Kerrie Joyce 
The Journal Square neighborhood welcomed a new coffee shop on November 8th. The new spot in Jersey City, called Barrio Barista Espresso Bar, is located at 60 Sip Avenue, owned by a local couple. Barrio Barista has several nods to its Filipino heritage through food, drinks, and decor. Read on for more about the new coffee shop and its menu.
Espresso Comes to JSQ
Barrio Barista Espresso Bar is owned by a local couple, Jam Fernandez-Bolante and Jarwin Bolante. The couple also owns Jar of Jam Sweet Adventures, a custom baked goods business. The new espresso bar soft-opened over the weekend of November 1st, and hosted its grand opening on Saturday, November 8th. The first 25 early birds to arrive at the spot on Saturday got to go home with free Barrio Barista tote bags.
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The spot pays homage to the Philippines with framed wall decor featuring imagery of islands, beaches, and rice fields, which Instagram user @jazzshalee said instantly reminded her of home.
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The Menu
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The menu also plays a role in honoring the business’ Filipino culture through baked goods and specialty lattes. For drinks, the menu features items including an ube latte, incorporating the purple yam that is a staple in Filipino desserts. The root vegetable is native to the Philippines, and is used in sweet recipes due to its nutty, vanilla-like flavor. Widely known for its vibrant purple hue, ube is used in mochi, jam, ice cream, and other dessert recipes. Recently, it has been appearing in matcha and espresso lattes on coffee shop menus all over Hoboken and Jersey City. The espresso bar’s other specialty drinks include Calamansi Green Tea and a Spanish Latte.
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Food items including cheesecake cups from the couple’s bakery and matcha loaves are also highlighted on the menu. The espresso bar is open 7 AM – 7 PM on weekdays and 7 AM – 4 PM on weekends.
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