Jersey City has teamed up with the Jersey City Restaurant Association (JCRA) to bolster the city’s second annual Restaurant Week as COVID-19 pandemic concerns begin to wane.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
The two-week-long event encourages residents and visitors to experience restaurants and food trucks with in-person dining promotions, with takeout and contactless delivery options still available as well.
“We’re back on track,” JCRA President Carmen Mendiolla exclaimed at a City Hall press conference this morning.
She praised Fulop’s efforts to help support restaurants that struggled in the wake of COVID-19.
“He has helped us with the application process for the parklets. You have shown us you are truly a businessperson. You care about the businesses,” Mendiolla added.
“Food is love, and we stand with the Ukrainian people in solidarity,” she said, noting the ongoing war with Russian in Ukraine.
“These last two years have truly been a trying time for everyone, particularly those who work in the service industry and the restaurant industry,” stated Fulop.
The mayor also noted the city expedited resources to support restaurants that included grant opportunities and permitting parklets, among other things.
“At the end of the day, nothing replaces customer support,” Fulop also said.
Downtown Special Improvement District (SID) Executive Director Rachel Sieg seconded that Fulop was instrumental in keeping local eateries afloat during the public health emergency.
“I said to the mayor ‘I don’t know how the restaurants are going to survive.’ He got on the phone right away, and he said we’re closing all the streets, were going to let them eat outside, do whatever you got to do, but let’s get it going,” recalled Sieg.
Several restauranteurs also spokes during the short press event.
“The parklets really helped us. There’s a lot of people, even to this day, that will not enter a restaurant and its confines, and I really totally respect their choice,” Israel Giles, the owner of Ami Ramen, said.
“We’re trying to recoup. Because when we closed, rent didn’t stop, bills didn’t stop, it all accumulated.”
He noted it was a positive that Restaurant Week was concurrent with mask mandate requirements ending, per Gov. Phil Murphy (D).
“The city has just been terrific in their support in this situation. The parklets were a savior,” exclaimed Tommy Parisi, the owner of Tommy’s Two Scoops.
“Jersey City as a community is so overwhelmingly connected. That’s what drew me to the Heights, the business owners. They all came together. They all wanted to meet me. They wanted to talk about the business. I felt so welcomed,” added Christina Gallanos, who operates Cali Shakes.
She noted it took a while to open her newest location in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ward B Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey also addressed the situation before the event concluded.
“It’s been a trying couple of years for everyone and the restauranteurs, and employees, thank you for finding ways to stay open,” she stated.
“You guys gave us a lot of comfort, and I want to thank you for that, from bringing food to our first responders.”
She also appreciated that residents understood prized parking spots had to be given up to create parklets in order to keep restaurant workers employed.
“There’s value in that,” Prinz-Arey said.
“It was nice to see kids going to school without masks today. That’s a big step in the right direction. Today is another step forward with restaurants trying to get back to normalcy,” Fulop concluded.
Restaurant Week actually runs for two weeks, from March 7th through March 20th, and more information can be found here.
