Jersey City's Lively Neighborhood Is A Walkable Area With Standout Restaurants And Artsy Attractions

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While most people cross the Hudson River and head to Jersey City to catch the perfect shot of Manhattan's glittering skyline from Liberty State Park or Exchange Place, this artsy New Jersey city has a lot more to offer. Take, for example, Journal Square. Once nothing more than a busy crossroads that commuters passed through on their way to work, this bustling, commercial neighborhood located in the central-west part of Jersey City is today one of the most dynamic, eclectic, and interesting areas in the city. And the best thing? You won't need to hop on and off a bus to explore (most of) it.

Jersey City is one of the most walkable cities in the United States, and this neighborhood is one of the reasons. Boasting a Walk Score of 95 out of 100, Journal Square ranks as the second-most-walkable neighborhood in "Chilltown." Even The Waterfront, which also has great views of Manhattan and delicious food, doesn't have quite as high of a score. Nearly everything you might need in Journal Square sits within a compact, pedestrian-friendly radius. For instance, you can take the PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) from 33rd Street in Manhattan and arrive in Journal Square in under 30 minutes. 

As you step outside of the historic terminal, which has been around since the early 1910s, you are able to see the iconic red sign of the old Jersey Journal building, a local news outlet that served the city for over 100 years and which gave the district its name. Not far is one of Journal Square's most iconic landmarks — the Jackie Robinson bronze statue, honoring the legendary Black baseball pioneer who played his first U.S. minor league game nearby.

Journal Square is one of Jersey City's most up-and-coming residential and commercial districts, home to over 22,000 residents and a skyline increasingly defined by new high-rises and mixed-use developments. However, don't think of it as a gray, all-modern district. In fact, this "diverse, safe, and convenient neighborhood" — as one resident in a Reddit thread described it — is also full of historic and artistic landmarks.

At the heart of the neighborhood stands Loew's Jersey Theatre, a restored 1920s movie palace that's as much a work of art as the performances it hosts. The building, now run by the non-profit Friends of the Lowe's, boasts a beautiful façade, intricate plasterwork, and stunning balconies. It serves today as the stage for a rich calendar of concerts, films, and live performances. Nearby is one of the district's most beloved murals, "Be Who You Are," created in 2015 by the artist duo URNY (aka Fernando Romero and Mike Baca). Located on Summit Avenue, the mural is one of over 200 pieces of the Jersey City Murals Arts Program (JCMAP), a city-led initiative that turns blank walls into powerful works of public art, showcasing the voices, cultures, and stories that shaped — and are shaping — the city.

About a 15-minute walk away from PATH Plaza is the Mana Contemporary Jersey City, one of the three "Mana" art centers in the U.S., alongside the locations in Chicago and Miami. This cutting-edge project, housed inside a 1920s industrial warehouse, has quickly become a cornerstone of Jersey City's creative scene, bringing together artist studios, exhibition galleries, and production spaces under one roof. The goal of Mana Contemporary is for different kinds of artists to inspire each other within one space.

Luckily, all of Journal Square's best food venues are well-connected and easy to reach on foot. Start your culinary adventure in Newark Avenue's "India Square," your go-to destination for authentic South Asian cuisine. Swadist is one of the newest additions to Journal Square's eclectic collection of South Asian eateries, opening its doors in 2019. "You can tell they cook with love at this lovely restaurant," wrote one customer on Google. The menu includes a wide array of Indian staples, from chicken curry to gosht kashmiri (a dish made with pan-roasted lamb cooked in a cashew sauce) — along with several vegan and vegetarian options, as well as delicious desserts.

Less than a 5-minute walk away, your journey continues with Mezcal Kitchen, one of the area's most beloved Mexican eateries, boasting a rating of 4.7 stars on Uber Eats. Here, you can try all the beloved Mexican classics — think tacos, enchiladas, and tamales — while also indulging in more inventive dishes, like the roasted cauliflower quesadilla (topped with melted Oaxaca cheese) or shrimp quesadilla (with a blend of cheddar and mozzarella and topped with fresh pico de gallo). 

The area is also punctuated by cozy cafés and family-owned bakeries. Belle Âme Cafe on Cottage Street, for instance, feels like a small corner of France in the middle of Jersey City. It doesn't come as a surprise, therefore, that one customer on Google wrote, "The chocolate croissants are absolutely delightful. Freshly made, rich, and perfectly flaky with just the right amount of crunch in every bite." Don't miss the café's colorful, comforting drinks like the Mango Matcha, with creamy coconut foam, or the Tiramisu Latte, topped with rich cacao powder.