Asian-Owned Cafes In New Jersey That Are Perfect for Every Day of the Year
As an Asian-American growing up in North Jersey, I was fortunate enough to have access to a variety of different Asian cuisines. When I was able to start going out on my own, my friends, cousins, and I were able to start venturing out to find other types of Asian cuisine we were missing out on. We spent countless nights feasting at our favorite all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ spot and drinking several bottles of soju (a Korean distilled alcoholic beverage), topping it off with a trip to a nearby cafe for dessert and coffee. While my list continues to grow here are a few of my favorite Asian-owned cafes in New Jersey.
For Coffee and Drinks
Jubilee Chocolate Cafe (Palisades Park): I have vivid pre-covid memories of coming to Jubilee and enjoying friends’ company after dinner. Their coffee and tea menu is fitting for a sip-and-chat setting. So, bring a small group or someone you just need to catch up with and cheers with the beverages you’re sipping on. Usually, I order a macchiato but the tea and its single-serve sized kettle will sometimes call my name. Another plus to this place is that their small plate desserts and pastries pair very well with their tea and coffee. If you’re a bubble tea lover, they can definitely satisfy that craving if you aren't in the mood for a warm beverage.
For Dessert
Cafe Leah (Palisades Park): Over the last few years, Cafe Leah has grown in popularity. What created the hype? Does Bing Soo ring any bells? This Korean dessert consists of a large bowl of shaved ice topped with fresh fruits and other sweets. Finish it off by pouring a complimenting flavored condensed milk over it, and you have the perfect summer treat. I’m a big sucker for the honeydew option, but I’d put the mango bowl in a close second. If you love cold desserts, this is an experience you want to have. Don’t forget to capture a quick video of pouring the sweet condensed milk all over!
For Studying
Urban Leaf (Nutley): In the pre-Covid era, Urban Leaf was a small and peaceful cafe to come and do homework or study with a snack or drink on the side. I would always catch a friend or cousin here to focus and get some work done. Now, Urban Leaf has takeout only. However, this doesn’t stop true blue Urban Leaf lovers from getting their fix. They have unique food items like a bubble waffle that comes with toppings like whipped cream and ice cream of your choice. Definitely do not skip out on their Pacific Islander inspired food items! Their spam dishes like spam musubi (almost like spam sushi), spam nori bowl (deconstructed spam musubi served in a bowl), and their Pandesal (Filipino bread) spam and cheese sliders are all great eats if you're not craving anything too heavy. I hope they become fully open soon because they occasionally have events like open mic nights and Super Smash Bros. tournaments.
For A Culturally Influenced Taste
Kubo (Nutley): After hearing my girlfriend and cousin rave about this place, I was eager to go here during their soft opening in July. I couldn't wait to try their Filipino inspired menu. I immediately noticed their various ube flavored items they had. Ube is a purple yam most commonly used in desserts of Filipino cuisine and can sometimes be mistaken for taro, a similar root vegetable used in Asian cuisine. I had taiyaki, a Japanese fish-shaped cake street food delight, with ube soft-serve ice cream, and an ube ice cream boba. Since they were out of ube ice cream for the boba drink, we were given a free drink as a convenience. I told them to surprise my friends and me, and we received a brown sugar espresso boba drink which actually immediately became my favorite item. We were also blessed with their Filipino hospitality by receiving an affogato on the house. Shout out to the people running Kubo! I can’t wait to see what their extended menu has to offer in the future and to represent my culture as well!
Brown Sugar Espresso Boba. Image by John Eseo.
Taiyaki. Image by John Eseo.
