The Foobooz Guide to Cooking Nothing on Thanksgiving
Where to buy the perfect Thanksgiving dinner — so you don't have to cook a single thing.
Thanksgiving takeout from Di Bruno Bros. / Photograph courtesy of Di Bruno Bros.
All due respect to anyone who can pull off a full-on, home-cooked Thanksgiving feast, but here at Foobooz we’re big fans of letting professional cooks shine all year ’round, especially when it comes to what is arguably the most high-pressure, stressful meal of the year. So we’ve got you covered with all kinds of takeout options. With a little planning (and advance orders), your Thanksgiving can be stress-free — at least in terms of the menu … we can’t promise that family discussion will be.
Di Bruno Bros., multiple locations
From the obvious cheese boards to fully-prepped Thanksgiving meals and everything in between, Di Bruno’s full catering menu can be whatever you want it to be. Thanksgiving options for mains include a turkey braciole (boneless turkey breast rolled and filled with sausage and herbs), prime rib, and vegetarian lasagna for your meatless guests. Add on any sides, desserts (pies!), and starters, and pick up at their Wayne or Rittenhouse locations. And if you’re late to order a whole package, chances are you can find some à la carte items in the Rittenhouse location’s prepared food section and bakery, so don’t give up!
Preorders open: now through November 21st
Pickup: November 26th-28th
Picnic, Kensington
Picnic’s $275 package serves four and subs a 3.5-pound rotisserie chicken for turkey. Sides include roasted mushrooms, potato-leek gratin, sourdough stuffing, and more classics —plus pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. Add on apps like meat and cheese, baked brie, and shrimp cocktail for extra cost. An added bonus? Wine bottles are 50 percent off for Thanksgiving! (They’ve also got a curated three-pack for $75.)
Preorders open: now until sold out
Pickup: November 27th, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Urban Farmer, Logan Circle
Urban Farmer is offering its Thanksgiving to-go menu again this year, with a full spread of holiday classics including a 12-pound turkey, cranberry sauce, red bliss smashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, cornbread, and choice of pumpkin, apple, or pecan-chocolate pie. Urban Farmer’s package is $280 and serves four to six people. And for those looking to save on tight fridge space, all orders can be picked up on Thanksgiving Day. Urban Farmer is also offering dine-in Thanksgiving for brunch and dinner.
Preorders open: now until sold out
Pickup: November 27th, noon to 3 p.m.
Lilah, Fishtown
Lilah’s $275 takeout package feeds four, and offers a Mediterranean twist on the Thanksgiving feast. It includes a smoked moussa-spiced whole turkey with cranberry harissa, pumpkin-kubaneh stuffing, hummus and pita, salatim, and much more. For dessert? Pumpkin pie, with an optional add-on of pecan pie.
Preorders open: now until sold out
Pickup: November 26th, noon to 4 p.m.
Heavy Metal Sausage Co., South Philly
Heavy Metal Sausage Co. is all about excess, and their Thanksgiving kit is no exception. The $285 package is intended for four people (with leftovers), and it includes a half-turkey from Keiser’s, plus seven (yes, seven) sides including a fall salad, brown-butter mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, mac and cheese, braised greens, sausage stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Sides are also available à la carte, plus they’re doing takeout cheese and charcuterie boards and rolls.
Preorders open: now until sold out
Pickup: November 26th, 2 to 8 p.m.
Nunzio, Collingswood
Nunzio’s takeout offerings for Thanksgiving are a little fancy, and a little Italian-leaning, which feels right if you’re looking to branch out just a bit this year. They’re doing turkey scallopini with mushrooms and marsala gravy, or a turkey bolognese with rigatoni as mains. Sides include sausage and broccoli rabe stuffing, roasted pear salad, and truffle gnocchi. Plus, pecan pie for dessert. All items are à la carte and serve four to six people.
Preorders open: now until sold out
Pickup: November 26th, 3 to 7 p.m.
Famous 4th Street Delicatessen, Queen Village
The classic Jewish deli’s Thanksgiving dinner to-go package feeds four people and includes challah with sea salt and honey butter, cran-apple sauce with cinnamon and clove, herb-crusted sliced turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, challah stuffing, and roasted carrots. Plus, you get a choice of apple pumpkin pie. The Thanksgiving to-go kit is priced at $225 with the option of adding additional portions for $55 per person. Orders must be placed in-store or by calling 884-443-2667.
Preorders open: now through November 23rd at noon
Pickup: November 26th, 5 p.m.
Inside The Bread Room / Photograph by Stu Goldenberg
The Bread Room, Washington Square West
High Street’s newly opened bakery, the Bread Room, doesn’t roast a turkey or mash any potatoes. But for all your Thanksgiving baked-good needs, they’re the ones to call. From a gorgeous Anadama bread to start off your meal to a miso-caramel apple pie or Basque pumpkin cheesecake to finish it off, they’re offering breads and pies for pickup the day before Thanksgiving.
Preorders open: now until sold out
Pickup: November 26th
Sweet Lucy’s Smokehouse, Northeast Philly
If Thanksgiving is a meat-centric holiday (which it is) then doesn’t it make sense to seek assistance from folks who specialize in meat? Sweet Lucy’s Smokehouse has a $195 Thanksgiving menu that serves six to eight people with four pounds of hickory-smoked turkey breast, plus three quarts of your choice of sides (including jalapeño-cornbread stuffing, spicy collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes, and smokehouse chili). Add on desserts like s’mores pie, pumpkin cake, and bourbon bread pudding for an additional cost. All items are picked up cold, with heating instructions.
Preorders open: now through November 23rd
Pickup: November 26th
Miles Table, multiple locations
Miles Table is a caterer first and foremost, which makes them experts at prepped foods ready to be reheated. Their Thanksgiving takeout options range from full meals for five or 10 people with turkey, sides and pie, to an à la carte ordering option that lets you build out your own preferred menu. They’ve also got gluten-free and vegetarian options to help you meet dietary restrictions without breaking a sweat. (In particular, they’re selling quarts of gluten-free sage-infused gravy that are worth an order on their own if you’re trying to hit your GF Thanksgiving menu out of the park.) For an additional bonus, they’ll deliver your order anywhere in the city.
Preorders open: now
Pickup: November 25th & 26th; delivery also available
The Original Turkey at Reading Terminal Market, Market East
The name says it all. The Original Turkey does Thanksgiving food all year round, so when it comes to actual Thanksgiving it makes sense to simply let them do their thing. You can do full dinners for two, four or eight people, in addition to whole turkeys, turkey breads, and à la carte sides.
Preorders open: now
Pickup: November 26th (or literally today, if you can’t wait till Thanksgiving for your feast)
Additional reporting by Maddy Sweitzer-Lammé.
