Turkey season is here and Thanksgiving has arrived. For those who are looking for a place to eat for the holiday, The Montclair Girl has curated a list of local restaurants and bakeries that will stay open for the holiday. Read on to learn more about restaurants in Montclair and Essex County that are open on Thanksgiving Day 2024.
Bloomfield
Bloomfield Steak + Seafood House | 409 Franklin Street
Hours: 1PM-5PM
Special Menu: The historic Bloomfield Steak + Seafood House will provide indoor and outdoor dining on Thanksgiving day. Guests can look forward to a wide selection of Thanksgiving classics, such as roasted white + dark meat turkey, spiral ham, homemade garlic mashed potatoes, and more. The restaurant’s regular menu will also be available. See the full menu here. To make a reservation, call the restaurant at 973-680-4500.
The Brookdale | 1099 Broad Street
Hours: Starting at 11:30AM
Special Menu: The Brookdale will have a pre-fixe Thanksgiving menu that includes herb-roasted turkey breast, dark meat roulade, cornbre\ad stuffing, broccoli soufflé, sweet potato casserole, and homemade cranberry sauce. The meals costs $48 for adults, and $24 for kids 12 and under. Reservations are recommended.
Read More: Holiday Pop-Up Markets + Bars in New Jersey Happening for 2024
Caldwell
Calandra’s Italian Market + Deli | 234 Bloomfield Avenue
Hours: 9AM-5PM
Il Vecchio Café | 234 Bloomfield Avenue
Hours: 12PM-2PM, 2:30PM-4:30PM, 5PM-7PM
Special Menu: Essex County locals can expect a menu of fall classics. This restaurant will serve arugula salad, sweet potatoes, house-made focaccia bread, and more for appetizers. The menu will include a turkey carving station, rigatoni vodka, salmon, and more for dinner. Adult meals will be priced at $70, and kids’ meals for children ages four to ten will be priced at $25.
Fairfield
Calandra’s Bakery | 244 US-46, Fairfield
Hours: 6AM-5PM
Cucina Calandra | 216 Route 46 East, Fairfield
Hours: 12PM-6PM
Special Menu: Cucina Calandra will serve an Italian-style Thanksgiving menu. Guests can choose between various options, including butternut squash, eggplant rollatini, pumpkin ravioli, Tuscan salmon, and more. See the full menu here.
Montclair
Faubourg | 544 Bloomfield Avenue
Hours: 12PM-7:30PM
Special Menu: Faubourg will serve an a la carte menu with holiday specials for Thanksgiving.
Fusionista | 14 Park Street
Hours: 12PM-10PM
Pappardelle Ristorante | 77 Walnut Street
Hours: 2PM-6PM
Zeugma Grill | 44 South Park Street
Hours: 3PM-9:30PM
Special Menu: Zeugma Grill will have its a la carte menu available for Thanksgiving.
The Oranges
The Fox + Falcon | 19 Valley Street, South Orange
Hours: 12PM-8PM
Special Menu: This restaurant will serve a three-course menu on Thanksgiving, priced at $75 per person. For appetizers, customers can choose from butternut soup, burrata salad, and more. For the main course, the menu will consist of turkey, Atlantic salmon, and more. See here for the full menu.
See More: Your Ultimate Guide to Thanksgiving Planning in Hoboken + Jersey City
McLoone’s Boathouse | 9 Cherry Lane, West Orange
Hours: 11AM-8PM
Special Menu: This waterside restaurant will provide guests with a Thanksgiving buffet for $50 for adults and $18 for children ages three to eleven. Patrons can expect sliced turkey breast, mac + cheese, apple stuffing, a raw bar, and seasonal pies like pumpkin and pecan, among other things. See here for the full menu. To make reservations, call McLoone’s Boathouse at 862-252-7108.
Village Hall | 101 South Orange Avenue, South Orange
Hours: 1PM-7PM
Special Menu: Village Hall’s Thanksgiving menu will consist of four courses. Expect roasted pumpkin soup, crispy calamari, shrimp cocktail, and more for appetizers. In addition to family-style sides, this spot will provide various entre options, including an herb-roasted turkey, homestyle lasagna, short rib, and more. See here for the full menu.
New Movie Starring Hugh Jackman + Kate Hudson Filming at Tierney’s Tavern in Montclair
Tierney's Tavern in Montclair has been a local watering hole for nearly 100 years, remaining in the same family since it first opened in the 1930s. But this week, the neighborhood pub is hitting the silver screen, serving as a filming location for an upcoming project starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, and other A-list actors. The movie is a musical drama called Song Sung Blue and has been spotted filming around New Jersey throughout the fall — including in Matawan this October. Keep reading to learn more about the latest movie to film in Montclair this week, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.
What's Filming in Montclair?
On Tuesday, December 3rd, an eagle-eyed reader tipped The Montclair Girl that a large film set had taken over Tierney's Tavern on Bloomfield Avenue. Instinct led us to suspect that it *might* be Deliver Me From Nowhere, the forthcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic starring Jeremy Allen White, which was filmed at the Montclair Public Library back in late October.
Read More: Signage Spotted for Mashed Burgers on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair
As it turns out, though, the project is another musically-driven movie. Per NorthJersey.com, Tierney's Tavern is currently playing host to Song Sung Blue, an upcoming musical adaptation of a 2008 documentary about a Milwaukee couple's Neil Diamond cover band.
According to Deadline, Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson are billed to lead the film, portraying the "down on their luck musicians" who make up the cover band, 'Lightning + Thunder.' Hugh and Kate are joined by Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos, White Lotus), Fisher Stevens (Succession), and Jim Belushi (Red Heat, Curly Sue).
On Monday, December 2nd, Tierney's Tavern took to Facebook to inform residents of its temporary closure during the week. The Irish pub is set to reopen on Friday, December 6th, just in time for the weekend. The Montclair Girl has reached out to Tierney's Tavern for more information and this piece will be updated with any additional details.
About Song Sung Blue
Per Variety, Song Sung Blue is based on Greg Kohs’ 2008 documentary of the same name and "follows the true story of Milwaukee couple Mike and Claire Sardina, down-on-their-luck musicians who became local icons by performing as 'Lightning + Thunder.' The film also borrows its name from the 1972 Diamond song."
Variety also reported that producing alongside writer-director Craig Brewer are John Davis and John Fox for Davis Entertainment. Erika Hampson and Kohs are executive producers. The film officially began production in October of 2024.
In Other Film News
It's no secret that New Jersey has become a hub for movies + TV shows, in large part thanks to state-level efforts to establish it as such. Earlier this fall, Jeremy Allen White and the crew for Deliver Me From Nowhere took over the Montclair Public Library, Bellevue Branch, to film the forthcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic. The actor continues to be seen throughout the state, most recently in Bayonne alongside The Boss himself.
Similarly, all fall, headlines were dominated by Adam Sandler sightings, who was working on the highly-anticipated sequel, Happy Gilmore 2, throughout the state. There were several casting calls for the movie, recruiting locals of various descriptions and appearances.
See More: What’s Filming in Hoboken + Jersey City? An Ongoing List of Movies + TV Shows
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