Thanksgiving Pizza: A Unique Delight in Providence

While grocery store lines fill the country with last-minute ingredient shoppers the day before Thanksgiving, Wickenden Street in Providence, Rhode Island, features a long line of eager customers waiting for the most sought-after pizza of the year on the third Wednesday of November.

For one special day each year, Fellini’s Pizzeria serves its renowned Thanksgiving Pizza, topped with beloved holiday dinner staples. This unconventional twist on both pizza and Thanksgiving has cultivated a loyal following, leading to early pre-orders and enthusiastic crowds eager for a slice.

This legendary holiday pizza begins with a whole wheat crust and mozzarella, then layers on mashed potatoes, a generous portion of freshly roasted turkey, stuffing dollops, and a hearty drizzle of gravy. Customers are encouraged to enhance it with cranberry sauce. Having tried this seasonal delicacy myself, I’d choose Fellini’s pizza over a traditional Thanksgiving dinner without hesitation.

Since 1989, Fellini’s has been a beloved establishment on Providence’s historic East Side, serving up delicious New York-style pizza most days. The Thanksgiving special originated about 17 years ago when owner Kristy Knoedler faced the common holiday dilemma of dealing with leftovers after crafting the perfect leftovers sandwich. She brought them to work and got inventive.

“After enjoying some Thanksgiving leftovers at home, I brought them in and crafted a leftover pizza for the staff, and it was amazing,” Knoedler shared with The Providence Journal in 2022. “We thought, ‘This is fantastic; we have to do this again,’ and we did it the next year.”

Initially, Fellini’s produced just 20 or 30 Thanksgiving Pizzas, but as the buzz spread, demand soared. Now, the pizzeria and its sister location in Cranston churn out around 2,000 pizzas, shifting the focus from post-holiday leftovers to a festive pre-Thanksgiving celebration. Each pie is priced at $47.

Customers have reported trying to call to reserve their pies hundreds of times before finally getting through:

“I dialed over 100 times last year, but it just wasn’t meant to be… perhaps this year will be my lucky one,” Mel BC remarked.

“Keep trying,” Jessica Messier added. “We managed to call 250 times before we finally got through.”

“Each year I attempt…each year I come up short,” Erika Iafrate lamented. “This will definitely be the year I finally get one!”

Within just a few hours, pre-order slots filled up completely at both locations. For those who missed out, there’s always the long line snaking down the street. Fellini’s sells walk-up slices for approximately $7 each.

Pro tip: Wear comfy shoes for the wait. And if you do manage to get a slice, don’t try to pick it up and fold it. Thanksgiving Pizza is best savored with a knife and fork.

Julie Tremaine is an acclaimed food and travel writer exploring the globe one delicious bite at a time. Her work has been featured in publications such as Vulture, Food + Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Travel + Leisure, and CNN Travel, and she serves as the theme parks editor for SFGATE.