MORRIS PLAINS, NJ – A decade-long food journey built on Italian tradition and local ingredients is about to get a home base in Morris Township.
Jersey Artisan Café, a new Southern Italian–inspired “espresso bar” concept, will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, December 13, at 14 Burnham Road (Morris Plains mailing address) with doors opening at 10:00 a.m. and a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:00 a.m.
The café, operated by Jersey Artisan Co., aims to recreate the feel of a Southern Italian “bar” — not a nightlife spot, but a daytime social hub where neighbors gather for coffee, breakfast, lunch, and specialty items in a lively, casual setting. The menu will feature artisan coffee, house-made gelato, breakfast and lunch options, along with the company’s signature cheeses and breads.
Jersey Artisan Co. was officially founded in 2023, but the roots of the business stretch back more than ten years, when founder Salvatore Pisani began his cheesemaking career at dairy farms in Sussex County.
Pisani gradually expanded his craft to focus on Italian-style cheeses and naturally leavened sourdough breads, using traditional techniques and locally sourced ingredients — including milk from Spring Run Dairy and flour from River Valley Community Grains. Those products soon found an audience at area farmers markets and on menus at well-known New Jersey and New York City restaurants such as Summit House and Morris Proper.
The opening of the café brings the business full circle for Pisani, who grew up in the neighborhood.
“This café is a special part of our growth; it’s our way to share these seasonal, healthy food products with the community,” Pisani said. “We are proud to serve delicious coffee, breakfast and lunch options, exceptional house-made gelato, and, of course, the artisan cheese and bread crafted by our team.”
Pisani credits his parents, Rocco and Liz Pisani, with keeping alive the food traditions Rocco brought from Calabria, Italy — traditions that helped shape the café’s concept and offerings.
The café’s production team includes Lead Cheesemaker Abbie Bannon, Lead Baker Natalie Leto-Ryan, and Coffee Lead Sumaria Sarran, who together will oversee the cheese, bread and coffee programs.