The Connection Bernards-Ridge Edition April/May 2018

Dining Out PAGE 56 www.theconnectionsnj.com Open 7 Days: Mon-Fri. 6:30 am - 5 pm, Sat. 7 am - 5 pm, Sun. 7 am - 3 pm 161 Main Street • Peapack, NJ 908.781.5554 www.cocoluxepastry.com Serving European Style Pastries, Housemade Croissants & Breakfast Pastries, Wedding Cakes, Tarts, Cookies, Soups, Sandwiches, Quiches. All Cakes and Pastries Made from Scratch Menu Available Online @cocoluxefp GOOD EARTH COFFEE 35 US Route 202 Far Hills NJ 07931 908-375-8725 By: Rachel Ricucci Want to find a good place to meet friends after work, have an informal business meet- ing or even meet an online date? Good Earth Coffee in Far Hills Plaza can do just that while providing exceptional artisan coffee in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Customers can stop in for a coffee experi- ence at 35 US 202, Far Hills, N.J. Since the coffee shop is not visible from the main roads, Good Earth Coffee will be adding a sign out- side the plaza to welcome in more customers and direct people to their exact location. Liv O’Connor, who is the owner of Good Earth Coffee , said she loved coffee since she was a little girl. The idea of a coffee shop came to her while working out with a friend. “There is no coffee shop in Far Hills and hav- ing that kind of space is always nice. It’s a good place to meet and get together. It’s a functional place,” she said. Good Earth Coffee , which opened in October 2017, identifies with being a green coffee shop providing organic and fair-trade coffee that comes from different regions of the world. Currently, they are serving decaf Mayan and regular organic Guatemalan cof- fee. “I’m always thinking of environmental friendliness and cleanliness,” said O’Connor. Some perks this coffee shop offers their customers are Military discounts and Own Cup discount. They have a loyalty program that customers can sign up for towards FREE coffee. The baristas in the coffee shop are very friendly and pleasant and are excellent with customers, according to O’Connor. They also bring much experience to the coffee shop, this includes being able to pull a good shot of espresso. “We have a semi-automatic machine which still involves manual skills. It’s an artsy way of making coffee,” said O’Connor. The coffee shop offers more than just wonderful coffee. They also have little bites, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Also avail- able are healthy juices. The breakfast options are sandwiches with organic egg patties with choices of bacon or ham, Swiss or Cheddar on brioche bread or croissant. O’Connor said their spicy breakfast wraps are a big hit. A couple of specialty coffees on their menu are Nitro Brew and the Matcha Green Tea Latte. The Nitro Brew (nitrogen infused coffee) tastes less acidic and less bitter and is described as a smooth, coffee treat that goes down quickly. Matcha green tea is unique to Japan and is used in tea ceremonies for hun- dreds of years. It is energizing and has mood- boosting effects. The atmosphere at Good Earth Coffee goes along with the simple, clean beverage. It is modern rustic, light and airy. There is Wi-Fi available along with books and games for the children. The coffee house gets traffic from nearby businesses, families who drop off their children to neighboring schools, and the growing number of regulars who stop by before, between and after work. There’s good vibes and energy in the coffee shop according to O’Connor. To add to the energy, they adjust their music to suit the mood of the day. The music ranges from acoustic to today’s hits. “It’s a cozy and different atmosphere – calm,” said O’Connor. “That’s what people have been telling me.” O’Connor designed the place herself – “It was very rewarding. I can give myself a pat. It’s simple, clean and bright.” She said she is self- taught and also brings other skills besides cof- fee making to the business such as photogra- phy. Pictures taken by her will be on the walls of the shop soon. She also has artwork dis- played that is painted by one of her daughters. O’Connor said that people have used the coffee shop for different things like photo- shoots, and birthdays and have been asked to use the place after hours for workshops and lectures. She continued to say the coffee shop would like to have more events like book readings or other small events to offer their customers in the future. Good Earth Coffee sells their own gift cards and plans to sell custom coffee mugs in the next month or so. They also plan on hav- ing their own blend (a one pound ground cof- fee) to offer their customers. In addition to this, they are active on Instagram and Facebook. They plan on put- ting up a detailed website soon that offers customers the option of ordering right online. “Eventually, we’d like to get an app,” said O’Connor. Currently, customers may place orders by phone. O’Connor stresses the importance of cus- tomer satisfaction. “I always tell my team that nobody should leave this place dissatisfied. We do our best to make sure that customers leave happy and satisfied, and they will come back to see us again. That is our aim every day.” 35 US Route 202 • Far Hills, NJ 07931 908-375-8725 A brand new artisan coffee shop that opened in Far Hills Plaza offering delicious organic, fair trade coffee and some small bites in a clean, modern rustic setting.