Clydz, a local landmark in New Brunswick, and the new Strand Market will anchor the food and beverage district at the HELIX campus in New Brunswick. — Renderings courtesy: New Brunswick Development Corp
By Joshua Burd
A beloved bar and restaurant in New Brunswick is moving to the city’s HELIX campus, where it will join a new food hall to anchor the project’s food and beverage offerings.
Clydz, a fixture in the downtown since 1997, is planning a September opening at the landmark innovation district by New Brunswick Development Corp. The space at the HELIX’s H-1 building will continue the venue’s famous cocktail program, the developer said, offering an extensive martini list alongside ongoing creative mixology and expanded food and beverage options with lunch service and an extended dinner menu.
Its relocation will follow the spring or early summer debut of Strand Market, which Devco described as a dynamic new food hall and community hub with seamless indoor-outdoor flow. The space will include flexible seating, a covered pavilion and expansive outdoor areas ideal for meetings, casual hangouts or enjoying meals al fresco, as well as large operable doors that will open to provide natural light and fresh air for those visiting the so-called Collaboration Commons near the junction of Albany and Spring streets.
“We are thrilled to bring Clydz into this exciting new chapter at HELIX H-1, opening in early fall of 2026,” said Chef Jackie Mazza, who leads the hospitality program alongside General Manager Yari Figueroa and Beverage Director Woody McCarthy. “This move allows us to create an even more immersive dining experience for our loyal patrons and newcomers alike — blending our creative cocktails and bold flavors with the energy of the HELIX.”
Formally known as the Health + Life Science Exchange, the multiphase, multibillion-dollar redevelopment is taking shape across from the New Brunswick train station. The 12-story, 574,000-square-foot H-1 tower is set to open this spring as the new home of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a new Rutgers University facility for elite researchers, plus an incubator known as the New Jersey Innovation HUB that will cater to startups of all shapes and sizes with a mix of open lab systems and individual spaces.
Devco, meantime, has long pointed to the street-level plaza that will connect the project’s three buildings while serving as a destination for the city’s broader health care and innovation district. The new Strand Market will have options such as the all-day Barista Café and lunch and dinner spots such as Taka Taka Salad and Bowls, Today’s Special Sandwich Shop, DeeDee’s Pizza and Gallagher’s Irish Pub.
“The HELIX is not just a place for research and innovation; it is a place where a community comes together,” New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill said. “The addition of Clydz and Strand Market brings energy, hospitality and gathering spaces that are essential to creating a vibrant, collaborative environment. Clydz has been part of New Brunswick’s fabric for nearly three decades, and Strand Market represents the next generation of dining and community space. Together, they will help make the HELIX not only a center for discovery, but a destination where people can connect, collaborate and enjoy everything our city has to offer.”
Devco President Chris Paladino added: “The HELIX is about collaboration — in the lab and the office but also at the coffee bar, the communal lunch table, at dinner and at happy hour. Chef Jackie Mazza and Doug Schneider have been bringing people together in New Brunswick for a generation — they were the natural choice to lead the hospitality at the HELIX.”
Other features of the new Clydz restaurant will include a private chef’s table available for reservations, as well as full-service outdoor dining on the vibrant Strand pedestrian plaza.
“Strand Market is more than a food destination—it’s a vibrant hub where innovation meets community,” said Schneider of DHS Hospitality Group, operator of Strand Market. “We’re excited to bring Chef Jackie Mazza’s vision to life, creating a space that supports the HELIX’s mission of collaboration while giving New Brunswick a place to connect, eat and unwind. Strand Market @ the HELIX promises to become a cornerstone of New Brunswick’s evolving downtown, blending world-class food with the energy of one of the Northeast’s premier innovation ecosystems.”
First phase of New Brunswick’s HELIX campus enters final stages of construction (VIDEO)
