Mack-Cali Realty Corp. Michael DeMarco (left) and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop cut the ribbon on the District Kitchen, a new food hall at the company’s Harborside complex in the city. — Courtesy: Mack-Cali
By Real Estate NJ
Mack-Cali Realty Corp. has opened the doors to what it says is Jersey City’s first-ever food hall, the latest upgrade to its flagship Harborside complex.
The real estate investment trust welcomed Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and other visitors last week to unveil the District Kitchen, which is home to more than a dozen operators and vendors. The landlord debuted the new amenity, which sits within the Harborside atrium, as it continues its $75 million overhaul of the 4.3 million-square-foot office complex.
“The opening of District Kitchen is the latest milestone in the transformation of Harborside into a waterfront cultural district that harnesses the distinct character of Jersey City,” Mack-Cali CEO Michael DeMarco. “We’re extremely excited to bring so many permanent, high-quality dining options to the neighborhood. We curated a selection of local vendors with the deliberate goal of supporting our community and giving patrons a real taste of Jersey City. As Harborside moves closer to reaching its full potential, we look forward to unveiling more exciting changes in the coming year.”
The lineup at District Kitchen includes:
- Modcup: A Jersey City-based cafe specializing in naturally processed coffee
- Pizza Vita, a pizza stall inspired by traditional pizzerias of Naples, where Neopolitan-style wood-fired pizzas are cooked in 90 seconds
- Left Bank Burger: A family-owned craft burger restaurant
- Kimchi Grill: A Korean-inspired street food stall selling wings, fries, dumplings and tacos, in which everything is topped with fresh or sautéed kimchi.
- Salt + Seed: Vegetarian vendor selling salads, sandwiches, desserts and vegan dishes.
- Little Sushi Shop: Grab-and-go sushi counter with soups and salads
- Canteen To Go: An extension of the Jersey City sit-down restaurant Canteen Desi Dhaba, whose menu focuses on Mughlai Indian cuisine
- Angry Archie’s: A food truck known for its jumbo crab meat roll
- Ani Ramen: A ramen house with a menu including ramen bowls, donburi bowls, bao buns and other Japanese-inspired small plates
- The Belgian Plate by Waffle It & Co.: A bakery specializing in made-to-order Belgian waffles and crepes, plus other cafe fare like soups, salads, and sandwiches
- Baonanas: A dessert shop that specializes in banana pudding flavors like matcha, French toast and Nutella-walnut
- Tidal Poke: Hawaiian-inspired poke spot.
- Enfes: A Jersey City pop-up restaurant that serves Mediterranean and Turkish hand-rolled pastries and street snacks
Mack-Cali is planning an additional 1.2 million square feet of office space at Harborside, which is also home to the distinctive, 69-story luxury apartment tower known as Urby. The REIT last year also opened the outdoor Lutze beer garden, along with Piggyback Bar at Harborside, a restaurant owned by famed chef Leah Cohen and partner Ben Byruch.
