ATLGuide
11 Great Places To Eat (Or Order) Thanksgiving Dinner In Atlanta
Save the stuffing versus dressing debate for another year.
Eschewing family melodrama to do your own thing is as American a tradition as Thanksgiving itself. So instead of faking pleasantries to rude-ass uncles or dodging a living room of rhythmically-challenged nephews and nieces getting sturdy on TikTok, chuck up a deuces and go eat elsewhere. Here’s where to eat out (or order in) for Thanksgiving in Atlanta. These places offer traditional and non-traditional dishes that will taste better than anything you could whip up with whatever’s left in a barren grocery store.
An Old Fourth Ward restaurant in the same building as a strip club doesn’t exactly scream fancy Thanksgiving dinner. But we can assure you that Tiny Lou’s is a holiday contender with their three-course, prix fixe menu, especially if you’ve got hard-to-impress in-laws in tow. Or you can opt for their takeout package for $250, which has all the usual suspects on the menu—but under French aliases like glazed haricot verts. You may have to explain that one to your folks. Secure your order of pommes puree before Nov. 19.
Like the idea of a holiday devoted to eating good food but are so incredibly bored by all the turkey traditions? Juniper Cafe is offering pre-order takeout meals, which include a 10-piece bucket of their spicy fried chicken, cabbage jicama slaw, coconut grits, and collards. The $75 meal serves four people and is available for pickup Wed. Nov. 23. You can pre-order here.
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Since most Thanksgiving celebrations involve multiple helpings, it makes sense to go to a buffet. But if buffets give you unpleasant Golden Corral flashbacks, then choose one with a kick-ass view. 5Church Buckhead has a garden-themed sunroom with hanging vines you can enjoy looking at while you wait at the turkey and prime rib carving stations. But if Atlanta is up to its old tricks and the weather is balmy, head to 5Church Midtown instead for Thanksgiving dinner with rooftop views. If you prefer the sight of your own TV, order their family-style takeout package that will feed up to eight people. Head to their website to make a reservation for either location.
We usually trust a barbecue joint to come through with a centerpiece Thanksgiving protein. Wood’s Chapel is doing it right, providing $95 whole smoked turkeys for takeout. If your kitchen skills are questionable and you need help with sides too, grab their dinner package (for four or eight people), which includes turkey and sides like mashed potatoes and a green bean and shiitake mushroom casserole. Order yours before 5pm on Monday, Nov. 14 for Wednesday Nov. 23 pickup.
HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern
If you’re one of those people who hates turkey (don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone) head to any of Hobnob’s locations for their three-course feast on Thanksgiving Day. They do offer turkey, but you can also choose from ham, salmon, or a porter-braised short rib to satisfy any anti-poultry people in your group. And there’s a pimento cheese appetizer for the Southerners who don’t consider it Thanksgiving without it. While the casual tavern is usually a walk-in kind of joint, we’d suggest making a reservation for T-day.
Don’t spend hours failing at a recipe you found on Google. Order Tio Lucho’s takeout meal for $250. The Peruvian restaurant is preparing oven-roasted turkeys brined in a spicy chili marinade. The eight-personal meal also includes turkey neck gravy for all you sauce connoisseurs, arroz arabe, tamales verdes, and frijoles de casa. Pick up the family meal from the Virginia Highland restaurant on Nov. 23, which leaves you enough time to search the web for pisco sour recipes. On second thought, just ask Tio’s for the drink package, too.
Morton's The Steakhouse
With all the newer, shiner venues that hit the city, we often forget about those tried-and-true steakhouse chains until desperate moments like these. When we’re trying to find places open on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, we inevitably end up downtown at Morton’s, remembering how much we enjoy their big, fancy salads and sides like baked corn souffle. For their Thanksgiving lineup, there’s also traditional items like roasted turkey and cranberry dressing. Grab a reservation here.
Dantanna's
The upscale Buckhead steakhouse is serving a special turkey day menu all week (Nov. 21-25), including on the actual holiday. Book in advance to make sure you get a piece of the pie—and by that we mean a menu that includes sweet potato pie, pumpkin cheesecake, apple empanadas, turkey legs, seasonal cocktails, and more.
The Castellucci Group
The Castellucci Group (Bar Mercado, Cooks & Soldiers) is offering takeout meals and sides for those traditionalists who want the whole home-cooked turkey experience without the headache of homemade efforts. For $295, you can get the whole shebang, which serves four people and includes an entire uncooked, brined turkey (yes, you still have to cook something), six sides (from mac and cheese to sweet potato casserole), gravy, and a dessert. Or you can order your turkey and sides a la carte. Either way, orders should be placed by Nov. 20 for pick up Wed. Nov 23 from one of the three designated metro Atlanta locations.
photo credit: STK Steakhouse
STK Steakhouse
Located in Midtown, STK Steakhouse is swapping their usual medium-rare steaks for golden turkeys from Nov. 24-27. For $64, you can eat roasted free-range turkey along with five sides, including yukon gold mashed potatoes with a parmesan crust and cranberry orange chutney. If you don’t want to eat with real pants on, they’re offering the same meal for takeout. Reserve a table or pre-order here.
You’ve dodged your stray-cat-loving neighbor’s Thanksgiving dinner invitations all through the pandemic, so you begrudgingly decided to show up this year—but just to make casual conversation and push questionable mashed potatoes around your plate. If you need an escape plan, consider Hampton + Hudson in Inman Park, which is open late on Thanksgiving Day. Their $25 plate includes all the holiday favorites (turkey, cornbread stuffing, etc.) but there are also a few regular menu options like burgers and wings along with plenty of TVs to watch the football games. You can also pre-order a to-go meal if you want to bring something you’ll actually eat to your neighbor's gathering.
