Gramercy Tavern boasts good cooks, and do-gooders.
Credit: Provided
In a city of feasts and festivals and dining options by the hundreds, there are sadly far too many people who spend the holidays hungry. In an effort to raise money and awareness of our fellow New Yorkers in need, here are some local eateries with underprivileged diners in mind. Read on and support the causes.
Bubby’s
At both the Tribeca location and its new spot near the High Line, Bubby’s is doing Thanksgiving dinner from 5-11 p.m. On Thanksgiving night, it’s pay what you want ($60 suggested) with 25 percent of proceeds going to NYC Rescue Mission, which provides food and shelter to those in need. The comfort food eateries are serving up family-style turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, candied yams, Brussels sprouts, ambrosia and an assortment of pies, plus housemade sodas.
Swine
531 Hudson St., 212-255-7675
West Village’s Swine is getting into the Thanksgiving spirit early with a Gobble & Give dinner on Monday, Nov. 18, to benefit FeedingNYC, which delivers Thanksgiving dinners to families in need throughout the city. Seatings for the four-course meal are at 6 and 9 p.m. and include wine pairings. Tickets are $100, with $25 from every ticket going to FeedingNYC. To make a reservation for the dinner, go here.
Refinery Hotel
63 W. 38th St., 646-664-0310
At midtown’s Refinery Hotel, guests and patrons are invited to make a wish by tossing a coin into its rooftop fountain. Coins collected for the month of November will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation in time for Thanksgiving.
Sons of Essex
133 Essex St., 212-674-7100
Since Nov. 1, Sons of Essex has been collecting clothing and nonperishable food to be collected for a holiday drive for the Bowery Mission, a charity that has been serving homeless and hungry New Yorkers since 1879. Guests who bring items for donation will receive a ticket redeemable for a free cocktail or free appetizer at the Lower East Side restaurant.
Your favorite places get in on the spirit
fresh & co
The day before Thanksgiving, fast-casual eatery fresh&co is hosting a soup kitchen at its downtown location near Astor Place (729 Broadway). There, employees from their nine locations will join some of fresh&co’s farm and food partners to give away meals to the homeless in conjunction with its charity partner, Friends of Karen. You’re invited to help serve and deliver to those in need.
Brother Jimmy’s
181 Lexington Ave., 212-779-7427
On Thanksgiving, Brother Jimmy’s BBQ will be handing out 1,000 pulled pork sandwiches (plus a side of mashed potatoes and a bottle of water), beginning at noon until the food runs out.
Olio Pizza e Piu
3 Greenwich Ave., 212-243-6546
This year, the West Village Italian spot will be donating pizzas to serve about 250 people on Thanksgiving to Sylvia’s Place Shelter of Manhattan, NYC’s only emergency shelter for LGBTQ youth.
Waldorf Astoria
301 Park Ave., 212-355-3000
Chef David Garcelon and the culinary team at the Waldorf Astoria New York have a strong partnership with nearby St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church. Chef Garcelon volunteers there weekly (arriving some mornings at 5 a.m.) and this year the chef and a small team are putting on a turkey dinner for 200 people the day after Thanksgiving.
Gramercy Tavern
42 E. 20th St., 212-477-0777
Team GT will participate in the Race to Deliver, an annual 4K in Central Park that raises money for God’s Love We Deliver. Last year, the team raised the second highest amount, and this year they are aiming for the No. 1 slot with a goal of more than $20,000. To sponsor the team, go here.
Potatopia
The newcomer will be donating 1,000 potatoes to the New York Dream Center’s annual Set the Table event, which provides Thanksgiving meals to needy New Yorkers. Last year the Dream Center distributed 600 meals, and this year they hope to expand on that total. To contribute, go here.
Pret A Manger
Last year Pret established the Pret Foundation, with the goal of alleviating hunger and homelessness. As part of this effort, all of the remaining food at the end of each day is donated to City Harvest. This year, specifically for the holidays, Pret developed the Holiday Lunch sandwich, made with antibiotic-free roasted turkey, nut roast stuffing, cranberry sauce, crispy onions, spinach, mayo and black pepper on granary bread. For every Holiday Lunch sandwich purchased, Pret donates 50 cents to the Pret Foundation. The Holiday Lunch will be on shelves from mid-November through early January. Learn more here.
Epicurean Group
The folks behind dell’anima, L’Apicio, L’Artusi and Anfora are donating 500 pies to City Harvest and reaching out to other restaurant friends to make that number even higher. Pastry chefs Sarah Ewald and Katherine Thompson are heading up this effort and once they meet their goal, City Harvest will distribute the treats to hungry New Yorkers at their holiday mobile market in the Bronx on Nov. 26.
Easy way to help
For $10, you can sponsor a “winter feast” for those in need, via God’s Love We Deliver. Included is pumpkin bisque soup, roast turkey with giblet gravy, cornbread stuffing, carrots, Brussels sprouts, pearl onions, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish and an apple crisp dessert. In all, God’s Love will deliver more than 6,000 holiday meals in November and December to those who are too ill to shop and cook for themselves. To sponsor a meal, visit www.glwd.org/celebratewithaplate.
