5 festive North Jersey restaurants will get you in the Christmas spirit
The wreaths are up at the Audi dealerships and Santa's back on the Morgan & Morgan billboards — it's Christmas time in Jersey.
And, though we all have a few complaints about this place (no Golden Corrals, high tolls and literally the entire town of Seaside Heights), no one does the holiday season like the good-old Northeast.
Around the world, the New York City metro area is known as one of the most magical places to celebrate the season. Evergreen trees grow to the heights of skyscrapers, and thousands of colored lights illuminate street lamps, windows and walkways. My personal favorite thing about the holidays, however, is the way the local restaurants transform from counter service hole-in-the-walls to warm Christmas oases.
Well, that, and the way Santa lugs a sack of cartoon cash instead of gifts on those aforementioned personal injury ads. But we'll save that for another article.
Here are five over-the-top festive restaurants you can visit in North Jersey right now.
'Miracle' Pop-up Christmas Cocktail Bars, various locations
Deck the halls with boughs of tequila shots; everyone's favorite boozy Christmas pop-ups are back for the season. In six New Jersey towns (Wood-Ridge, Verona, Nutley, Jersey City, Freehold and New Brunswick), "Miracle" cocktail bars are taking over local restaurants, and they're easily the most festive culinary concepts in the state. So, if extravagance is what you're after this December? You don't need to read any farther than this.
Here's how the concept works. Every (late) November and December, the company Miracle pops up in local spaces. Unlike Spirit Halloween, however, the stores it takes over are already existent bars and restaurants. So, for approximately six weeks, the two retailers live in the same space: simultaneously serving Miracle's festive drinks alongside the restaurant's normal menu of food.
In the area, I recommend visiting Miracle on Valley at Gus' Last Word or Miracle on Bloomfield at The Parkside Social, as the former has A Christmas Story decor and the latter is in Verona (and I like Verona). With tens of thousands of Christmas lights in each location, though, any Miracle spot you choose is sure to get your sleigh bells jinglin'.
Go: Nearest: Wood-Ridge, Verona, Nutley, Jersey City; miraclepopup.com.
Franco's Metro, Fort Lee
Every year, the team at Franco's Metro goes all out for the Christmas season. Strings of lush green plants — secured with sparkling bows — run from wall to wall, and golden lights twinkle in the restaurant's many mirrors. The bartenders even make Jingle Juice; a vibrant red cocktail (with a candy cane-looking straw) that tastes like Buddy the Elf mixed a Shirley Temple.
Beyond the decor of the place, however, Franco's Metro perfectly captures and projects the homey, family-feel of the holiday season. Since it's been in Jersey over 50 years, the neighborhood restaurant is filled with heart, history and longevity. And as for the food? It's all homestyle Italian.
So, though the Bergen County spot may not have as many lights as Miracle, it's got the true spirit of Christmas in bounty. Spend an evening at one of its cheerful, wooden tables, and you'll feel like you're dining — on December 25th — in the cozy house of your Nonna.
Go: 1475 Bergen Blvd., Fort Lee; 201-461-6651, francosmetrofortlee.com.
1776 by David Burke, Morristown
The Morristown Green is one of the most festive spots in Jersey, so 1776 by David Burke already had location working in its favor when it set up its Christmas display this year. Only feet from Santa's Morris County home, the restaurant overlooks a town center full of colored lights, decorated trees and romantic walking paths lined with lampposts and wreaths. Lucky placement, however, isn't the only thing earning Burke's convivial concept a spot on this list.
Outside of 1776's towering glass entranceway lies a garden of trees wrapped in silver and blue lights. On the inside of the dining room, evergreens look as fancy as they ever will; decked out with gold bows and fragile glass ornaments. The entire setting, as you traverse through it, looks like something out of a holiday movie filmed in a beautiful Manhattan hotel.
For a restaurant in a Top Golf Swing Suite, it really cleans up nice.
Go: 67 E Park Pl., Morristown; 973-829-1776, 1776bydb.com.
The Walpack Inn, Walpack Township
I could say The Walpack Inn is one of the most festive restaurants in Jersey due to its rustic decor, warm vibes or Christmas-reminiscent dinner options (think Prime Rib of Beef Au Jus and Baked Mac and Cheese). But what really makes the spot a holiday destination are the special traditions the team hosts for the season.
Perhaps the most iconic — and easily the most heartwarming — is the Holiday Cookie Table. Occurring once a year on an evening in December, Grandma Jean, mother of the restaurant's owners, bakes over 1,500 cookies and sets them on a linen-covered table in front of the Inn's roaring fireplace. After enjoying their meals, then, guests are invited to indulge in all of her homemade creations, free of charge.
Go: 7 National Park Service Route 615, Walpack Township; 973-948-3890, walpackinn.com.
'Sippin' Santa' at The Vanguard, Harrison
This is literally the exact same thing as the Miracle Pop-Up Bars (its even hosted by the same company), but tiki themed.
So, whether you're into presents, pi?a coladas or both — a night at The Vanguard is a Christmas must.
Go: 705 Frank E Rodgers Blvd. S, Harrison; 201-292-3633, thevanguardharrison.com.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Holiday restaurants in North Jersey: 5 festive spots to hit