Hanukkah is right around the corner, from December 18-26, and there are eight glorious days to nosh. Here are eight delicious options to help you celebrate this holiday which recalls the miracle of the oil.
Katz’s
Courtesy Katz’s
Allow Katz’s to do the cooking this year and enjoy the ambiance of a homemade dinner celebration without the cooking hassle. The iconic New York City deli in the Lower East Side lets you bring the feast to your home. With Katz’s Deli Hanukkah Dinner Package you’ll get homemade matzoh ball soup, crispy mini latkes, knishes and noodle kugel. The package, which serves four, includes Katz’s famous hand-carved pastrami and juicy brisket, plus all the fixings to make their classic Reuben and legendary pastrami on rye sandwiches. Order a delicious chocolate babka for dessert. Local delivery and free nationwide shipping will make this a true Festival of Lights. Should you decide to eat in, the famous (“I’ll have what she’s having”) deli will add pickles and other goodies to your meal….free of charge.
Balaboosta
Courtesy Balaboosta
The West Village restaurant is a favorite for Middle Eastern dining. For Chanukah, you can indulge in a special holiday meal with Chef Einat Admony’s quinoa and potato latkes, sfinge donuts, and restaurant favorites like fried olives with homemade labneh and Yemenite Soup. Balaboosta’s new location makes it easier than ever to book a table at the popuar eatery.
12 Chairs and Sherry Herring
Courtesy Sherry Herring
Israeli cuisine is featured at the two sibling restaurants, both with a pedigree from Tel Aviv. For the holiday, you’ll feawst on ltakes, served with sour cream, onion, scallions and chili (if you like), smoked tuna with harissa flakes, and the restaurant’s special white fish salad. Sherry Herring is located on the Upper West Side and serves all-kosher food, while 12 Chairs will appeal to those in Brooklyn or Greenwich Village. We thank this group for taking care of all our disparate geography!
Agi’s Counter
Courtesy Agi’s Counter
Cozy Agi’s Counter in Crown Heights specializes in Jewish and Eastern European foods and is the perfect place to enjoy a holiday meal – you have eight nights to choose when. Try the café’s potato pancakes, topped with applesauce and sour cream, or upscale it with caviar or white anchovies. Chef Jeremy Salamon takes inspiration from his Hungarian grandmother, Agi, 96 years old and still providing guidance.
Breads Bakery
Courtesy Breads Bakery
Popular Breads Bakery knows how to make chocolate babka and other Jewish treats. But, for Chanukah, they’re all about sufganiyot, the special jelly-filled, fried donut that symbolizes the unexpected lasting of the oil. Try their variety of flavors including traditional strawberry, passionfruit, vanilla and chocolate. The bakery’s five locations in Union Square, Lincoln Center, Rockefeller Center, and Bryant Park and on the Upper East Side have you covered.
Mile End Delicatessen
Courtesy Mile End Delicatessen
A favorite in Boerum Hill (Brooklyn) for their Montreal-style bagels, Mile End features latkes during Chanukah. Available for in-house dining, local delivery, and pick-up, the latkes come in basic latke form, on bagels, and as a complete meal such as the Mont Royal with latkes, smoked salmon, sour cream and tobiko. You can also order Hanukkah catering from the deli with dishes such as braised brisket, caramelized onion kugel, chicken schnitzel, and, of course, latkes.
Veselka
Courtesy Veselka
Ukrainian all-nighter, Veselka, is popular among the out-and-about set not only for their borscht and pierogis but also for their super non-oily latkes. With just the right potato punch, these latkes will become your favorite all year long, any time you’re hungry. Order ahead so you don’t lose out if you’d like to have these at home, too – they freeze well until you want to eat.