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Restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2018 in every state (and DC)
Alabama | Grille 29
Grille 29 in Birmingham, which revamped its menu in October, will be hosting a four-course Thanksgiving meal ($39.99 for adults and $20 for children 12 & under) for the second year in a row. The dinner features appetizers like butternut squash soup and beet & goat cheese salad, and an entree of roasted turkey and glazed ham with traditional sides, followed by a choice of desserts like pumpkin cheesecake and sweet potato bread pudding.
Alaska | Alyeska Resort
Just 40 miles outside of Anchorage, Alyeska offers a great escape from the 'big city.' One of the world’s most scenic ski resorts, Alyeska is nestled in the glacier-carved valley of Girdwood, with a stunning view of the Chugach Mountains – the perfect setting for a Thanksgiving buffet ($64.80 for adults and $32.40 for children) that includes dishes like pumpkin bisque, herb-roasted prime rib and an assortment of desserts.
Arizona | Proof Canteen
At the Scottsdale Four Seasons, Proof is a self-described contemporary American canteen. Sit at one of the communal tables with vistas of Pinnacle Peak and enjoy the Thanksgiving brunch buffet or three-course dinner of spiced pumpkin soup with duck confit; maple cider-brined roasted turkey or smoked gingerbread-rubbed Berkshire pork loin; a variety of sides and pie for dessert.
Arkansas | Capital Bar & Grill
The Capital Bar & Grill – the upscale restaurant at the front of Little Rock's historic Capital Hotel – is offering up a three-course prix fixe menu ($38) for Thanksgiving. If you're looking for the traditional turkey dinner, Capital Bar & Grill has got you covered, but if you want a change of pace, you can also select options from a pared down version of the regular menu.
California | Bourbon Steak Los Angeles
Prolific restaurateur and James Beard Award-winner Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak Los Angeles gives diners the option of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Or you can do away with the turkey and stuffing in favor of entrees like Mediterranean branzino with lentils, baby carrots and Madras curry, or a 35-day dry-aged prime bone-in ribeye with charred baby leeks, bordelaise and smoked blue crumble. All meals come with classic sides for the table and cost $85 for three courses.
Colorado | Urban Farmer
At this Denver steakhouse, even if your Thanksgiving dinner isn’t cooked at home, it’ll be butchered in house and be made from farm-fresh ingredients. The $75 four-course meal ($25 for kids 12 and under) at Urban Farmer includes a house-made charcuterie plate and classic Thanksgiving sides for the table. Among the six entree options are Colorado-raised turkey, cauliflower steak and salmon.
Connecticut | Shell and Bones
If you're in Connecticut for Thanksgiving, you won't find better views than at Shell and Bones. The waterfront restaurant in New Haven is serving its regular menu, as well as a la carte specials including a cider-brined roasted turkey dinner with challah, dried cherry and pecan stuffing, haricots verts with ginger and cashews, potato-cauliflower gratin and cabernet-cranberry fig sauce and cognac gravy. For something truly unique, try the whole baked pumpkin stuffed with nutty wild rice quinoa and beans, as well as cauliflower gravy.
Delaware | Timothy's Riverfront Grill
Timothy's Riverfront Grill in Wilmington is hosting a Thanksgiving buffet for $26.99. Highlights include Maryland crab seafood chowder, hand-carved roast turkey breast and harvest-spiced pumpkin ravioli. Sides include maple-glazed sweet potatoes, harvest-spiced sweet sausage stuffing, and aged cheddar and gruyere macaroni.
District of Columbia | Plume
Plume is one of only 11 Michelin-starred restaurants in Washington, D.C., and it also has one of the most exciting – albeit expensive – Thanksgiving menus in the city. The three-course meal ($108 adults; $48 for children 12 and under) includes choices like Italian chestnut velouté with Mangalitsa ham, cinnamon and Marsala wine; turkey with apple chestnut bread stuffing, cranberry sauce, green bean cassoulet and maple turkey gravy; and red kuri pumpkin pie with speculoos, chai-spiced tea and caramelized popcorn. There’s also an entire vegetarian menu.
Florida | The Dutch
Andrew Carmellini’s chic South Beach bistro has something for everyone this Thanksgiving. There’s a $55 prix fixe of brined turkey with Andouille sausage and pecan stuffing, whipped potatoes, spiced cranberry chutney and maple bacon Brussels sprouts for those wanting a fresh spin on tradition. The Dutch is also offering a pared down version of its daily menu with standbys like smoked ricotta agnoloti, red snapper and bouillabaisse.
Georgia | Hobnob Tavern
This Atlanta tavern is hosting a buffet ($39; $14 kids 3-12) with more than a dozen options, including roasted butternut squash bisque with maple créme fraiche and candied pepitas; roasted turkey breast with giblet gravy, traditional stuffing and cranberry orange sauce; and sweet potato soufflé with toasted marshmallow topping an honey drizzle. Regular Hobnob menu items, like the restaurant's beloved mac and cheese, are also available, as is a dessert station with various pies and apple cobbler.
Hawaii | Hali'imaile General Store
Hali'imaile General Store is the flagship restaurant of chef Bev Gannon – one of the chefs credited with developing Hawaiian regional cuisine in the 1990s. "The Store," as it's locally known, serves traditional Hawaiian food, which the restaurant describes as "eclectic American food with Asian overtones." On Thanksgiving, the Maui restaurant is serving a buffet ($58; $28 kids 7-9) that includes pork roast with pineapple chutney, braised short ribs with kona coffee sauce and crab cannelloni with saffron cream sauce, in addition to plenty of more traditional Thanksgiving offerings.
Idaho | Richard's Restaurant
The Thanksgiving dinner at Richard's Restaurant in Boise is sweet, but short, with the $55 prix fixe being served only from 3 pm to 7 pm. The meal includes starters for the table, a choice of mixed lettuce salad or butternut squash soup and a choice of roasted turkey, prime rib or king salmon. Dessert highlights include pumpkin cheesecake with caramel sauce and Louisiana brown butter pecan pie with bourbon Chantilly cream.
Illinois | Travelle
A Thanksgiving meal at Chicago's Travelle won't come cheap, but the buffet ($155) comes with impressive river views and a jaw-dropping amount of food. With more than six dozen choices to choose from, and entire sections dedicated to tacos, ramen, poke, farmhouse cheese and cured meats, a carving station and – of course – Thanksgiving specials and dessert, you might go broke, but you definitely won't go hungry.
Indiana | FARMbloomington
This Bloomington establishment is reminiscent of a farmhouse, from the antique appliances to the dining room furniture to the generations-old family recipes made from farm-fresh fare. FARMbloomington Chef Daniel Orr’s Thanksgiving menu ($45) looks a bit like the one his grandmother might have eaten – with some small modernizations. The turkey is bourbon-brined and served with truffle-scented giblets and mushroom gravy, cornbread and sage stuffing; the mashed sweet potatoes are made with molasses and hazelnuts; and the crunchy pumpkin bars are topped with cream cheese frosting, salted caramel and candied pepitas.
Iowa | Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
The Des Moines location of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse is hosting a three-course Thanksgiving feast centered around an herb-roasted turkey breast or sliced beef tenderloin. The restaurant will also be serving a special three-course menu for children for $19.
Kansas | J. Gilberts
Kansas City is a town that loves its steak, so do as the locals do and head to J. Gilbert's for a bone-in ribeye (or wood-fired ribs). In addition to its normal menu, the steakhouse will also feature a special three-course prix fixe ($39) where you can choose from a top sirloin, maple roasted salmon or petite filet with a choice of seared scallops or jumbo lump crab cake – or, of course, roasted turkey, if you must. Starters feature a variety of soups and salads, and dessert options are pumpkin pie, apple croustade, chocolate velvet cake or cheesecake.
Kentucky | Churchill Downs
Kentucky is home to one of the most exciting – and unique – settings to spend Thanksgiving: Churchill Downs. The racetrack that hosts the Kentucky Derby will feature a dozen horse races on Turkey Day, and you can chow down on buffet items like sorghum-glazed ham, herb-roasted turkey and butternut squash while cheering on your favorite horses.
Louisiana | Arnaud's
Among the famous historic New Orleans restaurants in the French Quarter, few are more celebrated or have maintained the level of quality as Arnaud’s. The Creole institution is serving a $55 prix fixe for Thanksgiving, and in addition to turkey, diners have a choice of pork tenderloin with pancetta and sage jus or Gulf black drum stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat, breadcrumbs, parmesan and lemon butter. Appetizers include an artichoke velouté or the restaurant’s signature dish, Shrimp Arnaud.
Maine | Sea Glass at Inn by the Sea
Head to Cape Elizabeth for a family-style dinner ($70; $25 for kids), where nearly two dozen items are placed on the table to share. Sea Glass will be serving classic Thanksgiving dishes like roasted turkey with pan gravy, maple- and mustard-glazed ham, whiskey- and apple-glazed sweet potatoes and green bean casserole, as well as New England favorites like cranberry bread and clam chowder.
Maryland | Charleston
Charleston – as the name might imply – is a Baltimore restaurant featuring a menu focused on the Lowcountry cooking of South Carolina, rooted in French cooking techniques. Chef Cindy Wolf, a 2006 and 2008 James Beard finalist for best chef in the Mid-Atlantic, is preparing a three-course prix fixe ($85) for Thanksgiving, including a choice of braised beef short rib, pan-roasted wild rockfish or roasted turkey breast. Guests also have first-course options like crab soup, fried green tomatoes or butternut squash and Andouille sausage soup, and family-style sides for the table and several pies to choose from for dessert.
Massachusetts | ArtBar
The Royal Sonesta in Cambridge is home to ArtBar, which serves creative, seasonal American cuisine. The Thanksgiving menu ($50) includes creamy ginger pumpkin soup, bourbon cider-brined roast turkey with pan gravy, brioche stuffing, gingered sweet potatoes, a seasonal squash salad and house-made pies.
Michigan | American Coney Island
If a meal of turkey, pumpkin spice and cheese-laden carbs doesn't exactly sound like your cup of tea, head to American Coney Island. This Detroit Institution has a simple menu, but Detroiters really only come here for a few things: a classic coney (a hot dog smothered in chili, mustard and onions), a loose hamburger and/or a plate of chili cheese fries. It’s open 24 hours, so you can come here before dinner, after dinner or instead of a Thanksgiving meal altogether.
Minnesota | Merlins Rest Pub
With 340 types of single-malt Scotch whisky and 118 types of Irish whiskey, Merlins Rest Pub very well might be the best place in Minnesota to drink whisk(e)y. It’s also probably the best deal in Minneapolis for Thanksgiving dinner, with a three-course prix fixe for $17.95, including apple and parsnip soup, roasted turkey breast with all the sides, a pumpkin crunch bar for dessert and wine for the table. Plus there’s live music, and did we mention a wide selection of Scotch and Irish whiskey?
Mississippi | Woody's Tupelo Steakhouse
Woody's Steakhouse in Tupelo is hosting a Thanksgiving buffet ($15) from 11 am to 2 pm. More than a dozen dishes will be on offer, including herb-roasted and deep-fried turkey, cornbread stuffing and roast baby carrots with raisin fennel vinaigrette.
Missouri | Edgewild Winery
Just outside of St. Louis in Chesterfield, EdgeWild Restaurant and Winery is hosting a Thanksgiving Buffet ($33.95; kids 7-12 $15.95; Kids 6 and under free) with highlights including carved turkey, four cheese mac, and biscuits and gravy. And, of course, there's plenty of wine around to keep guests warm and happy.
Montana | The Lone Peak Brewery
Thanksgiving is an exciting day for Americans: we get the day off work and we get to shamelessly eat as much as humanly possible. But in Big Sky, Thanksgiving takes on a new level of excitement, because it also means the beginning of ski season. After spending a day on the slopes, head to The Lone Peak Brewery for a round of beer and a dinner that includes turkey breasts and legs, along with mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing for only $10.
Nebraska | Jams
Jams restaurant in Omaha will have its regular menu, with its standard items like fish tacos, short rib lobster mac and cheese and steak frites. The restaurant will also have a special Thanksgiving menu available.
Nevada | Bottiglia Cucina and Enoteca
If there's one city in America you won't be hurting for a great place to eat on Thanksgiving, it's Las Vegas. With more hotels by far than anywhere in America – many of which have excellent, chef-driven spots – there are stellar food options all over the city. So, just for fun, consider Bottiglia Cucina and Enoteca, which is serving a three-course dinner with choices like turkey or frutti di mare, butternut squash soup or endive and blue cheese salad, and pumpkin cheesecake or apple pie. Sides like apple and basil stuffing, creamed kale and smoky Brussels sprouts are extra.
New Hampshire | The Old Salt at Lamie's Inn
Fun fact: The 'first Thanksgiving' was in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The majority of the Lamie’s grounds – home to The Old Salt – was built just over a century later in 1740, only 85 miles away in Hampton, New Hampshire. So, in a sense, eating the a la carte menu at The Old Salt is about as close to the original Thanksgiving as you’re going to get. A la carte menu highlights include a baked seafood pie ($24.99) or oven roasted turkey dinner ($17.99) served with cranberry stuffing, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, peas, pearl onions and cranberry and walnut chutney.
New Jersey | Satis
Satis Bistro – a Jersey City eatery with a focus on Italian and Mediterranean fare – is serving its regular menu during normal business hours on Thanksgiving. There will also be a three-course prix fixe ($55) featuring a soup or salad, a turkey entree with all the fixings/sides and a dessert.
New Mexico | 315 Restaurant and Wine Bar
Santa Fe's 315 Restaurant and Wine Bar will offer a three-course prix fixe ($55) with options like dungeness crab chowder or wild ravioli with truffle broth for a starter; roasted turkey with sage and sherry gravy or grilled branzino for an entree; and creme brulee or pumpkin mascarpone mousse parfait for dessert. There's also a live jazz trio to set the holiday mood.
New York | Katz's Delicatessen
Spending Thanksgiving at Katz’s is like spending the holiday at your favorite Jewish aunt and uncle’s. The legendary New York deli has a $90 all-you-can-eat dinner from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm, including turkey, mashed potatoes, tsimmes, latkes, pie, beer, soda, various other sides, and, of course, the famous pastrami. The restaurant also has a special $33.45 four-course prix fixe and an a la carte menu during the rest of business hours.
North Carolina | The Blackbird
This Asheville hot spot features a seasonal menu rooted in Southern tradition with a modern twist. The Blackbird’s three-course holiday menu highlights include options like sweet potato bisque, North Carolina Sunburst trout, goat cheese corn pie and southern custard coconut cake.
North Dakota | Cracker Barrel
Head into the Bismarck location of iconic American eatery Cracker Barrel for a good old-fashioned traditional turkey dinner. Thanksgiving is one of their busiest days of the year!
Ohio | The Berwick
Now spanning three generations, this family-run restaurant and event space in Columbus has been serving up handmade Italian food since 1955. The annual Thanksgiving buffet ($29.50) has classic items like roasted turkey, candied yams and whipped potatoes, as well as Italian favorites like meatballs, rigatoni with pomodoro sauce and roasted vegetable risotto.
Oklahoma | Ingrid's Kitchen
Ingrid's Kitchen is an Oklahoma City institution, serving European-American and German food, as well as baked goods, for a whopping 40 years. Ingrid's has a Thanksgiving buffet that offers plenty of traditional options in addition to its normal European fare. Note: only the location on N. Youngs is open.
Oregon | Andina
Among Portland’s best Thanksgiving options – and best restaurants – is dinner at the celebrated Pearl District Peruvian restaurant Andina, which is hosting a three-course prix fixe ($65). The chef is preparing a special Pavo Colonial, a Peruvian-inspired twist on traditional holiday turkey, served with pisco-soaked raisins, aji Mirasol gravy, aguaymanto compote, crushed "papas Peruanas," braised local oca greens and Swiss chard. The turkey will be served alongside many of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
Pennsylvania | Red Owl Tavern
Head to Red Owl Tavern in Philadelphia for a three-course prix fixe ($55). It includes a choice of autumn salad or pumpkin bisque; a turkey dinner with stuffing, whipped potatoes, maple cornbread and pan gravy; and a cinnamon roll apple pie or pepita pot de crème for dessert.
Rhode Island | Scarpetta
Scarpetta – the restaurant at Gurney's Newport Hotel and Spa – bills its special dinner as a "Thanksgiving feast," and that's no exaggeration. Yes, there's a carving station with herb-rubbed roasted turkey and salt-crusted rib roast, but that's boring compared to the rest of the menu. Guests will find a selection of artisan cheese and charcuterie; a raw bar with oysters, clams, shrimp and king crab legs; and entrees including Atlantic halibut, butternut squash and portobello mushroom risotto and roast pork loin. That's not to mention the desserts and kids station. ($75; $37.50 for children).
South Carolina | Magnolias
This menu looks just like the menu at your Southern grandma’s house – if your grandma was a gourmet chef in Charleston. The a la carte menu at Magnolias features highlights like fried green tomatoes with cheddar grits, country ham, caramelized onion chutney and tomato butter; fried mac and cheese with bacon jam and hot pepper relish; and slow roasted turkey with whipped potatoes, herb dressing, country green beans, cranberry sauce and giblet gravy.
South Dakota | Royal Fork
A Sioux Falls standby for more than five decades, The Royal Fork buffet features more than 30 dishes – and that doesn’t even include the soup and salad bar. Turkey, ham and a boatload of sides and desserts is just the tip of the iceberg.
Tennessee | The Peabody Memphis
Celebrate Thanksgiving in luxury with brunch ($78 adults, $28 children ages 5 - 12) on the mezzanine, overlooking the grand lobby of The Peabody in Memphis, recently voted the Best Historic Hotel in the country. The extravagant buffet features hundreds of hot and cold items, including breakfast items, seasonal entrees, salads, seafood, sides and a carving station. If you're still not sold, here's the real kicker: there's a 32-foot-long dessert table.
Texas | Trio
If you find yourself in Austin this Thanksgiving, head to Trio for an all-day buffet, which includes a seafood station, carving station, breakfast station and dessert station. The most unique part of this meal is the farm-to-table station, which includes items like pan-seared beef medallions with red wine and brown butter; local garden greens with watermelon radishes, roasted corn, pickled cucumbers, compressed watermelon and sungold tomatoes; and mushroom-stuffed bone-in chicken breast with Madeira sauce.
Utah | Powder at Waldorf Astoria
Thanksgiving in Park City means one thing: nope, not turkey – ski season. The town is alive and kicking during the holiday, celebrating its collective ability to shred the mountain. Of course, Thanksgiving also means turkey, and the best place to find it is at Powder at Waldorf Astoria, where a $55 prix fixe includes a choice of roasted turkey breast and confit of leg or a 14-hour braised short rib, roasted butternut squash soup or goat cheese salad, and a variety of desserts.
Vermont | Charlie B's Pub and Restaurant
If you're hitting the slopes on the East Coast in Stowe, head to Charlie B's at Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa for a buffet ($45; $20 for kids) that includes highlights like spanakopita (Greek spinach pie), slow-roasted turkey, baked haddock and prime rib with au jus.
Virginia | Wildfire
Wildfire’s family-style menu ($49.95 per person) features spit-roasted turkey and traditional sides like sweet potato casserole, redskin mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. There are also plenty of more modern options at the McLean, Va. restaurant, like deviled eggs, cedar-planked salmon and "wildorf" salad.
Washington | Goldfinch Tavern
A braised turkey leg is just one entree option at the Four Seasons Hotel’s Goldfinch Tavern in Seattle, but you’d be wise to think twice before ordering it. Other choices at this $120 prix fixe ($35 for kids; $45 for optional wine pairing) include crispy duck breast with roasted chestnuts and huckleberry sauce; seared scallops with black truffle sauce, chanterelle mushrooms and lemon-carrot puree; and butternut squash ravioli with goat cheese, chives and tart cherries. More than a dozen sides, starters and desserts are served to the table to share.
West Virginia | Preston County Inn
The Preston County Inn in Kingwood will have a buffet ($18.99) featuring roasted turkey with all the trimmings – including apple stuffing, chestnut stuffing, candied yams and mashed Yukon potatoes with pan gravy, as well as butternut squash soup and a whole selection of pies for dessert.
Wisconsin | Smyth
The restaurant inside of The Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee is hosting a brunch ($55) focusing on autumnal flavors and breakfast classics. Menu highlights at Smyth are house-made charcuterie, including Wisconsin cheeses and smoked trout; house-brined turkey breast and beer-braised corned beef; dishes including fall vegetables, squash chowder and pork loin; as well as desserts including hand pies and pear cobbler; and a mimosa bar. The Bloody Mary bar with all the fixings is an extra $15.
Wyoming | Westbank Grill
The best way to spend aprés ski in Jackson Hole this Thanksgiving is at the Four Seasons’ Westbank Grill. Highlights from the restaurant’s annual Thanksgiving meal include duck confit and arugula with garlic, mushrooms and orange rosemary dressing; lamb chop lollipops with mint & pineapple relish; and roasted salmon with truffle parsnip puree and sweet corn sauce.
Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole
