Where should I take my parents for Thanksgiving in NYC?

October 15, 2008 10:00 PM

Where can I take my visiting parents and sister for a nice Thanksgiving meal in New York City?

My parents will be coming up to visit me in NYC for the first time EVER, and I'm really excited about this. They don't leave Virginia much. I'd like to take them out to a nice place for dinner on Thanksgiving, and as a family, we're looking forward to the adventure of it. I've spent 31 out of 32 Thanksgivings in Southern VA with the fam, so this is a huge stretch for them.

They're not as adventurous with their palates as I am, mind you. I didn't know you could even eat beef rare until after leaving college. They like Chinese and Italian just fine, though. So I guess I'm saying that turkey and stuffing isn't necessarily mandatory.

My dad's got some issues with long subway/car rides. He's got a health condition that means he needs to be near a bathroom pretty often. Nothing's COMPLETELY out of the question, but I don't know if he could swing a trip to say, Coney Island or Harlem on the subway.

I live in Williamsburg and they'll be staying here/Greenpoint too. It could be as easy as going to DuMont or something, I just don't know what's open and who does what.

So I'm asking: any suggestions for a good Thanksgiving tuck-in in Brooklyn/Manhattan?

posted by chinese_fashion to food & drink (9 comments total)

Not in NYC, but one year my parents came to visit and we went to a Brazillian steakhouse for Thanksgiving. It was awesome.
posted by sugarfish at 10:17 PM on October 15, 2008

If you're looking for a somewhat traditional Thanksgiving and you want a quintessential New York setting, I spent my first Thanksgiving in New York with my parents at The Boathouse restaurant in Central Park, and found it to be memorable and enjoyable.
posted by harrumph at 12:15 AM on October 16, 2008

Peking Duck House? We went there for a Christmas Eve dinner.
posted by zpousman at 5:17 AM on October 16, 2008

Bookmarking this as I may be in the very same boat this year...(my Massachusetts-based parents and my Rhode-Island based aunt are trying to decide whether to come into New York or whether we all meet in the middle in New Haven. I'm just thrilled I don't have to faff about with taking the six-hour bus to Cape Cod this year, so either one works for me.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:26 AM on October 16, 2008

Your best bet is to check Open Table fairly soon. They will have a list of restaurants open for Thanksgiving. Make reservations and check menus in advance.

Most places will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (but with a few main course options) with multiple seatings. Personally, I find American/New American places that have a "farm to table" or "localvore" philosophy pull it off best (Five Points, Cookshop, Blue Hill, etc.) although my friends raved about Eleven Madison Park's Thanksgiving dinner last year.

Here are some options:
Serious Eats New York: Where should we eat Thanksgiving dinner in Manhattan?
New York Magazine: Hot Turkey Tables
About.com: Top 10 New York City Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner
posted by kathryn at 9:28 AM on October 16, 2008

We did this one year with family from out of town, at The River Cafe in Brooklyn. It is expensive, but we had a wonderful thanksgiving.
posted by R. Mutt at 9:30 AM on October 16, 2008

Dressler, which is in Williamsburg and has a Michelin star, has a Thanksgiving menu. Probably better to reserve sooner rather than later, but this restaurant is fantastic -- fantastic food, fantastic service, and fantastic ambience -- and I'd imagine it would be a memorable food experience (and also local to you). Incidentally, it's run by the same people as DuMont/DuMont Burger.
posted by kdar at 9:00 PM on October 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I was able to make a reservation at the Palm through Open Table, but I had to cancel because I was invited at the last minute to cousins in New Jersey.

Most Chinese restaurants will be closed.
posted by brujita at 11:55 PM on October 16, 2008

We actually just ended up getting stuff from Whole Foods and cooking a turkey in my friend's apartment. Just as fun at half the price ...
posted by chinese_fashion at 7:00 AM on December 2, 2008