The loss of the popular Congress Station last year certainly left a void for Heights residents looking for a morning pick-me-up, but new ownership has spent the last few months revamping the space and started serving customers earlier this month.
A new coffee and breakfast spot dubbed Lil’ Dove Café is officially in soft-open mode at 589 Palisade Avenue. Located just a few blocks from the Congress/9th Street station of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, the café comes courtesy of the Johnson family, who also run Fox & Crow just a few doors down and across the street.
Lil’ Dove Café has kept a few design elements from the previous tenant, most notably the white subway tiles along the interior walls. But the rest of the inviting space has been revamped quite a bit with bright floral wallpaper, comfy couches, new tables, and a center “library” area with various reading materials for those wishing to stick around for a bit.
A small retail area next to exposed brick sells various goods from local businesses. Artist and signwriter Joe Lotto etched the logo that adorns the café’s east-facing windows, which flood the space with tons of natural light.
The menu during the soft open of Lil’ Dove Café has included a few breakfast sandwiches served on bread, bagels, or croissants plus some avocado toast options. A variety of pastries and drinks ranging from cappuccinos to cortados to cold brew to hot cocoa and more round out the choices so far, with several non-dairy milks available.
For the future, Lil’ Dove intends to roll out a formal lunch menu and will be utilizing the backyard space of the property when warmer days are upon us. For now, the café is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week and their exploits can be followed at the Instagram handle @lildovecafejc.
