Unsurprising for the city that never sleeps, many of New York’s top restaurants stay open for Thanksgiving, making it easy to skip the cooking and the hosting and still eat very well.
Traditionalists will be pleased to hear that some very much do stick to the classics, with, you guessed it, roast turkey, stuffing, family-style sides, while others take the holiday and put their own spin on it.
Whether you’ve worked up an apetite at the Macy’s Parade, or are trying to get as far away from the pandemonium as possible, these spots will make your Thanksgiving plans easy – and delicious.
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Lex Yard
After a $2 billion glow-up, The Waldorf Astoria in New York is back, with its Art-Deco inspired restaurant, Lex Yard, opening just in time for the holidays. Chef Michael Anthony will serve a three-course menu that keeps things traditional: there’s turkey roast and confit, halibut with truffles and chestnuts or a ribeye for two. Sides come family-style – buttery mashed potatoes, mushroom and swiss chard stuffing and a root vegetable medley. And yes, the Waldorf Salad is back, topped with pumpkin seeds for the season.
Price
Thanksgiving Menu starts from $225 per person for three courses.
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Le Jardinier
If you’re curious to see what a Michelin-starred Thanksgiving tastes like, book a table at Le Jardinier, where chef Andrew Ayala is giving the classics a fine-dining twist with a four-course menu. It kicks off with lighter starters – heirloom beets with kiwi and grapefruit, or cured hiramasa with Persian cucumber – before moving into rich territory with house-made tagliatelle, your choice of black or white truffles, and the option to top it all with Royal Kaluga caviar. For mains, there’s Jaindal Farm turkey with cranberry coulis, plus salmon or beef if you want to stray from tradition. Dessert sounds particularly mouth-watering: pumpkin cheesecake mousse and a pecan tart with bourbon caramel and maple ice cream.
Price
Festive Four-Course Menu starts from $175 per person.
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Per Se
If you want Thanksgiving with a front-row seat to the Macy’s Parade, Per Se’s brunch is the one. There’s a buffet (yes, a Per Se buffet) with turkey ballotine, all the sides, caviar, lobster rolls and enough pie to keep you stuffed until dinner. The kids get face painting and balloon animals; the grown-ups get mimosas and Bloody Marys and the parade is streamed live throughout the dining room.
Price
$1,000 per ticket. Free entry for kids under 12.
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The Regency Bar & Grill
For a calm, family-style Thanksgiving, with all the sides and none of the stress, the Loews Regency keeps is keeping things simple with its holiday menu. The Regency Bar & Grill will be serving a three-course menu offering, drum-roll please…turkey and all the trimmings! There are, of course, other entree options: pescatarians will be fed pan-seared halibut and there’s a seasonal gnocchi too. Desserts are made for sharing, with a maple, pecan and pumpkin pie.
Price
Classic prefix menu from $190 per adult, $70 per child.
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Gemma at The Bowery Hotel
Downtown’s favorite trattoria keeps thing’s cozy and relaxed for the holiday. Gemma’s three-course menu is unfussy: an autumn salad, roasted turkey with Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce, and a gingersnap pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream. It’s also a great spot to linger over a Negroni afterward.
Price
$75 per person for the three-course prix fixe menu.