It’s a lot, ye Olde Thanksgiving celebration. The bird. The gajillion and one sides. The perennial tug of war over dressing v. stuffing. The pies, pies, pies. The assuaging of multiple likes and dislikes: Gluten-averse Aunt Pauline loves sweet potatoes but hates Brussels sprouts; your sister-in-law will not hesitate to stage a mutiny if Brussels sprouts from Halsey Farm do not appear on the table—and oh, please make sure there’s sausage in that stuffing. Ah, and did your son mention that his vegan buddy Carl is arriving Thursday morning on the Jitney?
It’s easy to get caught up in the details, if not utterly overwhelmed by them. So why not cut yourself some slack this year and leave dinner to the pros? What follows is just a pie slice of the take-out options available on the South Fork and Shelter Island. From super traditional to seafood-centric or down-home barbecue, gobble up the holiday deliciousness from this parade of Hamptons Thanksgiving options for a stress-free dinner to be thankful for. (Bonus: Leftovers in take-out containers are perfect for post-meal couch grazing in front of the game!)
Wishbone Farms, 54 Hampton Road, Southampton, 631-259-5333
Southampton’s Wishbone Market is going full-on Turkey Day traditional with dry brined, roasted 15 pound turkeys ($165) or turkey roulade with apples and turkey sausage ($150), a choice of sausage or mushroom stuffing ($40), sides like candied yams, mashed potatoes, charred Brussels sprouts with onion and bacon, roasted local cauliflower, corn bread ($40-$46) and can’t-miss-‘em extras like freshly made cranberry sauce and gravy. Hit parade pies (bourbon pecan, pumpkin, apple crumb) are by-the-slice, so be sure to grab an extra few for midnight indulgences—you know you want to. Order by phone or in person by 11/17.
Kyle’s, 27 North Ferry Road, Shelter Island, 631-749-0579
Maybe you like watching that bird turn golden brown in your oven, finding a wax-on, wax-off sense of Mr. Miyagi higher purpose in the act of constant basting. Or maybe you just don’t dig turkey. If this is you, look to Kyle’s annual “Everything But the Turkey” Thanksgiving menu, chock full of starters, soups, sides and pies to fill out your table with its annual supporting cast of starch and veg. If you’re feeling the pinch of higher prices this year, Chef Kyle’s menu is one of the best deals around to add decadence without the post-holiday financial dread. Think options like crab cakes (28 bucks a dozen), savory stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, bite-sized clam pies, two different seasonal soups (butternut squash and creamed cauliflower), mashed potatoes (regular and sweet), roasted Brussels sprouts with Dijon vinaigrette and maple glazed pecans, kicky chipotle cranberry relish, gravy, and classic pecan and apple pies. Orders must be placed via phone by November 19; pick up is the day before Thanksgiving.
Manna at Lobster Inn, 5 Inlet Road West, Southampton, 631-728-5555
Isn’t the real point of Thanksgiving about seizing the opportunity to gather? Not a single local constabulary employs a Turkey Officer ready to seize upon non-turkey compliancy. We promise. Get your order in (online, via phone, or in person) for Manna’s to-go Splat lobster dinner by Tuesday, November 23rd, for a sea-faring Thanksgiving, complete with a whole 1 ¼ pound lobster, locally sourced Little Neck clams, P.E.I. mussels, shrimp, chorizo sausage, corn, red potatoes and a whole lot of butter, all nicely wrapped into a foil packet for no-mess, easy cooking (be as messy as you like after the fact). Each order is for two ($65), and includes a QR code for an instructional how-to-cook-your-Splat video, as well as regular, readable instructions, too. If you don’t want to turn on your oven at all, for 95 clams, they’ll cook you the whole shebang ahead of time.
Art of Eating, 264 Butter Lane, Bridgehampton, 631-267-2411
This storied Hamptons caterer (who was doing farm-to-table before that was even a hyphenated thing) isn’t just for splashy, sumptuous party fare—they’ll cater your Thanksgiving dinner, too—plus weekend easy-meal extras for all those lingering houseguests (feel free to tuck a Jitney schedule under their pillows). Whether you’re having an intimate dinner for two, sit-down feast for 15 or a come-on-in open house buffet, the options are not only customizable, but the flavors and special touches elevate the meal into unforgettable territory. House pickled South Fork farm veggies, homemade potato chips for their addictive roasted shallot dip, velvety heirloom squash, golden beet, and turmeric soup with piquant lime crema, garlicky sauteed broccolini with portobello mushrooms, flaky, herb-flecked, pillowy buttermilk biscuits. And of course, the turkey options, of which there are a multitude to tailor to your table, including a whole roasted heirloom Mecox Ludlow Farm bird. Get your order in via their website or give them a call by November 17th, and spend the rest of the week contemplating the perfect autumnal center piece.
The Cookery, 83 Springs Fireplace Road, East Hampton; 631-604-6317
If you haven’t stopped into this petite little bakery and lunch spot, you need to get here ASAP. No better excuse than Thanksgiving to give the excellent savory and baked goods on offer a whirl. While the turkey order deadline was last week, owners Cynthia Sestito and Trudy Craney’s cornucopia of pre-ordered soups are sides may well take center stage. Think snacky things like roasted figs with gorgonzola in a Port wine reduction, Burmese crab cakes sprinkled with sesame seeds, fall-inspired soups the likes of local cauliflower, leek and potato with white wine and herbs, and stellar sides like sautéed wild mushrooms with cipollini onions, rosemary and Marsala wine, caramelized sweet potatoes with toasted pecans, cardamom-kissed cranberry sauce, and, of course, classic herb stuffing with gravy. Pro tip: Get the pies!! Sestito and Craney’s baking chops are not to be trifled with–they’ve got all the holiday classics, plus pumpkin frangipane, brown butter sugar cake topped with sugared, fried sage leaves, and creamy fig and orange mascarpone cheesecake. And if you happen to have a soft spot for pignoli cookies, these are the best you’ll have outside of Liguria. Check the website for the full menu; all orders must be placed via email at [email protected].
L & W Market, 2494 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, 631-537-1123
Whether you’ve got a medium crowd or a bumper crop at your table, L & W offers two turkey sizes of free-range heritage birds—a medium that generously fees up to 6 ($179), to the ultimate big bird for up to 12, and probably even a few stragglers ($249). Buttery birds come pre-brined and ready to roast (with instructions, of course), and the a la carte to-go menu also offers everything from classic starters like deviled eggs and a stacked cheeseboard, to less-traditional but no less gobble-worthy options, like their Mediterranean-skewed Mezze Combo of olives, beet hummus, whipped feta, and lentil yogurt spread with flatbread, wheatberry vegetable soup, or lobster bisque. (Orders may be placed online by visiting. Their not-to-be missed croissant based celery and sage stuffing comes with or without sausage, and cranberry sauce, gravy, and plush little parker house rolls are available, too. And the chocolate bread pudding makes a decadent but hardy departure from the usual. All orders must be placed online or in person by 6pm Sunday, November 20; pick up starts Wednesday, November 23 from 3 to 5 p.m., or on Thanksgiving Day between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Townline BBQ, 3593 Montauk Highway, Sagaponack, 631-537-2271
Step away from the potential calamity of the outdoor deep fryer and head to Townline for an excellent southern-skewed Thanksgiving feast. Sides—the likes of collards, cornbread, mac n’ cheese, maple sweet potato puree, and, of course, cornbread dressing—run $15 to $30, and the big bird ($155, serving up to 14 people) gets the ‘cue treatment in their on-premises smoker and comes complete with a complimentary quart apple cider gravy. Yum. Orders must be placed by phone or in person by November 18th, and pick up is between 1:30 and 5pm on November 23rd. Make sure to leave for room the whiskey-spiked chocolate pecan pie for dessert.
Citarella, 2 Pantigo Road, East Hampton; 2209 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton; 20 Hampton Road, Southampton, 631-283-6600
Not just your ever-dependable go-to for gourmet goodies, Citarella is offering full Thanksgiving dinner for four ($299) or eight ($499), complete with a gravy-accompanied roasted free-range turkey and pumpkin, spinach and mushroom lasagna with a generously creamy hit of bechamel and melty fontina and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, autumnal starters and sides like pumpkin bisque, sauteed Brussels sprouts and green beans, wild rice stuffing, glazed sweet and hearty mashed potatoes, corn bread, pumpkin and apple pie, all cooked and ready to serve. There’s also an extra a la carte menu of starters and sides to add in options for guests with particular desires (or restrictions)—not to mention a multi-caviar and blini option, if you want to add a little shmancy edible bling to your feast. Order by 4pm November 18th and do so any way you like—by phone, email ([email protected]), in store or online here. Pick up by the 23rd, or ask about delivery options for orders $250 or over.
