The Art of the Gobbler, Philly’s Thanksgiving Obsession

The Gobbler Po’boy at Khyber Pass Pub / Photograph courtesy of Khyber Pass Pub

Listen to the audio edition here:

Like pumpkin spice and Joel Embiid injuries, Thanksgiving shows up sooner every year. Blame Wawa, which rolls the Gobbler out in late September. Love it or hate it, the hot turkey, gravy, cranberry, and stuffing sandwich is iconic, and an inspiration/challenge to dozens of restaurants, bars, and hoagie shops to produce their own version. What used to be for leftovers — preferably eaten after midnight, or possibly for breakfast on Black Friday — is now its own raison d’être, with elaborate turkey-cooking methods, creative variations on the classic sides, and elements you’d never find at Grandma’s table.

If you tried to eat even a modest share of all the Gobblers, “Thanksgiving on a roll” or “Pilgrim” sandwiches now available in Philadelphia (and the suburbs), you’ll probably be sick of turkey by November 27th. So, pace yourself. And when it’s time make use of your own leftovers, follow these tips from the Gobbler pros.

Introduce your turkey to a pig. Or duck.

Messina Social Club chef Eddie Konrad is a turkey fan. “He gets mad at Thanksgiving every year,” says his Messina partner Jason Ciconski. “Because people only see it as a sandwich meat or Thanksgiving, when it’s like the most flavorful bird.”

And even at Thanksgiving, it gets something of a bad rap. Overrated. Dry. Or just, not as important as the sides. If you hold that opinion, you’ve probably had some mediocre turkey (sorry, Grandma). It can be hard to cook, with dry-brining, spatchcocking, and slow-and-low among the methods to do better. But the biggest tip of all might be to separate the breasts and legs. And then you can really go to town.

The Turketta at Porco’s Porchetteria / Photograph courtesy of Porco’s Porchetteria

At Porco’s Porchetteria, the Turketta is not exactly like its pork equivalent. But the turkey breast is rubbed and rolled with some of the same spices, and it’s also rubbed with lard. That’s an inspiration owner Chad Durkin got from Puerto Rican lechoneras. “They were roasting pork above the chickens, and all the pork fat would drip on the chickens,” he says. “And I was like, man, this is delicious.”

A generous amount of quack is also the key to Middle Child’s Turkey Dip, which they’ve offered for the past two years. It’s a confit turkey thigh patty with creamed spinach, sweet potato orange-cran sauce, and veggie gravy on toasted ciabatta. The “turkey patty” is really more of a terrine slice, made from cured, confit, and slow-cooked turkey legs that are shredded, packed into a loaf pan, and then cooled.

“This is probably not one of those ones that you would make at home,” Middle Child owner Matthew Cahn concedes, though he suggests you could try to hack this process by throwing some leftover turkey meat and fat into a stand mixer or processor. Give it a few pulses and then sear it in a cast iron pan like a not-quite burger. (“I haven’t tried this,” Cahn adds as a disclaimer.)

The Turkey Dip at Middle Child Clubhouse / Photograph by Alex Savana

Don’t overdo the starch.

There’s admittedly something decadent about putting bread between more bread. At Porco’s, the Turketta features a layer of savory bread pudding on a toasted brioche roll. But bread plus stuffing plus mashed potatoes? That’s a carb too far.

Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, provide a different texture, taste, and color (plus nutrition!). That’s what you’ll find instead of stuffing on the “Wobble ‘Til You Gobble” at Breezy’s Deli, Durkin’s other spot, as well as on the Middle Child Turkey Dip.

Have a vegetable, for heaven’s sake.

And no, crispy onions don’t count. Brussels sprouts (also on the Breezy’s sandwich, and the Mighty Bird at Mighty Bread) are the obvious choice, whether roasted to a caramelized whole, sautéed into crispy leaves, or turned into a slaw. And if you can’t let go of tomato season, Porco’s Turketta comes with a thick slice of heirloom tomato. But whatever veggie is on your table can be put into the sandwich. Even kale salad.

Go completely turkey-free.

Vegan haven Triangle Tavern does both a turkey and a seitan version of its gobbler — both with rosemary mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mushroom gravy on a seeded Baker Street hoagie roll. You’ll find a similar faux-fowl option at HipCityVeg.

But isn’t Thanksgiving all about the sides anyway? In 2019, Middle Child’s vegetarian sandwich was the Side Melt, which is exactly what it sounds like. And if you get the vegetarian version of their current Turkey Dip, roasted green beans sub for bird, with no replacement protein.

Mighty Bread’s Mighty Bird / Photograph courtesy of Mighty Bread

Get creative with the cranberry condiments.

It’s cranberry mostarda at Porco’s, cranberry mayo at Middle Child, Breezy’s and Pastificio, and cardamom-cranberry sauce at Messina. Personally, I prefer to give cranberry sauce equal billing as a sandwich ingredient, for the maximum fruity acidic punch. You can still spread mayo (or mustard!) on your bread.

Or you can take inspiration from Liberty Kitchen’s LK Gobbler and swap out the cranberry sauce with a sour cherry spread.

The secret ingredient is always cheese.

It’s not a big part of the Thanksgiving dinner once you’re at the table, unless we’re talking “macaroni and …” But on a sandwich, how could you leave it out?

At home, Chad Durkin reaches for the Cooper Sharp, which you’ll also find on the “Kimmy Gibbler” at Poe’s Sandwich Joint (at Human Robot Fishtown). And Gruyère is crucial to the Middle Child creamed spinach on the Turkey Dip. “Cheese helps hold stuff together,” says Matthew Cahn. “Not just a sandwich, but us as human beings.”

Liberty Kitchen’s LK Gobbler / Photograph courtesy of Liberty Kitchen

Change it up entirely.

In other words, don’t have a Gobbler-type sandwich at all. That’s what N.A. Poe of Poe’s would certainly prefer, even as he offers up the Kimmy Gibbler (which is actually made with chicken).

“Gobblers are pedestrian, but I’m a man of the people so I give them what they want,” Poe wrote in an Instagram message. “As an Italian, I think Thanksgiving food is shit.”

He came up with something more in keeping with that heritage for Poe’s Sidepiece at Human Robot Brewerytown. “The Goolfather” features turkey salad and crispy gabagool saltimbocca, with a side of gravy (yes, the Thanksgiving kind). The lesson there: You can never go wrong adding a cured pork product.

Thu Pham of Càphê Roasters in Fishtown says they did Gobbler-style bánh mì a few years back, but their November tradition is now the Clifford Club, named in honor of their friend and customer Clifford Pearlman. Pearlman, who died in 2021, liked to send his friends a Greenberg smoked turkey, so now Càphê remembers him by putting that mail-order bird on the Clifford Club, which is served on white bread with heirloom tomatoes, greens, spicy gochugaru tomato jam, and house apple aioli.

Don’t try this at home.

Or do, if you’re not afraid of deep-frying. No, not the whole turkey (though that’s a baller move). But a big reason why Mike’s BBQ smoked turkey Gobbler is one of the most epic in the city is its fried stuffing balls, which are also available à la carte.

And what could be more Philly than a cutlet? That’s what South Philly sandwich shop Vincenzo’s does for its Gobbler, with long-hot mayo, Stove Top stuffing, turkey gravy, cranberry jelly, and French-fried onions.

The stuffing-waffle Gobbler at Maria’s Bread Sandwiches / Photograph courtesy of Maria’s Bread Sandwiches

Waffle it!

There’s no bread-on-bread at Maria’s Bread Sandwiches in Collingswood. Instead, the stuffing is the bread. Or rather, it’s a waffle. The Maria’s Gobbler puts rosemary garlic Mashed Potatoes, turkey breast, turkey gravy, parm, and cranberry-sage aioli between two homemade stuffing waffles. Note: The last day to grab one is the day before Thanksgiving!

The waffle iron is also what Jennifer Zavala of Juana Tamale reaches for the day after Thanksgiving.

“I take everything — turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes — and throw it all in a waffle maker,” she says. “Spray the waffle maker with non-stick spray first. When it’s done, I put cranberry sauce and gravy on it. Mayo as well. It’s absolutely disgustingly glorious. 10/10 experience.”

The Best Gobbler Sandwiches in Philly

Ready for a nap yet? Here’s where to find all of the sandwiches mentioned above, as well as many more.

Liberty Kitchen, Fishtown, University City, and Chestnut Hill

The LK Gobbler packs generous helping of deli turkey into 12-inch seeded roll with long-hot sage stuffing, sour cherry spread, Dijonnaise, and fried shallots and is served with eight ounces of smoked turkey gravy on the side. 1400 North Front Street; 3675 Market Street (inside Two Locals Brewery); 8221 Germantown Avenue.

HipCityVeg, multiple locations

The Stuffer sandwich uses plant-based grilled chick’n in their Gobbler take, along with savory onion gravy, cranberry sauce, and stuffing, all served up on a toasted long roll.

Lucky’s Last Chance, Queen Village and Manayunk

The Gobbler gets the burger treatment at Lucky’s Last Chance. Their Thanksgiving Burger is a quarter-pound beef patty topped with American cheese, hand-carved turkey, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce, piled up on a buttered and toasted roll from Liscio’s Bakery. 848 South 2nd Street, 4421 Main Street.

Maria’s Bread Sandwiches, Collingswood

Unlike some Gobblers, which put the stuffing in the bread, Maria’s uses the stuffing as the bread. Their take on the Wawa classic puts rosemary-garlic mashed potatoes, shaved turkey breast, gravy, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and cranberry-sage aioli in between two waffles made of stuffing. 685 Haddon Avenue.

Mike’s BBQ, East Passyunk

The smoked-meat specialists at Mike’s BBQ have perfected the art of smoked turkey which sets their Gobbler apart from the rest. But it’s the deep-fried stuffing balls that crank this sandwich up to 11. Best part of all this: You can get the deep-fried stuffing balls on their own as a side. 1703 South 11th Street.

Mighty Bread, East Passyunk

It’s hard to pass up on the call of the Mighty Bird. It’s made with confit turkey thighs, cranberry sauce, gravy, crispy shallots, and Brussels sprouts — because sometimes you just need a vegetable to offset the richness of Thanksgiving. 1211 Gerritt Street.

Khyber Pass Pub, Old City

The New Orleans-style Khyber Pass excels at the po’boy. So it’s no surprise that the Gobbler po’boy is a jazzy number. Stuffed with roasted turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, oozing with turkey gravy, this New Orleans riff is music to our ears. 56 South 2nd Street.

Porco’s Porchetteria, Point Breeze

Get a Gobbler on the go from the Porco’s window. Their Turketta Sammie features their signature smoked and herbed turkey breast with bread pudding, cranberry mostarda, house-made turkey gravy, romaine lettuce, and an heirloom tomato (for those pining for tomato season). And it’s all neatly tucked into a perfectly portable toasted brioche bun. 2204 Washington Avenue.

Triangle Tavern, East Passyunk

Vegans and meat-eaters alike can gather around the Gobblers at Triangle Tavern. The chef, a veteran of the all-vegan restaurant Blackbird Pizzeria (R.I.P.), offers a vegan version of almost every dish on the menu. Same goes for his take on the Gobbler, which can be done with either seitan turkey or regular turkey, mushroom gravy, and all the fixin’s piled into a seeded hoagie roll from Baker Street Bread Co. 1338 South 10th Street.

Zig Zag BBQ, Kensington

Today (November 20th) is the last for this barbecue beauty. It’s got smoked turkey breast, cranberry jam, herb stuffing, gravy mayo, and roasted sweet potatoes on a sesame seed bun. Get Zig Zag’s Goobbler (yes, that’s how it’s spelled) now, or you’ll have to wait until next year. 2111 East York Street.

Dolores, Pennsport

Ah, the Turkey Jawn. Dolores takes the Gobbler genre and turns it into a hoagie with oven-roasted turkey, cheddar cheese, stuffing, the holy hoagie trinity (lettuce, tomato, and onion), and a little bit of cranberry mayo. 1841 South 2nd Street.