
Don’t want to spend the holiday in the kitchen? Let these local eateries do the cooking!
NORTH JERSEY
1776 Morristown, Morristown
There will be a Winter Wonderland Brunch on December 21 (11 am-3 pm), and a three-course prix-fixe feast on Christmas Day (1-8 pm; $95 per adult; $45 per child 10 and under). Enjoy such offerings as dry-aged New York strip steak, clothesline bacon and white-chocolate cheesecake. Reservations are recommended.
67 East Park Place; 973-829-1776
87 Sussex, Jersey City
Chef Brian Walter is putting together a four-course tasting menu ($85) for Christmas Eve, ranging from appetizers like escargot wontons to entrées like stuffed quail and pappardelle cacciatore. If you’d prefer a dinner to the tasting menu, specials include roast venison medallion, salmon en croûte, and milk and cookies (spiked eggnog and macaroons). Dinner will be served from 4 to 8 pm; reservations can be made through OpenTable.
87 Sussex Street; 551-256-7864
Benares, Wyckoff
Benares is open on Christmas Eve for dine-in meals and takeout orders. Vegan and vegetarian options abound.
327 Franklin Avenue; 201-904-2222
Blu on the Hudson, Weehawken
Enjoy a lovely Christmas meal with a view of the glittering New York City skyline. Blu on the Hudson is serving a three-course prix-fixe menu for Christmas Eve ($74 per person) and Christmas Day ($84 per person), offering options like a nori taco trio, truffle-ricotta agnolotti, filet mignon and carrot cake with butterscotch sauce. Christmas Eve dinner will be served from 3 to 9 pm; Christmas Day dinner will be served 1 to 9 pm.
1200 Harbor Boulevard; 201-636-1200
Brothers Smokehouse BBQ & Soul, Ramsey
Order a massive Southern feast of your choosing for Christmas Eve. Holiday packages include smoked or fried turkey, prime rib and Christmas ham, each served with two half trays of sides, mashed or roasted potatoes, and pie for dessert.
900 NJ-17 suite 2; 551-264-9073
Felina, Ridgewood
Enjoy a taste of Sicily this Christmas Eve with a three-course meal at Felina. The holiday menu includes an antipasti starter followed by a main course and dessert. Dinner is served between 3 and 9 pm. The cost is $85+ for adults; there’s a separate $30+ menu for children 12 and under. Reservations can be made online.
18 Prospect Street; 551-276-5454
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The Fox & Falcon by David Burke, South Orange
This restaurant, now run by celebrity chef David Burke, is serving a three-course prix-fixe Christmas Day feast for $75 per person, which will be offered from noon-6 pm. Reservations are suggested.
19 Valley Street; 973-419-6773
Halifax, Hoboken
Enjoy some holiday time in Hoboken with Halifax’s three-course, prix-fixe menu for Christmas Eve dinner. Appetizers include choices between New England-style clam chowder or smoked salmon rillettes, entrées like halibut or braised venison osso buco, plus an eggnog Yule log or peppermint mocha tart for dessert. Served from 5 to 9:30 pm, the dinner is priced from $72 to $109 per customer. Make reservations online or via phone.
225 River Street; 201-253-2500
The Hudson Rose, Nutley
The Hudson Rose in Nutley is open on Christmas Eve for a Feast of the Seven Fishes, offering seafood dishes like insalata del mare and grilled branzino. Meals will be $65 per person; an a la carte menu will also be available.
238 Franklin Avenue; 973-542-2005
Moghul, Edison
Moghul, which serves fine Indian cuisine, is open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for lunch and dinner.
1655 Oak Tree Road; 732-549-5050
Mohawk House, Sparta
Mohawk House is serving its winter menu a la carte on Christmas Eve from 3-8 pm and Christmas Day from 1-6 pm. Dinner items include chestnut soup, Caesar salad, yellowfin tuna ceviche, crispy pork belly, bison short ribs, oysters, dry-aged steaks and more. Reservations are currently limited to groups of four or fewer.
1 Mohawk Lane; 973-729-6464
Redwoods, Chester
The Christmas Dinner Express at Redwoods features two entrée meal options of Black Forest ham ($219.99) and prime rib ($349.99), with the option to add on several appetizers and desserts. Orders must be placed by December 19 at 4 pm, and can be picked up on Christmas Eve between noon-5 pm.
459 Main Street; 908-879-7909
Samba, Montclair
Samba is open on Christmas Eve for brunch (noon-3 pm) and dinner (5-7:45 pm), offering its regular Brazilian-inspired menu items such as skirt steak, a Caprese salad appetizer and pulled pork sliders.
7 Park Street; 973-744-6764
Sátis Bistro, Jersey City
Located near the Jersey City waterfront, Sátis Bistro will be cooking up several delectable options for families to enjoy on Christmas Eve, courtesy of chef Alex Diaz. Appetizers include oysters Rockefeller and bruschetta di parma, while main dishes range from lobster tagliatelle to prime New York strip, available between 4 and 8 pm.
212 Washington Street; 201-435-5151
Sofia, Englewood
Named after the Oscar-winning Italian actress Sophia Loren, this restaurant is open Christmas Day, serving Christmas brunch alongside its all-day menu from 11:30 am to 3 pm.
36 Engle Street; 201-541-8530
Spring House, Tenafly
Spring House has multiple specials prepared for Christmas Eve dinner alongside its standard a la carte menu. These items include foie gras, mushroom and truffle risotto, and deconstructed beef Wellington, as well as a Christmas Eve cocktail special. The restaurant will open for the holiday between 4:30 and 9:15 pm.
Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, Clifton
In the Italian American culinary tradition, Spuntino is offering a Feast of the Seven Fishes from now until Christmas Eve. Enjoy offerings such as smoked salmon bruschetta, crispy octopus, garlic shrimp and fritto misto.
70 Kingsland Road, Clifton; 973-661-2435
Summit House, Summit
Summit House is offering an a la carte menu and Christmas specials on Christmas Eve. Reservations can be made online.
395 Springfield Avenue; 908-273-6000
Ventanas, Fort Lee
This Latin-Asian fusion restaurant, located right by the George Washington Bridge, is offering an a la carte Christmas Eve menu, plus Christmas Day a la carte brunch and dinner menus. Meals on both days run from 1 to 8:15 pm.
200 Park Avenue; 201-583-4777
CENTRAL JERSEY
Drifthouse by David Burke, Sea Bright
Drifthouse is offering a Christmas Eve prix-fixe dinner from noon to 8 pm. It’s three courses for adults ($105) and two courses for children 12 and under ($35), offering holiday options like prime filet tartare, branzino with pasta and eggnog panna cotta.
1485 Ocean Avenue; 732-530-9760
Eno Terra, Kingston
This homey, rustic restaurant is offering a Christmas Eve menu featuring lobster bisque, Italian beef meatballs, ricotta gnocchi, roasted salmon and more.
4484 NJ-27; 609-497-1777
The GOAT by David Burke, Union Beach
The GOAT, which earned a three-star review from New Jersey Monthly, is offering a Christmas Eve a la carte dinner menu from 4 to 8 pm. And on Christmas Day, there will be a three-course prix-fixe menu ($58 per adult; $25 for children 12 and under) from noon to 8 pm, with dishes like roasted winter squash soup, prime rib and chicken scarpariello. Reservations are suggested.
1411 Route 36; 732-264-5222
Orchard Park by David Burke, East Brunswick
On Christmas Eve, this restaurant is offering an a la carte menu with specials from 3 to 9 pm. On Christmas Day, there will be a three-course prix-fixe feast ($98 per adult; $55 for children 12 and under) from 11 am to 8 pm. Reservations are suggested.
670 Cranbury Road; 732-554-5714
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The Pluckemin Inn, Bedminster
A special Christmas Eve prix-fixe menu ($94 per person) will offer customers a choice of three courses, featuring items such as white balsamic lentil soup, duck confit, suckling pig and butterscotch budino. The dinner will be offered from 4-8 pm.
359 Route 206 South & Pluckemin Way; 908-658-9292
Red Horse by David Burke, Rumson
The restaurant is offering an a la carte menu on Christmas Eve from 4 to 9 pm, and a three-course prix-fixe feast on Christmas Day from noon to 8 pm. The latter is $95 per adult and $45 for children 12 and under.
26 Ridge Road; 732-576-3400
Red Horse by David Burke at the Bernards Inn, Bernardsville
On Christmas Eve, the restaurant will be serving an a la carte dinner menu from 5 to 9 pm. On Christmas Day, there will be a three-course prix-fixe meal ($95 per person) from noon to 7 pm.
27 Minebrook Road; 908-766-0002
Ryland Inn, Whitehouse Station
Situated on a former country estate built in 1796, Ryland Inn is hosting a prix-fixe Christmas Eve dinner at its Landmark Tavern. Treat yourself to smoked salmon toast, chestnut-stuffed cornish game hen or lemon sole with sweet potato purée. End the night with a poached pear or candy-cane crème brûlée. The cost is $85+ for adults and $30+ for children 12 and under.
115 Old Highway 28; 908-534-4011
SOUTH JERSEY
Cardinal, Atlantic City
This eatery is offering a $40 three-course prix-fixe menu through December 29. Menu items include duck wings, ricotta gnocchi and flourless chocolate cake. It’s served from 4 to 10 pm.
201 South New York Avenue; 609-246-6670
Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, Atlantic City
A four-course prix-fixe menu will be offered for Christmas dinner. Enjoy a selection of baked clam Florentine with tomato hollandaise, roasted branzino with fennel citrus salad and fingerling potatoes, plum pudding with orange-scented brandy sauce and more ($105 per customer). An optional sommeliers’ wine paring will also be available for $65.
1000 Boardwalk; 609-449-1000
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Il Mulino New York, Atlantic City
Located at the Hard Rock, Il Mulino is offering a four-course, prix-fixe Feast of the Seven Fishes this Christmas Eve ($120 per person). Dishes include frittura di pesce, paccheri, black linguine, red snapper livornese and panettone.
1000 Boardwalk; 609-449-6006
Il Verdi, Atlantic City
Head to AC’s Tropicana for Christmas Eve for an Italian American Feast of the Seven Fishes, featuring fried calamari, rigatoni Bolognese and more. The five-course prix-fixe meal is $84.99 per person.
2831 Boardwalk; 609-340-4000
Linguini by the Sea, Atlantic City
The restaurant’s Winter Wonderland event at Ocean Casino Resort is serving up holiday dishes and cocktails this Christmas Eve. Menu items include rigatoni al pomodoro, cioppino with clams, osso buco and chicken saltimbocca, plus either panettone bread pudding or tiramisu for dessert. This seasonal menu will be available through December 30.
Nunzio by Chef Michael DeLone, Collingswood
Nunzio is serving a family-style, multi-course Feast of the Seven Fishes from December 18 through Christmas Eve this year ($85 per person). Choose from two menus—the seafood-forward option includes salt cod fritters, strozzapreti and cioppino; the meat option includes burrata with prosciutto, gnocchi and beef brasato.
706 Haddon Avenue; 856-858-9840
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