Don’t feel like spending basically the rest of the month preparing a massive meal? We’ve got you covered. Many of our favorite locally owned and operated restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties will be open Thanksgiving Day.
They’re mostly serving turkey dinners with traditional sides, often given creative twists, and holiday pies. There are also plenty of fresh seafood options as well as pasta dishes and premium steaks on limited and full menus. In addition, your favorite cocktails, wines and local craft beers will be served on Thanksgiving.
The majority of restaurants featured offer outdoor seating as well as extensive takeout options. Reservations are highly recommended, sooner than later.
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Bevardi’s Salute! Restaurant
23 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota; 941-365-1020; salutesarasota.com
Chef Laszlo Bevardi, executive chef and proprietor of Bevardi’s Salute Restaurant, will be offering a traditional Thanksgiving celebration with an Italian twist from 1 to 8 p.m. The three-course Thanksgiving menu is available for in-house dining and takeout and includes a first-course choice of a house-made butternut squash bisque or holiday spinach salad with a raspberry Champagne vinaigrette, fresh fruit, gorgonzola and caramelized walnuts. The second course is a slow-roasted traditional turkey dinner with choice of white meat, dark meat, or a mixture of both, served with a chef-made sausage, wild mushroom, vegetable and herb stuffing. Sides accompanying the turkey are string beans almondine, roasted honey-glazed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pan gravy and chianti cranberry sauce. The third course is apple pie with vanilla ice cream or traditional pumpkin pie. The price is $32.95 for adults and $16.95 for children under 12.
Bijou Cafe
1287 First St., Sarasota; 941-366-8111; bijoucafe.net
One of the most famous restaurants in Sarasota, this downtown dining destination will be open noon-8 p.m. with a Thanksgiving Day special dubbed “The Roasted Carolina Fresh Tom Turkey” with signature dressing, roast sweet potatoes, whipped yukon gold potatoes, green bean gratin, giblet gravy and cranberry sauce ($32 dine-in, $29 takeout). There also will be a roasted butternut squash soup with lemon crème fraiche ($10), roasted carrots with pomegranate, goat cheese and pumpkin seeds ($10) and a pumpkin creme brulee ($10) for dessert. In addition, the full menu will be available for both dine-in and takeout.
Cafe Gabbiano
5104 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key; 941-349-1423; cafegabbiano.com
The Italian restaurant in Siesta Key Village will be open 2-8 p.m. on Thanksgiving with its full menu plus a turkey dinner that includes garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy ($30.) Guests also can order a custom Thanksgiving package for takeout.
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Cafe L’Europe
431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-4415; cafeleurope.net
A St. Armands Circle landmark founded in 1973, Cafe L’Europe will be serving a three-course Thanksgiving special 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. featuring roasted turkey with sage dressing, haricots verts, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and cranberry relish. First course is a choice of lobster bisque, Caesar salad or house salad. Dessert choices are pumpkin or pecan pie. Price is $42.95 per person, plus tax and gratuity. A selective a la carte dinner menu also will be available for dine-in and takeout.
Chaz 51
103 Triple Diamond Blvd., North Venice; 941-484-6200; chaz51.com
Chef and owner Charles Amherst, who spent 25 years with Ruth’s Chris Steak House before opening Chaz 51 in 2015, will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. offering a three-course Thanksgiving feast. There will be a main course choice of roasted turkey breast with pomegranate-glazed ham, stuffing, gravy and orange cranberry relish; filet mignon or vegan vegetable platter, as well as a three-course seasonal menu. Chaz 51 also will offer a to-go three-course Thanksgiving family feast option available for pickup or third-party delivery, with options ranging from $120 for a family of four to $900 for a family of 30. Preorders will be accepted through Nov. 25, with payments to be made at time of order and patrons to provide a specific pickup time.
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Columbia Restaurant
411 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 941-388-3987; columbiarestaurant.com
A St. Armands icon dating back to 1959 and the oldest restaurant in Sarasota (their older sister restaurant in Tampa’s Ybor City is the oldest in Florida), the Gonzmart family-owned and operated Columbia will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Thanksgiving. The restaurant will be serving a special menu featuring roast turkey with a house-made stuffing made from the Gonzmarts’ great-grandmother’s recipe of Italian sausage, ground beef, chopped chicken livers, apples, water chestnuts and raisins. The meal, which costs $24 ($6 for children under 10), also includes the restaurant’s famed Original “1905” Salad, whipped potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, vegetables, sweet potato casserole and warm Cuban bread. Looking to make the experience extra special? Treat yourself to a pitcher of sangria. Our current fave is the sparkling white wine-based Sangria de Cava mixed with brandy, orange liqueur and fresh citrus juices. In addition, Columbia is offering a takeout option that serves 8-10 for $149.95 and includes choice of key lime or pumpkin pie. Deadline to order the traditional Thanksgiving takeout meal is 2 p.m. Nov. 19.
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Der Dutchman
3713 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota; 941-955-8007; dhgroup.com
A family owned business that originated in Ohio with six restaurants including the one in Sarasota, all specializing in Amish and Mennonite comfort foods, Der Dutchman will be open Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be an all-you-can-eat buffet (self-serve with provided gloves and mask required; $23.99 adults and $10.99 children ages 3 to 12) with dishes such as turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, creamed corn, cranberry walnut salad and choice of pie slice. There’s a plated option, too, for $19.99/$9.99 (children ages 3 to 12).
Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood.
1435 Main St., Sarasota; 941-312-4001; duvalsfreshlocalseafood.com
Duval’s, in the heart of downtown Sarasota, will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Thanksgiving serving “The Feast.” Guests will get a “plate piled high with all the fixin’s,” which include herb and butter roasted turkey with pan gravy as well as brown sugar mustard glazed ham. The sides are mashed potatoes, “chef’s signature stuffing,” green beans and carrots, roasted sweet potato casserole, and orange-ginger cranberry sauce. For dessert, it’s a choice of pumpkin pie or “signature bread pudding.” Cost per person is $38 (adults)/$24 (children under 10). “The Feast” can also be enjoyed at home. The takeout option serves four to five and includes a whole pumpkin pie for $159.
Element: Steak. Seafood. Pasta.
1413 Main St., Sarasota; 941-724-8585; elementsrq.com
One of downtown Sarasota’s trendiest restaurants replete with a bar serving Instagram-worthy craft cocktail creations, Element will be open from noon to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. The $39 meal, served with a house salad, consists of oven-roasted turkey breast, pan gravy, mashed potatoes, baked stuffed sweet potato, house-made cranberry sauce, sausage and sage stuffing, roast cauliflower gratin with chilies, and baked corn squash. For appetizers, Element will be serving a slow-roasted turkey leg with orange cranberry and ginger glaze, and pickled cranberries ($12) plus a roast corn and crab chowder ($17). Dessert selections include a pumpkin semifreddo with brown butter crust, spiced whipped cream and cranberries ($9). The Thanksgiving menu, which can be ordered for dine-in or to go, also will include seafood and pasta dishes, various sides and steaks plus the “Braveheart Prime Rib Dinner.” It’s a 12-ounce prime rib, served au jus with horseradish cream; sides are asparagus, mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding.
Five-O Donut Co.
2241 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota; and 3800 S. Tamiami Trail #107 in Shops at Siesta Row; 941-960-1370; fiveodonutco.com
Now here’s a reason to wake up early, folks. Five-O Donut Co is bringing back its beloved Thanksgiving Day Food Coma Wonut. It’s a stuffing waffle made with yeast doughnuts, apple and sage then deep-fried and glazed with a m
aple glaze; finished with cranberry orange compote and marshmallow yam mash, plus some oven-roasted turkey breast! Available Thanksgiving Day only at Five-O’s Ringling and Siesta Row locations from 8 a.m to 1 p.m. or until they’re sold out. (Five-O’s South Sarasota location will be closed Thanksgiving Day.)
Grove
10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch; 941-893-4321; grovelwr.com
Executive chef Greg Campbell’s traditional Thanksgiving dinner ($34.95 adults, $16.95 children under 10) will be served for dine-in from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The menu includes roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. Grove will also offer a to-go Thanksgiving family feast serving four to six, featuring the same items plus a bottle of Vista Point Chardonnay, for hot-and-ready pickup on Thanksgiving Day ($125) or bake-and-serve pickup or delivery on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25 ($99.) To-go orders must be placed by 8 p.m. the day before. Individual meals and a la carte items are also available.
Harry’s Continental Kitchens
525 St. Judes Drive, Longboat Key; 941-383-0777; harryskitchen.com
This Longboat Key landmark will be open 1-8 p.m. Thanksgiving with a special three-course dinner priced at $41 per person with a $57 premium wine pairings offer or $32 for entrée only. For the first course, choose from Five Spiced Butter Nut Squash Soup with maple syrup drizzle and spiced pecans, or the Fall Apple Salad with Fuji apple, dried cranberries, cherry tomato, spiced pecans, baby spinach, crispy shallots and lemon-honey vinaigrette. For the main course, enjoy roasted turkey with apple-walnut stuffing, giblet gravy, cranberry relish, fresh green beans almondine and mashed Idaho and sweet potatoes. A choice of traditional pumpkin pie, apple cheesecake or chocolate pecan pie will be served for dessert. To get the turkey dinner to go from Harry’s Deli ($27 per person), as well as other options including a whole turkey with stuffing and gravy, order by Nov. 22 to pick up Nov. 25 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The deli is closed Thanksgiving.
Libby’s Neighborhood Brasserie
1917 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 941-487-7300 and 8445 Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch, 941-357-1570; libbysneighborhoodbrasserie.com
Libby’s will be open 12-8 p.m. at both locations with the regular menu available plus a $19.95 Thanksgiving plate consisting of rotisserie-roasted turkey breast, mushroom cream gravy, sweet potato mash, sage brioche stuffing, hot honey carrots and buttermilk croissants.
Mattison’s
Mattison’s Forty-One, 7275 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-921-3400; Mattison’s City Grille, 1 N. Lemon Avenue, Sarasota; 941-330-0440; Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille, 101 Riverwalk Blvd., Bradenton; 941-896-9660; mattisons.com
Chef and owner Paul Mattison will have all three of his namesake restaurants open starting at 11 a.m., offering traditional Thanksgiving specials and regular and special menu items. Mattison’s will also offer to-go Thanksgiving feasts including oven-roasted turkey, apple walnut stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, maple ginger roasted vegetable medley, gravy, cranberries and rolls with boursin butter, with the ability to add desserts such as apple, pecan or pumpkin pies or order a la carte. The two to-go feast options are 12-pound turkey with sides ($149 plus tax, feeds up to six) or 18-pound turkey with sides ($189 plus tax, feeds up to 10.) Call individual restaurants to make dine-in reservations; call 941-921-3400 or visit mattisons.com/turkeyfeast for to-go feast orders, which must be made by Nov. 20 and can be picked up at Forty-One or Riverwalk Grille.
Michael’s on East
1212 S. East Ave., Sarasota; 941-366-0007; bestfood.com
A celebrated steakhouse with an alluring 1940s supper club atmosphere plus the Courtyard at Michael’s On East for outdoor dining, the restaurant will be open 2-8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Enjoy dinner favorites a la carte from a limited dinner menu (including three of their famed steaks) as well as the traditional turkey dinner consisting of oven-roasted Joyce Farms All-Natural Turkey, red bliss mashed potatoes with pan gravy, candied sweet potatoes, haricots verts, dried cranberry and cornbread stuffing ($35). Michael’s also will be serving its beloved house-made holiday pies: pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream, Southern pecan tart with whipped cream, and crisp apple streusel pie with whipped cream. In addition, the restaurant is offering a family-style Thanksgiving feast that includes a whole oven-roasted turkey, butternut squash soup, focaccia bread and six “traditional sides with a Michael’s on East twist.” For takeout options, order by Nov. 22 for pickup 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Miguel’s Restaurant
6631 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota; 941-349-4024; miguelsrestaurant.net
A family business operating on Siesta Key since 1983 specializing in European-style and French cuisine, Miguel’s will open at noon on Thanksgiving Day. The restaurant will serve its full menu as well as a three-course ham or turkey dinner for $25.95, plus a prime rib dinner for $29.99, for dine-in or takeout.
Pier 22
1200 First Ave. W., Bradenton; 941-748-8087; pier22dining.com
Featuring outdoor and indoor seating right on the Manatee River, Pier 22 in downtown Bradenton will serve the same Thanksgiving options as its sister restaurant Grove. The restaurant is offering a dine-in traditional dinner ($34.95 adults, $16.95 children under 10) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a menu including roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. It also will offer a to-go Thanksgiving family feast serving four to six, featuring the same items plus a bottle of Vista Point Chardonnay, for hot-and-ready pickup on Thanksgiving Day ($125) or bake-and-serve pickup or delivery on Nov. 24 and Nov. 25 ($99.) To-go orders must be placed by 8 p.m. the day before. Individual meals and a la carte items also are available.
Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar
5353 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-925-4444; creekseafood.com
Updated 11/19: Due to popular demand not only is Phillippi Creek doing curbside family dinners and full menu to go, it is open on Thanksgiving and is offering Thanksgiving day pick up as well.
Original post: Opening at 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving, Sarasota waterfront landmark Phillippi Creek will offer its full dining and cocktail menus plus Thanksgiving-inspired favorite oven-roasted turkey, croissant sage andouille stuffing, sweet potato cobbler, broccoli au gratin and sage gravy ($29.95). The restaurant is also offering family-style carry-out heat and serve options with packages available for four, eight or 12 people, also priced at $29.95 per person. Pick up Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Preorder minimum 48 hours in advance.
Rosemary & Thyme
511 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota; 941-955-7600; therosemarysarasota.com
The Rosemary District restaurant located just north of downtown Sarasota will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. It will offer a traditional turkey dinner ($30; roasted white and dark meat turkey in pan gravy, creamy sour cream and roasted shallot mashed potatoes, country stuffing with celery and sage, sautéed green beans and carrots and citrus cinnamon cranberry sauce), along with other appetizer, entree and dessert options, including pumpkin pie. The restaurant will also offer takeout.
Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay
8875 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota; 941-346-2207; turtlesrestaurant.com
A Siesta Key dining destination dating back to 1986, Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay will offer a special menu with some nice comfort food selections to pair with its charming waterfront setting, including the popular roasted Butterball turkey dinner ($18.) It’s served with traditional pecan stuffing and cranberry sauce plus sides: green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and hot baked rolls and butter. There are also mahi, salmon, grouper, filet mignon and prime rib options served with the same Thanksgiving sides for various prices. Kids’ meals for patrons age 12 and under also will be available with smaller portions of turkey, prime rib or chicken fingers for $10.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the ownership of the Columbia Restaurant.
Wade Tatangelo is the Herald-Tribune’s entertainment editor. Email him at [email protected].
