What to eat for Thanksgiving – no cooking required
The food I most associate with Thanksgiving is shockingly not turkey – it’s stuffing. Fragrant with sage and brimming with plump, juicy raisins and toasted pine nuts, it’s my favorite Thanksgiving dish by far.
For those looking to avoid spending the majority of Thanksgiving in the kitchen, we’ve rounded up a variety of Peninsula restaurants offering take-home turkey dinners, Thanksgiving dine-in specials and take-home desserts. We’re talking a gigantic kouign-amann, a fully vegan Thanksgiving take-home feast, a prime rib carving station and more.
As we approach a holiday where thankfulness and gratitude are front and center, I want to take the time to thank you for supporting local journalism – without you, there would be no Peninsula Foodist. Every day I feel immensely fortunate that I’m able to relay the voices of passionate restaurant owners and talented chefs to the broader community. Thank you so much for subscribing and reading.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
P.S. I’m looking for freelance writers and photographers to contribute to the Peninsula Foodist! If you or someone you know is interested, apply here.
From dine-in feasts to take-home turkey dinners and treats, here are some Thanksgiving options on the Peninsula
We’re always thankful for good food, in all its many varieties. In case you’re still trying to decide on your holiday dining plans, here are some of the local eateries offering Thanksgiving specials, including baked goods and feasts to bring home, spots open for dining in and even a class to help you make your own festive goodies.
Raising Cane’s comes to the Peninsula, Dubai chocolate croissants are now in Belmont and a new udon spot is coming to Palo Alto
- Raising Cane’s – known for its chicken fingers, Cane’s sauce and Texas toast – opened its first Peninsula location in Colma on Tuesday.
- MO’s deli & cafe isn’t your typical deli and cafe – it’s serving up Dubai croissants, Turkish coffee and an original invention called a “sanburger.”
- Palo Alto’s Town & Country Village is hosting a Holiday Shop & Stroll on Thursday from 5-7:30 p.m., featuring free ice cream, Spanish cheese and sangria, cookies and samples of smoothies, hummus and falafel. The event is free, but RSVP is required.
- Decorate a gingerbread house at the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley on Dec. 1 from 2-4 p.m. Supervised by pastry sous chef Courtney Persichitte, the ticketed experience includes complimentary holiday-inspired treats and beverages.
- California French restaurant Camber opened within South San Francisco’s food hall The Hangar on Nov. 8.
- Marugame Udon, a Japanese noodle chain with locations in Cupertino, Santa Clara and other cities, is coming to downtown Palo Alto, moving into the former home of French bakery Cocoa & Butter.
Cookies at Choc Cookies
Cookies are definitely having their moment. In the early 2000s, cupcakes were trendy (think Sprinkles Cupcakes, which opened in 2005). In the 2010s, cake pops were everywhere after Bakerella invented them in 2008 and Starbucks started selling them in 2011. Now, we’re definitely within the decade of cookies. Just think about Crumbl, which has become a household name in a very short period of time.
And while Crumbl is the most recognizable name in the cookie game, there’s plenty of tastier (and less expensive) options along the Peninsula to get your cookie fix. Sorry Crumbl – I do find your cookies too sweet and too cakey for my liking.
Choc Cookies in Santa Clara is absolutely killing the cookie game with its warm, giant cookies that feature a crisp exterior and ooey, gooey, cookie-dough-esque interior. They currently offer six flavors – chocolate chip, choc o’ caramel, pumpkin spice, ube crinkle, cookies and cream and triple chocolate – and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.
The pumpkin cookie is like an elevated Starbucks pumpkin muffin with a super pumpkin-forward flavor that isn’t cloyingly sweet, balanced out well with warm, comforting spices. The ube crinkle is less sweet than the pumpkin, packs a punch of ube flavor and has a more delicate texture than the other cookies. The chocolate chip has a nice balance of salt, and the double chocolate tastes like an elevated Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie.
The cookies may be huge, but the storefront isn’t. It’s tucked in an alleyway behind a gas station, and it’s a to-go operation only. Order online or at the counter, and they’ll fix you up with a custom box of four cookies ($16.90) late into the night. You can’t buy just one cookie, and you wouldn’t want to regardless.
To learn more about Choc Cookies, follow @peninsulafoodist on Instagram.
Choc Cookies, 1614 Pomeroy Ave., Santa Clara; 669-238-5996, Instagram: @choccookiesco. Open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Leave dessert to the pros: 11 local spots to buy your Thanksgiving pie
Bakeries on the Peninsula and beyond serve up pies perfect for finishing a holiday feast
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We cover the dynamic, under-the-radar food scene around the Peninsula through articles, interviews and eating excursions. Pass along tips, comments and recipes to PeninsulaFoodist@PaloAltoOnline.com.
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