Chef Olivia Williamson would love to roast up an herb-butter turkey for your Thanksgiving table. Photo: Olivia Cooks For You
Like everything else, your Thanksgiving may look a little different this year. Maybe you’re not traveling to see family and are in charge of Thanksgiving dinner for the first time. Maybe you’re cooking for a pod of local friends who come with a fun cornucopia of food allergies and dietary preferences. Maybe you’re climbing out of a pit of despair, and the pressure of roasting a turkey is just a little too much right now. Well, here’s some good news: Some of the city’s best caterers would absolutely love to make your Thanksgiving dinner. It’ll be delicious. Clean-up will be easy. And you’ll support local chefs in a challenging year for events. It’s a win-win-win situation.
Now, lots of restaurants are also offering Thanksgiving-to-go at a wide range of prices. The HiHi Room’s feast can feed a party of 2-4 with all the fixin’s for $95 or 6-8 guests for $195, while Eleven Madison Park is offering pick-up locations throughout the Tri-State area (one of them being Grand Army Plaza) and charging $475 for 4-6 people and $875 for 8-10 guests. We’re all for supporting your favorite restaurants, but we also know that the following caterers are delivering to Brooklyn and across the NY region, and they have been trusted to prepare special-occasion meals for years. You can avoid a Thanksgiving feast snafu in their care.
Olivia Cooks For You
Delivery zone: Brooklyn and Manhattan
Order deadline: Saturday, November 21 for delivery on Wednesday, November 25 ($20 delivery fee)
The bird: A traditional 14 to 16-pound herb butter roasted organic turkey that serves 10-12
Pricing: For a small gathering of 2 to 6 people, it costs $65 per person for 1 main dish and choice of 4 sides; for larger groups, dishes are priced a la carte
The details: Olivia Cooks For You, a gourmet meal delivery service from Chef Olivia Williamson, offers a menu of Thanksgiving classics and more, like a rosemary-crusted beef tenderloin, for those who wish to go beyond turkey, and a butternut squash and sage lasagna, for the vegetarians at the table. All her dishes are clearly marked as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free, which is perfect for anyone serving guests with food allergies or dietary preferences.
How to order: View the menu here and email your order to olivia@oliviacooksforyou.com
A no-stress, no-mess Thanksgiving dinner, with our without the turkey. Photo: Dish Food & Events
Dish Food & Events
Delivery zone: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Long Island and the Hudson Valley (or orders may be picked up at their location in Williamsburg)
Order deadline: Friday, November 20 by 4pm
The bird: A pasture-raised turkey with pan gravy and cranberry-orange relish (delivered fully cooked or brined, dressed and ready to roast)
Pricing: A $275 package serves 4 to 6 guests and includes a whole turkey, pan gravy, cranberry-orange relish, choice of 4 side dishes, and dessert. Larger packages are also available.
The details: Dish Food & Events has been handling weddings, social gatherings, and corporate events in New York City, the Hamptons and the Hudson Valley since 2007. Thanksgiving feasts will be prepared in disposable containers with detailed heating instructions. Their side dishes include hearty classics (mashed potatoes and stuffing with apples and herbs) as well as lighter, brighter options like a harvest salad with kale, radicchio, dates, candied pecans, goat cheese, and a citrus vinaigrette.
How to order: View the menu here and call 347-455-0077 or email info@dishfoodnyc.com
You can add on an impressive cheese or charcuterie platter onto your Thanksgiving feast with Marcey Brownstein Catering. Photo: @maggiemarguerite
Marcey Brownstein Catering and Events
Delivery zone: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester, Long Island, the Hamptons, Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and Connecticut
Order deadline: Thursday, November 19
The bird: A natural heritage turkey, which can be delivered fully cooked or brined, dressed, and ready to roast (either way, it’s gluten-free)
Pricing: $490 to serve 4 to 6 guests. Dinner package includes a turkey, pan gravy, cranberry-orange compote, 5 side dishes, and dessert
The details: Marcey Brownstein Catering and Events has been catering showstopping events with fresh, seasonal ingredients and culinary expertise since 2000. Her entirely gluten-free Thanksgiving menu comes with 3 vegan sides and 2 vegetarian sides and a choice of two elevated desserts, either poached pears with caramel sauce or individual apple-cranberry crisps. Add-ons include opulent cheese and charcuterie platters and additional vegan options like handmade butternut flatbreads with melted onions and fresh thyme.
How to order: Place your order online here
Fig & Pig’s shaved Brussels sprout and kale salad with brown butter vinaigrette, pomegranate, pepitas, and Parmesan. Photo: @figandpigcatering
Fig & Pig Catering
Delivery zone: Ulster and Dutchess County or pick-up available in Accord, NY
Order deadline: Monday, November 23
The bird: A garlic and herb-brined Northwind Farms Turkey with pan gravy, available roasted or smoked
Pricing: $45 per person with a 6-person minimum ($270), includes turkey, cranberry sauce, and a choice of 3 sides
The details: Fig & Pig Catering, helmed by Culinary Institute of America graduate Chef Holly Sheppard, has been cooking with the best possible ingredients since 2011. For anyone celebrating Thanksgiving north of the city, her to-go menu includes a roasted or smoked turkey, cranberry sauce, and a choice of 3 sides, including sausage and apple cornbread stuffing and roasted squash with ricotta and pomegranate. Add-ons include a wild mushroom and kale lasagna, which would make a great vegetarian entree, and family-friendly desserts like classic pies and chocolate chip cookies.
How to order: View the menu here and email holly@figandpigcatering.com or call 845-570-0638
Poppy’s fennel + mushroom stuffing with nigella seeds, raisins + herbs. It’s vegan! Photo: Poppy’s
Poppy’s
Delivery zone: Pick up for free in Cobble Hill; extra charge applies for local delivery. Orders must be picked up or delivery on Wednesday, November 25, between 10am and 5pm
Order deadline: Friday, November 20
The bird: A free-range and non-GMO Pennsylvania turkey brined with orange zest, paprika, sage, rosemary, and oregano and braised with carrots, onions, celery + fennel.
Pricing: Everything is a la carte here, but we did the math and you could get an 8-10 pound turkey, 4 sides, cranberry relish, and a pie for $349.
The details: Poppy’s has a super flexible a la carte menu and easy online ordering, so it’s a great pick if you want to order a turkey and prepare your own side dishes, or if you want to roast your own bird and outsource the rest. This Cobble Hill business has been catering events and nourishing the neighborhood with prepared foods since 2012. Their Thanksgiving menu includes a vegetarian mushroom risotto, a potato-parsnip mash, a gluten-free and vegan pumpkin pie, and a decadent chocolate ganache and salted caramel tart. You can even order a seasonal floral centerpiece from Buds of Brooklyn and support another small business through their website.
How to order: Place your order online here
