Mario’s Classic Pizza Marks 24 Years of Thanksgiving Dinners in Hoboken

Mario’s Classic Pizza continued its annual tradition of serving free Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, offering food to anyone who walked through the doors of the neighborhood pizzeria at 742 Garden Street in Hoboken. The event began at 11:00 a.m. and lasted until all meals were served.

Owner Mario Albunia started the tradition 24 years ago by accident. “We stayed in the shop and cooked a 25-pound turkey for the whole family, but customers kept coming in for pizza,” Albunia said. “They came for pizza, so we gave them turkey.”

The meal originally fed about 15 people. Since then, the event has grown significantly, with the Albunia family preparing and serving 27 turkeys this year. Last year, they served more than 400 dinners and expected to exceed that number in 2025. Customers donated all of the food, including turkeys and pies. “They give us the food; we just cook and serve it,” Albunia said.

The menu included traditional Thanksgiving dishes such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, apple pie, pumpkin pie, and turkey. The food was heated in the pizza ovens and served fresh throughout the day.

Mario Albunia’s three sons—Mario Jr., Michael, and Joseph—now manage most of the cooking and serving. “I don’t do the work anymore; my sons do,” Albunia said. “They serve the food with their girlfriends, taking over the family tradition.”

This year also marked the 40th anniversary of Mario’s Classic Pizza, a milestone for the longstanding Hoboken establishment. Many returning patrons have attended the Thanksgiving event since its beginning.