May welcomes the celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and in New Jersey, there are dozens of AAPI businesses, creators, and organizations to love. In honor of AAPI Month, we teamed up with Filipina entrepreneur, mother, creator, and native New Jerseyan, Karen Cayetano Leano (who locals may know as @parisandalatte), for a full-on takeover to tour some of her favorite AAPI-owned businesses in Northern New Jersey. Read on to learn more about Karen and her favorite spots to support, and head to @themontclairgirl on Instagram for more.

Photo Credit: Karen Cayetano Leano

About Karen Cayetano Leano

Before Karen was born in Livingston, New Jersey, her parents emigrated from the Philippines and worked in healthcare. Her mom was a psychiatrist, and her dad was a nurse, both with strong values rooted in helping others. Karen’s family exemplified the importance of keeping loved ones close and treating others with kindness and respect, which is an important part of  her Filipino culture. Karen shared with The Montclair Girl that “Filipinos are hardworking, family-centered, and collective. We’re open, helpful, and easygoing. That shaped who I am, and I see those values passed down to my own kids.” One of her proudest moments was when her son Gabe received his school’s “Caring Student” award, an honor given to only one student across the entire school. “To me, it felt like he won a Grammy,” Karen said.

Photo Credit: Karen Cayetano Leano

As a mother of two, Karen continues to share her strong Filipino values with her children while continuously living out these values in her life as well. During Karen’s early days of motherhood, she noticed she didn't feel quite like herself and felt like she needed to make space for herself to create. That’s when Karen’s brand @parisandalatte was born.

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What started as a simple avenue to share styling tips on social media, she began to share more about lifestyle and the daily experiences of motherhood, eventually growing a supportive audience of like-minded people from all over the globe. As @parisandalatte grew, Karen’s passion for supporting others (especially small businesses) began to form into a life of its own. During the pandemic, this experience even led her to launch Karen Leano Creative, a social media agency that helps entrepreneurs fine-tune their content to share their stories and connect authentically with their audiences.

As Karen reflects on her entrepreneurial journey, she can’t help but give a sentimental nod to her family, especially her dad, who used to run a boutique out of their home’s basement when Karen was just five years old. Karen shared, “I loved going with him to shop for clothes at the wholesalers. I loved watching what people were buying and how good they felt when they left our ‘store.’ Not only did I get my love of fashion from him, but I got his entrepreneurial spirit.” Following suit, Karen and her sisters even began a handmade statement jewelry line called Cayetano Legacy in honor of their family roots. Karen’s past experience working in production at Tommy Hilfiger gave her niche insight into this field as she and her sisters built the business.

Now, Karen currently resides in Sussex County, New Jersey, where she appreciates being surrounded by stunning lakes, hiking trails, local farms, floral stands, and unbeatable nature that allows her to romanticize her life every day and feel gratitude for her home state.

To keep up with Karen, be sure to keep up with her via Instagram on her pages: @parisandalatte + @karenleanocreative.

Karen’s Favorite AAPI Businesses

When it comes to great food, Karen knows how to uncover some of the best spots around. Growing up Filipino, Karen shared that two things were integral to her culture: family and food. Adding that some of her favorite comfort foods were lumpia (egg rolls) and pancit (noodles). Karen went on a local food tour in Essex and Sussex counties to share some of her favorite AAPI-owned foodie businesses. And while Karen had a TON of favorites, here are three stand-outs that landed a spot on her list.

LiBre Dessert Cafe | 3339 NJ-94, Hamburg

Photo Credit: Karen Cayetano Leano

KCL: “I had to represent my beautiful Sussex County. This new French/Korean fusion dessert cafe has a stunning interior with equally beautiful desserts. The owner traveled back and forth from South Korea with her head pastry chef to learn from the best French and Korean chefs in the world.  My absolute favorite thing from here is the box cakes. They are literally art in a box. These beautiful, clear acrylic boxes with different flavors of fruit-infused cakes with a light icing. They are decorated with flowers made out of icing. Almost too pretty to eat.”

Kafe de Manila | 120 West Main Street Suite B, Somerville

Photo Credit: Karen Cayetano Leano

KCL: “This is a Filipino coffee and dessert cafe, and I’m so in love. They specialize in ube-flavored desserts (ube is a purple yam). You’ve probably heard of it because it was trending over the past few years, but Filipinos were ahead of the game with this flavor. We grew up with it. We make it into a puree-type texture and add it to different cakes and bread. But at Kafe de Manila, you can find it in coffee, crinkle cookies, tres leches cakes, flan, and my personal favorite, the ube almond croissant. It's fitting that the decor has purple throughout. This definitely brings back nostalgic feelings to watching my mom stir the ube puree in a saucepan on the stove.”

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Vesta Chocolate | 598 Valley Road Suite 2, Montclair

Photo Credit: Karen Cayetano Leano

KCL: “Vesta Chocolates is owned by a husband and wife duo. They are both pastry chefs, and Julia, the owner, is now a food stylist. It's so inspiring listening to people's stories and hearing their passion for their business. What sets Vesta apart from other chocolatiers is that they make their own chocolate. Many chocolate shops use confectionery chocolate already made. Julia and her husband make their chocolate from scratch from cacao found all over the world. If you go there, their mocha latte is a must-try because it uses their chocolate, AND the mango cheesecake is so smooth and creamy. I think it's my favorite by far. The store vibe is also so intriguing, as it used to be a bank back in the day, so the vault is a main attraction as soon as you enter the store.”