Thanksgiving is a time for platters of food passing hands around a large roast turkey, but we’re partial to the holiday’s more humble, post-feast dish. Add a little leftover stuffing, a few slices of turkey and a smear of cranberry sauce the next day, and you’ve got one of the finest between-buns creations known to man: the Thanksgiving-leftover sandwich. It’s the MVP of the holiday, and thankfully, a handful of L.A. restaurants and cafés know this and want us to be happy.
Sure, there are plenty of spots serving Thanksgiving dinner, and plenty more selling Thanksgiving meals to-go, but whatever your plans look like this Turkey Day, we hope you remember to cook or buy a little extra for those next-day sandwiches. And if you don’t, well, here’s where to find them around town—before and after the holiday.
Photograph: Courtesy Dog Haus
Dog Haus
You’ve heard of the chicken-inside-a-duck-inside-a-turkey abomination that is the turducken, the poultry-based Russian nesting doll found during the holidays, and a perfect example of Jeff Goldblum’s “your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” Well the kitchen scientists at Dog Haus gave it some thought and whipped up their own take on the meat fest, and now you can hold the power of an entire turducken in the palm of your hand.
The overstuffed-sausage chain brought back one of its most popular behemoths to celebrate Thanksgiving, and it’s also for a good cause. Every day in November and at every Dog Haus location, find this turkey-chicken-duck sausage topped with turkey gravy, slaw and crispy fried onions, all wedged between buttery grilled King’s Hawaiian rolls. What’s more, $1 from every Dog Haus turducken sausage benefits No Kid Hungry, which should really get you into the holiday spirit.
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Fat Sal’s
A Fat Sal’s tradition that’s nearly a decade old, the Fat Pilgrim just rolled its way back into the trio of sandwich shops known for their already massive, messy stacks. Launched in 2010 and still piled with roast turkey, house-made stuffing, turkey gravy, sweet potato fries, mayo and ample cranberry sauce, the Fat Pilgrim rivals the usual large deli-style sandos and “fat” (extra-packed) goods at Fat Sal’s, whether you’re stopping by in Hollywood, Encino or Westwood.
Photograph: Courtesy Ike’s Love & Sandwiches
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches
The California-centric sandwich chain keeps its Thanksgiving option accessible both literally and figuratively: There are more than 70 locations—including Burbank, Northridge and Long Beach—and you can make any sandwich on the menu vegan. That extends to the Ike’s Thanksgiving special, which comes in two forms.
Opt for the Going Home for Thanksgiving sandwich and you’ll taste turkey with cranberry sauce, sriracha and havarti cheese, or go for the Pilgrim if you’re looking for a plant-based take on turkey.
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Milk Bar
This isn’t a sandwich, per se, but Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar is amping up the holiday cheer with turkey-stuffed croissants. Sure, her bakery empire is built on cookies, pies, layer cakes and truly good soft serve, but the James Beard Award-winning pastry chef knows how to keep things savory, too.
These thanksgiving croissants are bringing house-made gravy, slow-roasted turkey, stuffing-spiced butter and tart cranberry sauce all tucked inside rye-seed croissant dough to the Fairfax district. Catch them now through November 29—and while you’re there, you might as well pick up a few cake truffles. Maybe some of that Dole whip soft serve. Maybe some cereal milk. Look, good luck walking out of there without buying the whole bakery is what we’re saying.
The NoMad
You can absolutely find a full Thanksgiving dinner inside the hotel’s luxurious lobby restaurant, but don’t let the NoMad’s pomp and lauded kitchen fool you: This is a staff that loves to have fun, and despite the truffles and caviar and stellar champagne program, they know how to go casual, too.
The Friday after Thanksgiving head to the NoMad’s coffee bar, which sits just to the right of the lobby’s main entrance. This is where you can find Thanksgiving-leftovers sandwiches all day long, whether you’re dining in or taking some home—or using it as fuel for Black Friday shopping. Whatever your day looks like, if you’re doing it right, it includes a leftovers sandwich.