Like many New Yorkers, you’re probably fleeing the noisy city to go home and enjoy a (hopefully) peaceful Thanksgiving with friends and family. But New York City is still a great place to celebrate the holiday, even if you don’t spend Thanksgiving day itself here. Throughout the month, you can find a vast variety of Thanksgiving treats in NYC, ranging from fall-themed snacks to a full-on turkey dinner. Here’s a short list of in-season treats that you shouldn’t miss:
1. Mimi Cheng’s Thanksgiving Dumplings
Mimi Cheng’s already provides us with amazing, melt-in-your-mouth dumplings all year long. But in November, they give us the gift of dumplings that are filled with hearty bites of Thanksgiving dinner. The dumplings are filled with turkey, gravy, and a sage-flavored stuffing, with a cranberry sauce for dipping on the side. Eating them is like having 6 (or 8, depending on your appetite) mini-Thanksgiving dinners in one sitting. These dumplings make a great snack to get your Thanksgiving appetite going!
2. Milk Bar’s Thanksgiving Croissant
As a skeptic of savory pastries, I was a little uneasy about this particular snack. Nevertheless, it has become one of NYC’s beloved Thanksgiving treats after having been around for a few years. What’s inside? Only the Thanksgiving essentials: roasted turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce. Even the dough is made from a butter that incorporates thyme and celery seed. Think of it as a flaky sandwich filled with your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers.
3. OddFellows Pumpkin S’mores Ice Cream
With its innovative ice cream flavors, OddFellows creates some of the best Thanksgiving treats in NYC. Pumpkin S’mores is one of many delicious creations offered here, along with Maple Bacon Pecan and Pecan Pie. The pumpkin ice cream is crisp, but doesn’t overpower the smooth tastes of the chocolate and marshmallow that are mixed in. You can easily eat an entire pint while stressing over midterm exams, your impending finals, or your Thanksgiving plans.
4. Breads Bakery Harvest Babka
Again, I was uneasy at the idea of trying a pastry filled with savory ingredients, including vegetables. However, Breads Bakery can apparently do no wrong, as their Harvest Babka fabulously complements their famed Chocolate Babka. This pastry cleverly incorporates thin slices of Gruyere, onion, zucchini, and sweet potato, creating the ultimate snack or side dish. You can even package one up to bring home to your family this Thanksgiving.
5. Doughnut Project Angry Crisp Doughnut
Finally, what would New York City be without its vast array of doughnuts? Also, what would Thanksgiving be without apple cider? Thankfully, The Doughnut Project serves us well with its fall selections, including the Angry Crisp Doughnut. This Thanksgiving treat brings together hard apple cider, an oat crisp topping, and a caramel drizzle. It’s as refreshing and much more filling than drinking a bottle of crisp apple cider.
New York City may not be an ideal place to spend a family holiday, but that certainly doesn’t mean that we won’t celebrate it here in typical, quirky New York fashion. Almost every bakery and restaurant prepares novel Thanksgiving treats in NYC, so be sure to check them out before heading home for the long weekend. Just try to save room for the actual Thanksgiving turkey.