Here's your ultimate guide to celebrating Thanksgiving in Rochester

Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
·5 min read

Those unseasonably warm temperatures in early November may have had a down side: basking in the glorious weather took our eye off the ball that Thanksgiving is fast approaching, with more holidays coming on its heels.

If you're behind on your plans, don't panic. We have everything you need to catch up.

We've created this guide to Thanksgiving in Rochester to help you have a joyful, delicious and stress free holiday. Here are our recommendations for all-things Thanksgiving.

Dine at a restaurant

Probably the easiest way to gather for Thanksgiving is to go out to a restaurant. You won't have to cook and you won't even have to clean your house. Some restaurants will serve turkey dinner specials, which range from classic to gourmet in their approach. Others are offering lavish buffets. If you want to go this route, you're well advised to make reservations right away, as options are limited and fill up fast. But if you find yourself in a last-minute pinch, several chain restaurants will be open as well. Here's which restaurants will be open.

Let the pros do the cooking

Another option is to order all or part of the meal from restaurants and caterers.

Some offer family-style feasts, while others serve individual meals. Some will be provided cold, with pickup on Tuesday or Wednesday, and will contain instructions for reheating. (If you go this route, be sure to clean out the fridge to make room for all that food.) Others can be picked up hot and ready to eat on Thanksgiving.

These meals also represent an opportunity to welcome people who eat differently than the rest of your guests; you can order a vegan or gluten-free meal just for them. Again, you're advised to order well in advance.

Here's our guide to takeout Thanksgiving in Rochester.

Order spectacular pies

Caramel Bakery and Bar's Thanksgiving pie lineup includes a chocolate peanut butter pie and pumpkin pie.
Caramel Bakery and Bar's Thanksgiving pie lineup includes a chocolate peanut butter pie and pumpkin pie.

Even if something about the meal goes wrong, all will be forgiven when your guests tuck into a spectacular dessert ― and pies, of course, are classic for Thanksgiving.

If you want to wow your guests, here are nine Rochester-area bakeries that take classic pumpkin, apple, pecan and sweet potato pies to the next level by adding various twists and toppings. And yes, of course we've included gluten-free and vegan options. Order soon, as some deadlines for ordering are already in the past.

Strategize your meal

The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is in the refrigerator. You'll need about 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.
The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is in the refrigerator. You'll need about 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.

Figuring out how much turkey and side dishes to make for Thanksgiving can be mind-boggling. Since 2014, we've offered this handy cheat sheet with how much to make of each item, as well as wine suggestions and other tips.

If you're cooking turkey for the first time, here are some tips from Nick Lang, a Wegmans chef who's roasted thousands of turkeys over the years.

There are a few basic methods of brining them to add flavor. Editor Liz Johnson (who was a food writer for many years) runs through them and shares her favorite. Read it: Just salt the darn bird!

Generally it's a good idea to stick to tried-and-true recipes rather than trying something new for a big event. But if you need recipes for some of your feast, here are some family favorites from Gannett staffers.

Need more ideas for making the holiday easier? Here are tips from our colleagues in New York and New Jersey.

Plan outings and activities for the long weekend

A pair of animatronic chickens named Park and Frenchie bob up and down as Courtney and Eric Schutt rehearse for a show at OFC's The Old Farm Cafe & Dining Experience in Winton Place in Brighton in October 2022.
A pair of animatronic chickens named Park and Frenchie bob up and down as Courtney and Eric Schutt rehearse for a show at OFC's The Old Farm Cafe & Dining Experience in Winton Place in Brighton in October 2022.

Kids off school? Out-of-town guests spending the weekend? Here are a few ideas of what to do over the long weekend.

∙ The Old Farm Café and Dining Experience in Brighton’s Winton Place is a counter service restaurant that feels like being onstage in a barnyard-themed production, complete with two pecking animatronic chickens. It serves a range of casual fare, from healthy power bowls to chicken tenders to beverages with light-up ice cubes. The space also hosts shows; on Nov. 25, comedian and singer Dresden Engle will perform "Comedy, Cabana Boys & Christmas" for ages 13 and up. And head to ofccreations.com for performances that will be held in the 260-seat theater next door.

Students from the Genesee Community Charter School are an excited blur as they race around, on and through a giant Luckey Climber at the new permanent exhibit Wonders of Water at the RMSC Museum & Science Center in Rochester Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022. The exhibit opens to the public on Nov. 11. The lit pads represent water temperatures as they rise and fall in Lake Ontario.

∙ A new exhibit, Wonders of Water, now open at the Rochester Museum & Science Center, in the first-floor gallery at 657 East Ave. There's a massive, interactive climbing structure with LED lights, a replica of a shipwreck that people can climb aboard, a brightly colored water table and more. Museum tickets range from $16 to $18 per person.

The famous beer wall at Fattey Beer Co. in Rochester, which opened in the Neighborhood of Play on Nov. 11, 2022.
The famous beer wall at Fattey Beer Co. in Rochester, which opened in the Neighborhood of Play on Nov. 11, 2022.

∙ The Strong National Museum of Play remains open while it undergoes a 90,000-square-foot expansion. If you're heading to the Neighborhood of Play, you may want to plan an excursion for the adults at the new Fattey Beer Company location that opened across the street or at the gaming-themed restaurant Nerdvana.

Blank paper lanterns to be used at the Liberty Pole lighting and family parade are free. They may be picked up starting Nov. 18 at Rochester Public Libraries and some area businesses.
Blank paper lanterns to be used at the Liberty Pole lighting and family parade are free. They may be picked up starting Nov. 18 at Rochester Public Libraries and some area businesses.

∙ Decorate a paper lantern for the annual Lighting of the Liberty Pole and family parade at 5 p.m. Dec. 3 at the corner of E. Main St. and Franklin St. in downtown Rochester. Blank paper lanterns are free and may be picked up starting Nov. 18 at Rochester Public Libraries and several area businesses. LED lights to place inside the lanterns and sticks to carry them will be provided free of charge at the lighting. Learn more at rochesterdowntown.com.

∙ Shop Small Businesses over the weekend. Artists' studios will be open Friday and Saturday at The Hungerford, 1115 East Main St. Casa Larga Vineyards, 2287 Turk Hill Road in Perinton, will hold its fifth annual Holiday Wine & Craft shopping event Friday and Saturday. Themata will host more than 30 local craft vendors Friday and Saturday at The Culver Road Armory, 145 Culver Road. And E.R.A.S.E. will hold a Black Friday Sip and Shop event from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Urban Euphoria, 35 S. Washington St.; it will have Black-owned businesses, Black Santa, kids' activities and more.

Learn why we celebrate with a turkey

After the big meal, kick back with a great read. We've gone deep to figure out why we celebrate with a turkey to begin with. Turkey was popular in colonial America. Its first association with Thanksgiving — not the Thanksgiving, but a Thanksgiving — may have been in 1789, when George Washington proposed a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer.” Alexander Hamilton is supposed to have chimed in: "No person should abstain from having turkey on Thanksgiving Day." Vegans were apparently not consulted. Learn more: How did the turkey come to be our feast bird?

Tracy Schuhmacher is food, drink and culture reporter for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Follow Tracy on Twitter or Instagram: @rahchachow.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Here's your ultimate guide to celebrate Thanksgiving in Rochester NY