Dumbo: Foragers City Grocer will host a free holiday kick-off tasting event this Saturday, November 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adults and kids can sample free hot cider and food from vendors including the Brooklyn Brewery, Blue Marble Ice Cream, and Mast Brothers Chocolate. Meats and cheeses from upstate and beyond will be available, as will pies and cookies from the Foragers bakery. Manhattanites should also consider stopping by, in anticipation of the just-announced Foragers venue in Chelsea. [Grub Street, Crain’s]
East Village: “Page Six” reports that André Balazs was set to close today on his Cooper Square Hotel purchase. You’ll recall that part of this transition will involve an overhaul of the Trilby. [Page Six/NYP]
A Southern-style comfort-food joint, Bobwhite Lunch & Supper Counter, is under construction at 94 Avenue C (near 6th Street). They’re already hiring, according to signs in the window. [EV Grieve]
Midtown: The Norwegian Seamen’s Church on 317 East 52nd Street (near Second Avenue) will host the final day of its Christmas Fair from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Holiday shoppers can browse handcrafts, knitwear, jewelry, and decorations. And of course, there will be food. This time when we say there’s a smorgasbord, we mean a real smorgasbord. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]
Murray Hill: The new Saturday and Sunday brunch at Teqa features $25 all-you-can-drink mimosas, Bloody Marys, and Bloody Marias from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be chili-dusted fried chicken and waffles to nosh on, and a D.J. spinning from noon to 4 p.m. [Grub Street]
Park Slope: Every year, Thanksgiving’s inevitable leftovers ensure that your post-meal food coma has sustenance through the weekend. For those whose Friday reserves run out early, head over to ‘sNice’s Brooklyn outpost for their Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich. Turkey, vegan gravy, Brussels sprouts, and more for $8.75. [Serious Eats NY]
Soho: Ear Inn regulars can stop grumbling: The neighborhood classic has reopened. What was supposed to be a quick kitchen re-tiling turned into a bigger job after workers discovered cracked support beams in the floor. (Some of the beams dated back to pre-consolidation New York.) Although the bar is open, the kitchen will remain closed until Monday, November 28. [Scoopy’s Notebook]
Upper East Side: City Swiggers, a new beer shop and bar at 320 East 86th Street (near Second Avenue), has been a rollicking success so far. The store boasts nearly 400 beers for purchase, 14 on tap, and growler service. For those who forgot to grab something at Fairway, there are also sandwiches shipped over from Park Slope’s V Spot Café. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]
Serious Eats has the rundown of the city’s pie specials in preparation for next week’s feast. Among them, Yura on Madison is offering Heritage Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pies and Hudson Valley Apple Orchard Pies for $25 each. Toasted Caramel Pecan Pies are $30 each. All orders must be placed by Sunday at 4 p.m., with pickups starting Wednesday after 2 p.m. [Serious Eats NY]
Williamsburg: Leave it to Foodswings to come up with the perfect vegan alternative to a turkey dinner. Although not open on Thanksgiving itself, the vegan snack bar will offer takeout seitan, potatoes, and vegetables on Wednesday evening, for $15 per meal. [Brokelyn]
