Who doesn’t love trying out a new coffee shop? These five community hotspots are the perfect places for conversation, relaxation - and of course, to enjoy that perfect cup of coffee for your morning pick-me-up.
Local coffee shops are greater than just a simple cup of coffee - they play a key role in building our communities, strengthening the local economy, and creating social networks.
Of course, the coffee (and the sweets) must be incredible. Recently, I visited five of your local Pascack Valley favs, and here’s why they hit the spot:
Five local favs:
1. Baristas Touch in Hillsdale
This Hillsdale gem is a short distance from the train station and the vibrant downtown. The ambiance is relaxed, hip, and friendly. Gorillaz’s Demon Days played from their record collection as Anthony and Carly greeted guests with chilled conversation. There are several inviting seats with tables and a bar to also sit at to enjoy your well-crafted cup of joe, with wifi for getting some work done. Owner/barista Anthony is a true coffee aficionado, with unrivaled skills. Their growing customer base loves their huckleberry iced lattes with huckleberry syrup and the cold brew with cold foam. A reverse osmosis water system was installed to make sure their coffee is created with the purest water possible. Their smooth and lightly sweetened Shakerato (an Italian-styled shaken espresso) is a must-try. There's even a “secret” menu that regulars get to know. Enjoy their sweets: the lemon bar and apricot crumb cake are to die for! Baristas Touch recently received a design update at the end of August to give it a moodier, speakeasy vibe. Be sure to visit for the classiest, artistic coffee around!
Anthony’s fav: the orange blossom espresso tonic
Carly’s fav: the cold brew
Location:
66A Park Ave, Hillsdale, NJ 07642
@Thebaristastouch
2. Freyja Coffee Shop in Westwood
New to the coffee scene with a perfect location facing the park, you’ll find Freyja. Freyja is a mythological Nordic goddess - a symbol of power, love, and celebration. Mother and daughter duo, Iliyda and Filiz, embrace these wonderful qualities while welcoming customers with the perfectly crafted coffee, tea, home-made sandwich, baklava, or pastry (some from Balthazar bakery). There is a clean and bright vibe, where customers are called “friends” and treated with care. A cozy back area has wifi and plenty of seating. Some of their most requested drinks include the brown sugar cinnamon latte, matcha latte, and strawberry matcha latte. “Freyja’s Friends” book club highlights a range of enchanting books each month, celebrating the owner’s love of literature.
Filiz and Iliyda’s fav: the caramel latte
Location:
288 3rd Ave, Westwood, NJ 07675
@freyja_coffee_shop
3. Vale Coffee Shop in River Vale
This family-friendly shop is well-established. Baristas warmly greet their guests with a huge selection of coffees, lattes, and teas, including many seasonal specials. The shop has a super-friendly and welcoming vibe, with games on the tables, a fun jukebox, unique gift items for purchase, and so much more. The huge menu features delicious sandwiches, avocado toast, croissants, and smoothies. The shop truly caters to their audience. Barista Erin shared, “There are crafts for kids on Fridays, and on some Sundays we have some special events. We also have kid’s reading hours.” There are seasonal drinks to enjoy. This warm and homey environment feels just-right for a leisurely coffee with family or friends, while also being a great spot to get some work done while enjoying a smooth coffee, wifi, and a delicious bite to eat.
Sylvia’s fav: coconut crème and blueberry
Erin’s fav: the vanilla latte
Location:
669 Westwood Ave., River Vale, NJ 07675
@Valecoffeeshoppe
4. Il Freno - Park Ridge
Il Freno Espresso Bar is a charming spot with friendly baristas, and a perfect location near the train stop. Perfectly named (“il freno” means “brake” in Italian) the shop is co-owned by the same folks as the Cyclesport bike store up above, Michael and Tracy Grotz, which was voted “Top 100 Stores in America”. The vibe is slick and casual with a NYC meets Italy feel. It’s a wonderful place for enjoying your morning coffee, cappuccino, or tea on your way to the train. It’s also a comfy place to relax and get some work done with wifi or meet up with a friend. The sweets are divine- their raspberry crumb bar is delicious, as is their lemon bread. Healthy choices include oat bites with jelly filling and Aussie bites with apricot and sunflower seeds. Scrumptious scones are home-made on Mondays and croissants are available on weekends. Barista Jana shared that regulars love a traditional espresso and iced lattes with their sweets. Recently, the shop had a “coffee with a cop” event in May. Seasonal drinks and sweets add to the charm.
Jana’s fav: Iced pistachio latte
Location:
81 Park Ave, Park Ridge, NJ 07656
@ilfrenocafe
5. Taimoca - Montvale
In the heart of Montvale, Taimoca is the perfect welcoming spot for your cuppa. Reflecting the heritage of the founder, Taimoca celebrates the Taino tribe habitants of the Dominican Republic. “Moca” is their word for coffee, and the classy logo on their cups is an image of a Taino princess picking cacao fruit from a tree. The spotless shop is filled with scents of smooth coffee and many healthy sweets to pair with it. Barista Lester clearly loves creating drinks for customers, sharing, “Many customers enjoy a cinnamon latte, which is my own personal favorite”. Strawberry-banana smoothies are also a huge hit with the locals - there are many smoothie options. There also are many healthy options to eat: protein bars, almond biscotti, and fresh salads to round out your options. Seasonal drinks are available from beans sourced by the owner in the DR.
Lester’s fav: a cinnamon latte
Location:
2 S Kinderkamack Rd, Montvale, NJ 07645
@taimoca