It’s not lost on us that Thanksgiving food can be divisive. Some find turkey to be an overrated, too often dry, main event. And cranberry sauce might be the most debated accouterment in history. But for others, the meal is peak comfort food. It’s a plate we wait all year for, filled with flavors and textures that evoke cherished time spent around the table with loved ones.
If you’re pro-turkey dinner, you get the hype of a good Gobbler sandwich—which piles all of the feast’s components (turkey, stuffing, cranberry, potatoes, gravy, etc.) into one sweet-and-savory behemoth between bread. Think of it as a leftover lover’s dream.
Cravings unlocked? Good news. You don’t have to wait until the end of the month to savor the season. Head to the following local restaurants to bite into an overstuffed sando on special for Thanksgiving.
Chap’s Pit Beef: Follow your nose to this pit palace that has roasted and sliced all of its meats in house since its founding in 1987. Until the end of November, the East Baltimore and Aberdeen locations will be serving up their special Plymouth sandwich that stacks pit ham and turkey on a sub roll with stuffing and sweet cranberry mayo.
The Corner Pantry: The Falls Road favorite—known for its elevated European takes on classic cafe fare—puts its own spin on the sando by packing hand-carved roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, and butternut squash between two slices of whole wheat bread. If you save room, grab a pumpkin cheesecake muffin or caramel apple tart to really make it feel like Thanksgiving.
Hannah’s Cafe: Among the regular sandwiches on offer at this Towson breakfast-and-lunch spot is the “Thanksgiving on Bread,” which uses crusty sourdough to hold together house-roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.
Krause’s Lite Fare: In the 34 years since opening at Lexington Market, this staple stall has become known for slicing up its golden-roasted turkeys year-round. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, Krause’s churns out tons of Gobblers that highlight massive layers of its thick-cut turkey slices. Each one also gets a requisite helping of stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy to create the perfect bite.
RegionAle: Sandwiches at this Ellicott City cafe range from classic (Philly cheesesteaks and Italian heroes) to inventive (Yellowfin tuna steak and a jackfruit Cubano), and the team’s take on the Gobbler is a bit of both. Bite into the seasonal special to get roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, cranberry aioli, thyme gravy, and peppery arugula all in one bite.
Stone Mill Bakery: This Green Spring Station fixture takes Thanksgiving seriously. Not only can you feast on its holiday recipes in sandwich form on house-baked rustic white bread, you can also enjoy them tucked into a pressed wrap or piled into a bowl. No matter which vessel you choose, expect house-roasted turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and cranberry aioli.
Zeke’s Coffee: This one truly isn’t to be missed. Back for a limited run, the Thanksgiving Supreme Sandwich at Zeke’s Coffee on Harford Road goes all out with roasted turkey, sage stuffing, a crispy hashbrown, and cranberry spread on a made-from-scratch sweet potato biscuit. Just in case you think there’s any possible way this could be dry, it comes with an extra side of cranberry sauce for good measure.
The Food Market: This one isn’t technically a sandwich, but we’d be remiss without giving an honorable mention to The Food Market’s annual Thanksgiving cupcake. Playful as ever, the dish takes a celery-and-sage stuffing base and tops it with mashed potatoes that are piped on in icing-like swirls. Dried cranberries act as sprinkles and a ladle of turkey gravy drips down the entire thing.