Jersey City Sets The Table For Restaurant Festival

As things heat up in Garden State this season, many Jersey City restaurants will fire up the grills and serve a diverse array of cuisine for the second annual Summer JC Restaurant Fest, taking place from July 5 to 19.

Presented by the Jersey City Restaurant Owners Coalition, this festival will highlight over 40 participating restaurants that have long been the backbone of the city’s economy. These establishments include La Bodega Latin Cuisine, Cavany Foods, The Ashford, Box Cafe, One World Pizza, Six26, Cafe Alyce, Boots & Bones, Wonder Bagels, Skinner’s Loft, and South House.

“We have an incredibly dynamic restaurant scene from across the entire [Jersey] City, and it’s really fantastic to see that now,” said Jersey City Council Member Mira Prinz-Arey.

The JCROC held a press conference outside Jersey City City Hall on June 30 in preparation for this year’s festival. Melanie Rudin, founder of the JCROC and the JC Restaurant Fest, joined many other public officials and restaurateurs as they shared their excitement and dedication to promoting and supporting local businesses.

“I used to be in foundations, and I knew how hard it was to go on your own,” said Rudin. “And I really just wanted to find a way to bring this community together and help them move together as a group. I thought they’d be stronger that way.”

Challenges Facing Jersey City Restaurants

According to Rudin, there are an estimated 1,686 food establishments in Jersey City, which employ a total of 19,218 people. While restaurants reportedly account for 9% of New Jersey’s total employment, these businesses often struggle to stay afloat, and the challenges have only worsened in recent years.

Kenneth Caulfield, owner of The Ashford, Six26, and Boots & Bones, spoke of the challenges he shared with other restaurant owners due to the severe financial losses brought on by the pandemic, as well as increasing operating costs.

In addition, restaurant owners frequently face a tight profit margin averaging between 3% and 5%. It can take years for them to turn a profit, with nearly 49% of restaurants failing within their first five years. 

Festival’s Role in Boosting Tourism and Community

These challenges have made the JC Restaurant Fest even more necessary. Rachel Sieg, Executive Director of the Historic Downtown Special Improvement District, emphasized how the festival has brought in customers to Jersey City during their summertime vacations, turning the city into a prime tourist destination.

Likewise, Jersey City Council President Joyce Watterman praised the festival, saying it “gives back to the community” and “connects with people and it helps the small businesses.”

As such, Jersey City restaurant owners connected with the people as they shared their experiences running their business and collaborating for this year’s festival.

These speakers include Maricarmen Antigua, co-owner of La Bodega. This Dominican eatery opened in 1995 and began as a bodega. Antigua later took over from her grandfather and converted it into a restaurant. Despite more people buying food online, Antigua hopes to expand her family business. She wants to offer more hospitality and service with the help of the JC Restaurant Fest.

“It feels absolutely amazing, the confidence that we’re able to receive when we don’t have any being, just gathering with other business owners, other restaurant owners, and hearing them out and knowing that they’re also on the same boat that we are,” said Antigua.

Likewise, Alejandro Fuenmayor, a chef from Venezuela, began working at a farmer’s market in Jersey City with Rachel Sieg before opening Cavany Foods. Fuenmayor started off not knowing how to open or run a business. He found success with the support of the Jersey City community. He believes working with fellow business owners at the Restaurant Fest is a necessity. He says this collaboration has been the secret to his success—and to Jersey City’s success as a whole.

“We are not competition,” he said. “We are family. We are community…so we have to be together…we have to bring customers and we have to bring this variance and we have to show up.”

A Platform for Growth and Community Connection

The Restaurant Fest hopes to provide a platform for small, Jersey City businesses to connect with each other and reach new customers with an exciting culinary celebration. Despite their struggles, Jersey City restaurants continue to show resilience. They display a strong collaborative spirit and a clear desire to serve their community through this annual festival.

“Even if one customer tries our food, even if we have one new customer…we know that word of mouth is still your greatest marketing tool,” said Antigua. “So as long as we have one person in the door, we’re happy.”