The 2024 Edition of The Best NJ Restaurants Open on Christmas is written by Molly Gregor.
Christmas is getting closer, and that means it’s “the most wonderful time of the year.” But it’s also the most hectic time of the year. Between gift shopping, family dinners, and decorating, it’s tough to save any energy for the big day itself. That’s why we always put together a list of New Jersey restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
It’s time to sit back, relax, and let someone else do the cooking!
Quick Click Guide: Select an NJ Region below to find Restaurants Open on Christmas near you.
| North Jersey | Central Jersey | Jersey Shore | South Jersey |
North Jersey
Bistro La Source
Where: Jersey City
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: This French restaurant will be open from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Christmas Day, reservations recommended. They’ll be serving their regular a la carte menu, along with holiday specials. Highlights include small plates and shareable appetizers along with pastas, seafood, chicken, and meat. We recommend the pan-roasted duck breast, sautéed bronzino, North Atlantic mussels prepared six ways, Cassoulet, or short rib Bourguignonne.
Blue Morel
Where: Morristown
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: Blue Morel is offering a special Christmas Day prix-fixe menu starting at $89. This high-end restaurant and wine bar — inside The Westin Governor Morris — is the perfect setting for a holiday dinner. Appetizers include winter squash soup, roasted pork belly, and Tuna Crudo. Entrees offer a choice between roasted loin of beef, sea scallops, roasted chicken or halibut, crispy gnocchi, or salmon. Chocolate and butterscotch brulée are the dessert options.
Fresco da Franco
Where: Montclair
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: From Noon to 10:00 pm on Christmas Day, this award-winning restaurant is serving their a la carte menu along with a special Feast of the Seven Fishes. The feast includes cold seafood salad, calamari, roasted clams, shrimp scampi, salted cod, black ink spaghetti, and Zuppa di Pesce. Non-seafood lovers will find stuffed pork chop, chicken, short rib, and braised lamb shank. Christmas Day reservations are recommended.
Mohawk House
Where: Sparta
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: Mohawk House has been celebrating Christmas Day for 20 years, and 2024 is no exception. They recommend reservations for their seatings, available from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Menu highlights include Pat LaFrieda dry-aged steaks, Silky Chestnut soup, East Coast oysters, bison short ribs, and Atlantic salmon. We also recommend the Colorado Rack of Lamb. Likewise, the bar area is serving their full bar menu all day.
Sofia Englewood
Where: Englewood
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: This Italian steakhouse is serving Christmas Day brunch along with their all-day menu. They will be open from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm. Decadent brunch options include Mascarpone pancakes, Tuscan French toast, crepes, caviar, lobster Benedict, and filet mignon with eggs. They also have a seafood tower, Canadian lobster, house-made pasta, and wood-fired prime dry-aged steaks. Christmas Day reservations are recommended.
Central Jersey
Heirloom Kitchen
Where: Old Bridge
Open on: Christmas Eve
Details: James Beard–award semifinalist and Top Chef contender David Viana offers a four-course prix-fixe Christmas Eve menu. Entry to this farm-to-table supper club’s holiday dinner costs $115 and requires a reservation. Holiday-inspired specials are available in addition to their regular menu. A vegan menu is also available upon request, and children under 10 can order a la carte. Heirloom Kitchen will be open from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Christmas Eve.
Hills of Herat
Where: Basking Ridge | Martinsville
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: Hills of Herat serves up traditional upscale Afghan cuisine at two locations in New Jersey. Both locations will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm. Their authentic menu features their famous kebabs and steaks, lamb chops and shanks, dopiaza and qorma, dumplings, and fresh bread. Dessert features authentic firni, baklava, rice pudding, and homemade ice cream. Reservations are recommended.
Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn
Where: Lambertville
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: Enjoy holiday dining at the historic Lambertville Station with scenic views of the Delaware River. The restaurant is offering a Riverside Christmas Day Buffet from 11:00 am to 6:30 pm. Stations include brunch options, made-to-order omelets, soups and salads, raw seafood, prime rib, and leg of lamb. There’s also a kids’ buffet with all the favorites. Prices are $85 (Adults), $45 (Children 6 to 10), and free for kids under 5. Reservations are required.
Louie’s by Chef Jason
Where: Robbinsville
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: In addition to their regular a la carte menu, Louie’s offers a special Seven Fishes menu on Christmas Day. (This same menu is available for Christmas Eve as well.) These seafood options include lobster bisque, shrimp cocktail, octopus salad, Crab Fra Diavolo, and Cioppino with mussels, clams, shrimp, and cod. They’re also offering holiday family meals to go. They are open 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm on Christmas, and dine-in reservations are required.
Metuchen Inn
Where: Metuchen
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: The Metuchen Inn opens on Christmas Day by reservation only for a relaxing, holiday meal featuring seasonal flavors. Their large selection of a la carte options includes a tuna and crab tower, Sicilian meatballs, filet mignon, braised short ribs, herb-crusted rack of lamb, tagliatelle bolognese, and jumbo crab meat ravioli. Desserts include a white-chocolate-and-fig bread pudding, vanilla cheesecake, baked banana Caribbean, and gelato.
The Olde Mill Inn
Where: Basking Ridge
Open on: Christmas Eve
Details: This historic Colonial inn will be open Christmas Eve. They are hosting a dinner buffet in the Grain House from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm by reservation only. Options include a “stuff-your-stocking” salad bar, noodle bar, Spanish paella, and a prime rib chopping block. Other options include pork loin, eggplant rollatini, and roasted leg of lamb. Homemade desserts include chocolate mousse, warm gingerbread pudding, Christmas cookies, tiramisu, and more.
Orchard Park by David Burke
Where: East Brunswick
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: Celebrity chef David Burke serves up a special three-course prix-fixe menu on Christmas Day. The restaurant is open from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, and dinner costs $98 per adult and $55 per child. Special holiday entrées include butternut squash ravioli with lobster, beef Wellington, roasted duck, and dry-aged rib eye. Save room for Gingerbread Man cake, chocolate Yule Log, and peppermint ganache cheesecake. Reservations are required.
Jersey Shore
Congress Hall
Where: Cape May
Open on: Christmas Day
Details: For Christmas Day, Congress Hall is offering an elegant buffet dinner in the Grand Ballroom. Holiday classics include prime rib and a honey-glazed Heritage ham, along with a seafood display and baked Atlantic Salmon. Salads, soups, and artisan meats and cheeses are also available. Desserts include a Buche de Noel, apple pie, cookies, and macarons. Seatings are from 1:00 pm to 5:45 pm and reservations are required.
Molly Pitcher Inn
Where: Red Bank
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: The Molly Pitcher Inn is always a festive spot to celebrate the holidays. Their Christmas Day Buffet runs from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm and costs $72.95 per adult or $29.95 per child. The buffet features seasonal fresh fruit, artisanal cheeses, salads, a seafood display, and Belgian waffle, omelet, and pasta stations. Oven-roasted turkey and honey-baked ham are carving-station highlights, along with chafing dishes. This Christmas buffet requires a reservation.
Santorini
Where: Wildwood
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: This upscale Mediterranean restaurant in Wildwood will be open on Christmas Day from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Their regular menu will be available, which includes a large variety of Greek and fish dishes. Popular picks include spanakopita, moussaka, lamb chops, and seafood pastas. They also offer an extensive selection of wines and cocktails. They suggest making a reservation to ensure seating is available.
Villa Vittoria
Where: Brick
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: Villa Vittoria is open Noon to 9:00 pm Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day from Noon to 6:00 pm. Their holiday a la carte menu is full of Italian classics. Specials include Oysters Rockefeller, Clams Casino, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Saltimbocca, lobster ravioli, and New Zealand rack of lamb. They also offer a $12.95 kids’ menu along with a large selection of wines and cocktails. Save room for desserts like limoncello, zabaglione, and cannoli cake. They recommend making a reservation.
South Jersey
Amici
Where: Cherry Hill
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: Amici is open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from Noon to 9:00 pm. Their holiday menu is a choice between a four-course meal or a la carte options. Starters include lobster bisque, shrimp cocktail, chilled seafood salad, and fried calamari. Entrées range from a pork chop Milanese and New York strip steak to lobster ravioli and surf and turf. They also have a kids’ menu with chicken fingers, penne, and cheese ravioli. Christmas dinner requires a reservation.
Braddock’s Tavern
Where: Medford
Open on: Christmas Eve
Details: This circa-1855 Colonial-style restaurant is offering a Christmas Eve four-course chef’s tasting menu for $65. The regular, full dinner menu will also be available. Holiday-inspired options included mini beef Wellington, tuna tartar, artichoke beignets, lobster pasta, braised lamb shank, Kona coffee-crusted filet, tiramisu, and assorted crème puffs. They are also offering a special Christmas Eve family takeout menu for orders placed in advance. Reservations for dining in the restaurant are required.
Riverwinds Restaurant
Where: West Deptford
Open on: Christmas Eve
Details: Riverwinds Restaurant is open on Christmas Eve, offering a special a la carte menu. A variety of appetizers include Colossal Shrimp Cocktail, French onion soup, Ahi tuna tartar, and calamari. For dinner, options range from New Zealand rack of lamb and shrimp and crab Fra Diavolo to Tuscan chicken pasta. Other favorites include lobster ravioli and a variety of fish and steak options. The children’s menu is $19.95 and offers chicken tenders or penne pasta. Dinner is by reservation only, placed over the phone.
Verona Ristorante
Where: Haddonfield
Open on: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Details: This BYOB restaurant specializes in classic Southern Italian and Sicilian dishes. They exclusively curate a special a la carte holiday menu for Christmas Day. Offerings include seafood soup, pear salad, lobster ravioli, jumbo shrimp pasta, grilled whole bronzino, veal chop parmesan, and lamb shank. They will serve all entrées with a choice of vegetables or pasta. Verona suggests making a reservation, and will be open from 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm both days.
Villari’s Lakeside
Where: Sicklerville
Open on: Christmas Eve
Details: Villari’s Lakeside in Sicklerville will be open Christmas Eve and is offering a special holiday a la carte menu. All entrées are made to order and come with homemade escarole soup and fresh Italian bread. Specials include holiday antipasto, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, prime rib of beef, filet mignon, roasted rack of lamb, and surf and turf. They also offer a separate children’s menu — including dessert — for $21.95 per person. Reservations are suggested.
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Top Photo: © Mohawk House | Website
