Thanksgiving: our nation's annual food-focused holiday, commemorating the harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621. Held the fourth Thursday of November, the day marks an epic feast.
It also means someone has to cook. A lot. For what seems like the entire extended family. Which means you shouldn't spend the day in the kitchen when you can have someone else cook Thanksgiving dinner for you. And for the house full of stranded friends, kids with kids of their own, and unwanted relatives.
This year, forget the long lines at the grocery store, all that sweating and laboring over the stove, and avoid the piles of dirty dishes no one is going to help you clean. Instead, take the drama out of your Thanksgiving dinner and bring the family to one of the many local restaurants preparing a special holiday meal. It's all the mouthwatering memories you'll ever need — without the work.
From upscale resort restaurants, to a Brazilian steak house offering a variety of all-you-can-eat meats, South Florida's finest dining establishments have Thanksgiving dinner covered this year.
See also: More Restaurants Serving 2014 Thanksgiving Dinner in Broward and Palm Beach Counties
Have a dinner we didn't mention? Mention it in the comment section below, and we'll be sure to add it to the list.
Broward County Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner
Two restaurants will be open and serving Thanksgiving dinner at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. NYY Steak and Sorrisi will be open from 5-10 p.m. on Thanksgiving day, and will each be offering their own version of the Thanksgiving meal. At Sorrisi, appetizer choices includes a starter choice of butternut squash soup and caramelized onion soup, or gorgonzola and almond salad with baby greens. For the entrée will feature a turkey dinner with roasted white and dark meat, Amaretto green bean almandine, roasted baby carrots, garlic whipped potatoes, parmesan focaccia bread pudding, cranberry sauce, and turkey jus. Dessert is a pumpkin tart with a cinnamon pecan crust and spiced crème fraiche. The Thanksgiving menu is $40 per person. At NYY Steak, a four-course menu for $60 per person (dishes are also available a la carte) will include roasted butternut squash soup with maple crème fraiche, toasted pumpkin seed and crispy sage ($9), apple and cranberry salad with apples, cranberry, arugula, radicchio, baby lettuce, red onion, candied hazelnuts, aged white cheddar and sweet balsamic ($12). The main course is white and dark meat free range turkey ($40) with apple brioche stuffing, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, Brussels sprouts, yams and herb roasted baby root vegetables. Dessert choices include pecan pie or traditional pumpkin pie with cream cheese and vanilla bean whipped cream ($12). Reservations for Sorrisi can be made by calling 954-935-6689. Reservations for NYY Steak can be made by calling 954-935-6NYY (6699).
On Thursday, November 27, American Social in Fort Lauderdale will celebrate Thanksgiving with a prix fixe, holiday special alongside its menu of classic, American comfort food. For $30 per person, guests can enjoy slow-roasted, hand-carved turkey breast with all of the trimmings; whipped Idaho potatoes with giblet gravy; brown-sugar roasted acorn squash; chicken, apple, sausage and cranberry stuffing; French cut green bean casserole and a pomegranate cranberry sauce. Dessert options include a generous slice of homemade pumpkin pie or bacon, apple crisps topped with a scoop of hand-churned, vanilla bean ice cream. Wash everything down with a complimentary seasonal pint of Angry Orchard Apple Cider to complement the meal; then kick back and enjoy football at the bar until midnight. The restaurant will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 4-9 p.m. For reservations call 954-764-7005.
This Thanksgiving, Shula's on the Beach at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale will be offering a Thanksgiving dinner from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Find traditional Thanksgiving dishes like slow-roasted turkey smothered in natural gravy, with orange-cranberry chutney croissant stuffing. But the oceanfront restaurant is also offering holiday twists like a pear and Gorgonzola wedge salad topped with sugar-crusted pecans in a raspberry vinaigrette. Last, pumpkin cheesecake with sugar and spice whipped cream will be a sweet treat to end this meal. Of course, additional offerings like a wild mushroom bisque, basil and pine-nut mashed potatoes, and maple glazed baby carrots sound good too. The dinner will cost $42 for adults and $18 for children age 11 and under.
At Chima Brazilian Steakhouse, Thanksgiving can be more than just turkey and stuffing. While you can enjoy a hearty, traditional American dinner, meat-eating family members might delight in some Brazilian rodizio instead. On Thursday, November 27, Chima Brazilian Steakhouse will offer a specialty menu, as well as its full regular menu, from 1 to 8 p.m. Chima will serve classic Thanksgiving favorites including roasted turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and sweet mashed potatoes for $54.90 per person. That price also allows patrons a chance to have the restaurant's authentic Brazilian rodizio — more than 16 rotisserie selections including top sirloin, filet, ribs, lamb, pork, chicken, sausage, and fish. The grand gourmet salad bar blends Brazilian and American favorites including salads such as Waldorf, seafood, and endives with Gorgonzola; imported prosciutto, cheeses, smoked salmon, beef carpaccio, soup, and traditional Brazilian hot dishes.
Let the feasting begin at Beauty & the Feast, which will offer a special Thanksgiving dinner from 1 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 27. Enjoy a prix-fixe menu featuring an unlimited variety of small plates, feast main dishes, and gourmet food stations. The cost is $49.95 per adult, $19.95 for children under 12 years old and free for children under 3. The Thanksgiving menu will start with holiday-inspired dishes such as baby portobello mushroom caps stuffed with crab, pork belly over cider-rendered bacon, and peppered greens topped with candied apricot jam. The main event will feature a maple-brined turkey breast and chopped smoked turkey leg with giblet gravy. The restaurant will also serve a savory double-cut pork chop grilled with a roasted pepper demi-glace. Feast family style sides will be delivered to guests tables in platters of candied yams with pecans, mashed potatoes, cipollini smothered green beans, and orange-blossom honey baby carrots. Guests will be sure to satisfy their sweet tooth with chef Donna's dessert table offered throughout the day, including a pumpkin cheese cake, double-fudge brownies, bourbon pecan tartlets, and apple crumble bread pudding.
3030 Ocean, one of Fort Lauderdale's most elegant oceanfront restaurants, will offer a special Thanksgiving Day menu on Thursday, November 27, from 5 to 10 p.m. Priced at $50 per person (excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity), the three-course meal will begin with kabocha squash soup with maple chive cream, followed by acclaimed chef Paula DaSilva's turkey breast and confit leg complete with mushroom bread stuffing, Yukon purée, fall vegetables, and cranberry sauce. For dessert, DaSilva will serve pecan bars topped with cranberry and caramel and a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. Diners can also enjoy wine pairings with the Thanksgiving dinner for an additional $11 per person. An à la carte menu will be available and will include the featured dishes.
The III Forks Prime Steakhouse in Palm Beach Gardens and Hallandale will be offering a prix-fixe, four-course Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 27. Dinner reservations are available for 2 to 9 p.m. in Palm Beach Gardens, and for 4 to 9 p.m. in Hallandale. The III Forks Thanksgiving dinner will start with a tenderloin tomato soup with fresh-roasted vine-ripe plum tomatoes and sweet basil simmered with tenderloin beef stock, or guests can substitute lobster bisque for $5 more. The second course is III Forks salad with crispy green apple slices, Wisconsin blue cheese, toasted pecans, and field greens laced with house-made vinaigrette. Entrée choices include spice rubbed holiday turkey with grandma's giblet gravy, fresh cranberry-orange relish, sausage sage cornbread dressing, creamed potatoes, maple glazed yams, and roasted autumn vegetables. Other entrée choices include roasted beef tenderloin in a shallot and thyme gravy with whipped potatoes, off-the-cob creamed corn and roasted autumn vegetables, or a Vermont maple-glazed Atlantic salmon with coconut-infused jasmine rice and roasted autumn vegetables. Dessert will deliver a smorgasbord spectacular with a dessert table with a choice of sweet treats. The dinner is $46.95 for adults. Children under 12 are able to have soup or salad, entrée, and dessert for $16.95. Tea and coffee are included. Prices exclude tax and gratuity. An à la carte menu will also be offered.
One of the best parts of any holiday is sitting back and watching the family show. Aunt Mildred is probably hollering at Uncle Bob for who knows what, and your sister is probably throwing a fit about your mom not catering to her newest dietary whim. (She's a gluten-free pescatarian this year.) Unfortunately, when you take the cooking — and possibly the family — out of the equation, the day can be kind of boring. For those of you looking to get some Thanksgiving entertainment, this over-the-top retro-Polynesian spot is serving a special holiday meal with or without a show. For $41 with a show, $30 without, and $15.95 for kids 12 and under, Mai-Kai will prepare patrons a pupu platter with turkey or ham and all the American fixings. Besides, you know you'll walk out with some superclassy holiday photos.
Palm Beach County Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner
Boca Raton's Farmer's Table will be offering a fresh take on Thanksgiving dinner this year.
Here, it's all about moderation. After all, there's no reason to feel awful after your Thanksgiving meal. The restaurant has created an exclusive Thanksgiving meal that will make you full of energy and refreshed, not overstuffed and tired. For $42 per person ($15 for children), you'll get Joyce Farms heritage turkey breast, caramelized cauliflower, maple-smashed sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts with lemon and walnuts, apple and leek multigrain stuffing, Florida orange-scented fresh cranberry sauce, and natural gravy. End it with Ivy's hand-crafted pumpkin pie, and complimentary tea and coffee. Reservations are recommended.
For Thanksgiving, Cafe Boulud on Palm Beach is offering a three-course dinner for $79 per person ($36 for children 10 and under). The menu will highlight local and seasonal inspirations created by chef Rick Mace and pastry chef Eric Snow. The main course will feature a heritage breed turkey prepared three ways, from roasted breast to glazed thigh, with sausage dressing, sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, chestnuts, and natural jus. There will also be a pumpkin velouté pain perdu, pear coulis, sage beurre noisette, roasted beet salad with blue cheese, hazelnut, and poppyseed dressing.
For the past seven years, Dada — and the entire Subculture Restaurant Group, including the Dubliner in Boca Raton and Howley's and Longboards in West Palm Beach — have celebrated Thanksgiving Day by saying "thank you" to the people who help make their restaurants a success. Proceeds from the holiday sales at each restaurant are donated to various local charities, including the Delray Achievement Center. This year, the group hopes to break $10,000, and if you're thinking about making it a meal to remember, act now and make a reservation at your favorite spot. As usual, Dada will be doing its traditional, sit-down, three-course Thanksgiving feast. It will be a cheat day you'll never forget. The restaurant will be open at 5 p.m. and seats as many as 200 before closing. The cost is $24 person, and this year all proceeds will go to executive chef Bruce Feingold's Healthy Bellies and Boca Helping Hands nonprofit initiatives.
Racks Downtown Eatery + Tavern
This Boca Raton restaurant located in the heart of Mizner Park and known for its good food and excellent service, will offer both this year along with a three-course prix-fixe meal priced at $34.95 for adults ($14.95 for kids 12 years and younger). What will you get? A starter salad followed by a roast turkey dinner complete with all the fixings or a choice of root-beer-glazed ham (and sides), finished with a pecan pie or pumpkin pie for dessert. The restaurant will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Call for reservations.
The Waterstone Bar & Grill at the Waterstone Resort & Marina in Boca Raton has a fresh fall menu for the holiday season. Its two waterfront dining options — Boca Landing, the upscale restaurant, and Waterstone Bar & Grill, an outdoor dining experience serving familiar comfort foods — will host a special Thanksgiving dinner this year. Executive chef Steven Zobel has introduced an enhanced seasonal menu that features an array of new dishes including pan-seared sea scallops, rock shrimp ceviche, and a mustard-crusted snapper. Such dishes will be available à la carte alongside the restaurants' Thanksgiving dinner buffet, offered from 3 to 8 p.m. The cost is $75 per adult and $30 per children ages 3 to 12.
Del Frisco's will be open on Thanksgiving Day and will be taking reservations for 5 to 9 p.m. that evening. This year's three-course, prix fixe menu will offer guests some of the most celebrated and comforting classic holiday dishes, with the same signature Del Frisco's Grille twist that can be found throughout its regular menu. The menu includes butternut squash bisque; hand-carved turkey with cornbread stuffing, gravy, and cranberry relish; a choice of two sides including roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, creamed spinach supreme, or shaved Brussels sprouts with bacon; and a choice of pumpkin or pecan pie for dessert. Thanksgiving dinner will be $42 per person (plus tax and gratuity).
Why not do Italian for Thanksgiving? For $27.95, north Palm Beach County diners will be able to enjoy succulent roast turkey, parmesan mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, honey-glazed root vegetables, dried fruit, and a gigantic scoop of sausage stuffing. Craving non-fowl chow? Patrons can also order off the regular dinner menu. Thanksgiving dinner hours are from 3-10 p.m. on Thursday, November 27. Call the restaurant at 561-630-9899.
Pistache French Bistro is offering a special menu and holiday hours. Accepting reservations starting at 3 p.m., the restaurant will offer a rich and traditional holiday menu to match its classic, warm ambiance, perfectly fitting for a festive Thanksgiving celebration. Reservations will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday, November 27, where Pistache will offer a three-course menu, for $45 per person ($19 for children). Appetizers will include gala apple and heirloom squash velouté with honey spice bread, apple compote, and sage; an onion soup gratinée with Gruyère cheese; Burgundy escargots in lemon garlic butter; and autumn squash and goat cheese salad with baby kale, apple, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, goat cheese mousse, and wheat berry croutons; and a wild mushroom risotto with Parmesan, leek cream, and a port-poached egg. Entrées will include heritage farm roasted turkey with chestnut brioche stuffing, cranberry chutney, cauliflower, and Brussels sprout hash; brown butter sweet potato purée; and parsnip crisps. There will also be a pan-roasted black grouper with brown butter parsnip purée or beef Bourguignon braised in red wine. Desserts will include a traditional apple pie with spiced honey sauce, pumpkin pie, pistachio crème brûlée, or dark chocolate mousse with fresh whipped cream.
Meat Market, South Beach's sizzling-hot steak house now with a location in Palm Beach, will offer several à la carte Thanksgiving dinner specials on Thursday, November 27, from 4 p.m. to midnight. Chef Sean Brasel's sophisticated menu will feature holiday-inspired favorites including a Bell & Evans turkey leg roulade stuffed with black rye, walnut, chorizo, and fennel with cranberry and peach chutney, duck-fat-fried doughnuts, and crispy kale ($32); a wood-grilled Bell and Evans bourbon- and vanilla-marinated sous vide turkey breast with sweet potato aji amarillo purée, and braised kale and sweet tomato marmalade ($35); and a mixed grill of three that will allow diners to sample the turkey leg and sous vide breast, along with Australian lamb loins crusted with apricot mustard, brioche mint crumbs, toasted wild grain, kale salad and goat cheese ($42). A seasonal Jack Daniels caramel pecan tartlet with candied pumpkin ice cream and vanilla crema will be available for dessert.
Nicole Danna is a food blogger covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.
href="https://twitter.com/CleanPlateBPB" class="twitter-follow-button"
data-show-count="false" data-lang="en">Follow @CleanPlateBPB
