Back in October, we reported that Touch the Heart, a BYOB dim sum restaurant on Washington Street, officially closed its doors nearly two years after opening. In its place comes an NYC-based vegan burger joint called Jerrell’s Betr Brgr. HG just got word that the plant-based patty post is slated to open its Hoboken location later this month — pending approval from the Hoboken Fire Department — despite Touch the Heart signage remaining at the storefront. This new spot will offer a slew of vegan burgers, shakes, fries, and other late-night bites. Read on for what we know about Jerrell’s Betr Brgr and its arrival at 324 Washington Street in Hoboken.
Behind The Brgr
According to its website, Jerrell’s Betr Brgr “isn’t about being perfect” — in fact, the man behind the meatless menu isn’t fully vegan. With sustainability in mind, Jerrell Obee wanted to offer up a burger option that made customers feel good about themselves + their planet. “Turns out that replacing just a few meals a week with plant-based alternatives does worlds for the world,” Jerrell says on the site. “Hence the birth of something BETR.”
Jerrell’s Betr Brgr opened in NYC back in 2021 at 117 Sixth Avenue. With a colorful, old-school diner feel, the NYC outpost is a physical representation of the brand’s core mission — a funky twist on something classic. Since its opening, the brand has amassed something of a cult following, having 11.5k followers on TikTok and 12.7k on Instagram. Now, Jerrell + his team are journeying across the Hudson to open the brand’s second-ever outpost, right here in Hoboken.
Read More: After Delays, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop Set to Open in Hoboken This February
What to Expect
Jerrell shared with HG that the vegan burger restaurant hopes to be up + running at 324 Washington Street in late February, pending the permit from the Hoboken Fire Department. While Touch the Heart Signage is still up at the location and the windows are still covered, Jerrell said that the team is aiming to open up shop in the third week of February.
As for why Jerrell chose Hoboken, his former job left him very connected to the area.
“I used to be the managing director for NY Waterway,” Jerrell told HG. “Hoboken Terminal was one of my terminals, so I became really familiar with Hoboken and Washington Street. I’m so happy to come back to my Jersey roots. I’m super excited to be here — and I can’t wait to service the area.”
Though the team was originally looking at Brooklyn or Queens for its next move, Hoboken felt like the right home for the second location — and Jerrell’s Btr Brgr will likely be expanding to other NYC boroughs in the future.
The Hoboken restaurant will have the exact same menu as the Soho location, according to Jerrell. This means guests can expect to see burgers like Lil’ Betr, which is served with an impossible patty, vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, pickles, + Jerrell’s special sauce. There’s also an option to add vegan bacon to the burgers (because everything is better with bacon). Everything on the menu is plant-based, dairy-free, and totally vegan. With oat milk shakes and vegan soft serve, this spot sure sounds like the ultimate vegan comfort food experience — and we can’t wait to try it out.
See More: Coffee and Cornbread: Comfort Food With a Full Vegan Menu in Montclair
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