Best Restaurants to Have Thanksgiving Dinner

Tradition dictates that thanksgiving is something you do at home. You gather the family together at your own house or a relative’s, depending on who’s hosting this year, the host cooks up a feast and everyone brings their own dishes to contribute, and you have a great time with friends and family eating entirely too much and being grateful for the good company.

But what if you don’t want to do that? There are a number for reasons just eating out on thanksgiving could be much easier and more pleasant. For instance, consider the fact that not only do you not have to cook anything, you also don’t have to do any dishes. That’s a lot of work that you simply just don’t have to do if you eat out instead.

Surprisingly enough, there are lots of restaurants that are actually open on thanksgiving. Not only that, but they even have a menu themed for the occasion, meaning you can have a traditional thanksgiving feast served to you just like you’d have done at home, or you can try a variety of interesting takes on the classics. However you do it, you can still have all of the things you cherish on thanksgiving: loved ones gathered around the table to share in good cheer and delicious food, communal joy and expressions of thanks…all while eating gourmet food that you don’t have to cook, on dishes you don’t have to clean!

It’s with this fact in mind that we list off some of our favorite restaurants for celebrating thanksgiving. All of these are in New York, because it’s home to some of the greatest and most posh establishments that do the best thanksgiving dinners. If you don’t live in the area, though, don’t despair! We hope this list will inspire you to look into a thanksgiving dinner at a local restaurant near you, if you decide to go that way.

The Polo Bar
Want a traditional thanksgiving dinner served by skilled chefs in a cozy, festive environment? You’ll want to head to the Polo Bar. Here, you’ll find expertly crafted classic thanksgiving delights, including but not limited to a roasted heirloom turkey with calvados gravy, maple-roasted veggies, and buttermilk biscuits with cranberry butter.

Momofuku Ma Peche
Want to try a creative re-imagining of thanksgiving delights that’s traditional…but not? Here, you’ll be able to try a delectable Asian-inspired thanksgiving dinner menu. Turkey with squash and cranberry jus, roast beets with sunflower hozon, and chocolate sweet potato are just a few examples of the delights you’ll find here.

The Gander
What if you want a bit of both? At the Gander, you can get a classic feast with roast turkey and all the fixings, but you can also grab some tasty, if unconventional for the holiday, side dishes like sea trout tartare or calamari salad.

Rolf’s
At Rolf’s, you’ll find offerings like turkey and roast duckling, and they’re quite delectable, but the main reason this place makes our list is the decor. Come on thanksgiving and you’ll find the whole place carpeted with holiday ornaments and tinsel everywhere.