Although toiling away in a steamy kitchen for days on end, never knowing if your turkey will turn out drier than the Sahara or your mashed potatoes will resemble Elmer’s Glue, is enchanting for some, others opt for takeout. I had never considered this option until the last time I tried to juggle a full Thanksgiving meal while in the middle of a conference call and a houseful of family in town. The turkey? Jerky. The sides? Mushy. I say pick one thing that you do best, do it well, and leave the rest to the pros. Here are some unique Thanksgiving takeout options in the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs.
Everything But the Turkey
IF basting a bird is your jam, bring your best game and outsource the sides. Meal Village, the comfort food meal delivery service in the Chicagoland area, offers made-from-scratch sauces and sides. 10 dishes are available for pre-order: Cheddar Mashed Potatoes; Cinnamon Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes; Classic Creamy Mashed Potatoes; Cranberry Sauce; Creamy Macaroni And Cheese; Green Beans Almandine; Homestyle Turkey Gravy; Roasted Butternut Squash With Cranberries & Feta; Roasted Root Vegetable Medley; and Traditional Stuffing With Fresh Herbs. Meal Village focuses on affordability and dishes that are locally made, aiming to the alternative to home cooking.
Best part- THEY DELIVER. No double-parking, to trying to make the pick-up window of time before they close. Simply pre-order through Sunday, November 21st and pick a delivery- the morning of November 26th or 27th.
For the Ballers
Since many holiday gatherings have been postponed, truncated or eliminated altogether, why not go ALL OUT? Heritage Market has a Baller Package that includes everything to elevate your gathering from sterling to a PLATINUM Thanksgiving takeout. The package includes:
- 1 oz. Polanco Siberian Caviar
- Everything Spiced Shrimp Cocktail
- 18 lb. Strongbow Inn Style Prepared Turkey
- Giblet Gravy
- Sauerkraut
- Smoked Oyster and Kim-Chi Sausage Stuffing
- Grandma Stepanek’s Dumplings
- Roasted Corn and Cauliflower Salad
- Roasted Green Beans
- Heritage Apple Pie with Caramel Ice Cream
- Heritage Market Brown Liquor Manhattan Kit
- Selection of Seasonal Red Wines
Cost? $325 for 4-6 people, $175 for 2. This would absolutely be a meal to remember, and I can bet you will never be able to prepare a meal like this in your home solo. To order, call 773-661-9577 or order via Tock.
Chicago Favorites
Have you ever wanted a main dish from one place, a side from other and a dessert from a different place? Most restaurants in the city have a special dish that they are known for, a must-order, but it would be fairly tricky to try and restaurant hop for an entire meal of favorites. Fresh Midwest purchases the most popular items from these restaurants and delivers them to your home every day of the week. Craving Once Upon a Bagel’s Everything Bagels, Harry Caray’s Italian Sausage and Peppers, Wow Baos, Wildfire’s Macaroni and Cheese and Bang Bang’s Apple Pie? Design your dream Thanksgiving takeout meal and get them all delivered!
Head to Fresh Midwest’s website and browse the Restaurant Offerings. They also have specific Thanksgiving meals on offer from Wildfire, pre-cut veggies to cut down on prep time for dishes you want to cook from scratch, and kitchen essentials like eggs and EVOO.
Suburban Dreams
I moved to the North Shore over a decade ago, and still miss discovering the most amazing Fried Chicken in the city or sampling the soup and the new hot spot. Yes, I could get a sitter, pay for an Uber, sit in traffic and head out to dinner. But there is a better solution. DwellSocial delivers amazing restaurant experiences to the suburbs from some of the best restaurants in Chicago. They aggregate community demand for iconic local restaurants, kind of like taking a group order to hit a delivery minimum. They have restaurants like Parachute + Wherewithall, Quality Crab & Oyster Bah, Aba, and Luella’s Southern Kitchen.
Here’s how it works: They host an “event” in a specific suburb. Preorders are taken, and a pick-up location is arranged. Their pickups are quick, efficient, and socially distant.
Post-Turkey Beverage- Box of Chai
After the turkey has been consumed, the sides have been smashed, many traditions dictate putting a pot of coffee on to brew while everyone vegges on the couch. What about mixing things up a bit? Chiya Chai in the Loop and Logan Square are offering to-go boxes of their chai, ready to serve to your guests without even flipping on the kettle. The Boxed Chai are available in three sizes including a small ($32/12 8 oz. cups of chai); medium ($50/20 8 oz. cups of chai); and large ($110/48 8 oz. cups of chai). You can also grab savory pies to add a little Indian spice to your table as well- Masala Chicken Pie and Kale Potato Pie options are available. Orders can be placed by calling Chiya Chai Logan Square at 773-360-7541 or the Loop at 612.770.5431, 48 hours in advance, with the last day for pick-up being Wednesday, November 24th.
