How to Make the Most of Thanksgiving in a Pandemic
This Thanksgiving, we’re going to have to spend our time missing our loved ones but in their absence, we can rely on food to bring us comfort because food is reminiscent of those times when we were together. We associate specific foods with family social gatherings and people taking care of us. We remember not only preparing food but eating it with the ones we love most.
This is especially true with immigrants -- such as immigrant families in Queens -- where families may not have the same language capabilities. But food is a language of love that transcends actual language.
Because of the emphasis on food during Thanksgiving, it is the ultimate family holiday.
Here are some meals to remind you of your family from our Queens family of local businesses:
Bourbon Street is catering for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s $28 for one person, complete with a turkey platter, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, garden salad, and a slice of pie. All orders must be placed by Monday, November 23.
Grimaldi Bakery Corp is offering your choice of pies. Get your choice of apple, apple crumb, banana cream, blueberry, cherry, chocolate cream, coconut custard, lemon meringue, pecan, or the classic pumpkin pie.
The Queensboro is serving an absolute smorgasbord. If you want to supplement your meal with a couple of sides, or a dessert, or pretty much everything other than an enormous turkey, they have you covered. Soups, salads, stuffing, gravy, pies and more! Take a look at their menu and order now for pickup on Thanksgiving day from 12-2pm, or the day before from 5-7pm.
Oliver’s is serving mixed greens salad or butternut squash soup, roasted turkey, grilled ham, or a combo of both, garnished with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, mixed veggies, and cranberry compote. Have a slice of pecan pie or pumpkin cheese cake, if you can stuff it into your stomach.
Maybe your grandma was a little cooler?
Go to One Station Plaza, where at $50, you get an appetizer, a 2-hour open bar with select drafts and house liquor. Register on Eventbrite to attend their in-person Thanksgiving event.
Feeling Greek?
Victory Garden Cafe is having their annual big fat Greek Thanksgiving dinner. This includes a Greek-style turkey with stuffing, served with a Greek salad, paidakia baby lamb chops served with lemon potatoes & a Greek salad, or shrimp scampi served with rice and a Greek salad.
What do we mean by a Greek-style turkey? We mean $25 for Chef Antigoni’s Greek-style turkey marinated with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon, various Greek herbs & spices, then stuffed with rice and ground veal and served with Greek salad!
The $15 kids’ menu includes chicken nuggets or pita pizza with fresh cut fries.
They have a beautiful glass-enclosed garden room but don’t be shy about asking for take out.
Beautiful glass-enclosed garden room, Mediterranean garden, and outdoor patio at Victory Garden Cafe
Photo Credit: Victory Garden Cafe via Instagram
Love meat?
Queens Bully is serving smoked or fried turkey, a barbecue feast, and a meat sampler. Carnivores, eat your heart out. Mac and cheese, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, roasted brussel sprouts, biscuits and gravy, and fresh apple pies round out the meal.
Get your order in by Tuesday, November 24!
Vegans and vegetarians need not miss out on Thanksgiving, though. The Veggie Castle is offering pre-orders until November 21 but you can buy and pick up in store on the 25th. They are closed on Thanksgiving so employees can spend time with their families.
They have vegan roasted herb “turkey” with gravy, creamy sweet yams with pecan streusel, garlic mashed potatoes, and more!
Casa del Chef is offering fixed price menu with options for omnivores at $55 and vegetarians at $45. Salivate over butternut squash soup, white corn bricks, ham prosciutto, roasted turkey with Worcestershire and mushroom gravy, brussel sprouts, fingerling potatoes & lima beans. Dessert comes in the form of apple bread pudding, cranberry sauce, and cheesy Ecuadorian chocolate. Compliments to Casa Del Chef Canelazo.
In the vegetarian version, swap out the turkey, brussel sprouts, fingerling potatoes, and lima beans for chestnuts, celery root puree, mushrooms & sunflower seeds.
Pick-ups are on Thanksgiving day from 1:15PM to 8:30PM. Order by November 23.