New Jersey’s bustling food scene offers a range of experiences and cuisine types, and Garden State foodies have proven to be an enthusiastic crowd, eager to try the new and the now. Restaurateurs have answered that call by upping the ante at their establishments with thoughtfully crafted dining experiences that pair spirits, wines and beer with elevated menus and themed packages for a highly curated evening.
“I did these kinds of dinners for years at the casinos,” says Sal Spena, a hospitality pro with food-and-beverage chops earned in Atlantic City venues. “People love them—and for me, it’s a chance to step out of the box and showcase what I can do from a culinary and cocktail side.” Spena, a partner at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, launched a dinner series this year at the casual restaurant that takes on a more refined air for these events. So far, he’s hosted whiskey and champagne dinners, and most recently, a Cakebread Cellars wine dinner; all sold out.
These experience typically feature off-menu, elevated dishes; sommelier-paired beverage selections, often highlighting a brand or a particular region; and intimate settings tailored to create more than just a dinner out. The social aspect is part of the fun. At Tennessee, “a core group of attendees has already started to form,” Spena says.
Guests enjoying a wine dinner at Halifax in Hoboken. Photo: Courtesy of Halifax
At Hoboken’s Halifax, there are monthly, chef-driven, ticketed dinners, says general manager Weng Lee. “Each spotlights a single theme, whether its a pairing, a seasonal ingredient, or a story drawn from our farmers and fishers.”
Costs vary widely, and most dinners are reservation-only, with limited seating.
UPCOMING SPECIALTY DINNERS:
♦ The Virginia Hotel, Cape May
A Wild Game dinner on November 20 will feature chef Jason Hanin’s take on game cuisine. Reservations required; limited to 18 seats. For more information on this and other dinner series events here, visit caperesorts.com.
♦ Spuntino Wine Bar and Italian Tapas, Clifton
Wine events from 5-course dinners to tastings. Visit spuntinowinebar.com.
