Food is fuel, but here at The Hoboken Girl HQ, food is also an experience: a little treat, a night out, a respite from the monotony of working a 9-5. We aren’t alone in this philosophy — all over Hoboken + Jersey City, chefs, bakers, and makers continue pushing gastronomic boundaries, creating foods and desserts beyond our most indulgent imaginations. Some of these delicacies are fusions of already iconic desserts (cannoli cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookie croissants), and others are elevated classics (loaded breakfast sandwiches, homemade Pop-Tarts). Some are even allergy-friendly options. Sweet-toothed, savory-toothed, somewhere-in-the-middle-toothed, there is truly something for every foodie to try. Keep reading for seven foodie items in Hoboken + Jersey City that we’re currently obsessing over.
Cookie Croissant From Shortbread Society | Jersey City
Chef Francis Leggee and his wife Christine are well-acquainted with decadence. Their secret Jersey City bakery, Shortbread Society, serves up over 300 variations of shortbread — one of which is topped with a layer of edible gold. The duo tried their hands at the viral cookie croissant but took a reverse approach: rather than bake the cookie into the croissant, they made croissant dough into cookie-shaped pieces and baked layers into the cookie dough. The dessert presents itself as an unassuming chocolate chip cookie, but inside are layers of ever-so-crucial buttery and flaky croissant goodness. A marriage between two already iconic pastries; and a happy marriage at that. You can read all about Shortbread Society, and how to order from the secret bake shop, here.
Read More: The Best Grocery Stores, Specialty Shops, + Farmers’ Markets in Jersey City
‘The Hoboken Girl’ Breakfast Sandwich From Alessio’s | 539 Park Avenue, Hoboken + 99 Franklin Street, Jersey City
Photo Credit: Hannah Taub
Half the joy of waking up in the morning is knowing you’ll get a good breakfast — the other is knowing you’ll get a good coffee. Alessio’s has been a local staple for both since opening in 2020, and this March, HG teamed up with the cafe to launch a breakfast sandwich loaded with all the goods: eggs, cheese, avocado, jalapeno aioli, crispy hashbrowns, all on your choice of bread. After selling over 1,900 sandwiches (and donating all of HG‘s portions to York Street Project), the breakfast sandwich has been added to the menu indefinitely, at both Alessio’s locations. Read more about it here.
Homemade Pop-Tarts From MOJO Coffee Company | 801 Bloomfield Street + 230 Willow Avenue, Hoboken
Nostalgia can be a cruel mistress, but it can also be a delicious addition to your morning coffee run at this Hoboken cafe. On select Fridays, MOJO serves homemade Pop-Tarts, recreating the childhood fave entirely from scratch. All of the necessary components are there — the thin pastry crust, the shiny icing, the sprinkles — with an extra layer of homemade love. HG has tried the Nutella and Strawberry options, both of which were well worth the few extra dollars and calories. You can find the Pop-Tarts at both MOJO locations, sold on a first-come first-served basis.
Gluten-Free Doughnuts From Hayley’s Donut | Hoboken
The flavors and quality of Hayley’s Donut are truly what sets it apart from many gluten-free doughnut options (and trust us, we’ve tried a lot). Owned and operated by resident Liz Sperman, these artisanal doughnuts are the product of a lot of research, and even more trial and error. It’s hard to trust these doughnuts are gluten-free — that’s how good they are. Liz isn’t shy with the toppings, either: there are traditional flavors (chocolate, glazed, etc.) and seasonal options like Not Quite Cheesecake. A uniting treat for the gluten-free and gluten-full, you can learn more about Hayley’s Donut here.
Cannoli Cinnamon Rolls From The Hive | 1000 Park Avenue, Hoboken
Another iconic dessert crossover, The Hive’s latest batch of famed cinnamon rolls is paying homage to the coffee shop’s NJ roots. In collaboration with Carrello di Cannoli (a.k.a. The Cannoli Guy), the cannoli rolls are topped with a layer of Italy-imported ricotta frosting and miniature chocolate chips. As always, the rolls are sold exclusively from Friday to Sunday starting at 8AM, with a limited amount available and for a limited time only. Yes, there will be a line and yes, it will be worth it. This is the holiest of cannolis if we dare say.
Gluten-Free Chicken Caesar Wrap From GTK | 1014 Washington Street, Hoboken
^ This is the traditional chicken Caesar wrap from GTK
If you follow HG on Instagram (if you don’t, WYD?), you know that we’ve been on a Tour de Chicken Caesar wrap this past year. In pursuit of our Hoboken + Jersey City favorite, GTK’s is a top contender: it’s got croutons, shaved parm, creamy dressing, all the works. The local eatery just upped its Caesar game, introducing a buffalo CCW that’s also available gluten-free. The traditional Caesar wrap is available gluten-free, too, but we’re always down to add a little spice. PS: you can follow our chicken Caesar chronicles here.
See More: Must-Try Sandwich Spots in Essex County That Should Be On Your Radar
W’Affogato From Kikilu Gelato | 900 Garden Street, Hoboken
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Here at HG, we’ll try anything that combines frozen treats and coffee — and a local spot has done just that with its newest creation. Kikilu Gelato, an artisanal ice cream and espresso bar, recently debuted its W’Affogato — a wafer cone filled with house-made dark chocolate, fior di latte gelato, and an espresso shot and topped with “Italian magic dust”. It’s the perfect treat to try as the weather warms up.
Meet the Local Resident Behind Hoboken’s Decorative Tree Stump
If Hoboken had resident superlatives, the "Best Dressed" award wouldn't go to any human (though there are many contenders). It'd go to an unassuming, googly-eyed tree stump on the corner of Bloomfield + Second Streets, which for the last few months, has been decked out for various holidays. Named "Stumpy" by locals, the little fellow has a stylist: Hoboken resident Sue Stephens.
Photo Credit: Sue Stephens
Back in the fall, Sue noticed that someone had drawn a smiley face on the stump, but the smile had started to fade. A self-proclaimed smiley face obsessive, Sue ventured to glue some googly eyes on the stump and paint the smile brighter. One of the eyes was stolen, but Sue was dedicated to the vision (pun intended), gluing another one on shortly thereafter.
Read More: This Hoboken Resident Hosts ‘Birding Wonder Walks’
Since then, Sue has taken a festive approach to Stumpy's fashion: she dressed "him" in a pilgrim's hat for Thanksgiving, a Santa Suit for Christmas, trademark NYE glasses to ring in 2024, and so forth. Sue bundled the stump up for bitter January winter — and dressed him in his Sunday best for Easter.
Some of Stumpy's items have been stolen (the Santa hat was stolen about four times, Sue says), but Sue maintains positivity. When asked what inspired her to first decorate it, she shared: "Just the fun of doing something silly with a lonely stump." As it turns out, locals feel the same. One Hoboken resident commented on HG's Instagram post, "It brings me joy! Don't stop!" Another expressed a similar sentiment: "I've been tracking this stump for 2 years, maybe more more. I must know the story, I love it."
See More: Earth Day Inspo: 10 Native Trees To Grow in North Jersey
Sue made it clear that the stump is not "hers." If other locals want to decorate it, she welcomes them to join in on the fun. That said, she's currently serving as the stump's resident stylist, so keep scrolling for an unofficial Hoboken Stump Lookbook.
A Legend is Born
Stumpy's First Holiday: Thanksgiving 2023
Spreading Christmas Cheer
New Year, Same Stump
"This next song is 'Stick Season' by Noah Kahan."
The Ultimate Bark Breaker
Finally Grew a Mustache
Easter Sunday Best
Cupid Stumpy
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We can't wait to see what Sue dreams up next for Stumpy. Follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram + TikTok for more Hoboken fun, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
