The centerpiece of traditional Thanksgiving feasts is the turkey for many families. But, if you're a vegan on Thanksgiving, what are you looking forward to most on a holiday that is commercially geared towards meat-eaters? 

For the second year in a row, Parlor City Vegan in Binghamton is preparing hundreds of takeout dinners for the community, and they're fully plant-based. 

"We have our housemade roasted seitan 'turkey,' brussel sprout salas with cranberries, we have some puréed butternut squash,” said Sara Liu, Parlor City Vegan owner.

What You Need To Know

  • Sara Liu started the business after her father's health issues forced him to eat healthier

  • Customers may order a pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinner, featuring fully-vegan options

  • A vegan helpline will also teach the community to prepare their own plant-based dinners

Each dish is carefully prepared, and Liu spent years perfecting the recipes. It was actually a scary family moment that inspired her to open Binghamton’s first, and only, fully-vegan restaurant.

“My father actually suffered a heart attack a few years ago and he’s always been a big meat and potatoes guy so when he was recovering from his heart attack, I took him some plant-based meals, the kind of stuff that he ate that wasn’t plant-based, like mac and cheese, and he really enjoyed the meals,” said Liu.

Since its establishment in 2016, Parlor City Vegan has become a hotspot in the city of Binghamton. Right now, it’s customers are about 50% vegan and 50% just looking to try some new options. And with this unique Thanksgiving offering, it’s not just the local community placing orders.

“We’ve had a lot of people express interest in our Thanksgiving meals, not just from the Binghamton area, but all over actually, so we’re exploring shipping our meals in the future but we’ve definitely seen an increase in interest, and we’re almost sold out,” said Liu.

Parlor City Vegan's Thanksgiving meals are now officially sold out, but Liu looks forward to serving new customers year round.