DIANA COOPER | THE HOBOKEN GIRL
Cafe Alyce has taken over the former spot of Medical Center Luncheonette at 641 Montgomery Street in Jersey City. Founded by the same owners of Hooked JC, Cafe Alyce was something that has been in the works since before Hooked JC even began in 2017. Still in its soft opening stages since opening at the end of July, the new breakfast and lunch restaurant will eventually become something even bigger — and Hoboken Girl has the scoop.
How Cafe Alyce Came About
Natalie Miniard, a co-owner of Cafe Alyce, had initially come across 641 Montgomery Street upon meeting Tommy and Sia, the original owners of Medical Center Luncheonette for 60 years. Miniard, a Realtor with Triplemint who has resided in Jersey City for the last 25 years, has been eyeing the spot as a place to do business. Around the same time, she reconnected with a pal from junior high school, Tory Aunspach, and introduced him to the location. Aunspach, formerly a private chef for mega yachts, immediately saw the potential of opening a cafe and moved to Jersey City five years ago.
After waiting until the owners were ready to sell the Luncheonette, Aunspach and Miniard launched Hooked JC, a seafood shack turned ghost kitchen. There, they prepared meals for four different kitchens: Hooked JC, Comfort Cookery, Lit Burger, and Green Things.
