Do you know that frustration when a much-needed item is gone from the shelves or the despair when you realize you forgot to buy milk only after walking out of the store? We’ve all been there! Online shopping isn’t always much better, either. Many of us have had the (thrilling) experience of staying up late waiting for a FreshDirect slot, or frantically refreshing the internet browser at random hours for an Amazon delivery time release, only to find someone else was quicker.
The good news is that there are actually plenty of grocery shopping options beyond supermarkets and bodegas. Local businesses have been quick to change their business model and product selections to address the growing demand and adapt to these unique times. These include restaurants offering grocery items beyond ready-to-eat dishes, as well as local farms and food distributors who traditionally serve restaurants expanding their businesses to individual households. Hoboken Girl has rounded up a list of alternative grocery options available in Hoboken and Jersey City to make your shopping a little easier.
Harvest Drop | Online
Harvest Drop, a food distributor that has been supplying New Jersey restaurants with fresh local produce, has started household delivery services. The company works with more than 75 local farms in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, and the products are sourced from the farms within 24 hours before delivery. The product selection is large and includes fresh seasonal vegetables, poultry, meat, eggs, dairy, mushrooms, and special gourmet items such as pear butter and tomato spread. Retail-sized, household-friendly packages are available for most products.
Deliveries happen every Tuesday and Friday. Household delivery slots are open at 8:00AM every Thursday for the following week. The minimum order is $150 and there is a $10 delivery fee.
See More: Local Grocery Delivery Apps to Use ASAP So You Don’t Have to Leave the House
Bread Basket | Online
Bread Basket offers you artisanal bakery goods right in your home, and they deliver all across the country. The delivery company has relationships with New York City’s finest bakeries, delivering their bread to the most discerning chefs and best grocers for over 30 years. With the uncertainty of current times, Bread Basket felt it was important to expand the business and help these incredible artisans bring their delicious products straight to your home.
Baldor Specialty Food | Online
Baldor Specialty Food is an online food distribution company that normally only provides top-quality foods to restaurants, but is now expanding to offer home delivery to individual consumers — including Hoboken residents. Customers who order with Baldor will have access to not only regular food staples but also restaurant-quality items as well.
Yama Seafood | Online
Yama Seafood, a New Jersey-based seafood business that has been supplying New York City high-end restaurants such as Le Bernardin and Sushi Noz for more than 40 years, has started delivering sashimi-grade bluefin tuna, scallops, and sea urchin to Hoboken and Jersey City foodies. The product selection also includes other top-quality fillets and half-fish of salmon, white fish, and shrimp. Delivery to Hoboken and Jersey City is every Thursday from 8:00AM-12:00PM. The minimum order is $50 {easy for what is offered}, and orders over $100 are exempted from delivery fees.
Central Valley Farm Jersey City | Online
As community-supported agriculture programs see a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 crisis, it can sometimes be difficult to secure a weekly subscription with a participating farm. For those who are looking for a more flexible CSA option, New Jersey’s Central Valley Farm has started a weekly CSA pick-up service. The boxes can be ordered on a weekly basis {so no subscription or year-long commitment is needed}, and contain whatever seasonal vegetables and fruits are harvested on the farm that week. Dairy and eggs are also available for an extra cost. Interested customers can email amourfoud@gmail.com to inquire.
Whealth | 615 Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City
For those who do not want to cook, Whealth is a Jersey City restaurant and cafe now offering both meal plans and single grocery items for delivery. The menu, which changes weekly, uses seasonal fresh produce sourced from local farms. A one-time regular order includes bulk-prepared, fully-cooked “meal components” {main dishes, vegetables, grains, sweets, and more} that can be mixed and matched to make 12 meals. Grocery options include fresh produce such as farm vegetable boxes, whole chicken, and ground beef. There are also semi-prepared ingredients such as homemade veggie burger patties, as well as pantry items such as yogurt and coffee. Orders should be placed by Wednesday 5:00PM. The deliveries are on Sunday between 12:00PM-7:00PM
Darke Pines | 332 2nd Street, Jersey City
The Jersey City butcher shop Darke Pines is still open, offering responsibly-raised meat products sourced from small farms to local residents. The meat selection includes grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and free-range poultry that come in various cuts, patties, and sausages. There are also selected produce and prepared food options such as pastrami sandwiches. Currently, the shop is only accepting walk-ins, but social distancing rules are strictly enforced. It is open daily from 12:00PM-6:00PM and new products are announced on Dark Pines’ Instagram page.
Madame Claude Wine | 234 Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City
Madame Claude Wine, a Jersey City wine store, now has fruits and vegetables for sale at the store. In addition to fresh produce, French grocery items such as cheeses, charcuterie, French jam, and sweets are also available. The store is open from 1:00PM-7:00PM from Monday to Saturday and 12:00PM-6:00PM on Sunday.
Read More: Your Guide to Beer and Wine Delivery in Hoboken + Jersey City
Green Pear Cafe | 93 Grand Street, Hoboken
Green Pear Cafe, a local restaurant with locations in both Hoboken and Jersey City, has non-perishable grocery items for sale in addition to ready-made dishes. The selection includes Italian gourmet food such as cheeses, charcuterie, and confectionery. There are also everyday household pantry items such as dried pasta, pasta sauce, rice, flour, and milk, all imported from Europe. The store also announced on Instagram that there will be a new coffee program. Minimum orders are $100. Delivery is free for the first two orders.
Bread and Salt | 435 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City
Although its famous Roman pizza is temporarily unavailable, Bread and Salt, the beloved Jersey City Heights restaurant, has started a “contactless pick up” service for grocery and fresh baked goods. The gourmet-quality grocery selection includes milk, butter {French salted butter}, ricotta cheese, dry pasta {Benedetto Cavalieri}, herbs, vinegar, and dried heirloom beans. Freshly-baked goods such as Italian-style cookies and Bread and Salt’s famous sourdough bread are also available. The orders can be placed on the website every Friday before 12:00PM, and the packages can be picked up on Saturday from 12:00PM-4:00PM
Van Hook Cheese + Grocery | 528 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City
(Photo credit: @vanhookcheese)
Jersey City cheese store Van Hook is offering curbside pickup for selected grocery items. What’s interesting about the product offering is that it includes a large selection of specialty cheese, charcuterie sold in small portions, and exquisite chocolate and sweets. There are vacuum packaged meat and smoked fish as well. Customers should allow about two hours for the store to fill their orders. Orders are placed after 5:00PM on the weekdays and 3:00PM on the weekends and will be filled the following day.
Salt + Seed | 210 Hudson Street, Jersey City
Salt + Seed in Jersey City has just recently launched an online, virtual vegan market, bringing freshly-made, delicious vegan foods right to your door. Think homemade sandwiches, soups, cheeses, and much more. Shop now here.
