There are two types of Thanksgiving guests. Those who are there for the leftovers to make the next day sandwich and those who are there for the pie. This year, since things will be different anyway. I suggest take out Thanksgiving/Pilgrim/Turkey and Stuffing sandwiches and pie for your small socially distant outdoor Thanksgiving gathering.
Here are places that serve a delicious Thanksgiving between two pieces of bread all season and many serve it all year long in the Boston area.
Boston/Cambridge/Somerville
Pemberton Farms – Pemberton Farms Marketplace just beyond Porter Square is a great market for your every day groceries or the place locals go to grab prepared foods for any meal of the day. At lunchtime though, it’s the sandwich menu that has everyone in line. Their Thanksgiving sandwich is The Mayflower: roasted turkey breast, sage stuffing, cranberry relish, lettuce & mayo on sourdough bread.
Stephanie’s on Newbury- Newbury Street has changed over the years, but one comforting mainstay has always been Stephanie’s on Newbury. It’s like that one family member or friend’s home that you can always go to and sit for hours to escape the day to day life. The one that always has just the tea, cookie, dish, or cocktail you were craving. Their dish is the Open Faced Thanksgiving Sandwich: roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, squash mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, gravy, toasted white pullman.
Mike’s City Diner– Like the turkeys that stroll the neighborhood summer, fall, winter and spring, I have heard that Thanksgiving is a year-round thing at Mike’s City Diner thanks to Mike’s Famous Turkey Dinner with all the fixin’s. If you’re after a sandwich though, you’ll be ordering the Mike’s Famous Pilgrim: turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, served with fries and pickle.
All Star Sandwich Bar – New England has some great sandwiches, but I think the all star all year round classic has to be the Thanksgiving sandwich. All Star Sandwich Bar’s version is a Gobbler: herb roasted turkey, apple-sausage stuffing, turkey gravy, cranberry-orange preserves and mayo on grilled rustic white.
Beyond Boston
Linden Store – You feel like a local when you step into Wellesley’s Linden Store. It’s this town’s lunch counter and is full of everyone and anyone grabbing a sandwich for themselves or the whole family. The Linden Store tells it like it is with their Turkey Stuffing & Cranberry Sauce: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, lettuce and mayo.
Zaftig’s – Brunching at Zaftig’s is a rite of passage when you move to the Boston area and has since before #brunch was a thing. Don’t overlook this spot for other meals though because they offer the full on Thanksgiving turkey dinner as well as the sandwich. Zaftig’s sandwich has a name that hints at a longer story (I’ll have to get it some day) and includes the two ultimate Thanksgiving sandwich bonus item: mashed potatoes and gravy. To balance out all that, it is made as an open faced sandwich. Raphel: roast turkey, mashed potato, stuffing, cranberry chutney, on toasted challah with gravy.
Michael’s Deli – Jewish deli Brookline style has a little mish mash of all things deli. Michael’s Deli menu, in addition to pickles, knishes, blintzes and soups, has the classics, signature and “dirty” sandwiches. This includes of course the classic Thanksgiving Feast: hot turkey breast with homemade stuffing and cranberry sauce on a choice of toasted bread. In addition, Michael’s has a Thanksgiving menu which includes deli classics and Thanksgiving standards sold by the 1/2 pound.
Gene’s Variety – Every good neighborhood has a great local variety store. It’s the place you go for your favorite sandwich and to grab a necessity or two. Gene’s Variety has the Pilgrim: roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo.
Modern Butcher Shop – Head north for this one. Given that most things are cancelled these days, taking a short day trip for a sandwich is not a bad idea. I’m hoping they’ll have it again soon, but you may need to wait for next year. Modern Butcher Shop’s Thanksgiving Day Sandwich: oven roasted turkey, mash, cranberry mayo and gravy sold out 60 sandwiches in 16 minutes so getting one may be an Amazing Race type feat but I’m up for the challenge.
CJ’s Northside Grille – A choice of Thanksgiving three different ways is on the table at CJ’s Northside Grille (four if you count the turkey pot pie with cranberry sauce). They have the pot pie, and a turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans or corn and then the option of two sandwiches. Open Face Hot Turkey: hot turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry on your bread of choice. As well as, Superbird: turkey, stuffing, cranberry and mayo on your bread of choice.
The Corner Market Holliston – Sandwiches, paninis, pizza, salad, tacos and burritos all under one roof is a picky family’s dream come true. You can pick up what everyone is craving all in one spot. The Corner Market’s turkey day sandwich is The Pilgrim: oven roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mayo
Outpost Farm – For the ultimate farm to table turkey experience you have to go Outpost Farm where they raise their own turkeys and smoke them too on Tuesdays (starting back up in December). You can pick up your uncooked turkey or Thanksgiving meal here as well, but if it is a Thanksgiving sandwich you are after order the turkey sandwichn #2: turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Gerard Farm – Gerard Farm in Marshfield roasts twice a day. They have turkey dinners all year long and that is just a small part of their takeout menu. On the sandwich front, you have a choice of two types of Thanksgiving sandwiches the one between slices of bread and the other as a wrap. You can even order a whole platter of sandwiches. Turkey Sandwich: roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry and mayo.
Vegetarian Option
By Chloe – By Chloe is one of our New York imports but ever since she landed in Fenway, we’ve happily claimed her as our own. I’m surprised there are not more local vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving sandwich options. We have so many spots that could do an amazing job. In the meantime this masterpiece by By Chloe, looks pretty fabulous. Gobble Gobble – lemon-caper sietan, sautéed kale, rosemary gravy, harvest stuffing, cranberry sauce, on a potato bun.
I crave a Thanksgiving sandwich at least a couple times for every season. Unlike the lobster roll, which I only seek in the summer months, the tang of the cranberry sauce and the rich sage flavor of the soft stuffing and saltiness of the turkey and/or gravy is craveable even when it isn’t the Thanksgiving holiday.
Beyond the Bread
If you’re feeling a little extra adventurous you can try the Pilgrim pizza from The Corner Market in Holliston. The pizza has rotisserie turkey, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce and mozzarella on a cranberry aioli base. The Pilgrim pizza is available by the slice or the whole pie.
If pizza isn’t your thing, then how about an egg-roll? The Corner Market has egg-rolls of all sorts including the pilgrim egg-roll served with a cranberry aioli.
For sweet you can get DoughP’s Thanksgiving Leftover edible cookie dough. It is a sweet potato dough with brown sugar, maple syrup, marshmallows, cinnamon, nutmeg and more.
See the sandwiches on Instagram stories all week..
My mouth is watering during this entire post! Thanks for your investigation, Leah!