While Brookline’s New York-style Michael’s Deli touts itself as “The Corned Beef King,” the Potato Latkes are, in fact, not to be missed. Just like the famed Corned Beef Reuben, the hot and crispy latkes prepped at Michael’s are old-school, unfussy, and will totally satisfy your craving. And should you be feeding a latke-loving crowd, know that they’re also available by the dozen. 

Inna’s Kitchen Culinaria, a kosher kitchen in Newton run by a mother-and-son duo featuring Jewish cuisine from around the globe, sells scratch-made frozen latkes by the dozen in two iterations: a traditional preparation and a vegan version that swaps out eggs for chickpea flour and ground chia seeds. And if you can’t make the trip to Newton, know that Inna’s delivers throughout the Greater Boston Area via Mercato and also ships around the country.

Boston bartender Naomi Levy brings us Maccabee Bar, an annual Hanukkah-focused cocktail pop-up, which return this December to Noir Bar in Harvard Square and Union Square speakeasy Backbar, as well as its first pop-up in NYC.  The festival of lights features each site’s take on Maccabee Bar drinks and bespoke snacks. At Noir, Untraditional Latkes are loaded with cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Backbar serves a bar food menu by illustrious neighbor Field & Vine, including traditional latkes with sour cream and applesauce; or you can go big with a takeout order from next-door Littleburg (see below).

Enjoy a chef’s take on creative, farm-fresh latkes Littleburg. The vegan Mediterranean kitchen, which has a takeout window in Union Square, also crafts a unique and tempting home-delivery menu each week. Latkes made with Verrill Farm potatoes and other seasonal vegetables are served with accompaniments like  almond sour cream, apricot applesauce, and zhoug. A latke special is on the takeout menu from the Littleburg Garage through the end of the year. (Pro tip: Order some while imbibing at Backbar’s Maccabee Bar next door). Or, order online by Thursday evening to receive heat-and-eat prepared food at home on Friday (Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Arlington, Belmont) or Saturday (Boston, Brookline, and further ’burbs).

Potato Pancakes cross over into many Eastern European cuisines, including Polish cooking. Dorchester classic Café Polonia offers their fluffy, oversized iteration year-round as an entrée with sour cream, apple sauce, or Hungarian goulash; or as an appetizer portion with smoked salmon and sour scream. 

Updated by Jacqueline Cain