Thanksgiving– a time where gluttony gets to stretch its prowess and your waistband; yet in order to get to this place of overeating euphoria, and resulting food-coma, you have to slave for hours over a stove, shoveling in sauce pans and pots, scouring grocery stores for the last bit of butter or last Butterball. Or do you? It turns out you don’t have to stay at home to get a proper home cooked meal. Free up your dining room and avoid the dishes. It’s time to do Thanksgiving in New York. Letting NYC cater to you this year will give you something for which to truly be thankful.
Traditional Thanksgiving in NYC
The last Thursday of November is time where family and friends gather around a traditional Thanksgiving meal: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing (or dressing depending on where you are from), cranberry sauce, green beans, corn—just to name a few and that’s not even including the pies (in no particular order: pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, and pecan). If you’re a New Yorker, then chances are you live in a New York sized apartment, which make having this cornucopia of goodies a bit of a spatial issue. These cozy studio kitchens, which is often also the dining room and living room, cannot accommodate such a sumptuous meal, and this is why you make Thanksgiving someone else’s job. Though many restaurants are closed on the holiday, there is an establishment’s holiday menu in the Union Square and East Village area that is worth a visit.
What is there to do in NYC on Thanksgiving?
At the end of November the Union Square Holiday Market has just started, there is a chill in the air that carries with it the scents of vendor’s apple cider and pumpkin spice muffins, and everyone seems to be mapping out their holiday plans, while all the while trying to be a bit nicer to one another, if not at least less passive aggressive. With all of the holidays lined up, Thanksgiving is first on the chopping block to get organized. So, if you’re looking to delegate the duties of Thanksgiving into someone else’s capable hands, look no further than The Winslow.
Thanksgiving at The Winslow
The Winslow is a Gin House and Eatery located on the bustling 14th Street, nestled directly between the East Village and Gramercy neighborhoods. Every year this amazingly, and sneakily delicious, spot offers up a Thanksgiving meal that is both affordable and delectable. At $50 per person, the menu, created and plated by Executive Chef Nathan Pauley, is one of the best deals in the city. The menu changes every year but sends its guests four courses of twists on Thanksgiving favorites. Anything from Brussel sprout and chestnut salad, charred corn eloté soup, truffle green bean gratin, to more classic potato mash and brioche stuffing, can be found at this feast. (Not to forget Chef Pauley’s absolutely succulent turkey which is his true claim to fame.) You’ll leave full, sated, and talking about it for weeks.
Thanksgiving Cocktails at The Winslow
These feasts are also paired with a specialty cocktail designed to bring out and highlight the flavors in Chef Pauley’s spread. The cocktails are created by Beverage Director and General Manager of The Winslow Cait Moorhead. Last year Moorhead’s drink was comprised of Edinburgh Christmas Gin, fresh apple juice, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, Dolin Dry Vermouth infused with fine herbs, spiced apple bitters, and fresh lemon juice. This year Moorhead will give customers a choice. One drink will be a brown butter fat washed Woodford Reserve Bourbon, St. Elizabeth All Spice Dram, cinnamon, and lime. The other will be based on her cocktail which was a finalist in the 10yr/Switch competition, which is made with Caoruun Gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Benedictine, Aquavit, and Brovo Orange Liqueur. The paired cocktail options are an enjoyable side note, but a note not to be missed, nevertheless. Nothing says Thanksgiving like getting boozy with your besties.
Where to go on Thanksgiving NYC
Most places in NYC, especially around the holidays, seem to up their pricing drastically or try and gouge their customers because they can. The need for New Yorkers to go out on the holiday puts them a bit more over the barrel for holiday scheduling. This is why The Winslow offers such an affordable pre fixe Thanksgiving meal. At $45 per person (which includes, in abundance, turkey and all the favorite fixings, and a salad, soup, and dessert course) it really cannot be beat—particularly in the East Village, Union Square or Gramercy neighborhoods. Even if you don’t live immediately in one of these areas, The Winslow is also conveniently located off the L Train (with connection to 1, 2, 3, F, A, C, E) as well as any train off the 14thStreet Union Square hub (4, 5, 6, Q, R, W) so it’s a great central location for friends and family gathering from varying boroughs and NYC neighborhoods.
Where to eat for Thanksgiving NYC
When you factor in all the benefits of going out on Thanksgiving, there really is no upside to squishing eight of your closest friends and family members around your coffee table that usually isn’t even adequately large enough to hold your takeout order. Why debate where to put your summer clothes when you actually need your oven for its actual purpose as opposed to storage? Let The Winslow, your friendly neighborhood gin bar and eatery, handle those details, but add a gourmet flare and a couple cocktails to boot. The Winslow treats its guests like friends and family, so essentially, it’s the same thing hanging out with your crew for a homecooked meal.You and those friends and family members can come in and relax around a table filled with holiday fare that would put any Thanksgiving dinner you were planning in your dining room/living room/office to shame. Plus, having dessert without having to do dishes is the same thing as having two desserts. It really is a no brainer.
