Another small business in one of the state’s top food towns has called it quits.
Baonanas started as a pop-up but eventually opened a brick-and-mortar location in Jersey City — claiming to be the first banana pudding restaurant in the world, offering more than 33 rotating flavors of the classic dessert including ube, matcha, s’mores and coquito.
But owners Lloyd Ortuoste and Trisha Villanueva recently posted a statement to the shop’s website announcing its closure.
“After 11.5 unforgettable years, Baonanas’ chapter as the world’s first banana pudding scoop shop has come to a close,” the opening of the statement read.
The lengthy statement detailed how the owners took pride in opening the shop in Jersey City’s McGinley Square, not far from where they grew up, and how at one point the business had locations in Jersey City’s Harborside Financial Center and New York’s East Village. Both had previously closed.
Lloyd Ortuoste, owner of Baonanas in Jersey City, NJ. (Photography by Lloyd Ortuoste)
The shop, a contemporary example of Jersey City’s rich Filipino culture, was beloved in town and beyond — serving celebrities like Bella Hadid, Tyler the Creator, and Waka Flocka Flame.
The couple specified in the statement that Baonanas wasn’t closing because of a lack of business, and that their clientele was actually growing.
Banana pudding from Baonanas in Jersey City, NJ (Lauren Musni |
NJ.com)Lauren Musni
“But the reality of running a small food business in today’s economy is unforgiving,” the statement said. “Rising ingredient costs, inflation, tariffs, and razor-thin margins made it increasingly difficult to operate sustainably, even after countless pivots and difficult decisions.”
Ortuoste told NJ.com that while he was proud of what he built with Baonanas, life steered him into a different direction.
“Life is all about finding your purpose and protecting your peace,” Ortuoste said. “There was a season when Baonanas gave me both. Over time, that changed.”
Ortuoste is stepping into a new chapter as a sales manager and hospitality consultant in the city while still mentoring fellow food and Jersey City entrepreneurs. Villanueva will continue her work as a labor and employment attorney.
The shutdown of Baonanas is the latest closure in Jersey City. Barcade, Miso Ramen, Miss America Diner and more have shuttered in the past year.