5 Brooklyn Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner (Plus, 3 Places with Meals to Go)
I don’t know where I'll spend Thanksgiving this year. My Mom usually makes a muti-course, gourmet meal, but she’ll be with my brother on the west coast. I could cook, but with a baby and toddler, I'll probably only get around to a side or two. I've never gone to a restaurant on Thanksgiving, but this might be the year to start a new tradition. Some of my favorite Brooklyn restaurants will be open, and three other places are offering Thanksgiving to go. Which leaves me with just one task: decide which menu sounds best, and soon! Restaurants are booking up fast and places with prepared foods require orders a week in advance.
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Prime Meats
465 Court Street
718-254-0327
On Thanksgiving, Prime Meats in Carroll Gardens will be serving its regular breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, plus a $20 Thanksgiving Plate featuring Lancaster Country roasted turkey, confit turkey leg and pretzel dumpling stuffing, honey roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and cranberry sauce. Yukon gold whipped potatoes, creamed spinach, and apple or pumpkin pie with whipped cream will also be available for an additional $6 each. The restaurant usually doesn’t take reservations (and often has a 1-2 hour wait on weekends), but for Thanksgiving, they’re making an exception.
The River Café
One Water Street
718-522-5200
For families that want a fancy Thanksgiving – and unbeatable views of Manhattan – The River Café will be serving a 5-course menu for $135 per person. The meal will start with a roasted onion flan in an eggshell with smoked salmon tartare, and be followed by an appetizer (such as a seasonal salad, foie gras, or oysters), a main course (turkey with two stuffings, cornbread, brown and giblet gravy, or rack of lamb, steak, venison, sea bass, duck, or lobster) and dessert (creme brulee, apple or pumpkin pie, or a chocolate Brooklyn Bridge that all kids love), and petits fours. Each table will also receive a selection of family-style sides such as yams, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, and pearl onions.
Chestnut
271 Smith Street
718-243-0049
Chestnut starts serving their 4-course Thanksgiving meal at 1pm and will seat parties until 9pm, but reservations go quickly on what’s become one of their biggest days of the year. Each course includes 3-5 choices and all tables will be covered with lots of fresh breads, cranberry sauce and endless chestnut stuffing. Adults pay $65, children under 12 are $30 for the full meal with smaller portions, and babies are free. Details are still being worked out for this year’s menu, but last year's included truffled grits and wild mushrooms, rabbit terrine and quince chutney, double stuffed acorn squash, black trumpets and chestnuts, Misty Knoll Farm heritage turkey, chestnut stuffing and gravy, Cavendish Farms quail confit, faro and cherries, and honey roasted pear and ginger cake for dessert.
The Farm on Adderley
1108 Cortelyou Road
718-287-3101
Ditmas Park’s beloved restaurant The Farm on Adderley will be serving a three-course Thanksgiving meal for $45 at 12:45pm, 3pm, 5:30pm and 7:45pm. All reservations must be made by email (thefarmatadderley@gmail.com) and currently, the 3:00pm and 5:30pm are booked, but there is still availability in the 12:45pm and 7:45 seatings. Menu highlights include pickled and fresh pear salad with delicata squash and blue cheese, traditional roasted turkey with Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, chestnut-raisin stuffing, giblet gravy, and apple tarte tatin, chocolate bread pudding, or a root beer cake for dessert.
Dressler
149 Broadway
718-384-6343
Awarded a Michelin star in 2009, Dressler is a sleek and sophisticated spot in Williamsburg. On Thanksgiving, they’ll be serving a 3-course menu for $90 from 2-9pm. Guests will have 3-6 choices per course and some menu options include an autumn squash bisque with duck confit, black trumpets and sage; roasted breast of heritage turkey with cranberry compote, cornbread and chestnut stuffing, and gravy; and pumpkin bread pudding with brandied cherries, ginger snap and vanilla ice cream.
Applewood
501 11th Street
718-788-1810
Known for its dedication to fresh and organic fare, Applewood is a popular Park Slope spot. Though they’ll be closed on Thanksgiving, you can get all your accompaniments to go. Organic, uncooked, free-range turkeys from Lovejoy Brook Farm in Vermont are available separately and cost $5.30/lb. Their holiday menu includes: sweet potato puree or herbed new potatoes, roasted fall root vegetables, butternut squash soup, fresh cranberry chutney, pecan stuffing and turkey gravy ($65 for for two people, $110 for four people, $200 for eight people, $245 for 10 people). For dessert, 9” pumpkin pies and 9” apple cakes cost $25. Place your order by Tuesday, November 16, for pickup either Tuesday, November 23 or Wednesday, November 24.
Bklyn Larder
228 Flatbush Avenue
718-783-1250
A high-end food store opened by the couple behind Franny's, the always-packed Prospect Heights pizzeria, Bklyn Larder will be offering cured meat and cheese platters from $45-$135; brined, stuffed and rolled hormone and antibiotic-free, free-range turkey for 6-8 people, including gravy, from Misty Knoll Farm in New Haven for $95. Other sides include: sausage and herb bread stuffing ($28/loaf), cranberry chutney ($15/pint), pumpkin and barley soup ($16/quart), and sweet potatoes and walnuts ($14/lb). Cakes and tarts can be purchased for $28 each, and fresh bread, too. Orders must be placed by Tuesday, November 19, and can be picked up on Thanksgiving from 9am-1pm.
Brooklyn Fare
200 Schermerhorn St.
718-243-0050
A gourmet supermarket in downtown Brooklyn known for its delicious prepared foods (and restaurant of the same name which was just awarded two Michelin stars), Brooklyn Fare will be offering the ultimate Thanksgiving to-go package. Menu items are not set in stone yet, but last year's meal for 15 cost $400 and included a 22-25lb turkey, vegetables, soups, potatoes, breads, and pie. Call for more details.