fall. 201-345-7775; piggybackbar.com
Meanwhile, Bucket & Bay, which scoops forth gelato, has opened at 153 First Street in Hoboken. It’s an offshoot of the Bucket & Bay in Jersey City. Open from 2 to 10 pm daily. 201-503-5588; bucketandbay.com.
In the works:
A biggie, named The Hill, is planned for 252 Schraalenburgh Road in Closter, by chef Ben Pollinger. Pollinger has long been the chef at the seafood-centric Oceana, a Michelin-anointed restaurant in New York.
Rooftop Exchange, a bar with American fare, is gearing for an opening in October at 1 Exchange Place in Jersey City. This one comes with a view of a well-known skyline across the Hudson, XL cocktails and the promise of legendary happy hours. 201-395-0500; rooftopxp.com.
26 Below, a gastropub at 145 Newark Avenue in Jersey City.
There are even restaurants opening in places not named Jersey City. For example, Baha Burrito is planned for 5 Old Highway 22 in Clinton. The Mexican eatery will serve lunch and dinner. 908-335-8175.
Change of place:
Chive and Thyme Cafe is moving north from its digs in Flemington to 1250 Route 31 in Lebanon. The plan is to open shortly after Labor Day and serve, as the cafe has in the past, lunch fare from 10 am to 4 pm. The cafe will stay open a couple hours later in the day for grab-and-go meals for the commuter crowd (the timing is fluid at the moment). The catering arm of Chive and Thyme remains in operation. 908-323-2200; chiveandthyme.com.