Virgil’s Real Barbecue: Three courses, $26.95
152 W. 44th St., nr. Broadway; 212-921-9494
The massive bi-level barbecue joint has the cheapest prix fixe: hearty crawfish gumbo to start, turkey with all the usual fixins, plus pumpkin, apple, or pecan pie.
Pomme de Terre: Three courses, $29
1301 Newkirk Ave., at Argyle Rd., Ditmas Park, Brooklyn; 718-284-0005
A ride on the B train to Newkirk Avenue is far less stressful than braving the airport on a holiday weekend. This French bistro makes its duck prosciutto in-house for a hearty wild-mushroom soup; beef Wellington can stand in for roast turkey and herb stuffing, and fresh baked apples with caramel are topped with mascarpone mousse.
Mia Dona: Three courses, $45
206 E. 58th St., at Third Ave.; 212-750-8170
Of course there are some Greek and Italian accents on the Michael Psilakis–Donatella Arpaia menu, which includes chestnut soup; entrée choices like grilled branzino with artichokes or organic turkey with shareable sides; and a pecan tart with pumpkin gelato.
The Harrison: Three courses, $65
355 Greenwich St., at Harrison St.; 212-274-9310
Chef Amanda Freitag has reinvented restaurateur Jimmy Bradley’s Tribeca classic, and her Thanksgiving lineup balances creativity with traditional fall tastes. Try squash salad tossed with Brussels sprouts and pumpkin-seed vinaigrette, duck breast with apple-ginger glaze over Bartlett pears, and a brown-butter pear tart served with candied-ginger ice cream.
Dovetail: Three Courses, $75 (children, $35)
103 W. 77th St., nr. Columbus Ave.; 212-362-3800
This relative splurge at one of the city’s best restaurants is still more than reasonable—especially considering that a Thanksgiving dinner somewhere like Eleven Madison Park will run you $135 a head. Here, chef John Fraser is offering a choice of his house short-rib gnocchi, traditional turkey, prime rib, halibut, or ham, plus a new Vera Tong dessert: baked chocolate pudding with sweet-potato marshmallows.
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