Book now: These North Jersey restaurants are open on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is without doubt America's supreme feasting holiday, but don't feel bad if you're not eager to shop, chop and plop with fatigue hosting the feast. There are skilled and talented chefs throughout North Jersey willing to do all that work for you and your loved ones. No shopping, no cooking, no serving, no cleaning. Hooray!
Here's a look at what's on the menu at North Jersey restaurants on Turkey Day. All you've got to do is make a reservation. But hurry; seating is limited.
Lefkes, Englewood Cliffs
You have your choice at Lefkes, a well-appointed Greek restaurant — you can order a la carte from the regular menu or get the special 3-course prix-fixe dinner.
If you choose the latter, your options include such appetizers as butternut squash soup, sweet potato quiche and corn pudding. For your main course, you can opt to get a Thanksgiving platter with baby carrots, traditional stuffing, turkey gravy and corn bread or orange marinated glazed duck with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. End your meal with a slice of apple, pumpkin or pecan pie.
Cost: $75/person.
When/where: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 495 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs; 201-408-4444; lefkesnj.com.
Sofia, Englewood
"We never close," said Mark Ujszaszi, general manager of Sofia, a well-established sleek Italian steakhouse in Englewood when asked if Sofia will be open this Thanksgiving. "We are open every day from 11:30 to 1 a.m."
On Thanksgiving, Sofia will offer its regular a la carte menu (steaks, seafood, raw bar, pasta) and specials such as truffled burrata with caramelized figs, seared sea scallops with pan-roasted foie gras and oven-roasted turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce. The restaurant's current chef is Emanuele Cipolla, who hails from Sicily.
If you're so inclined, Sofia has a smoking room where you can light up with fellow smokers and enjoy a drink as well. If that's not your thing but cocktails are, treat yourself to one or two at Sofia; it's got one of the most glamorous — and creative — bars in North Jersey
Cost: A la carte.
When/where: Regular hours at 36 Engle St., Englewood; 201) 541-8530, sofiaenglewood.com
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Brasserie Memere, Closter
Go a bit French this Thanksgiving with a gourmet meal cooked by chef/owner Thomas Ciszak in his charming brasserie that looks as if it was plucked from Paris.
Ciszak is offering a three-course menu that includes such French classic appetizers as snails in a herb butter sauce and foie gras terrine. Your entree options include that American classic — roasted turkey with mashed potatoes — as well as that French classic, duck cassoulet. For dessert, there's pumpkin spiced creme brulee, kouignn amann with cider ice cream and a heady pot de creme.
Cost: $68/person plus tax and gratuity.
When/where: Noon to 8 p.m. at 107 Vervalen St. at Closter Plaza, Closter; 201-660-8822, brasserie-memere.com
Viaggio, Wayne
Chef/owner Robbie Felice has been busy of late cooking hybrid Japanese-Italian meals at various pop-ups across the country, from Montclair to Brooklyn to Miami and Los Angeles. His traveling restaurant is called Pasta Ramen. But lucky you, he's making time to keep Viaggio open on Turkey Day and offer a special three-course meal of authentic Italian eats. Dig into, among other appetizer choices, cacio e pepe gnudi or fried calamari with lemon butter and follow it up with, perhaps, housemade pappardelle with sweet sausage sugo, wild boar osso bucco or local heritage turkey with creamy mashed potatoes. End your meal with a slice of marble pumpkin-spiced cheesecake or a parfait glass filled with affogato.
Cost: $79/person.
When/where: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at1055 Hamburg Turnpike; 973-706-7277, viaggioristorante.com/events/thanksgiving-at-viaggio/
Faubourg, Montclair
As it has in previous years, Faubourg, one of the top French restaurants in North Jersey, headed by Dominique Paulin and chef Olivier Muller, will serve its a la carte menu on Thanksgiving as well as a few holiday specials. You can opt for a free-range turkey with mashed potatoes and chestnut stuffing or, among other mainstays, the rich coq au vin For a starter, consider the cracker-thin tarte flambee.
Cost: A la carte.
When/where: Noon to 8 p.m. at 544 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair; 973-542-7700. faubourgmontclair.com.
Restaurant Serenade, Chatham
This elegant French restaurant will be offering a three-course meal with options including creamless pumpkin soup, housemade short-rib tortellini, roasted turkey with all the accompaniments, filet mignon with potato puree, and chocolate mousse cake.
Cost: $95/adult; $50/kids under 10, plus tax and gratuity.
Where/when: 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 6 Roosevelt Ave., Chatham; 973-701-0303, restaurantserenade.com
Ho-Ho-Kus Inn, Ho-Ho-Kus
Not quite as old as the first celebration of Thanksgiving — the year was 1621 and the event was three days long — but the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn is old enough; it was built in 1796 and exudes the charm of post-Colonial America with a number of sconced, chandeliered and wainscoted dining rooms. This year on Thanksgiving at the Inn, you can feast on a four-course meal indoors or outdoors. The Inn's special holiday menu features winter squash soup, fried goat cheese, turkey with sweet potatoes and marshmallows and bread pudding. There's a children's menu for kids under 15 that features turkey, hamburger, chicken fingers and grilled cheese.
Cost: TBD.
When/where: Noon to 6 p.m. at 1 E. Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus; 201-445-4115, hohokusinn.com
Sanzari's New Bridge Inn, New Milford
This white-cloth Italian restaurant offers a Thanksgiving Day buffet with a number of stations from which you can help yourself to seafood salad, penne vodka, rigatoni pomodoro, roast turkey with gravy, beef stroganoff and eggplant rollatine. Children (ages 3 to 9) can enjoy chicken fingers, pigs-in-a-blanket and French fries. Or you can choose to have a 3-course prix-fixe with dishes such as sausage-stuffed Sicilian rice balls, baked Virginia ham with mashed potatoes and rice pudding. Kids can enjoy mozzarella sticks, chicken tender and fries and ice cream sundae.
Cost: $52/person plus tax and gratuity; children under 9 $25 plus tax and gratuity.
When/where: Buffet seating at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. at 105 Old New Bridge Road, New Milford; 201-692-7700, sanzaris.com
Eddie V's, Paramus
Newly opened fine seafood restaurant Eddie V’s is hosting a Thanksgiving celebration with live music and food such as hand-carved slow-roasted turkey with gravy, brioche sage stuffing, cranberry chutney, roasted butternut squash, whipped mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie tartlet.
Cost: $47/adult; $17/child. Dessert is $12 extra.
When/where: From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1 Garden State Plaza, Paramus; 201-518-1558; eddiev.com.
The Capital Grille, Paramus and Parsippany
This well-known steakhouse chain is offering for the holiday a special menu of slow-roasted turkey with brioche stuffing, French green beans, cranberry-pear chutney and, for the table, mashed potatoes, or for an additional $13, pecan-crusted sweet potatoes. And dessert — pumpkin cheesecake — is not included in the menu price and costs $12. The restaurant's regular menu will also be available.
Cost: $47/adult, $17/child
When/where: From 11 a.m.to 8:45 p.m. at 1 Garden State Plaza, Paramus; 201-845-7040 and 10 Dryden Way, Parsippany, 973-889-8622, thecapitalgrille.com.
1776 by David Burke, Morristown
Acclaimed chef David Burke has been busy over the past year opening restaurants in his home state — the Fort Lee resident is originally from Hazlet. Among them: 1776, an expansive 7,000-square-foot modern American spot with a 30-seat square-shaped, marble-topped bar. The 200-seat dining room overlooks Morristown's cherished Green, a historic park located in the center of town. Enjoy the view on Thanksgiving as you select from Burke's special three-course menu with heaps of options. Among the appetizer choices are his famous lobster dumplings (highly recommended), chorizo-and-octopus kabobs and butternut bisque. For your main course there's heritage turkey with bourbon giblet gravy, pan-roasted salmon with red cabbage, and lemon-roasted branzino. Sides include onion soup mashed potatoes, truffled tater tots and carrot and snow pea stir fry. End your meal with such desserts as apple crisp, chocolate cake or pumpkin brulee. For an extra charge ($21 to $29), your table can share oysters, Burke's whimsical clothesline bacon or crab legs.
Cost: $95/adults; $45'children 12 and under. Tax and gratuity not included.
When/where: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 67 E. Park Place, Morristown; 973-829-1776, 1776bydb.com.
Ventanas Restaurant & Lounge, Fort Lee
This culinary mishmash of a restaurant — modern American Asian-Latin fusion — is the product of restaurateur Alexander Duran of Son Cubano in West New York and culinary director David Burke. It is a thriving, hopping spot with a lively bar and an immense green outdoor space. The Thanksgiving menu features autumn squash soup, tuna and salmon tartare tacos, free-range turkey with all the trimmings, and domestic lamb porterhouse with goat-cheese whipped mashed potatoes. Sides (an extra $10 each) include potato and leek gratin and chorizo and cornbread stuffing. A trio of seasonal desserts will complete your meal.
Cost: $90/adults; $35 children under 12, including gratuities
When/where: Noon to 9 p.m. at 200 Park Ave., Fort Lee; 201) 583-4777, ventanasatthemodern.com.
Stern & Bow, Closter
Eclectic restaurant Stern & Bow will offer a three-course special dinner on the holiday that will feature, among other dishes, raw oysters as well as char-broiled oysters, farro and arugula salad, roasted chicken with roasted root vegetables, hanger steak with fries and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.
Cost: $65/adults; $35/children under 10, plus tax and gratuity.
When/where: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 171 Schraalenburgh Road, Closter; 201-750-3350, sternandbowrestaurant.com.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: North Jersey restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2022
