As the COVID outbreak era rolls on, restaurants and food businesses continue to react. Some are forced to close. Many continue serving us with curbside pick-up and delivery. And some are going even further, sharing their wholesale account access to produce, dairy, proteins, and pantry staples with customers and becoming COVID-era online marketplaces.
The idea isn’t just straight-up generosity (though most restaurants are doing this at low profit margins); it’s a logistical relief for restaurants, who are doing less traditional restaurant business, and food suppliers, too, who can’t exactly sell 50-pound bags of flour direct-to-consumers.
The pop-up marketplaces, which naturally sell out quickly (but also restock quickly) tend to follow the same lines: unique, but regular ordering schedules, preferred contact method (email, online order form), standard groceries plus a few unexpected extras (e.g. housemade guacamole, craft beer, rolls of toilet paper, etc.). There are markets like this popping up across the nation, not just the Garden State.
Here are just a few examples of how NJ restaurants are diving into marketplace business wholeheartedly. (But keep an eye out;, as lockdown continues and more restaurants look for ways to share the wealth and make a buck, more COVID markets may yet emerge.)
South + Pine in Morristown
South + Pine has been operating a pretty robust market program for some time now, with regular Instagram updates from chef Leia Gaccione, whose matter-of-fact chill vibe has become a sort of calming regularity in our restaurant-deprived times. Like many of these proto marketplaces, South + Pine MARKET doesn’t disappoint when it comes to quality and quantity of options. You can get milk, eggs, a pound of Brussels sprouts for $3, or a half-pound of 66% Valrhona Chocolate for $11.
You can order anytime between Wednesday at 4pm and Friday at 3pm for contactless delivery the following Monday (same deal Friday through Sunday for Wednesday delivery and Sunday to Wednesday for Saturday delivery). All grocery orders should be done through email ([email protected]). The marketplace menu is updated regularly (the best way to catch updates, and Gaccione’s colorful COVID commentary) is via Instagram. And the restaurant, meanwhile, is still delivering.
Montclair Bread Company in Montclair
After Governor Murphy issued his executive order last month, Montclair Bread Company began selling grocery items for curbside pickup. You can order milk (including oat and almond), butter, eggs, flour, sugar, yeast, mixed fruits and veggies. They’re also taking requests for other items if you’re trying to avoid chain stores. And of course, you can order a variety of baked goods—from loaves of bread to boxes of beautiful doughnuts—in advance.
Montclair Bread Co. employees Danny and Haley working the grocery essentials pickup line. Photo by Natalie Chitwood
Cul+ure Market in Asbury Park
Cul+ure Collective, AKA the team behind Asbury Park favorites REYLA, Barrio Costero, and the new cocktail den Laylow, are adding a market to their COVID-era operations (which at this point include delivery and pick-up for both restaurants). Cul+ure Market launched on April 10, offering grocery delivery on Tuesday and Friday afternoon (you have to place your order by 4pm two days in advance, so Sunday and Wednesday, respectively). The orders go out to a 10-mile radius (you also have the option to pick up) and do double duty of relieving local area grocery stores of some traffic and giving Cul+ure Collective staff some work to do since restaurant operations inevitably slimmed down.
Beyond staple produce and proteins, you can get fun pantry items like Barrio’s own housemade guacamole, Reyla’s hummus, paper towels, toilet paper, even beer, liquor, and wine. Prices for staples, by the way, are reasonable (think a pound of ground meat for $3, a dozen farm-fresh eggs for $4, a pound of flour for $1, or, more importantly, Barrio tortillas for $2). The main issue here is planning: shop in advance, don’t forget the guac, and be sure to tip your delivery person.
Penstock Coffee in Highland Park
In addition to 10-minute-range delivery of its coffee, pastry, and otherwise tasty menu, Penstock Coffee Roasters in Highland Park is sharing access to their grocery supply. Although currently sold out of the “Veggie Essentials” packages, pantry items and staples are still available; you buy once and pick up once a week, i.e. $117.84 for a weekly gallon of whole milk from Maplehofe Dairy from now until the end of September. Same for “Seasonal Fruit,” which is about $219 and comes in two or three fresh bunches every week (considering the price of fruit and considering the likely high quality, this might be the steal of the season). Order by noon on Wednesday for Friday pick-up or delivery.
Naturally, you can and should absolutely still get coffee via Penstock—their coffee, house-roasted. If you’re still looking for a veggie hook-up, it can’t hurt to email [email protected] to possibly get on a list for the next available fresh veggie subscriptions. And they suggest you follow them on Instagram. Penstock is also hosting a program where you can sponsor masks, coffee, and food for front-line workers at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick.