Thanksgiving is upon us, and while some of us are crafting a menu studded with Turkey Day favorites, others are looking to the pros for feasting. Chefs across the five boroughs are staying open for the holiday, outfitting tables with autumnal centerpieces and preparing poultry for the masses.
Here’s where to dine out this Thanksgiving in New York City—no heavy lifting required.
DB Bistro Moderne
Designation: The PlateStarting at 12:00 p.m. and running until 9:00 p.m., guests are invited to partake in a three-course prix-fixe menu for $75 per person (children 12 and under can choose the two-course menu for $40). Start your holiday meal off with burrata with delicata squash, pumpkin seeds, watercress and brown butter vinaigrette, or pumpkin soup with rosemary and croutons before diving into mains like Taleggio risotto with roasted sunchokes, Parmesan and sherry gastrique, or roasted turkey breast with foie gras stuffed leg, chestnut and sausage stuffing, pomme purée, cranberry sauce and gravy. (Sides like glazed sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and gratin Dauphinois can be added for $10 each or three for $25.) Cap the meal off with a sweet ending like a pecan Charlotte with brown butter biscuit, praline mousse and Bourbon ice cream or traditional apple tarte Tatin.
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Designation: Two MICHELIN StarsElevate your Thanksgiving dinner by heading to two-starred L’Atelier, where chef Christophe Bellanca and team are serving up a five-course menu to the tune of $155 per person. (And diners, take note: a special à la carte menu will be offered to the kiddies.) Guests will start off with a Robuchon classic—foie gras royale with Parmesan foam and emulsion of Maury “Vieilles Vignes”—before noshing on plates like gnocchi à la Parisienne with white truffles and pumpkin; wild Atlantic black bass with shiitake chutney, razor clam and curry emulsion; and pecan mille-feuille with gooseberry sorbet.
Tak Room
Designation: The Plate“With its polished walnut staircase, curving banquettes, and tuxedo-donning staff, Thomas Aloysius Keller's new spot radiates old-school glamour,” state MICHELIN inspectors of this newly-recommended Hudson Yards-based eatery that landed in the MICHELIN Guide New York City 2020 selection. Take in views of the stunning Vessel while feasting upon parsnip velouté, honeynut squash stuffed with Anson Mills grains and toasted pistachios, braised greens with beer and Hobbs’ bacon, baked macaroni and cheese with preserved black truffles, and pumpkin cheesecake with cranberry cherry coulis and gingersnap.
The dining room at Tak Room. (Photo by Adrian Gaut.)
Locanda Verde
Designation: The PlateFor Italian feasting, head to chef Andrew Carmellini’s stalwart TriBeCa eatery for Il Giorno del Ringraziento, aka, Day of Thanks, for a special $135 per person three-course menu. Antipasti include fire-roasted beets with Caprino cheese and grapefruit, crema di patate with crispy leeks, and black trumpet mushrooms, while the main event—to be served family-style—is a wood-fired heritage turkey with fennel sausage, chestnut stuffing, traditional gravy and cranberry conserva. Contorni to go alongside the meal includes Swiss chard with fonduta and pancetta gremolata, as well as Brussels sprouts with apple mostarda and candied guanciale. Sweet endings include pumpkin cheesecake with toasted meringue and chocolate-hazelnut tart with macciato gelato.
Sauvage
Designation: The Plate“The name translates to 'wild and natural' in French, and that’s a perfectly apt description for the handsome retreat, with its thoughtful list of biodynamic wines,” state MICHELIN inspectors of this North Williamsburg eatery. A $68 per person prix-fixe turkey dinner will be available from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; dishes include winter squash soup with olive tapenade and pumpkin oil, brook trout amandine, pork porchetta with wild rice, celeriac salad and pork jus, and pumpkin pie tart with Cognac caramel.
Red Rooster
Designation: The PlateLooking for something more low-profile? Head to Marcus Samuelsson’s Harlem landmark and choose between a prix-fixe menu in the main dining room or a stocked buffet downstairs at Ginny’s. Appetizers include Marcus’s cornbread with pumpkin butter, rutabaga soup with chestnuts and toasted marshmallow, and “Yep!” turkey and waffle doused with hot maple-chile sauce. Smothered fried turkey with cornbread stuffing, hot honey yardbird with garlic mash and braised succotash, Poppa Eddie’s shrimp and grits, and Bourbon-glazed “Block Party” ribs are all on offer for the main event—wet naps very much required.
