HIDDEN
GROUNDS CHAI &
COFFEE.

Hi neighbors,

We wanted to take a moment to let you in on what’s happening behind the counter. There’s a little something to taste, something to learn, and a few things we’re still figuring out.

On the menu

A menu update from 148. This week, we’re beginning the transition away from bagels and avocado toast at our 148 1st Street café in Jersey City, giving us more time and attention for coffee, chai, and our Bombay and chicken tikka sandwiches. A more focused menu creates room to test new ideas, train our team, and give the everyday details—from espresso to steamed milk—the care they deserve. If we’re retiring your usual, we know breakfast routines are practically long-term relationships, and we appreciate you making us part of yours.

We’re also bringing in vegan banana bread and chocolate chip cookies made with tahini. Tahini is sesame paste, if you haven’t met it yet. Selection varies by café and day, so ask what’s available when you visit.

A word about the things we bake ourselves: we’re still working toward a bigger bakery kitchen, and our current small batches can sell out. If you’ve travelled for a favorite and found an empty spot in the case, we’re sorry. We want to make enough for more of you, and that’s what this work is for.

In your cup

We’re upgrading how we brew, filter, and bottle our New Orleans coffee-and-chicory concentrate, with fuller, balanced flavor and more consistent batches as the goal. Heat and brewing time affect what dissolves from the coffee; tasting comparisons and strength checks will tell us what actually improves. A surprising amount of homework goes into something you pour over ice.

That attention to the cup continues at 4C Easton Avenue in New Brunswick, where we’re working to replace our pour-over systems. We want the equipment behind the counter to support the coffees you come in for. We’ll share more as that work moves along.

For our decaf drinkers, we now have dedicated decaf grinders at 400 Union Avenue in Brooklyn, 148 First Street in Jersey City, and 4C Easton Avenue in New Brunswick. That means we grind your decaf beans fresh for every order at those cafés. A thoughtful cup shouldn’t depend on how much caffeine you want in it.

Come learn and taste

If you’d like a turn behind the machine, join Anand for Latte Art 101 at 430 Communipaw Avenue in Jersey City on November 6, from 7–9 PM ET. You’ll steam milk, practice pouring a heart, and get individual feedback in a class limited to eight guests. No experience needed—your first heart is allowed to look a little confused.

And if you’re running or opening a café, we’ve made it easier to get to know our coffee through our wholesale tasting kits. They include Rosebud Espresso and Ethiopia Kembata Natural, with the option to add our roasting team’s current coffee pick. Try them on your own equipment, with your team, before deciding what you’d like to serve.

Thank you for making us part of your day, and for being patient with the work in progress. If there’s something you’d like us to know, write back—we’d love to hear from you.

With thanks,