Tag Archives: Thanksgiving dinners in Toronto

The Fall Harvest Series – Thanksgiving in the City! Turkey Sandwiches, Crêpes, Buffets, Harvest Fests, Veg & More!

2 Comments

I can count the number of times I’ve had traditional Thanksgiving food and dinner on less than one hand.  My family was never really into it growing up and even till this day, they can kind of take it or leave.  But I have to tell you, I LOVE the idea of the whole nine yards: roast turkey and gravy, roasted and steamed vegetables, potatoes, cranberry something or other, and plenty of pumpkin pie and other fall-inspired desserts!  My ideal traditional Thanksgiving dinner spread would consist of turkey and gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes (or any type of potato for that matter!), some squash, and some sweet and decadent apple caramel dessert with a little special pumpkin something on the side.

Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving at home with your family, going out of town, or scoping out delicious Thanksgiving yummies around the city, I hope everyone takes the time to slow things down and really enjoy the time off – providing you have it!  Things have been an absolute whirlwind for me, especially this past week, and I am so relieved to have this long weekend to myself.  Here at Kraft Kitchens, we’re in the middle of working on our summer 2013 magazine, we’re busting out new recipes and content to the web for holiday and festive 2012, we just pulled off a fantastic and crazy Kraft Kitchens Open House yesterday, and in several months we’ll be putting the spring 2013 magazine to bed.  I love my job and I love what I do, but truth be told, I am exhausted and was ready for this weekend weeks ago!

If you’re looking for some Thanksgiving feasts around town, here are some options you can check out as well as some Thanksgiving-inspired dishes that will totally hit the spot if you’re looking for something a little more casual but with the same holiday flair and flavour. Some of these events were pulled straight from the October Food Calendar while others are completely new to the blog, so enjoy and jot these down!

First off, turkey!  I love a good turkey sandwich and 1) Sky Blue Sky Sandwiches in the Annex (605 Bloor Street West just west of Bathurst St.) has the perfect Thanksgiving-inspired sandwich for that hungry tummy!  Their “One Wing” sandwich ($4.99) is stuffed with sliced oven roasted turkey, cream cheese, cranberry sauce, and stuffing on their signature cranberry and cream cheese bread.  Talk about Thanksgiving rolled into one!  And hopefully if you’re lucky, Sky Blue Sky sandwiches will have their sweet glazed pumpkin cookies on hand to go with it as well as some fall soups.

In addition, 2) Spin Cafe (2177 Yonge Street by Yonge & Eglinton, as well as several other locations around the GTA.  Click the link above for more info) is dishing out the fall and Thanksgiving seasonal goods with an ENTIRE menu of delicious food!  Drinks, desserts, entrees, you name it, they have it.  Just in time for Thanksgiving, Spin is featuing their Thankful Savoury Crepe ($14.25), a crepe filled with carved turkey breast, potatoes, and stuffing with a side of cranberries and savoury gravy!

Source: Mary Macleods Shortbread e-newsletter

Mary Macleods Shortbread on Queen Street East in Riverside is also celebrating the Thanksgiving Harvest with some ridiculously adorable shaped shortbread cookies!  Turkey birds, fall leaves, and cute-as-a-button smiling pumpkins are all here for the weekend, so visit the shop if you want in on the goods.  And if you’re in the neighourhood for yummy shortbread, swing by the Leslieville Farmers’ Market on Sunday from 9am-2pm for their Harvest Celebration!  Pick up some amazing food at the market to outfit your dinner table and feast your eyes and tummy on an assortment of pumpkin pies, pumpkins and apples, pumpkin and apple desserts (Augie’s is selling pumpkin popsicles!), sweet potato curry, meat pies, cranberry and lingonberry compotes, fresh fall vegetables and more!

As well, don’t forget to check out THIS POST from Blog TO where they list 6 spots in the city serving special turkey dinner and Toronto’s Vegetarian Association (veg.ca) for some fabulous tips and recipes for non-turkey, vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving meals!

And if you’re in the mood for something extravagent and lavish or just plain festive, here are some feasts and fests that are right up your alley:

  • At Home for Harvest at The Gibson House, October 6-8. 12pm-5pm.  5172 Yonge Street just north of the North York Centre subway station.  $5.48 admission for adults, $3.10 for seniors 65+ and youth ages 13-18, $2.62 for children ages 2-12.  Enjoy a celebration of the harvest over Thanksgiving weekend at one of Toronto’s historic houses!  Spend time in a busy, bustling historic farm kitchen and watch as harvest foods are prepared for tasting!  http://www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/featured-events.htm

*****

  • Thanksgiving Day Brunch at Casa Loma, October 7.  Seatings at 10:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, 1pm. 1 Austin Terrace (near Spadina Ave. and Davenport Rd.).  $51.45 +HST/adult, $26.45 +HST/child 4-12, $13.45 +HST/child 1-3 (prices include brunch and admission to the castle).  Feast on a Thanksgiving meal like no other in the majestic setting in the stately library in Casa Loma!  http://www.casaloma.org/events.index.gk

*****

*****

  • Thanksgiving Dinners at Black Creek Pioneer Village, October 7 & 8. Seatings at 12pm, 2:30pm, and 5pm.  1000 Murray Ross Parkway near York University at Black Creek’s Half Way House Restaurant.  $53.99 +HST/adult, $27 +HST/child (prices include meal, gratuity, and admission to the grounds).  Enjoy the bounty of local Ontario produce and meat in a historical pioneer setting with a horse-drawn wagon ride to boot!  The elaborate Thanksgiving dinner menus will include dishes and options such as butternut squash soup with maple crème fraiche, rustic maple root vegetable risotto with sage and brown butter, local Ontario turkey with walnut sage stuffing, cinnamon orange cranberry sauce, green beans and bacon and mashed potatoes, and much more! http://www.blackcreek.ca/events/event.dot?id=144010