Thanksgiving Dining-Time to Make Reservations

New York City comes alive during the holiday season and the big kick-off is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  You may want to skip cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year and have your meal out. Here are some restaurants that are open on the holiday ready to serve delicious fare. We have included a nice variety of price points. It is suggested that you contact the restaurants in advance to make the needed reservations. Whether you’re planning to go solo, or gathering friends and family, relax, relish, and enjoy!  

Hortus NYC, the stylish, modern Asian restaurant, will be featuring a Thanksgiving menu designed by Executive Chef Lenny Moon. It will be $70 per person prix fixe menu that begins with a Hortus Royal Platter for Two, chilled lobster tail, yellowfin tuna crudo, and a shrimp cocktail; followed by a Crispy Duck Taco, topped with Sichuan cranberry sauce, lettuce, and mango salsa. From there, diners can choose an appetizer and entrée from the a la carte menu, or Surf and Turf, 10 oz filet mignon, truffle butter, grilled half-lobster, lobster mac and cheese, and maitake mushroom. The meal ends with Chocolate Cheesecake, topped with black sesame mascarpone cream. Hortus NYC also offers an optional wine pairing for $40. Hortus NYC will be open on Thanksgiving from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and offers both indoor and garden room dining. 

JAMS/1 Hotel Central Park, helmed by critically acclaimed Chef Jonathan Waxman, is a 100-seat restaurant and bar offering local and seasonal cuisine showcasing market-fresh, local, and organic ingredients and purveyors. The restaurant will offer a Thanksgiving Parade Brunch from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and a Post-Parade Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Thanksgiving Dinner will be served from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at a cost of $85 per adult and $40 per child.

THE OSPREY/1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is situated along the East River waterfront with spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge. The restaurant features an all-day menu of elevated farm-to-table comfort food overseen by Denevin Miranda, Chef de Cuisine of Restaurants and Bars. Guests are invited to nestle into The Osprey for a special four-course holiday menu this Thanksgiving to savor the delightful holiday cuisine in a stylish, welcoming setting.

Nerai on East 54th Street in Midtown East will offer a Prix Fixe menu for $75 per person from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Starters include a choice of Greek Salad, Kabocha Squash Soup, Autumn Salad, Grilled Octopus or a Fluke Crudo. For pastas, enjoy Butternut Squash Gnocchi, Sweet Potato Risotto, Seafood Orzotto or Lobster Pasta served with squid ink linguine in a Metaxa bisque. Mains feature Lavraki, Turkey Moussaka served with slow-braised, carved turkey breast, cranberry sauce and a Tsoureki stuffing, Baby Lamb Chops and Short Rib Yiouvetsi served with orzo and piave Vecchio cheese. Desserts include Pumpkin Cheesecake, Tsoureki Bread Pudding with chestnut gelato and Saragli hand-rolled baklava with a Tahini parfait and sesame brittle with pistachio gelato. 

Bubby’s in the Tribeca neighborhood of NYC will serve a traditional prix fixe Thanksgiving Day dinner from noon to 9 p.m. ($80 for adults, $50 for children under ten). Parties of eight or less (including high chairs) can make a reservation for indoor dining. If you have a larger party or are interested in dining outdoors, please submit your interest to the restaurant. Bubby’s will be offering their Thanksgiving sandwich a week before, so you can get your turkey fix beforehand. Bubby’s is also offering Thanksgiving Dinner at Home. Bubby’s is accepting orders for ready to eat take out packages for local pickup on Thanksgiving Day by Thursday, November 18th ($140 per box and each box serves two people and is served cold with reheating instructions). Homemade Thanksgiving pies can be shipped to all 50 states. All mail-order pies will be shipped Monday, November 22nd to arrive on Wednesday, November 24th. Order 4 p.m. ET on Friday, November 19.

ICHIRAN the world’s leading expert in Tonkotsu ramen with locations in Times Square, Midtown, and Brooklyn is for those who are away from their family this Thanksgiving or for those looking for a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal. Enjoy ICHIRAN’S outstanding ramen at all three locations. For those cooking at home ICHIRAN offers an at-home ramen kit that is available through their online store. Start a new Thanksgiving tradition by sharing the joy of ICHIRAN ramen. 

Tavern on the Green, the iconic restaurant on Central Park West, will be opened on Thanksgiving Day, offering their four-course prix fixe menu. Some of their menu options this year include Balsamic Glazed Lentil Salad, Traditional Free Range Tom Turkey, hearty Mashed Potatoes, Sage & Sausage Stuffing, Pumpkin Maple Pie Supreme, and more. The full spread is priced at $125/pp and reservations are open for booking. The iconic NYC staple will be open on Thanksgiving from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Benjamin Steakhouse, the fine dining restaurant in Midtown, well known for their impressive wine list, will serve a selection of meal items on Thanksgiving that include Pumpkin Soup; Autumn Salad; Jumbo Lump Crab Cake; Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail; Traditional Thanksgiving Turkey with stuffing, roasted yams, potatoes au gratin, cranberry relish, pumpkin pie, and more for $74.95 per person. Benjamin Prime, also conveniently located in Midtown, will be offering the same menu selections, but with the addition of an Italian Burrata option for $75 per person.  

The Sea Fire Grill, located at The Buchanan in the heart of Midtown East, will be offering some delicious Thanksgiving staples such as Bibb Salad; Roasted Kobocha Squash Soup; Beet Salad; Oyster Rockefeller; Organic Heritage Turkey with Herb Sourdough Stuffing, Cranberry & Citrus Sauce, Giblet Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Mushrooms, Pearl Onions; Pecan Pie; and more options for $75 per person. 

Pekarna NY is located on the Upper West Side. Executive Chef Kamal Hoyte, whose cuisine melds traditional Slovenian and New American seasonal dishes, will be serving a four-course pre-fixe Thanksgiving menu priced at $39 per person. Highlights from the menu include the Pekarna Salad with Cranberries composed of: mesclun mix, hard-boiled egg, heirloom tomatoes, pickled red onion, pickled cucumber, crispy chickpeas, carrot and caraway vinaigrette, and shaved gruyere; Turkey Roulade, oven roasted turkey stuffed with button mushrooms and served with roasted fingerling potatoes and grilled asparagus. For dessert, Pekarna’s Slovenian Apple Wrap, a baked apple roll, 10x sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla gelato. The pre-fixe menu also includes a choice between two of Pekarna’s specialty cocktails. Pekarna will be open from 5 p.m. to midnight on Thanksgiving Day and has also made the menu available for takeout and delivery. Pekarna offers spacious indoor dining as well as outdoor seating. 

Casa Ora, the upscale Venezuelan fine-dining restaurant located in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn is offering an exclusive Thanksgiving menu this year! Available for dine-in or pickup, mother/son Chef duo, Isbelis and Ivo Diaz, along with Ivo’s wife, Pastry Chef, Rachel Diaz, invite guests to experience a true Venezuelan-style Thanksgiving. Offerings include traditional dishes such as Pan de Jamón, a smoked ham bread with raisin & olive; Hallaca, pork tamale with chickpea, potato, raisin & olive; Pernil, a slow roasted pork loin with lentils, chimichurri & carrot potato purée; Quesillo Tradicional, Flan with dark rum, and caramel; and Ponche Crema – Venezuelan egg nog, Santa Teresa Rum. The restaurant will be open from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Sereneco, the new all-day restaurant in Greenpoint, will offer an elevated, New American feast. Located on the ground floor of the historic Pencil Factory building, Sereneco offers a warm and relaxed atmosphere designed to put guests at ease. Spearheaded by Executive Chef Dennis Hong. Highlights include Butternut Squash Soup; Shaved Vegetable Salad; Roasted Turkey Roulade; Green Bean Casserole; and Mac and Cheese. In addition to special cocktails and wine pairings, Sereneco will also offer its signature cocktails, including the Sereneco Sour. The prix fixe is $75 per person and $35 for children under 12. Reservations are being accepted from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Kimika, the Japanese-Italian restaurant in Nolita, will be offering a Thanksgiving Feast, available for pickup on November 23rd and 24th, from noon to 3 p.m. The meal will serve four to six people, with the whole package costing $445. Pre orders can be placed on Kimikanyc.com until Sunday, November 21st. Chef Christine Lau’s Thanksgiving Feast includes a choice of: Turchetta or Porchetta, served with truffle gravy, miso mustard, salsa verde, cranberry mostarda; Crispy Mixed Beans with Golden Furikake and Wakame; Spicy Olives; Seasonal Tsukemono; Seaweed Focaccia; Greenmarket Salad with Crispy Sunchokes, Goji Berries, Pecorino Brigantaccio, and Yuzu-Shoyu Vinaigrette; Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Sesame Ponzu, Chili Oil, and Cilantro; Kabocha Squash with Pine Nuts, Golden Raisins and Yuzu Marshmallows; Japanese Sweet Rice Stuffing with Porcini, Matsutake, Chestnuts, Garlic Chives, and Truffle Cream; Crispy Rice Cake Lasagna with Sweet Italian Sausage, Spicy Cabbage, Scallions, and Provolone; and Warm Apple Crostata with Kabocha Ice Cream Mochi and Kimchi Caramel. 

Top photo: Bigstock

About Marina P. Kennedy (146 Articles)
Marina Kennedy began her writing career when her four children were grown and she returned to college to study in the humanities. She is delighted to be a contributor for Woman Around Town. The majority of her articles focus on the culinary scene, theatre, and travel. Marina and her husband Chuck enjoy the rich cultural experiences of the New York metro area and beyond. She hopes that readers like reading her articles as much as she enjoys writing them.