Ridgewood is nice but very much a family town, so if you didn't like Morristown's nightlife you probably won't like Ridgewood's either. Montclair, Jersey City, and Hoboken are probably the best spots for night life in North Jersey, albeit pushing the 45 minute commute limit you mentioned.

Not in North Jersey, but some of the best beans I’ve ever had are from Barrington Coffee in Boston. They roast fresh batches weekly and they ship quickly when you order online. Their monsooned Malabar is out of this world