11 Great Thanksgiving Restaurant Options For A Hassle-Free NYC Holiday

<span class="photo_caption">Terrifying Stock Image Holiday Meal: Don't let it happen to you.

While the idea of cooking a lavish holiday meal for family and friends might seem exciting and "grown-up," the logistics of cooking a large-scale meal in a small-scale living space are difficult to overcome. Instead of burdening yourself with Holiday Meal Performance Anxiety, avail yourself of the myriad restaurant options in our fine city, all waiting to provide you with a festive meal without all the cleaning up afterwards. From turkey traditionalists to pumpkin pie provocateurs, there's something here for everyone.

Pera Soho For an Eastern Mediterranean twist on this Western Holiday, Pera Soho is offering a $49 prix fixe menu that features traditional ingredients presented in non-traditional ways. The appetizer of Mediterranean Turkey Pot Pie sees puff pastry stuffed with the bird, roasted winter root vegetables and the addition of olives and chickpeas, while the main course turkey is served "Shashlik" style (skewered like a Shish kebab) and served with warm and spicy cranberry sauce, sweet potato salad and gravy. Other Mediterranean-style dishes round out each of the three courses, including a Ras El Hanout Braised Lamb entree with figs, carrots and couscous and a Turkish Rice Pudding flavored with cinnamon and golden raisins for dessert. 54 Thompson Street // 212-878-6305 // 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

David Burke A few of Chef Burke's restaurants are offering special Thanksgiving deals with prix fixe menus for every budget, including a special take-home option. At David Burke Kitchen, $65 gets you access to a large selection of items, like Lobster Soup and Crackling Pork Shank with sauerkraut and apple sauce. At Fishtail, start with a Warm Duck Confit and Spiced Cranberry salad then move on to Sauteed Arctic Char or any other appetizer, entree, dessert combination for $75. If you have a little more dough to throw around, the $85 prix fixe at David Burke Townhouse features a lobster and blue hubbard squash bisque, Cheekstone Farms Prime Rib and a nice selection of sweets as well. All three locations serve mid-day through the evening and all menus have a traditional roasted turkey option for purists. Finally, if you want to eat at home but don't want to do much cooking, pick up a turkey, sides and sauces at the David Burke at Bloomingdales for $149—all you have to do is pop the turkey in the oven and get ready to take all the credit.

La Bottega This Meatpacking District oasis is cooking up a reasonable $45 menu of comforting Italian dishes at their home in the Maritime Hotel. Chef Retolatto begins his meal with oven Roasted Parsnip Puree with chestnuts and Baked Cremini Mushrooms with lump crab. Diners then choose between Pappardelle Alla Bolognese Di Tacchino (fresh pasta with a ragout of turkey, chicken and duck) or Polletto Ruspante Arrosto (cornish game hen) with sausage stuffing and other traditional accompaniments. Finish the meal with Pumpkin Panna Cotta or Peach and Blueberry Cobbler and an espresso to top it all off. 363 West 16th Street // 212-242-4300 // 4 p.m. to close

Reynard

Reynard The restaurant inside Williamsburg hotel hot spot The Wythe Hotel has a four-course, prix fixe menu for folks across the East River. Start with a chef-selected soup then choose between three appetizers and your choice of protein (turkey, pheasant or fish) for the main course, which is served with a "cornucopia of vegetable sides dishes designed to be shared," like whipped potatoes and Brussels sprouts. The $85 meal rounds out with a selection of family style desserts ranging from the typical pumpkin pie to black pepper and honey ice creams. 80 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn // 718 − 460 − 8000 // 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Marco Polo Ristorante If you can get to Carroll Gardens, a great deal can be had at Marco Polo Ristorante, which has been a staple of the neighborhood for almost 30 years, and recently reopened after an extensive renovation. Three courses of Italian interpretations of the Thanksgiving meal can be had for only $37.95, starting with nine different appetizer options like salads, soups and Penne al Pomodoro e Basilico and six entree items from a traditional roasted turkey to Filet of Sole with tomato, olives, capers and onions. If you still have room, top off the meal with apple strudel or pumpkin pie and coffee or tea to keep you up for the train ride home. 345 Court Street, Brooklyn // 718-852-5015 // Seatings at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Edi & the Wolf Over in Alphabet City, Austrian restaurant Edi & the Wolf will serve a $45, three-course prix fixe menu from Michelin-starred chefs Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban. Fluke Tartar gets a crunchy bite from chives, apple, radish and celery and Roasted Duck gets the Thanksgiving-style treatment with sweet potato puree, wild rice, cranberries and roasted apples. On the more Bavarian side, spatzle with wild mushrooms and Brussels sprouts hits all the earthy notes while the Austria Pumpkin Pie gets luxe touches of champagne ice cream and pumpkinseed crocant. 102 Avenue C // 212-598-1040 // 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Fort Reno If you have friends and family gathering at your apt but don't have the kitchen space to cook the whole Thanksgiving shebang, Fort Reno BBQ is offering a delivery service that brings the bird right to your door. For $35 per person, a fully-cooked, smoked Heritage turkey arrives ready to eat along with mashed potatoes, bourbon carrots, sausage stuffing, Brussels sprouts with bacon and an apple cranberry chutney for dessert. As a supplement—or if you just don't like turkey—Fort Reno BBQ's regular menu can also be delivered in bulk, including St. Louis Ribs, brisket and mac & cheese. Free delivery is available from Prospect Park West to Bond St. / 9th St. to Flatbush but if you live anywhere else in Brooklyn or Manhattan below 14th Street, they'll deliver to you for a flat rate of $50. 669 Union Street, Brooklyn // 347-227-7777 // Email fortrenobbq@gmail.com ASAP to setup your delivery // 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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Carmine's If you have an army to feed—or perhaps eight hungry relatives—famed Italian family-style eatery Carmine's is once again offering a feast of Thanksgiving favorites all for $225. An 18-pound bird is accompanied by sausage and sage stuffing, cranberry sauce, sauteed string beans and lots of other Thanksgiving favorites. If the price seems extravagant, consider that divided between eight people, everyone pays around $30 plus tax, tip and booze. Plus, you get a whole apple, pumpkin or pecan pie all for yourselves. They'll also deliver the whole thing to your apartment if you order in advance. Upper West Side (2450 Broadway) locations // TD: 212-221-3800; UWS: 212.362.2200 x5 // all day

Stove This charming Astoria eatery has put together a four-course menu of comforting and classic dishes to please traditionalists and people who don't dig the big fowl. The autumn vegetable chowder is the perfect precursor to the hearty roasted prime rib with fresh horseradish cream. Then there's the requisite oven roasted turkey with stuffing, gravy and a cranberry/orange sauce. Don't eat the meats? The grilled veggie lasagna with a creamy ricotta and béchamel sauce will fill you up just as easily. 45-17 28th Avenue // 718-956-0372 // 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Mihoko's 21 Grams For a truly unique take on the Thanksgiving oeuvre, head over to this Franco-Japonaise fusion restaurant in the Flatiron. Between November 20th and November 24th, three set-menus will be available in Vegetarian ($85), Franco-Japonaise ($120) and Sushi ($150) styles. Foie Gras au torchon (nori, sweet potato, sansho, marcaspone cheese), Soba Gnocchi (raisin, tomato, onion, crispy panko) and a Bento Sushi Box (toro, madai, botan ebi, fluke, uni, bbq eel roll) are just three of the wildly inventive dishes across the three menus, plus you can add Black or White truffles ($40/$80) to any dish if you have the dough. 16 West 22nd Street // 212-741-0021 // Tuesday - Saturday, 5:30 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Cadaques This Spanish-inspired Williamsburg tapas spot, which recently celebrated its 2nd birthday, offers a three-course menu of dishes traditional to the States and to Spain. Serrano Ham Croquettes and the Pork Loin Roulade will please pork-loving palates while the Butternut Squash Soup and Spanish Roasted Turkey—served with a lively country bread stuffing, sauteed mushrooms, roasted Brussels sports and squash—speaks to the traditional set. The meal rings in at $45 per person and includes a choice of desserts or a Spanish cheese plate. 188 Grand Street, Brooklyn // 718-218-7776 // 5 p.m. to 12 a.m