Event details are subject to change without notice. Please confirm directly before heading out!
THIS WEEKEND:
February 14: Come to Silver Birch Kitchens to the “Take The Local” Valentine’s Day Dinner from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., where you can enjoy a three-course gourmet dinner along with a local wine pairing in a rustic atmosphere prepared by Chef Jessica Geanoules. The evening’s proceeds will be donated to Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. Tickets are $85 per person. Silver Birch Kitchens, 20 Schooley’s Mountain Road, Washington Township.
February 14: Executive Chef Jordan Andino at Little Town New Jersey in Hoboken presents a three-course dinner that includes oysters for the first course, surf and turf as a main course and molten lava cake for dessert. The dinner cost is $100.00 per couple plus taxes and gratuity. Little Town NJ, 310 Sinatra Drive, Hoboken. 201-716-7070.
February 14 and 15: BEX Kitchen will host a Valentine’s Day Dinner with two seatings (one at 6 p.m., one at 8:15 p.m.) in the heart of Califon. The dinner is $65 pre-paid and by reservation only. On the menu are specialties like filet mignon w/ truffle mushroom ragout and spiced molten chocolate cake. Call 908-975-3334 or visit their website to reserve your seat. BEX Kitchen, 52 Main Street, Califon.
February 15: The Big Beer Brew Festival returns to the Morristown Armory and will feature more than 250 craft beer tastings. VIP ticket holders will enjoy another 25 special and rare beers, an extra hour of tasting per session and a gourmet buffet presented by Morris Tap and Grill of Randolph with menu designed by Food Network Chopped Champion (and Morris Tap & Grill Chef and partner) Chef Eric LeVine. The first session begins at 1 p.m. and the second begins at 7 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets. For a list of participating breweries, click here. Go to bigbeerbrewfestival.com or Facebook for updates. Morristown Armory, 430 Western Ave., Morristown.
February 15 and 16: Celebrate Valentine’s Day Early at Wine and Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend. Presented by the Garden State Wine Growers Association, this event allows guests to enjoy chocolate and desserts paired with Chardonnay, Cabernet or Sparkling wine being offered by New Jersey’s leading wineries. The trails feature wine tastings and chocolate samplings from noon to 5 p.m. at participating wineries, from the Skylands in northern Sussex County to the southern tip of the state, in Cape May. Click here for a list of participating wineries. For more details about this event, check out Jersey Bites contributor Jennifer Malme’s article here.
Through February 15: It’s bacon! Actually, it’s Bacon Week at Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City. All of the restaurants and bars located at Tropicana will be in on the act, providing a multitude of ways to enjoy bacon, from cocktails to entrees to dessert. Tropicana Casino & Resort, 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, 800-345-8767.
Through February 16: Head over the The Pop Shop for Pancake Week. This pancake house serves up a dozen varieties of pancakes daily, and will be celebrating this week with a pile of pancake promotions, like All-You-Can-Eat pancakes for $9.99, “Pancakes & PJ’s” and more. For a full list of promotions, click here. The Pop Shop, 729 Haddon Ave, Collingswood.
AND BEYOND:
February 18: Come join the board members of Slow Food Northern NJ for a Sustainable Cocktail Hour to talk about good, clean and fair food interests and issues while enjoying locally sourced cocktails and appetizers for both vegetarians and omnivores. 6 to 8 p.m. Coda, 177 Maplewood Ave., Maplewood.
February 19: Come to Pizza Time! Chef Romano and staff will demonstrate how to make pizza in Red Knot‘s wood-burning oven. Students will each receive their own pizza dough to stretch out and use to create an original pizza using the toppings of their choice. The evening also includes a chef’s toque, choice of house wines and a goody bag. Class takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Adults only. $25 per person. To register, visit www.RedKnotRestaurant.com,
February 19: Restaurateur and philanthropist Marilyn Schlossbach’s 3rd annual “Cooking with Marilyn” series of cooking demonstrations at Langosta Lounge continues. The theme is “Italian Entertaining” and $10 of every ticket will be donated to the Junior League of Monmouth County. These events sell out quickly, so please call 732-455-3275 to reserve.
February 20: The Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City is hosting its Men ‘R Cookin’ event from 6:30 p.m. t0 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased by calling 609-347-2697 by clicking here to purchase online. Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City, 317 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Atlantic City.
February 22: Red Knot at Galloping Hill is hosting a “Fun with Cupcakes” class for kids and adults. Pastry chef Cassandra Carlstrom will demo how to bake cupcakes and how to decorate them for all occasions. Class is from 12 to 2 p.m. and is $25.
February 22: For Fun with Cupcakes, join Pastry Chef Cassandra Carlstrom for a demo about how to prepare cupcakes from scratch for easy baking at home. Participants will learn different techniques for decorating cupcakes for all occasions, and then they can bring their creations home with them! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. $25 per person. To register, visit www.RedKnotRestaurant.com,
February 23: Pic-A-Lilli Inn, known for their “almost-world-famous Buffalo Wings & Crab Soup,” will host their 44th annual Venison Dinner from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. The meal will feature Slow-Roasted Venison served with your choice of Venison Soup or Salad, fresh veggies, potatoes and dessert. Pic-A-Lilli Inn, 866 Rt. 206, Medford. 609-268-2066.
February 26: Chef Bryan Gregg holds his February charity-driven farm-to-fork dining experience with acclaimed Chef Thomas Ciszak of Chakra at Escape Montclair at 7 p.m. The cost is $95 per person with 50% of the proceeds being donated to benefit cancer research and treatment in New Jersey. Seating for this roots-and-grains event is very limited, please call (973) 744-0712 to reserve. Click here for more details. Escape Montclair, 345 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair.
February 26: Join food and beverage director Richard Spaulding for Cocktail Creation, during which participants will get a review of basic bartending concepts and then will try their hand at making three contemporary-yet-classic cocktails: margarita, cosmopolitan and whiskey sour. Students will learn how to use all-natural, fresh ingredients to mix delicious specialty cocktails that can easily be recreated at home. Adults only. $25 per person. To register, visit www.RedKnotRestaurant.com,
March 1: A professional cheese maker will teach the tantalizing techniques of making mozzarella at home. From an explanation of coagulation to methods of stretching, setting and forming different styles of fresh mozzarella, guests will roll up their sleeves and participate in the fromage-fun, and bring home a mozzarella masterpiece. Attendees will also take an up close look at the art of making burrata during a demonstration. The cost of the class is $45 per person (adults 18+). Reservations are required. For more information, please call (201) 493-2000 or visit www.amanopizza.com. 24 Franklin Avenue (at Chestnut Street) Ridgewood.
March 1: Samba Montclair brings Carnival to Park Street. The Brazilian restaurant/café’s Carnival Celebration dinner seating begins at 5 p.m. The evening will include costumed dancers, Carnival-style décor and fare, and guests will receive a gift certificate for a free sample lesson at Arthur Murray (new students only). Please call for reservations: 973-744-6764. Samba Montclair, 7 Park Street, Montclair.
March 1: Come to Wine Essentials Class at Sharrott Winery, taught by Jersey Bites Contributor Jennifer Malme, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This introduction to wine tasting, identifying wine varietals, choosing wines in a restaurant and food and wine pairing will teach you the basics of choosing wines and enjoy a fun session of learning, drinking great wine and eating wonderful cheese and snacks. Tuition for the class is $25 and advance registration and payment are required. Please call the winery at (609) 567-9463 to register. Sharrott Winery, 370 S. Egg Harbor Road, Blue Anchor.
March 8 and 9: Bergen County-based Giants of Generosity sponsors its Celebrity Food and Wine Show 2014. Funds raised will help needy families and individuals throughout Bergen County. Featured guests are celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan, author, restaurateur and judge on the Food Network’s Chopped, and chef Guy Mitchell, producer of the White House Chef Tours. $75 per person. Clinton Inn Hotel, 145 Dean Drive, Tenafly. Purchase your tickets here.
March 9: In honor of National Meatball Day, Millie’s Old World Meatballs & Pizza in Morristown is hosting a meatball eating contest: Man (or Woman!) v. Meatball! Two contests will occur, one beginning at 12:30 p.m. and the other at 4:30 p.m. Winners will receive a $25 Millie’s Gift Card, have their photos hung on the wall and be commemorated with a weekly Special Pie named after them! To register/for more info: events@milliesoldworld.com. Millie’s Old World Meatballs and Pizza, 60 South St. Morristown.
March 10: The Rotary Club of Montclair announces dates for the third annual Taste of Montclair, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Montclair State University. The all-volunteer, nonprofit Rotary Club will donate 100% of the money raised to local charities. Most of the money going to local feeding programs and soup kitchens. Tickets are available here and are $55 per person. The Conference Center, University Hall, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair.
March 12: The Serenity Cafe is hosting Donny’s Last Wine Dinner with Michael Honig of Honig Vineyard and Winery in Napa Valley, Calif. at 6 p.m. The evening will include hors d’oeuvres and appetizers followed by a five course meal. Reservations are necessary and can be made by calling 732-270-6060. 2008 New Jersey 37, Toms River.
March 13: Tickets are now on sale for Atlantic Cape Community College’s 31st Annual Restaurant Gala on March 13 at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino. With the theme of “The Greatest Gala on Earth,” the event will celebrate food with hors d’oeuvres prepared by students at the Academy of Culinary Arts and the house specialties of 40 of the area’s best restaurants at a progressive dining experience. An elegant dessert reception, co-organized by Chef Deborah Pellegrino of Caesars Entertainment and Chef Tree McCann of the Academy of Culinary Arts, will complete the evening’s festivities. Live music will include Don’t Call Me Francis, The FM Band and Lenny Mitchell. Performance ice sculptor Peter Slavin, an Academy of Culinary Arts graduate and owner of Fear No Ice Philly, will take the stage during the cocktail reception. The event has raised nearly $3 million for scholarships since 1984. All proceeds form the gala benefit student scholarships at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College and Atlantic Cape Foundation operations. For more information, contact Torrina Bennett-Michael at (609) 463-4672 or tbennett@atlantic.edu. Or visit www.atlantic.edu/gala. Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino, 1901 Boardwalk, Atlantic City.
March 28: Hudson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) hosts its 8th Annual Wine Tasting, with more than 90 world-class wines to taste and delicious foods and desserts. Bottles of wine ranging in value from $25 to $300 can be won with purchase of a “cork” for the cork pull. Live and silent auctions will offer attendees the opportunity to bid on getaways, local experiences and services, sports memorabilia, luxury gift baskets and much more. The event will be held at the Atrium at Harborside Financial Center in Jersey City from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Free parking is available. To purchase tickets and for more information about this event, please visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.
Through April 1: Enjoy a match of up to $5 dollars in Uber or cab fare at the Funbars Hoboken spot, Little Town, New Jersey. Also, first-time Uber users can get $20 off their first Uber ride with promo code “FUNBARS.” Whether it’s an Uber ride, or you just hopped in a taxi or yellow cab, remember your receipt and show it to your server or bartender. Once inside, present your receipt to your server or bartender, who will start your tab with a credit for the same amount as your fare, or more details, venue locations, hours and events, please visit the Funbars website. Blackout days, such as March 17, apply.
May 10: Pay a visit to America’s Grow-a-Row’s Farm-to-Fork Fundraiser at the Life Camp in Pottersville. Former Governor Christine Todd Whitman will make an appearance as the guest speaker. This unique fundraiser features local food artisans, a farm fresh dinner and fine auctions. To participate or attend, visit americasgrowarow.org. LifeCamp, 67 McCann Mill Road, Pottersville.
