What’s cooking for Thanksgiving at San Diego County restaurants
After doing mostly takeout dinners for Thanksgiving last year, many San Diego County restaurants are going big for turkey day this year, offering both takeout and in-house menus and special events beginning next week and running through Nov. 26. Here’s a look at some of the options:
Pre-Thanksgiving event
Chefsgiving at the Pendry Hotel: Get an early start on your holidays with a chef’s collaboration dinner to benefit the San Diego Food Bank at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Pendry’s Provisional Kitchen in the Gaslamp Quarter. Participating chefs will prepare their favorite Thanksgiving dishes for the family-style meal. Participating chefs are Brandon Sloan of Provisional; Jojo Ruiz of Lionfish and Serea; Chris Gentile of Avant; Crystal White of Wayfarer Bread; Davin Waite of Wrench & Rodent and The Plot; and Clément Le Déoré of Desserts by Clement. Tickets are $150, of which $30 goes to the Food Bank. 550 J St, San Diego. https://bit.ly/3D9R0zO.
Takeout options
Barbusa: This Little Italy restaurant will offer a take-home, traditional four-course Thanksgiving feast with Sicilian-style pasta options, including pasta al forno and baked ziti. A meal for four costs $199. Pre-orders will be taken by phone through Nov. 23 by phone at (619) 238-1917 or by email to PJ Busalacchi (subject line: “Thanksgiving order”) at pj@barbusa.com. Meals can be picked up from 4 to 8 p.m. Nov. 24 and 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 25. 1917 India St, San Diego. barbusa.com
Black Angus: The family steakhouse chain is offering family meals to go as well as dine-in service on Thanksgiving day. The take-home meal, which offers a turkey, seven sides and pie, is available in sizes for four people, $99.95, eight people, $199.95, and 12 people, $299.95. The in-house meal will feature the same menu priced at $24.99 for adults, $10.99 for children. Local location details at locations.blackangus.com
Cardellino: This Trust Restaurant Group location in Mission Hills will serve a take-home multicourse classic Thanksgiving menu that serves six to eight people for $325. Meal will include dishes from various Trust restaurants, including beet salad from Fort Oak, stuffing from Wise Ox, coffee from Trust Restaurant, and an 18- to 20-pound turkey. Orders can be made online. Pickup hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 24. 4033 Goldfinch St., San Diego. cardellinosd.com/thanksgiving.
International Smoke, Del Mar: This international barbecue and wood-fire restaurant will be doing both a takeout meal and an onsite dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Dishes include curry pumpkin soup, persimmon salad, maple roast turkey and a chef’s “horn of plenty” filled with mini desserts. Dine-in is $88, or $30 per child. Take out meal, which serves four, is $320. Pre-orders required by Nov. 21 for pickup 2-5 p.m. Nov. 24 or 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 25. One Paseo, 3387 Del Mar Heights Road, Building 1, San Diego. (619) 331-4528. internationalsmoke.com/locations/del-mar/
Juniper & Ivy: A holiday feast designed to serve six to eight people includes a brined and trussed turkey ready for baking, seven sides and a whole miso pumpkin pie, as well as seasoned cocktails. Price is $330. Only 25 meals will be prepared for pickup from 2 to 8 p.m. Nov. 24. 2228 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. Order at https://bit.ly/3HhRFS7
Ranch 45: This Solana Beach restaurant and meat market is taking preorders through 4 p.m. Nov. 21 for a Thanksgiving menu with options that include herb-crusted prime rib, smoked turkey legs and smoked Cornish game hen, as well as side dishes and desserts. 512 Via De La Valle, Suite 102, Solana Beach. ranch45.com/store/catering/
Seasons 52: This La Jolla-area restaurant is offering both a dine-in and a take-home Thanksgiving Green Box dinner, offering a lighter take on the usually heavy meal with oven-roasted turkey, cranberry relish, mashed butternut squash and mini pumpkin pie dessert. The $175 boxes serve four to six people and can be picked up on Nov. 24 or 25. 4505 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego. Reserve at Seasons52.com.
Smokey & the Brisket: This La Mesa restaurant will offer a takeout seven-course turkey dinner orders with preorders accepted through Nov. 18. Cost is $120 for four to six people or $230 for eight to 12. There will also be a smoked turkey roast dine-in menu for $35 per person on Thanksgiving Day. 5465 Lake Murray Blvd, La Mesa. smokeyandthebrisketsd.com
STK Steakhouse San Diego: A traditional turkey dinner is being offered both in-house and for takeout Nov. 25 through 28. Dishes include roasted free-range turkey, two kinds of potatoes and cranberry orange chutney. Dine-in is $59 for adults, $29 for children. Takeout dinner for two is $119. 600 F St., San Diego. (619) 354-5988. stksteakhouse.com/venues/san-diego/
Terra American Bistro: This Rolando-area restaurant will be offering an “everything but the bird” Thanksgiving takeout package offering all the side dishes and desserts to serve a family of four, but not the turkey. Includes salad, three-cheese potatoes, three vegetable sides, stuffing, rolls, pumpkin tarts and ginger spice cookies for $119. All dishes can also be ordered a la carte. Orders accepted through Nov. 20. 7091 El Cajon Blvd. (619) 293-7088. terrasd.com
On-site dining
Arlo: This Mission Valley restaurant will serve a $65 prix-fixe dinner menu with options that include turkey breast with prosciutto, smoked turkey meatball and smoked potatoes, as well as a “splash” of Champagne. 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego. arlosandiego.com.
Barleymash: This Gaslamp Quarter restaurant-bar will serve a three-course dinner beginning at 2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Optional dishes include carrot ginger soup, Andouille-stuffed turkey roulade, brown ale biscuit stuffing and chocolate chip bourbon pecan pie. Cost is $45 for adults, $20 for children. 600 Fifth Ave., No. 6916, San Diego. barleymash.com
Bleu Bohème: This French restaurant in Kensington will serve a three-course prix-fixe Thanksgiving menu with a French twist from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 25. Price is $68.95 for adults, $24.95 for children under 12. Choices include roasted turkey, beef short rib in red wine gravy, and duck leg confit. 4090 Adams Ave., San Diego. blueboheme.com
Callie: Chef Travis Swikard is serving a Thanksgiving Day feast from noon to 7 p.m. at this East Village restaurant priced at $80 for adults and $35 for children ages 10 and under, with free underground parking. Options include Thanksgiving classic dishes and dishes from Callie’s regular Mediterranean-inspired menu. 1195 Island Ave., San Diego. (619) 255-9696. calliesd.com
Duck Dive: This Pacific Beach restaurant bar will offer a “turkey plate dinner” from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, while supplies last, for $25. 4650 Mission Blvd., San Diego. theduckdive.com
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Eddie V’s Prime Seafood: Eddie V’s locations are offering a prix-fixe Thanksgiving dinner that includes turkey, roasted butternut squash and brioche sage stuffing. Cost is $43 for adults, $15 for children. Dessert of pumpkin pie tartlet with pecan ice cream is $12. 1270 Prospect St., La Jolla; 789 W. Harbor Drive, Suite 158, Downtown. EddieV.com.
Farmer’s Bottega: This Mission Hills restaurant will serve a three-course prix-fixe dinner from 2 to 8 p.m. Nov. 25 priced at $70 for adults and $25 for children 10 and under. Dishes include turkey plate, short rib and braised lamb shank. 860 W. Washington St., San Diego. (619). 458-9929.
Herb & Sea: This Encinitas restaurant will serve a Thanksgiving dinner celebrating East Coast traditions from 1 to 7 p.m. Nov. 25 priced at $85 for adults and $35 for children. Options on the menu include Baja shrimp, kuri pumpkin soup, citrus-marinated turkey, red wine-braised short rib and apple pie with cranberry cream cheese ice cream. Herb and Sea, 131 W. D St., Encinitas. herbandsea.com
JRDN: This Pacific Beach restaurant is serving an a la carte Thanksgiving-themed menu from noon to 8 p.m. Nov. 25. Dishes include a traditional turkey plate with trimmings, beef tenderloin with peppercorn crust and Bordelaise sauce and pumpkin lobster bisque. 723 Felspar St., San Diego. t23hotel.com/dine/
Mister A’s: This Bankers Hill restaurant will serve a prix-fixe Thanksgiving Day dinner menu priced at $89.50, as well as a menu of lighter non-traditional options like Maine lobster salad and oven-roasted Dover sole. 2550 Fifth Ave., 12th Floor, San Diego. asrestaurant.com/reservations
Rancho Bernardo Inn: The resort will offer three different Thanksgiving Day meals. A gourmet four-course prix-fixe meals will be offered from 2 to 7 p.m. at Avant for $115 for adults and $55 for children. Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus with Thanksgiving-themed options will be served at the Veranda Fireside Lounge and Restaurant. And a four-course prix-fixe menu will be served at four separate seatings from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Aragon Ballroom, priced at $95 for adults and $45 for children. 17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, San Diego. ranchobernardoinn.com/dine/overview.
Rancho Valencia: This Rancho Santa Fe resort will offer a Thanksgiving Day buffet on-site, as well as a customizable a la carte “Thanksgiving Feast to Go” option. Specialty dishes include sweet potato and roasted poblano bisque, Brandt Beef short ribs and apple and pear cobbler. Cost for the buffet is $165 for adults, $55 for children ages 3 to 11. 5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe. ranchovalencia.com/san-diego-events/thanksgiving/.
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina: A three-course dinner will be served in the hotel’s Harbor’s Edge restaurant from noon to 7 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Cost ranges from $55 to $70 depending on choice of entrees, which include maple butter-herbed turkey, grilled ribeye steak, maple mustard-glazed salmon. 1380 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego. (619) 291-2900. marriott.com/hotels/travel/sansi-sheraton-san-diego-hotel-and-marina/.
20|Twenty: This ocean-facing restaurant at the Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa will serve a prix-fixe dinner with both classic dishes and a few modern twists, like a root vegetable quinoa coconut curry and pan-seared true striped bass with romesco sauce. Hours are 12 to 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Cost is $98 for adults and $30 for children 12 and under. 5480 Grand Pacific Drive, Carlsbad. 20twentygrill.com/menu/.
Valentina: This Leucadia European-style bistro will serve a Thanksgiving plate dinner with traditional dishes, as well as its regular menu on Thanksgiving Day. Dishes will include glazed acorn squash, sage gravy and bacon green beans. 810 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas. restaurantvalentina.com
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