Dine-in or takeout: Where to get Thanksgiving meals in Delaware
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was updated Nov. 3 to include more places.
Thanksgiving might be the Super Bowl of Food, but not everyone wants to be a slave to their stove on Thursday, Nov. 23. Sometimes, the easiest thing to do for the holiday is to make a reservation at a local restaurant.
Or, if you're hosting at home, letting a restaurant or food business do some of the heavy lifting can save you from a cooking meltdown. You can purchase a whole meal or just get side dishes and desserts.
Most restaurants are open on Turkey Day. But don't wait until the holiday to get a table.
Many popular restaurant tables fill up fast.
Make a reservation right now. We're not kidding. For instance, if you wanted to dine out at Victoria's restaurant at the Boardwalk Hotel in Rehoboth Beach, well, forget about it. The restaurant is already fully booked. (Though there are still tables on Christmas Day.
Here are some ideas of where to go or where to order from this Thanksgiving:
Le Cavalier
Hotel du Pont, 42 W. 11th St., Wilmington; www.lecavalierde.com/
Chef-Partner Tyler Akin’s Le Cav restaurant is offering a three-course, $75 per person prix-fixe, French-flavored supper for Thanksgiving from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Hotel du Pont's premier dining spot. The menu highlights: Roasted Brussels sprouts with pine nut tarator and melted leeks; foie gras tartine with butternut squash marmalade and pomegranate; roasted turkey with herbes de Provence and gravy; vegetables served family-style, including pomme puree with brown butter, haricots verts with mushroom mornay, and roasted sweet potatoes with grapefruit and Baharat spice blend. Dessert includes sweet potato pie with Apollonia spice, cacao nibs, and sage creme Chantilly. Gratuity is not included. Call 302-594-3154 for reservations.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
All locations; ironhillbrewery.com/
The chain has a Thanksgiving To-Go, heat-and-eat, four-person feast for $75. Iron Hill also sells craft beer four-packs or six-packs priced at just $10 each to sip during Thanksgiving meal.
The Thanksgiving To-Go Bundle features oven-roasted turkey breast, sausage sage stuffing, buttery mashed potatoes, country-style green beans with caramelized onions and bacon, and cranberry-orange sauce, and turkey gravy. The menu can be customized for those who might want the entire meal or just a few sides. Sides, enough for four people and sold additionally for those who cook their own turkey, include mashed potatoes, green beans, or sage and sausage stuffing ($14 each), cranberry sauce ($5), and turkey gravy ($7.50). Add apple pie for dessert for just $10 to either To-Go Bundle or a la carte.
Place pre-orders now through Nov. 19. Pickup is either Tuesday, Nov. 21, or Wednesday, Nov. 22. Thanksgiving To-Go can be reserved online or by calling any Iron Hill location.
“Whether ordering a complete Thanksgiving meal or a few sides to add to your table, our chefs take all of the stress out of meal preparation,” says Dave Foster, regional executive Chef of Iron Hill Brewery.
Lettie's Kitchen
1318 Old Lancaster Pike, Hockessin; lettieskitchen.com/thanksgiving-catering-menu/
Lettie's began taking Thanksgiving orders on Wednesday, Nov. 1. It's best to call as soon as possible because space is limited and the order book fills up quickly. Call 302-239-7816. Lettie's will post information on their social media sites if they sell out before the Thursday, Nov. 16, deadline.
A whole fried turkey (10 to 14 pounds) is $9 per pound. Boneless turkey breast is $16 a pound and whole bone-in spiral ham (8 to 10 pounds) is $8.50 per pound. Sides, sold by the quart, include mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, stuffing, turkey gravy, homemade cranberry sauce and stuffing. Lettie's also has a variety of pies as well as dinner rolls.
A complete Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Dinner, $33 per person includes fresh turkey, turkey gravy from the drippings, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, coleslaw, cranberry sauce, a dinner roll and a piece of pumpkin pie.
Orders can be picked up on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 4 to 8 p.m., or Thursday, Nov. 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Clubhouse at Baywood
32267 Clubhouse Way, Millsboro; baywoodclubhouse.com/
The busy holiday season kicks off with a Thanksgiving buffet from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. that features oven-roasted turkey with sage gravy, brown-sugar glazed ham, maple-mustard glazed salmon, candied sweet potatoes, traditional stuffing, cole slaw, and deviled eggs. Dessert includes assorted holiday sweets made by Chef Dru Tevis, the winner of the Food Network's Holiday Baking Challenge.
The cost is $54 for adults and $24 for children 12 and younger. Gratuity is not included.
“We love seeing families, guests, and local businesses celebrate Thanksgiving and the holiday season at Baywood,” said Billy Suess, The Clubhouse's general manager. “Whether it’s our holiday cocktails, custom chef-driven menus, or the beautiful décor, our team is excited to help you plan any holiday celebration.”
Call 302-947-9225 for reservations.
Columbus Inn
2216 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington; columbusinn.net/
The Wilmington landmark restaurant offers a very popular, classic family-style Thanksgiving meal from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The cost is $76 per person and $36 for children ages 4 to 10. A 20 percent gratuity is added for parties of six and more. The menu includes a choice of soup and salad, turkey (dark meat is available upon request), sliced filet mignon, traditional sides, and desserts are served to the table to share. Parties of two to six guests are allotted two hours to dine. Parties over six are allotted up to 2.5 hours. Larger parties will be seated on the restaurant's second floor. (Please note that the historic Columbus Inn building does not have an elevator, important to know in advance if anyone in your party has mobility issues.) A credit card is required to hold a reservation. A $25 per person cancellation fee will be applied if a reservation is canceled within 72 hours. Call (302) 571-1492
Harry's Savoy Grill
2020 Naamans Road, Brandywine Hundred; harryshospitalitygroup.com/events/thanksgiving-dinner-harrys-savoy-grill-and-ballroom
Harry's has two offerings for Thanksgiving: a lavish buffet in the ballroom from 1 to 6 p.m. and a la carte dining in the restaurant from 2 to 8 p.m.
The buffet will have an appetizer display featuring fruits, salads, smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail, hot crab dip, a variety of fresh bread and muffins, Maryland crab soup, and hand-pulled mozzarella with roasted peppers and mushrooms.
A carving station gives guests their choice of a traditional roast turkey with pan gravy and cranberry relish or Harry’s award-winning prime rib with au jus and horseradish. There are other entrees such as salmon, chicken breast, braised porchetta and cheese tortellini, as well as a large dessert buffet.
The cost is $57.95 plus a 22% service charge per person, and $19.95 plus a 22% service charge per person for children younger than 12. Children under 5 eat free. Nonalcoholic beverages are included.
Reservations are being accepted now. Seating is extremely limited. Call 302-475-3000.
Deerfield Golf Club
507 Thompson Station Road, Newark, (302) 368-6640; deerfieldgolfclub.com
The Newark Golf Club has a buffet from noon to 5 p.m. A soup and salad station includes red skin potato salad, curry coleslaw, and butternut squash bisque. Accompaniments include mashed Yukon gold potatoes, cornbread stuffing with oysters, mashed sweet potatoes, and sherry-creamed cipollini onions.
Main dishes include carved, roasted turkey breast with traditional gravy; carved New York strip steak, carved pork loin, boneless chicken thighs Marsala, shrimp and tortellini primavera, short rib ravioli Bolognese, and crab cakes with herb beurre blanc and red pepper coulis.
The cost for adults is $89.95 and $19.95 for children ages 7 to 12. Children 6 and younger are free. Service charges and alcoholic beverages are not included. Reservations are required. Call 302-368-6640, ext. 2.
The Hilton Wilmington/Christiana
100 Continental Drive, Stanton; hiltonchristiana.com/
The hotel's annual buffet will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Featured dishes include honey citrus salmon with berry quinoa, fresh garden salads, blackberry BBQ short ribs, a variety of carving stations including roasted turkey breast, with cranberry relish and sage infused turkey gravy and certified Angus prime rib, au jus with horseradish.
The cost for adults and children older than 12 is $69.95 and $24.95 for children ages 7 to 11. A credit card is required for a reservation. An 18% gratuity will be added to parties of six or more. No-shows or cancellations after Friday, Nov. 17, will be subject to a charge of $30 per person. For reservations, call 302-631-1542.
Crooked Hammock Brewery
316 Auto Park Drive, Middletown; 36707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes; crookedhammockbrewery.com
The two Delaware brewpub locations feature an unlimited, buffet-style meal with many holiday favorite dishes. Seats are expected to fill up quickly. Click here for reservations or call the restaurants in Middletown or Lewes.
Chef Ted Deptula’s Thanksgiving menu, $39 for adults and $19 for children, includes tortilla chips, with smashed avocado dip or pico de gallo, Crab and Goat Cheese Dips with Pretzel Bites; roasted turkey with slow-simmered gravy; Bistro Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce; Shredducken, in Herb Bastings; brown sugar-glazed ham with grilled pineapples; chicken pot pie; Lemon Dill Salmon; smashed potatoes; mac & cheese; green bean and sweet potato casseroles; Crispy Brussel Sprouts; traditional stuffing with turkey gravy; Key Lime Cole Slaw; and Street Corn Salad. Desserts include pecan cobbler, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie and Apple Pie Parfait.
Cantwell's Tavern
109 Main St., Odessa; cantwells-tavern.com/thanksgiving
The historic restaurant in Odessa has a three-course dine-in Thanksgiving meal starting at $49 from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. or to-go meals starting at $35. Call 302-376-0600 for reservations.
Piccolina Toscana
1412 Dupont St., Wilmington; piccolinatoscana.com/
The Italian restaurant and to-go shop in Trolley Square has several Thanksgiving-to-go packages that always sell out, so it's best to order as soon as possible. Choices range from a complete dinner for six for $150 to a complete dinner for 12 for $265. Want to roast your own turkey? You can get a raw, brined, oven-ready turkey for $75. You can also purchase sides (for six or 12 people) like Parmesan and chive mashed potatoes, pancetta and Dijon Brussel sprouts, and mashed sweet potato casserole. The menu is here.
In Jest Catering
Chef Robbie Jester, best known for winning the Netflix series "Pressure Cooker" and besting Food Network Chef Bobby Flay, is offering limited Thanksgiving dinner packages for $285. The dinner, which feeds six to eight guests, includes honey-brined, smoked turkey; mac and cheese; gluten-free gravy; herb stuffing; sautéed green beans and shallots; yogurt and chive whipped potatoes; Fresh Boozy Cranberry Orange Chutney; and Chocolate Silk Pie. The meal can be delivered or picked up on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Email robbie@robbiejester.com Visit his Instagram @injestevents
Metro Diner
All locations; metrodiner.com
Metro Diner has Heat & Serve Holiday Feasts To-Go. Customers can choose either baked ham or roasted turkey paired with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, Hawaiian dinner rolls and savory cornbread stuffing or macaroni and cheese or street corn. The feasts come cold to be heated up at home and can be customized to serve a party of one or up to eight people. For more information or to place your Holiday Feast order, please visit https://metrodiner.com/holiday-feast/.
Pre-orders are available now through Wednesday, Nov. 22. Pick up the feasts on Tuesday, Nov. 21; Wednesday, Nov. 22; or Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can add pumpkin bread pudding for dessert, additional sides, salads and beverages like a bottle of sparkling wine.
All diners will remain open on Thanksgiving Day for table service until 2:30 p.m.
Sonora Restaurant & Bar
3 Chesmar Plaza, near Newark; sonoranewark.com
The corner restaurant in Chesmar Plaza (across from Shoprite near Newark) is offering Thanksgiving at home for $29 per person. The menu includes sliced herb turkey breast, pumpernickel sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, whole cranberry Grand Marnier sauce, garlic green beans or Brussels sprouts, jalapeno creamed corn, rolls and lemon butter. Visit the website or call 302-525-6010.
More places to order Thanksgiving meals
🦃 Haldas Market has whole, cooked, and sliced turkey with gravy that will feed between 10 to 25 people, depending on how much you order. The shop on 2201 Silverside Road in Brandywine Hundred also has Virginia-baked ham with rolls, a variety of sides, desserts, and wedding soup.
🦃 Janssen's Market in Greenville has everything from baked goods to prepared foods.
🦃 Bachetti Bros. Meats, Market & Catering in the Milltown area has complete meals, sides, desserts, and more. Orders need to be placed by Saturday, Nov. 18. Go to their Facebook page for more information.
🦃 Popeyes, with locations in Newark, Wilmington, and New Castle, has pre-cooked Cajun-style turkey for $99. You can get free delivery when you order online (all you have to do is thaw, heat, and serve) or visit your nearest Popeyes to order in-store. Visit thecajunfix.popeyes.com
🦃 Acme, Wegmans and ShopRite all offer Thanksgiving catering.
🦃 Bob Evans and Cracker Barrel restaurants also offer fully prepared Thanksgiving meals to go.
🦃 Jamestown Catering Co. has a Thanksgiving to-go package that serves 6 to 8 people. The cost is $240.
Mr. Thanksgiving to the rescue: How to cook a perfect Thanksgiving turkey from cookbook author and expert Rick Rodgers
Perfect side dishes: Surefire Thanksgiving from expert Rick Rodgers: Make-ahead mashed potatoes, chutney
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware restaurants offer Thanksgiving takeout and dine-in meals
