Whether you’re on vacation to the Jersey Shore or giving yourself a much-deserved break from cooking, there is no reason to feel guilty about dining out on Thanksgiving. Several of our restaurants will be open and offering special menus featuring, yes, turkey. Reservations are a must to guarantee seating, and please be sure to tip your wait staff well. They’re working on a holiday, after all.

We’ll continue to update this list as we receive information.

Congress Hall

November 24 from 1pm – 6pm

Congress Hall is cooking up a Thanksgiving buffet for the whole family, featuring traditional seasonal favorites as well as seafood options, soups and salads, a cheese and charcuterie display, and a dessert spread. Choose from three entrees at the Turkey Carvery: roasted turkey, turkey breast roulade, and turkey leg confit. And if you’d like an entree other than turkey, they’ll be offering salmon, pork, and a pasta ratatouille.

Adults $79 each, children 4-12 are $40 each. Children 3 and younger are complimentary.

Reserve your table online or visit Congress Hall’s website for more information

Ocean 7 at the Inn of Cape May

November 24 from 1pm-6pm

The new Ocean 7 restaurant at the Inn of Cape May is offering an a la carte Thanksgiving feast. Star with their soup and salad station, then choose from one of five entree selections: a traditional roasted turkey dinner (locally farmed), prime rib, salmon, pork chops, or a rice and quinoa stuffed pumpkin. Finish with one of their seasonal desserts (yes, pumpkin pie is on the menu). Prices include coffee, tea, and soda. Tax and gratuity are additional, and they’ll add 20% for parties of eight or more.

Reservations are required. Please call 609-884-5555 or visit the Inn of Cape May’s website

Sapore Italiano

November 24 from 2pm – 10pm

We’re waiting on information about possible holiday specials, but Sapore Italiano will be open on Thanksgiving Day.

Reserve a table on OpenTable or visit Sapore’s website

Union Park

November 24 from 2pm – 7pm

Union Park is serving a three-course, prix-fixe for Thanksgiving Day. Begin with one of six starters, then tuck into the second course, with choices including a traditional turkey dinner, salmon, lobster, vegetable entree, duck trio, pork chop, short rib, flat iron steak, or filet mignon. Dessert options include favorites like creme brulee and apple cobbler.

$79 per person, children’s turkey plate $40. BYOB or local wines are available by the bottle. Download the menu from Union Park’s website. Please call 609-884-8811 for reservations or book through OpenTable.

Thanksgiving Baked Goods

The French bakery Chez Michel has a special Thanksgiving menu that includes pumpkin and apple pie as well as pumpkin cheesecake. See the menu

At-home options

Homestyle To Go

Feast at home but skip the prep with Homestyle to Go’s Thanksgiving offerings. Their a la carte menu allows you to customize for your party’s size and tastes, and has options such as baked brie with fig preserves, butternut squash soup, a mixed-green salad with pears, whole roasted turkey OR turkey breast (either way, they do the carving!), and a host of traditional sides. You can even add on a pumpkin pie.

Get your order in by November 20th. Pick up on Wednesday, November 23rd after 3pm. Read the full menu on their website and call 609-600-2084 to order!

Grocery stores

ACME in North Cape May offers order-ahead options for holiday meals, desserts, and party trays.

Shop Rite in Rio Grande also has online ordering for Thanksgiving meals, including their Friendsgiving Bundle

And while Aldi in Rio Grande doesn’t offer ready-to-eat holiday meals, they can be a good stop for frozen turkeys and other ingredients (while quantities last).

The following restaurants are sold out:

Peter Shields Inn

PSI’s Thanksgiving dinner is sold out.

Beach Plum Farm

November 24 – 2-3:30pm

Beach Plum Farm’s Thanksgiving Dinner at the Farm is sold out.