What: Gaia and Loki is a new vegan restaurant in downtown Jersey City. The BYOB eatery is located at 346 Grove Street in the space formerly occupied by Alex’s Italian Restaurant.
Interior: Gaia and Loki got a complete, modern makeover. Gone is the dated look of Alex’s Restaurant and in its place is a bright and clean space with navy walls and white flooring. Seats are comfortably padded and the entire restaurant has an inviting feel.
The Menu: Gaia & Loki is completely vegan with a menu that includes everything from salads to black bean burgers. There are also some creative dishes like the Filipino-style fried lumpia (filled with Impossible meat). The restaurant is very affordable downtown Jersey City with all prices comfortably under $16.
We Loved: The Filipino-style lumpia was among our favorite dishes. Each lumpia was perfectly fried and not greasy or oily. The Impossible meat used inside each lumpia had a ground beef consistency and was seasoned in such a way that you couldn’t tell it wasn’t meat. Paired with a sweet chili dipping sauce, this is an appetizer we absolutely recommend. The eggplant schnitzel is another hit. The thinly cut eggplant is lightly fried and paired with vegan cheese and marinara sauce. It’s served on a porous and chewy ciabatta roll.
Could Be Better: Although we enjoyed the avocado/mango salad and the watermelon/tomato salad, they’re both heavy on cucumbers and onions. If you don’t like either you’ll want to pick another salad. We also wish the menu was detailed enough to tell you which dishes feature Impossible meat versus which dishes showcase a house-made recipe.
Final Take: Gaia and Loki is a refreshing addition to the Jersey City restaurant scene, which at times can feel inundated with taco and pizza spots. The food is fresh, staff is friendly, and prices are very affordable. Gaia and Loki joins a small handful of vegetarian/vegan restaurants in the area, including Subia’s, Tea NJ, and Plant Base.
Gaia and Loki Menu
Gaia and Loki | 346 Grove Street | Instagram
