In the 1980s, Hard Grove Café opened on the corner of Grove Street and Columbus Drive, bringing al fresco dining and live music to an area that would, not til decades later, become known for it’s dining and nightlife.
Their original location is now home to a PNC, but fans of Cuban food can finally rejoice because Hard Grove is back (h/t Jersey City Upfront), serving up Cuban cuisine and a full bar in new digs at 285 First Street.
The menu will look familiar to fans of the restaurant’s original incarnation, with dishes like ropa vieja, tostones, Cuban sandwiches, and the Hemingway Sampler, an assortment of starters on a single platter.
These dishes are served alongside housemade sangria, the perfect accompaniment. Prefer wine? It’s served by the glass from $9-12 and by the bottle for $18-65.
Best of all, the new Hard Grove Café serves brunch every Saturday and Sunday. Choose from dishes like skirt steak and eggs or the Cuban breakfast – eggs, saffron rice, black beans, plantain, and toast.
Check out more photos of the new space on Jersey City Upfront.
