Diversity and Great Food: The Best Restaurants in NJ to Explore During the Holiday Season

Fortunately for those living in New Jersey, there is a large variety of terrific restaurants open on the holidays where they can enjoy a warm, festive dinner prepared just for them. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, why not enjoy the holiday break with a night out for some food and fun? And so, in the season of giving, here’s a guide to the best restaurants to eat from on Christmas this year.

“Cornbread” (Maplewood and Newark)

Why not season your holiday dinner this year with a little soul? With two inviting locations in New Jersey, this Black women-owned, fast-casual restaurant guarantees to serve and cater delicious “farm-to-soul” cuisine. Carefully crafted from family recipes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, the food from this humble eatery is sure to whisk customers away to a realm of soulful delights and make them feel right at home. Such mouth-watering dishes include fried chicken and catfish, turkey wings, pork ribs, collard greens, peach cobbler and, of course, cornbread.

“Osteria Crescendo” (Westwood)

Acclaimed chef Robbie Felice, who co-founded pastaRAMEN in Montclair and Viaggio Ristorante in Wayne, brings authentic Italian cuisine to customers at this restaurant, which has earned rave reviews from New Jersey Monthly and Northjersey.com. Serving handmade pasta, dry-aged steaks and craft cocktails, Osteria Crescendo offers a zesty and traditional dining experience in a warm, chic environment. And on Christmas Eve, it promises to stuff people’s stockings with a special four-course meal, so be sure to save room for it all.

“Shumi” (Leonia and Ridgewood)

Founded in 1986 by native Japanese chef Kunihiko Aikasa, Shumi opened its Leonia location earlier this year and was listed as one of the state’s best new restaurants by New Jersey Digest. Specializing in “omakaze” dining, this sushi restaurant offers its chefs the chance to decide what to cook for their customers. This allows the masters at Shumi to create an intimate and surprising dining experience for patrons, almost like unwrapping presents on Christmas day. However, you can still take the traditional route and order from a variety of classic Japanese dishes and Wafu-Italian meals.

“Fat Choy” (Englewood)

The New York Times declared this one of America’s best American restaurants of the year and it’s easy to see why. Self-described as “kind of Chinese, also vegan,” this remarkable new eatery from Jon Krieger and Chef Justin Lee offers a culinary odyssey unlike any other. With selections ranging from kung pao tots to chopped choy salad, Fat Choy is guaranteed to bring something new and exciting to the table. It’s also fitting that this restaurant is named after a Chinese New Year greeting. What better way to break in 2024 than with a fresh and flavorful vegan feast?

“Mehndi” (Morristown)

This elegant restaurant prides itself on serving patrons classic Indian cuisine in a gorgeous and stylish eating environment straight out of the country itself. With a menu offering lamb, chicken and seafood cooked in their fiery clay “tandoor,” the chefs at Mehndi treat each dish like a work of art, offering a rich tapestry of flavor and fine dining to their patrons.

“El Asadero Mexican Grill” (Rochelle Park, Fort Lee, Passaic)

This Mexican restaurant has been a hit in New Jersey, with three locations thriving in the state and a fourth coming to Secaucus. Each location is unique, as they have slight differences in their menu. But overall, every El Asadero is devoted to serving a variety of authentic Latin-American dishes, each cooked with pride and care to deliver a fiesta of flavor. Customers can go for a wide assortment of tacos and drinks, try some of the beloved chilaquiles, or be bold and dare to take on their enormous tomahawk steak.