Thanksgiving in NYC: The Best Spots for a Memorable Meal
Forget the kitchen chaos and cramped-apartment combo. In New York City, Thanksgiving is best spent in beautiful dining rooms where the lighting’s flattering, the martinis are cold, and the chef-led menus go far beyond the usual suspects. At some of our favorite spots this season, even the sides served alongside the turkey get a glamorous makeover—think sourdough-leek stuffing, honey-butter cornbread, and mashed potatoes whipped with grass-fed butter and chives.
Other eateries skip the bird entirely in favor of lobster tail with sea urchin hollandaise or black trumpet mushroom campanelle. Then there are the sublime desserts worth saving room for, such as apple crisp with a brown sugar oat crumble, drizzled with cider caramel and crowned with crème fraîche.
From swanky Upper East Side landmarks to rustic-chic East Village classics and ever-buzzy downtown haunts soundtracked by jazz pianists, these restaurants make the holiday feel distinctly, deliciously New York. Consider this your cue to make a reservation now.
For the chicest Thanksgiving dinner of them all, get dressed up and head to Daniel, the Michelin-starred, white-tablecloth French flagship restaurant of Chef Daniel Boulud, which opened in 1993. The 3,000-square-foot dining room is illuminated by custom Bernardaud chandeliers and features rotating, museum-quality artwork displayed beneath soaring coffered ceilings. With flawless service and a champagne-sipping crowd, expect a formal affair (jackets suggested, sneakers forbidden), but one that still hums with lively New York energy.
The three-course prix fixe ($295 per person) features elevated interpretations of Thanksgiving classics, from Heermance Farm organic turkey “ballotine” with orange-spiced legs, sweet potato farci, and sage gravy to Pacific black cod with beluga lentils, cauliflower, and Ossetra caviar. Desserts include a brown sugar–custard pumpkin tart with hoja leaf ice cream and roasted pear with vanilla crèmeux and confit cranberry.
After dinner, perch at the Art Deco–bedecked bar and order the restaurant’s iconic White Cosmopolitan—a sleek spin on the classic made with vodka, elderflower liqueur, white cranberry, and a touch of lime—for the perfect finish to a glamorous Upper East Side evening.
60 E 65th St; T. (212) 288-0033
For something a little more low-key, book a table at Hearth, the East Village’s Tuscan-American staple from chef Marco Canora. It’s the kind of neighborhood spot you’ve probably walked past a dozen times thinking, “I should really try that one day.” Once you do, you’re hooked.
Since 2003, this rustic-chic hideaway—with its brick walls, ambient lighting, and easygoing charm—has built a loyal following thanks to its warm vibes and consistently craveable, farm-to-table dishes. Regulars swear by the grass-fed beef and ricotta meatballs, as well as the maccheroni (pork ragù, whipped ricotta, and rosemary over house-made pasta).
This Thanksgiving, Hearth is serving a three-course feast with thoughtful wine pairings. Expect warm cornbread with honey butter, autumn squash soup, and pear and pecorino salad to start, followed by heritage-breed turkey with sourdough-leek stuffing, mashed potatoes, and roasted vegetables. For dessert, choose between apple crisp with a brown sugar oat crumble, crème fraîche, and a cider caramel drizzle, or pumpkin mousse bars layered with spiced pumpkin cake and pumpkin seed brittle.
It’s everything you want from Thanksgiving in the East Village—and with more than twenty years of happy regulars to prove it, you’re in great hands here.
403 E 12th St; T. (646) 602-1300
Forget the unseasoned tofurkey and let abcV show you how satisfying a plant-based Thanksgiving can be. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s luminous Flatiron eatery sets the stage for a seasonal menu served both à la carte and family-style from noon to 8 p.m., priced at $148 per person.
Start with green chickpea hummus, chestnut yaki onigiri glazed with barley miso and truffle, and crunchy market greens with cashew peppercorn ranch before moving on to wood-roasted cabbage with creamy beans and Marcona almonds, or black trumpet mushroom campanelle with hazelnut butter and rosemary. Mouthwatering sides include olive oil mashed potatoes with sherried mushroom gravy and honeynut squash with black and white sesame, ginger, and yuzu.
For dessert, choose between Mont Blanc with chestnut ice cream and koji caramel, apple tarte tatin with coconut lemongrass sorbet, or cookies and milk with Oishii strawberry milk. You don’t have to be vegan to appreciate the menu—just someone who loves thoughtful, flavor-packed food that happens to be plant-based.
38 E 19th St; T. (212) 475-5829
In the mood for something refined but relaxed this Thanksgiving? Look no further than The Noortwyck, the stylish yet inviting West Village restaurant from Eleven Madison Park alums Andy Quinn and Cedric Nicaise. Outfitted with Italian leather banquettes, French doors, and warm lighting, it’s beloved for its seasonally driven, locally sourced menu.
For Thanksgiving, dine à la carte on oysters with pickled ramps, honeynut squash soup with sage brown butter, halibut with gigante beans, and roasted turkey with all the trimmings. The sides deserve their own spotlight: creamy mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and whipped sweet potatoes.
The result? A hip and homey evening that’ll have you making The Noortwyck your new West Village go-to haunt.
The Noortwyck, 289 Bleecker St; T. (212) 675-1924
Thanksgiving with a side of live jazz, electric downtown energy, and killer cocktails awaits at The Roxy Bar, the moodily lit, atmosphere-oozing heart of The Roxy Hotel. Often dubbed the “living room” of Tribeca, the sprawling, devilishly good-looking space—complete with a cinematic eight-story atrium, plush seating, and a lively mix of locals and hotel guests—remains one of Manhattan’s most glamorous settings for bites and cocktails.
Dine on everything from roasted turkey with gravy and sausage stuffing to apple cobbler with salted caramel ice cream while taking in live jazz from resident pianist Michael Garin onstage. The festivities begin at 11 a.m., with both the all-day and Thanksgiving menus available. Live music runs from 6 to 9 p.m., and the bar hums with energy long after.
The Roxy Bar always delivers, so don’t be shocked if this becomes your new Thanksgiving tradition.
2 Avenue of the Americas; T. (212) 519-6661
Few places on the planet do romance quite like One if by Land, Two if by Sea, the West Village landmark tucked inside a charming 1767 carriage house. Dimly lit and endlessly photogenic, it’s a world of brick fireplaces, dark wood, dramatic period chandeliers, centuries-old oil paintings, and soaring arched windows overlooking a private garden.
For Thanksgiving, settle in for a five-star feast, delightfully soundtracked by a pianist at the baby grand. The $195 prix fixe menu features elegant seasonal highlights such as yellowfin tuna tartare with wasabi-guava gel, duck confit raviolo, roasted turkey with all the trimmings, and the restaurant’s signature beef Wellington, followed by spiced apple pavlova and pumpkin tarte Tatin for dessert.
A longtime favorite for wedding proposals and anniversaries, it’s also where Thanksgiving dinner feels like a true occasion.
17 Barrow St; T. (212) 255-8649
When it comes to SoHo institutions, few places command the same loyalty as Balthazar, Keith McNally’s eternally buzzy Parisian brasserie that’s been packing fashion insiders, Francophiles, and downtown regulars into its red leather banquettes since 1997. Its iconic ambience—all mirrored walls, brass accents, and rafter-reaching conversation—feels as timeless as ever, and Thanksgiving is no different.
While details for this year’s restaurant service are still under wraps, Balthazar is offering Thanksgiving treats at the Balthazar Bakery, available for pick-up and delivery—a perfect way to bring a touch of the brasserie’s classic French flair to your holiday table. In previous years the restaurant has opened for both brunch and dinner, serving the classics that keep regulars and out-of-towners coming back year after year—think steak frites, salade niçoise, and that towering seafood platter—alongside festive holiday specials.
80 Spring St; T. (212) 965-1414
WORDS Alex Catarinella