Jersey City is the second-most populous city in New Jersey, surpassed only by Newark. With about 255,000 residents to cater to, and hundreds of daily visitors from NYC and Hudson County, Jersey City has been hard at work expanding its offerings of new, must-visit venues, restaurants and shops. We’ve rounded up some of the newest Jersey City shopping, dining and entertainment destinations we’re most excited to check out this fall.

At Newport Centre Mall, retail stores Cacique and G Star Raw, as well as restaurants Panera Bread and Pota-topia are currently under construction.

G Star Raw, made famous by super-star curator Pharrell Williams, takes Going Green to the next level by recycling ocean plastic and turning it into raw denim.  The new Jersey City storefront, right in Newport, is set to open in early October. 

 Pota-topia will offer potatoes in every shape and size and all the toppings you can imagine. You name it, they’ll have it: baked potatoes, french fries, mashed potatoes, potato chips….plus bacon, sour cream, cheddar cheese (you get the idea). This place is HEAVEN for potato lovers and is part of the Jersey City mall’s new food court, which will open this month.

 Need to satisfy your sweet tooth after all those carbs? Check out the area’s fan-favorite organic ice cream and dessert spot, Milk Sugar Love, at its brand-new storefront not too far from the mall at 19 McWilliams Place, Jersey City. Milk Sugar Love is famous for off-the-beaten-path flavors like Sour Cream Blueberry, Beetsicle and Honey Corncake.    

 And afterhours, the newest place to be is Tres Cuartos, a new and improved Jersey City bar and restaurant. The old Laguna Lounge on 1007 Summit Ave. was approached this summer by Jon Taffer from Spike TV’s Bar Rescue, which made the bar over into an authentic Puerto Rican destination for drinks, eats and a piece of San Juan. Bar owner, Ivan Arroyo, told the Jersey Journal, “I didn’t believe it at first, I thought it was a joke and so I gave the phone to my son.”