4 days Ago By Margaret Littman
The fourth Thursday in November is almost here. And while we can’t help you with some of the trickier parts of the Thanksgiving holiday (the romanticizing of colonialism or dealing with ..
. um, certain family members), we can help you with the fun part. It’s often a daylong festival of eating and drinking.
If you don’t want to do all the cooking yourself, we’ve got you covered. We’re back with a not-at-all-comprehensive list of places to dine in or take out for a Thanksgiving feast of your choosing. We’ve narrowed down a long list of contenders to a baker’s dozen, chosen to give you a cross section of flavors, with some twists on the traditions, as well as a wide range of price points — from budget to indulgent.
We’ve also given you some choices depending on your mood and how you are feeling about celebrating a holiday that can be both joyful and fraught. Stay in or go out; we’ve got ideas. Some of them will even provide enough for leftover sandwiches for the weekend.
One annual reminder: Almost everyone else is also plotting their big meal for that day. Unless expressly noted, you should plan by making advance reservations for both dining out and takeout orders. Some kitchens could be fully booked by the time you read this.
There’s no shortage of Thanksgiving dining-out options . Most hotel restaurants have sit-down dinners or buffets. Schulman’s Neighborhood Bar Schulman’s Neighborhood Bar : The chill East Side hangout offers its regular small menu (including vegan Buffalo chicken sandwiches), plus a special holiday menu with turkey poutine (crispy fries topped with turkey and gravy).
This is one of the few places where you don’t have to plan ahead at all; just show up. Based on the crowds from when I popped by for a pastrami dip last year, you won’t be alone. If you can’t make it on the holiday itself, you can try the special menu any time between Nov.
23 and 28 for a turkey sandwich, piled with stuffing and cranberry sauce. Sadie’s : If you want a little twist on the traditional recipes but your family members prefer classic Thanksgiving dishes, the kitchen at Sadie’s is a good compromise. Mediterranean-influenced dishes include an herbs de Provence prime rib with thyme au jus and Moroccan brioche bread stuffing with apple and dried fruit medley.
At $48 for adults and $20 for kids (drinks not included), this buffet is one of the better Thanksgiving dining-out bargains. The Hermitage Hotel : The century-plus-old downtown grand dame is bringing back its beloved Grand Lobby Brunch. You get to dine amid the grandeur of the restored and updated Beaux Arts Lobby.
(If you haven’t been since before the pandemic, you’re in for a treat.) The Thanksgiving buffet will feature traditional holiday dishes and Southern favorites, including turkey, rainbow trout, cold poached tiger shrimp, chilled crab claws, mini lobster rolls, and much, much more. Guests ages 21 and older receive a complimentary glass of sparkling, red or white wine for toasting the holiday.
Brunch runs from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.
m. (It’s $115 for adults, $45 for children ages 5 to 12, and free for children under 5.) Complimentary valet parking is provided.
Fonda on 12th Fonda on 12th : Chef Roberto Santibañez offers a menu that unites cultures , thanks to a Thanksgiving buffet featuring Oaxacan flavors. The menu includes two kinds of guacamole (something to be grateful for, in my book), leg of lamb, pumpkin soup and many other choices. This is another moderately priced option: $48 for adults and $24 for children 12 and under.
Pinewood Social : Pinewood Social’s jam is being open long hours, and Thanksgiving Day is no exception. You can grab a turkey plate special between 11 a.m.
and 11 p.m. The menu includes the classics: mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pie, plus the thing that will warm your family’s heart: free parking.
Whether you want to grab a full meal to feed your guests at home or you just want some carbs to eat on the couch, local kitchens have you covered. SusieCakes : This Green Hills bakery offers apple crumble, pecan and pumpkin pies. You can supplement the classic dessert order with pumpkin cupcakes and themed, decorated sugar cookies.
Preorder by Nov. 23 for pickup on Nov. 27.
City House : Rebekah Turshen is one of the city’s best pastry chefs, working at one of the city’s best restaurants. If you really want to impress your guests, order one of her Thanksgiving treats, such as the sweet-potato chess meringue pie, the sweet-potato icebox cake or a six-layer Tennessee Waltz cake. Officially: Order at least two days in advance.
Unofficially: Order ASAP. The carrot cake is already sold-out. HiFi Cookies : Three words: pecan-pie brownie.
Five more: take-and-bake messy buns. Order sweet treats from the independent East Side bakery by Nov. 22.
Pick them up Nov. 24, Nov. 26 or Nov.
27. The Gumbo Bros : Chef Adam Lathan’s got you covered. Order a whole Cajun-fried turkey with homemade gravy and cranberry sauce, intended to serve 10 people for $120.
If that won’t feed your crowd, add on quarts or gallons of their gumbo, or red beans and rice, starting at $30 per quart. The meal comes with reheating instructions, so you can’t mess it up. Order by Nov.
25 for pickup in the Gulch Nov. 26 or Nov. 27.
Friends in Low Places : If your family loves a celebrity endorsement, grab the Thanksgiving To-Go Package made from Trisha Yearwood’s recipes. A $199 package serves four to six guests and includes a whole roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, biscuits and pecan or apple pie. Order by Nov.
22 for pick up on Nov. 27. Cocorico French Bakery and Cafe : Want your friends and family to say “Ooh la la?” Order French dishes including quiche, baguettes, cakes and pastries to serve with your main dishes or as a substitute for the classics.
Also on the to-go menu is butternut squash soup and G.O.A.
T. cheese spread. (Yes! The same cheese on their award-winning vegetarian sandwich .
) Pickup is in Midtown on Nov. 27. Chief's Chief’s : Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ is going all-out with a Southern Thanksgiving menu, which can either be taken to go or served to you at the downtown celebrity spot.
Think barbecue, spatchcocked sliced turkey, sweet-potato casserole, green beans, mac-and-cheese and pie meant to serve four to six people. Meals can be picked up Nov. 26, Nov.
27 or as late as Thanksgiving Day itself. If you dine in, make the reservation and you’ll be charged $250 per group of four to six, not per person. Culaccino Italian Restaurant / Culamar Seafood Restaurant : Franklin’s Italian duo will help you feed a crowd.
Choose from torta di carote (carrot cake) from Culamar or a gooey, cheesy pan of homemade lasagna from Culaccino. Or get both. Prices are $90 each.
Order through a Google form ..
