For fans of scenic dining along the Hoboken waterfront overlooking New York City, a change is coming to a community favorite. Pasta entrees and wood-fired pizzas could turn into coffee and sandwiches, according to a new lease agreement with the City of Hoboken that was approved Wednesday, August 21st. Blue Eyes, located at 525 Sinatra Drive in Hoboken, will switch gears from an Italian eatery to a casual cafe. Here’s more information about the changes coming to Blue Eyes in Hoboken, New Jersey.
About Blue Eyes
Blue Eyes is an Italian eatery that has been operating on Hoboken’s waterfront since 2015. For over a decade, the menu at Blue Eyes has consisted of wood-fired pizzas, pastas, appetizers, paninis, desserts, and gelato. The name, of course, was inspired by Frank Sinatra and his strong connections to Hoboken — though the owner, Alessandro, is originally from Italy. One of the main draws of Blue Eyes is the incredible view of New York City, as well as its Italian dishes. It became a favorite in the community with Hoboken Girl readers voting Blue Eyes as “Best Restaurant with a View” in 2023 and 2022.
Not only can residents and visitors enjoy those views of New York City from Sinatra Park, but the City also hosts several events throughout the year at the park. This summer, several concerts were held there as part of the Concerts In The Park series with local musicians and nods to music culture in Hoboken. Plus, there’s a large soccer field for people to enjoy playing sports like soccer and volleyball.
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New Lease Proposal
The City of Hoboken owns Sinatra Park, which is located at 401 Sinatra Drive, where the Blue Eyes building is also located. The building’s lease for the space was up for renewal, which Hoboken City Council unanimously approved during a meeting on August 21st, 2024. The proposal includes several meaningful changes for Blue Eyes, including an expanded patio and menu options to bring the restaurant into compliance with the state’s Green Acres program.
The Green Acres Program was created in 1961 to meet New Jersey’s growing conservation and recreation needs. The goal is to preserve the state’s natural, historic, and cultural heritage. As of June 2022, the program has protected over 680,000 acres of open space and parkland. Plus, it funded over 1,200 park development projects across New Jersey, including Sinatra Park and several other acres of park space in Hoboken. Now, the total preserved open space in the state has reached 1,626,108 acres.
For a business to comply with the Green Acres program, it must provide services to all visitors and not be a destination unto itself. The City has acknowledged that Blue Eyes’ current business model does not comply with the Green Acres program, per NJ.com. Part of the proposal to extend Blue Eyes’ lease will see the restaurant expand its menu and patio to include grab-and-go items and non-alcoholic drinks with the goal of having the restaurant’s offerings more accessible to all park visitors.
“The city expects that the new lease will provide a much needed food service to the users of Sinatra Park and Hoboken’s busy waterfront parkland while adhering to Green Acres regulations, and looks forward to continued cooperation with the lessee,” City officials said in a letter to the City Council.
Because the restaurant won’t have table service, only grab-and-go, all tables will be open to all park users. It also allows the building to host community events with the City’s approval or request, but does not allow the cafe to host private events. When it comes to alcoholic drinks, Blue Eyes will need to get a special concessionaire permit for beer and wine from the State Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Department of Law + Public Safety. These changes will take effect on November 15th, 2024 and the lease will be for five more years.
Another element of the lease extension proposal is that the restaurant must complete “improvements and renovations” totaling $500,000 over the five-year period.
“The City expects that the new lease will provide a much needed food service to the users of Sinatra Park and Hoboken’s busy waterfront parkland while adhering to Green Acres regulations,” according to a memo to City Council from Jennifer Gonzalez, Director of Climate Action + Innovation, and Cathleen Wolf, Principal Planner, Community Development.
If Blue Eyes wants to make any improvements or changes to the cafe building going forward, it would be subject to approval by the Hoboken Directors of Parks, Recreation, and Public Works, and Climate Action + Innovation. Plus, it would require a review and approval from the Green Acres Program.
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The Hoboken Girl reached out to the owners of Blue Eyes and will update this piece with any additional comments.
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by Erin Lanahan
Erin Lanahan
Two Hoboken firefighters have come together to re-open an Italian-style cafe in Hoboken. The New Jersey natives have taken over the Italian eatery and coffee shop — Green Pear Cafe — in Hoboken and reopened it as The Pear Hoboken. The space at 93 Grand Street had been closed for a short time, but is now open in 2025 with an updated vibe, thanks to two first responders with a passion for good food. Here’s the scoop on how this transfer in ownership came to be, and what to expect at The Pear Hoboken — which is now open to the public as of February 2025.
The Background
Green Pear Cafe started as a family-run restaurant back in 2015. Isabella and Alfredo ran the kitchen while their children helped by waiting tables. The BYOB spot was a Hoboken favorite with its tasty lunch menu and adorable outdoor seating.
Mike Forcum, a Hoboken native, and Dominick Casolaro, a Jersey native, both served as firefighters in Hoboken for over a decade. Throughout their time as firemen, they would grab their coffees at Green Pear on the same day. That’s where they became friendly with owners Isabella and Alfredo, and also realized they both were drinking Green Pear coffee.
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While their careers as firefighters were a priority, Mike and Dominick knew their way around a kitchen. Mike went to culinary school and spent a lot of his time working in delis, including Andrea Salumeria at 247 Central Avenue in Jersey City. Dominick owns several restaurants around New Jersey, including Primavera in West Orange.
They kept in touch with Alfredo over the years. So when Alfredo said he was looking to sell his place, Dominick jumped at the opportunity to take over.
“We didn’t particularly choose the Green Pear — we had a relationship with the previous owners, got to talking with him, and he mentioned that he might be looking to move on from this,” Dominick previously shared with The Hoboken Girl. “Mike and I used to come in here, and we just thought it was a great opportunity for us, one that doesn’t always come around in Hoboken.”
As it turns out, this is a full-circle moment for the pair of friends. “It’s somewhat fitting because we came in when Alfredo and Isabella opened up, and we loved the place from the beginning and it turns out 10 years later, we’re actually taking it over.”
The Next Step
While the Green Pear Cafe now has new owners, much of the space is the same. For the menu, Dominick previously told HG the coffee options would stay the same but they might sell special lattes and other seasonal drinks throughout the year. When it comes to food, he says the breakfast menu has largely remained the same. There are also more breakfast sandwiches — good news for BEC fans — and most of the omelets on the menu are the same.
When it comes to lunchtime, the owners say they wanted to elevate the menu while focusing on local ingredients. Diners can order the typical Italian deli fare, from chicken cutlet sandwiches, and meatball subs, to soups of the day and pastas to go. Because every meal should include a sweet treat, the duo also sells fresh tiramisu and cheesecake on the dessert menu.
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Though some upgrades are imminent, Green Pear’s identity largely remains the same. “We like the name, and we talked about that [with Alfredo] even before we owned it… I thought it was kinda a good omen to keep it,” Dominick shared. “And it’s nice and cute!” Mike chimed in.
The goal was to open the Green Pear Cafe in January — and now, The Pear Hoboken is officially open on Grand Street as of February 2025. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 7AM-3PM, and Saturday + Sunday from 8AM-3PM.
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