New Jersey cozy coffee shops locals should have on their radar

⚠️ Van Gogh's Ear Cafe remains an iconic New Jersey coffee shop.

➡️ Ligaya Grounds in Metuchen is a new must-visit, with specialities like its Decolonized Ube Latte.

🔴 We've put together 11 new-ish NJ coffee shops, plus over 40 others worth a visit.

Growing up in Union County, one cafe and coffee shop was an absolute core part of my teen years, Van Gogh's Ear Cafe.

My high school friends and I were old enough to go out, too young for bars.

The show “Friends” was newly popular, decades before it found younger generations as a streaming classic.

NJ coffee shops edit - Van Goghs Ear Cafe via Facebook — (Van Gogh's Ear Cafe via Facebook)

So, the cafe was like our own “Central Perk.” Complete with tasty drinks and eclectic furniture.

Yes, we had a favorite couch and table to grab, if we were early or lucky enough.

No, I don't have lots of photos of us there, since selfies and social media really didn't pick up (or exist!) until I was well into college.

white ceramic cup on brown wooden table — Photo by tabitha turner on Unsplash

Little did we know, how strong coffee culture would remain — or evolve into, this many years later.

Van Gogh's Ear Cafe has remained an iconic spot in Union.

There are also some more recently-opened shops around the state, offering delicious coffee and light food that are definitely worth a visit.

One must-visit, new spot is Ligaya Grounds in Metuchen.

NJ coffee shops — Ligaya Grounds (Credit Ligaya Grounds Co.)

The coffee shop and cafe is proudly rooted in Filipino-American menu favorites, like its “Decolonized Ube Latte.”

“Before it was a latte at a certain green-logoed coffee chain — it was on our nanay’s table,” according to a Facebook post from Ligaya Grounds.

Here's 10 coffee shop cafes to sip your way into cozier vibes.

Plus, another 40+ NJ coffee shops that have amassed devoted regulars, because they're worth a visit.

Van Gogh's Ear Cafe (Union County)

📍1017 Stuyvesant Ave., Union, NJ 07083
📞908-810-1844

Ligaya Grounds (Credit Ligaya Grounds Co.)

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