This article is sponsored by Downtown Somerville.
Downtown Somerville is on the rise and there are plenty of trendy new eateries opening up to prove it. From healthy teas to Latin-inspired street food, the area has new and interesting options to suit your every craving. With all of these eye-catching places popping up in Downtown Somerville, it’s hard to choose where to go first. But Best of NJ is here to help!
We’ve got a full rundown of the best new spots to visit; along with a special message from the proud business owners who are bringing their delicious products to Downtown Somerville.
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Cheech’s Own Cold Brew Coffee
Details: For the health conscious coffee drinker (or anyone looking for a cold brew that packs a powerful taste), Cheech’s Own Organic Cold Brew uses only the finest ingredients to bring you a crisp, clean brew made with spring water in BPA-free vats. It’s the perfect way to get your caffeine fix without the not-so-healthy extras other coffee chains add in. A visit to Cheech’s website also offers plenty of healthy and delicious recipes to try out; they feature Cheech’s Own, but stretch far beyond just coffee. Check out their Facebook page for more info on when Cheech’s will be open to the public.
A Message from the Owner: “We’re an all-organic coffee house which you really don’t find. All of our teas and coffees will be organic; and they have been since day one, for the last 3 years. This is our first swing at retail, we picked Main Street in Somerville because our company started here in Somerville. We’re also bringing in vegan, gluten free and organic food options. We’ve partnered with a place called Squirrel & The Bee based out of Short Hills and they make grain free, dairy free baked goods. We’re bringing food to Somerville that doesn’t exist on Main Street right now.”
Salted Lime
Details: Get ready to celebrate, with a cocktail in hand, at Salted Lime Bar & Kitchen. Construction on Salted Lime is well underway; in fact, the day when their unique take on Latin-inspired street food becomes available is getting closer and closer. When Salted Lime comes to Downtown Somerville, you can expect it to be your go-to destination; both for fun nights on the town and casual dinner with friends. For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.
A Message from the Owner: “Salted Lime Bar & Kitchen, the newest restaurant from Mark Daniel Hospitality, will serve as a tribute to the food and spirits of the Latin community. We will be offering modern takes on tacos and street food as well as more composed classic dishes. The same care and creativity will be applied to the beverage program, where we will highlight less known spirits like sotol and aguardente while still providing a great selection of margaritas, beers and cocktails. This will certainly be our most casual and fun space to date, designed with an open air kitchen where our guests will be able to watch the chefs hand press corn and flour tortillas daily.”
Grumpy Bobas Bubble Tea
Details: After running a successful pop-up location, Grumpy Bobas Bubble Tea now has a permanent home in Downtown Somerville. Since opening in May, Grumpy Bobas has found fans by serving up bubble tea, lattes, kefir and much more. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
A Message from the Owner: “Grumpy Bobas is the first bubble tea cafe in New Jersey to offer premium handcrafted drinks made with whole and organic ingredients whenever possible. Unlike traditional boba places that use flavored syrup and powder, GB uses house-made fruit purees and organic milk and cream in their bubble teas. GB also offers adjustable sugar levels for most of the drinks for the health conscious bubble tea lovers.”
Playa Bowls
Details: Originally a modest stand in Belmar, Playa Bowls now includes dozens of locations. This expansion also relates to their menu, filled with healthy, delicious options for New Jerseyites to enjoy. Playa Bowls offers fresh fruit served over a cool, smoothie-like base; then you can add options such as acai, pitaya or coconut. Sure, the menu include tons of tasty options; but guests can rest easy knowing that they’re doing something good for their bodies as well. Take a look at their website for a full list of food options and locations. Of course, their Facebook page has photos for a better look at the bowls themselves.
A Message from the Owner: “Playa Bowls is so excited and honored to have come to Downtown Somerville! We offer folks an environment that could be best referred to as ‘the beach away from the beach.’ With a wide array of options to choose from – over 35 bowls, smoothies, juices, and more – Playa Bowls offers Somerville (and the surrounding communities) a fun place to come enjoy healthy and delicious food with friends and family! We appreciate all the support the Downtown Somerville community has shown us and can’t wait to meet the rest of folks who we haven’t gotten the pleasure to meet yet.”
The Meadows Original Frozen Custard
Details: Meadows Frozen Custard is the result of the hard work of Bernardsville couple Clarisa and Thomas Vigneault. After many childhood visits to the original stand in Pennsylvania, Thomas began dreaming about opening his own Meadows location. That dream finally came true in June, 2018. The premium frozen custard shop also offers custard cakes, Italian ice, milkshakes and frozen yogurt; meanwhile, for those stopping by with furry friends, they have a walk-up window. For more information, check out their website or visit their Facebook page.
A Message from the Owner: “Our goal is to bring the best and most authentic homemade frozen custard to Downtown Somerville. We offer our premium custard in special flavors that change every day; as well as always serving chocolate and vanilla while making our custard fresh for our customers throughout every day. Our delicious Italian ice is churned through our custard machine, giving it a delicious texture unlike any other ice. We serve everything from cakes to smoothies and shakes. Meadows always has something for everyone in the family. The original Meadows serves as a place where family and friends get together to enjoy everyone’s favorite dessert. We want to bring that same atmosphere for friends and families in Somerville.”
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