No-Mess Memorial Day Celebration

Not a grill master? These 8 Bergen eateries can help make your holiday celebrations easy and delicious.

Though summer doesn’t officially start until June 20 (a day earlier than usual, because of the leap year), Memorial Day, May 27, has long been the cultural kickoff of the season. It’s a time to reflect on the lives lost in combat, but it’s also the weekend that many of us pull out the grill for the first time in months.

Just because you own that grill, however, doesn’t necessarily mean you want to cook the whole meal yourself. If you’re looking for some help, here are eight places around our county—which all score high on online polls and review aggregators—where you can order some (or all, we’re not judging!) of the food for the first cookout of the season. Now’s the time to call ahead and order!

• In Wyckoff, A&S Italian Market offers a full catering menu that includes grazing platters for your appetizers, foot-long Italian sandwiches and both full- and half-trays of hot pasta and protein options (they also have vegetarian trays).
  *A&S Italian Market, 525 Cedar Hill Ave., Wyckoff, 201.447.0800

• If you want to keep with Memorial Day BBQ tradition, Brothers Smokehouse in Ramsey will cater a full menu of barbecue. From smoked wings and pulled pork to smoked sausage and shrimp and grits, you can give your guests the full BBQ experience without firing up a barby yourself.
  *Brothers Smokehouse, 900 Rte. 17 Suite 2, Ramsey, 551.264.9073

• Casa del Sole in Woodcliff Lake has extensive sandwich and wrap platter options (which feed up to five), as well as long party subs (which, depending on the option, can feed up to 75). They also offer appetizer and entrée platters with cookout favorites such as pulled pork, grilled veggies and mac and cheese.
  *Casa del Sole, 115 Broadway, Woodcliff Lake, 201.391.5671

• In Bergenfield, Foster Village Kosher Delicatessen’s catering menu includes smoked fish platters and their “Smokey Joes” (a double-decker sandwich with salmon, as well as white tuna salad and egg salad) in addition to wraps.
  *Foster Village Kosher Delicatessen, 469 S. Washington Ave., Bergenfield, 201.384.7100

• In addition to offering Italian catering staples such as chicken parm and baked ziti, Mahwah’s Mom’s Kitchen To Go has a catered dessert menu that includes rice pudding, brownies and cannoli.
  *Mom’s Kitchen To Go, 5 Miller Rd., Mahwah, 201.252.8874

• If you’re expecting your backyard to be filled with children this Memorial Day, A Family Affair Italian Deli in Fair Lawn offers a specific kids catering menu in addition to their standard one.
  *A Family Affair Italian Deli, 23-17 Broadway, Fair Lawn, 201.796.2882

• Market Basket in Franklin Lakes has extensive and varied catering options, including two for a barbecue (one more traditional and one with a south-of-the-border twist). You can also browse other menus for specific events, meals and themes.
  *Market Basket, 813 Franklin Lake Rd, Franklin Lakes, 201.891.2000

• Matera’s On Park in Rutherford can make your barbecue a breeze when you select specialty sandwich platters and entrées from their catering menu. Our party favorite: Matera’s Famous Sloppy Joe sandwich tray, featuring a variety of triple decker bites.
  *Matera’s On Park, 72 Park Ave., Rutherford, 201.438.8033

What are you Memorial Day plans? Tell us about them on Instagram @bergenmagnj!