The Top Turkey Dishes in New York
While we simply couldn’t imagine Thanksgiving without turkey, we don’t think to eat it that often the other 364 days of the year. Sure, turkey is a popular cold cut in sandwiches and salads, as well as a viable burger substitute for non red meat eaters, but there aren’t a ton of memorable turkey dishes. That’s why we’ve rounded up a number of notable exceptions, that truly take the under-appreciated protein to the next level, from the classic Turkey Chili at Empire Diner to the exotic Turkey Ramen at Talde.
Parm
The restaurant’s name may be Parm, but it was actually the humble turkey sandwich that first put Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi on the culinary map. And this Italian-inspired hoagie owes nothing to Boar’s Head; think slices of house-roasted, garlic, honey and herb-marinated turkey, piled on a sweet semolina roll along with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. So darn comforting.
Read MoreTalde
This holiday special at Talde is essentially Thanksgiving in a bowl. Top Chef’s Dale Talde has taken all of the major elements of the meal, and transformed them into an ingenious Turkey Ramen — featuring slabs of roasted turkey roulade with stuffing, creamed spinach-filled dumplings, chewy noodles, and pickled cranberries, finished tableside with a mushroom-soy “gravy” broth.
Read MoreThe Meatball Shop
Leave it to owners Michael Chernow and Daniel Holzman to dream up a meatball for every occasion. Now that it’s almost Thanksgiving, look for seasonal specials like “Gobble Gobble Balls” to make The Meatball Shop’s menu, made with ground turkey, stuffing cubes, dried cranberries and fresh sage, and served slathered in a rich, mushroom-infused gravy.
Read MoreMorgan’s
When you think barbecue, pulled pork and brisket generally comes to mind. But the pitmaster at Morgan’s in Prospect Heights has a true talent for turkey, dishing up juicy hunks of smoky turkey by the pound, as well as a unique assortment of turkey tails (yes, tails); culled from the meaty rear of the bird, and served with collards and corn bread.
Read MoreDistilled
This isn’t your average, humdrum turkey burger. The patties used for the complex “Bird Burger” at Distilled are made from a triple play of poultry — turkey, chicken and duck — topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle spear, and served with delectably greasy tater tots or a nutritious tumble of greens.
Read MoreShopsin’s
Granted, it can be daunting to try to sort through the inimitable Kenny Shopsin’s 1,000+ item menu. But somewhere in between the Duck Tempura Poutine and the Cheese Enchiladas in Cactus Sauce, there are a number of totally noteworthy turkey sandwiches, including “The Babe,” a turkey hash patty with bacon cranberry lychee mayo, and the hulking “High School,” hot turkey and gravy piled high with sausage stuffing.
Read MoreEmpire Diner
Celebrity chef Amanda Freitag is all about elevating greasy spoon classics at her reboot of this classic diner. But the menu isn’t all Charred Octopus Green Salad and Bone Marrow Matzoh Ball Soup. Deliciously traditional items are found under a revolving roster of daily “Green Plate Specials,” featuring a hearty Turkey Chili on Saturdays, thick with beans and tomatoes and heady with aromatic spice.
Read MoreThe Smith
You won’t miss the chicken in The Smith’s rustic, warming Pot Pie, made with tender chunks of Pennsylvania Dutch Turkey, folded with slow-cooked veggies and gravy, and enclosed in decadent, cheddar chive biscuit crust.
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