Thanksgiving is coming up, and now that the election is over, people can start thinking about what to do for turkey day. Having a big family affair at home is typically what families do, and with that comes the whole event of making dinner.
This requires strategic planning sometimes akin to a military operation, with recipes scattered everywhere, large grocery lists having to be tended to, and then the dishes … Say no to all of this production and effort this year and take in some of the best that NYC restaurants have to offer.
Going out for Thanksgiving dinner is definitely different, but sometimes it’s nice to take a break from tradition and try something new. If you’re even slightly considering the idea, have a look at the following restaurants and maybe it will sway you to the dark side, the side that says kick back, relax, and truly take the holiday off.
Where to Eat in NYC on Thanksgiving
If you are thinking about heading out to a fine NYC establishment for dinner on Thanksgiving, make sure to call ahead early enough that you can reserve a table. Waiting until the last minute might mean going somewhere you don’t want to, or having to actually cook the meal yourself.
Union Square Cafe
Price: $125, kids $55
Four course meal with family-style sides. Appetizers include chestnut soup with roasted grapes and chicory-apple salad; ricotta gnocchi and butternut squash tortellini; and roast turkey and pork for the main. Desserts include pumpkin bread pudding, apple pie, and a chocolate pecan tart.
Maialino
Price: $155 for both menus, kids $65
If you want an Italian flare to your Thanksgiving meal, this will give you just that. This restaurant offers two four-course Thanksgiving menus: a turkey-focused meal and an Italian food option that has roasted suckling pig as the main course.
The Cecil
Price: $65 for three courses
Located in Harlem, the Cecil gives Thanksgiving an Afro-Asian spin. Enjoy a collard-green salad, oxtail dumplings with green-apple curry, palm-sugar-brined turkey, poussin yassa with coconut sticky rice, and pumpkin potpie.
Jean Georges
Price: $188 for four courses or $98 for children ages 8 to 10
If you crave French food, this prix fixe menu includes tuna tartare with tapioca chips, truffle-crusted king salmon, turkey with foie gras stuffing, and a chocolate tasting for dessert.
Crave Fishbar
Price: $75 for three courses or $45 for children
These guys know their seafood. They serve specials such as tempura-fried hake, clam-and-mushroom chowder, turkey with pan drippings, and teriyaki green beans. Dessert is a yummy chocolate-chip cookies and sweet-potato pumpkin pie.
NYC has a lot to offer, even Thanksgiving dinner. It might be pricey, but well worth it once you consider how much groceries for dinner will cost, cleanup, and preparation. Let some of the city’s finest chefs feed you and your crew instead.
Sources:
Crowley, Chris. “Where to Eat in NYC on Thanksgiving,” Grub Street web site, November 7, 2016; http://www.grubstreet.com/2016/11/38-restaurants-open-on-thanksgiving-in-nyc.html, last accessed November 8, 2016.