A Host of Holiday Food & Drink Events

A free Thanksgiving dinner, holiday wine trail, Burgundy wine dinner and more.

Photo courtesy of Pexels

Free Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner For Those in Need at Adelphia Restaurant
Wednesday, November 27, 1–4pm

Adelphia Restaurant is open on Thanksgiving (and taking reservations for family-style dinners from 11am to 9pm), but it’s the day before Thanksgiving that we’re interested in here. For a few years now, cousins and owners Bill and Evelyn Balis have offered a free Thanksgiving meal the day before the holiday to those in need of a meal and those without someone to celebrate with the following day. And as they announced on Instagram a few days ago, they’re doing it again this year. Adelphia expects to serve anywhere between 50 to 100 Gloucester County residents, and beyond the bird, the menu includes holiday staples like stuffing, roasted vegetables and pumpkin pie. Deptford mayor Paul Medany will be on hand to do some of the serving. Those interested in attending can call the restaurant, although no advance reservation is required. Adelphia Restaurant, 1750 Clements Bridge Road, Deptford; 856-845-8200

Burgundy Wine Dinner at Blue Morel
Friday, December 6, 7pm

If you have $176 dollars of flex in your holiday budget and you want to start December dining off with a bang, book a spot at this Burgundy wine dinner at Blue Morel. Chef Dennis Mathews is doing four courses and sommelier Angela DeLuca of Martine’s Wines (wine importers based in California) will be on hand to pour some fantastic Burgundy wines from producers like Arnaud Mortet, Garnier et Fils, and Domaien Gouffier. Wine educator Sandra Zotti will share her expertise as well. Reserve online quickly as tickets will go fast. Blue Morel, The Westin Governor Morris, Morristown; 973-451-2619

Holiday Wine Trail Inaugural Weekend
Friday, November 29—Sunday, December 1; 10am – 6pm

It’s a lot easier to get motivated for your holiday shopping when your destination is a wine trail instead of a shopping mall. The Garden State Wine Growers Association has put together its inaugural Holiday Wine Trail Weekend, though most wineries are kicking of a season’s worth of festivities. From Four Sisters to Hawk Haven to White Horse to Natali to Terhune Orchards to Cape May Winery, the pours at the many participating wineries will be generous and the vibe will be all-around festive, with complimentary goodies (ornaments, wreaths), here and there tasty treats like gourmet chocolates and snacks, even a taste of California Christmas courtesy of Villa Milagro in Phillipsburg (sweet bunuelos, twinkling luminarios, and of course holiday wine). The list goes merrily on. Just make sure to arrange for transportation ahead of time. New Jersey Holiday Wine Trail, locations vary.

Pop-up Wine Pairing Apertivo Hour at Caffe Anello
Monday, December 2, 5pm

The best way to describe Rimessa Roscioli is a wine experience curator based out of Rome—they’re a group of sommeliers, wine experts, chefs, and bon vivants who sometimes (lucky us) bring their wine pairing dinner expertise across the pond to places like New York and New Jersey. And while the six-course wine and food Pop-Up Tasting Dinner at 8pm Monday at Caffe Anello has already sold out, there was so much demand that they added an earlier, lighter five-course apertivo pairing hour (closer to two hours). Unlike a traditional wine and food pairing dinner, Rimessa Roscioli will be bringing both the food and wine talent—chefs and sommeliers—and while the full menu for the lighter apertivo hour is TBD, it will include Rimessa Roscioli’s famous Cacio e Pepe (Roman-style, seemingly Spartan-simple but utterly sublime salt-and-pepper and parmagiano-tossed pasta). Tickets are $90, with $60 due when making the reservation, and will likely go quickly. It’s an unforgettably intimate, fun, idiosyncratic night in the hands of some life- and wine-loving Italians. The night runs a tight two hours, 5pm to 7. Get there if you can. Caffe Anello, 11 Madison Avenue, Westwood; 201-786-8137

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