Not looking forward to cooking for your own small household for Thanksgiving this year? Why not help out a local restaurant? Here are some options. We’ll update this post as we hear of more, so keep checking back if your favorite isn’t listed yet.
Butcher & Vine in Watkinsville is again making Thanksgiving charcuterie boards for pick-up on Tuesday or Wednesday, Nov. 24 or 25 (orders are due by Friday, Nov. 20). All boards will have meats and cheeses, plus crackers and bread. They feed four to 12 people, cost between $80-$200 each and come on a fancy platter you get to keep. You can also order turkey (whole or breast), pheasant, standing rib roast, whole tenderloin or honey-glazed Berkshire ham at the same link.
Butt Hutt is smoking turkeys for $55 each (16-18 lbs.). Call 706-850-8511 to order by Nov. 22 and pick up Nov. 25 after 4 p.m. or on Thanksgiving (Nov. 26) from 8-10 a.m.
Cabin Creek BBQ is offering orders at (706) 757-2267 or cabincreekbbq199@gmail.com with a deadline of Nov. 20. You can pick up either cold (Nov. 25 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.) or hot (Thanksgiving Day from 9-11 a.m.), and your choices include smoked turkey, half or whole, for $9.99/lb.; cornbread dressing, squash casserole and sweet potato soufflé at $30 half-pan or $60 whole pan; mashed potatoes and green beans at $24/$48; and giblet gravy at $10 a quart. Half a pan feeds about 15 people, while a whole pan feeds 30.
The Cafe on Lumpkin has pecan pies for order by Nov. 24 with pick-up Nov. 25 or Thanksgiving Day. Email contact@thecafeonlumpkin.com to order.
Chops and Hops is doing mains, sides, appetizers, desserts, etc., both traditional (turkey) and nontraditional (meatloaf, brisket, chicken pot pie, standing rib roast) through an order form you can download, circle your choices on and turn it at the restaurant or via email to mellony@chopsandhops.com. Deadline is Nov. 21 and pick-up Nov. 25 between 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Donderos’ Kitchen has loads of choices, including gluten-free roasted whole turkey (10, 14, 18 or 22 pounds for $4.95 a pound); dressing (traditional or GF) and sweet potatoes ($13/$24); quart containers of sides (mashed potatoes, mashed rutabagas and turnips, collards, sweet and sour red cabbage) for $13; sauces, gravy, and apple, pumpkin, sweet potato pie or pecan pie ($15-18). Fill out the order form at donderoskitchen.com by Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. and pick up Nov. 24 from 2-4 p.m. or Nov. 25 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Five Bar and Chuck’s Fish are doing their annual Thanksgiving Feast on the actual day from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The meal is free and can be picked up via drive-through, but donations are accepted to benefit the domestic violence nonprofit Project Safe.
Heirloom is taking orders on its site for pick-up Nov. 25 between 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Turkey gravy or mushroom herb gravy run $6 a pint, cranberry-orange relish (V, GF, $7), sausage apple stuffing ($13), veggie stuffing ($12), broccoli-cheddar-rice casserole ($13), root veggie gratin ($13), roasted cauliflower (V/GF, $12), green bean casserole ($13), mac and cheese ($14), maple-chili roasted sweet potatoes ($12), biscuits ($18 for 12, $9 for 6), pumpkin chiffon pie ($28), salted maple chess pie ($28), pecan pie bars ($15) and apple spice cake ($40). Sides mostly serve four to six people.
home.made is doing sides that serve six at $23.76 each: tomato pie with savory crust, basil, parmesan, cheddar and ricotta; roasted fall vegetables with fresh herbs and pecans; and squash casserole. You can also pickled deviled eggs ($9.72 for six), a pint of pimento cheese ($16.20), pepper jelly glaze ($5.40), cheese straws and pepper jelly pecans. Order at homemadeathens.com/shop for pickup Nov. 25.
Kiki’s Bakeshop has various quiches, quick breads, so many different pies (rhubarb strawberry, for example) ($17.99/$19.99 GF), cakes and cheesecakes for order by Nov. 21 at noon to pick up Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Full menu is on the website. There will be desserts and rolls for in-store impulse pickup if you procrastinate.
Lindsey’s Culinary Market has gravy ($15 a quart); sourdough and cornbread dressing, creamy mashed potatoes, a farmers’ market salad, sweet potato casserole with pecan streusel topping, squash casserole, green beans with pecan pesto and roasted autumn vegetables ($15-$60 each, depending on size); and cranberry-orange compote ($9 a pint). Bourbon pecan or pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger cookie crust or chocolate cobbler for dessert are $25-$45 each. Feeling nontraditional? Bloody Mary mix, pickled okra and gumbo are available, too. Order at lindseysculinarymarket.com for pick-up Nov. 24 (all day) or Nov. 25 (by 1 p.m.).
Maepole has family-size versions of anything on the menu, serving about eight people each. Browse the menu at maepole.com and email info@maepole.com to order. Pick up Wednesday, Nov. 25, before 8 p.m.
Mama’s Boy has Thanksgiving sides available for online ordering and pickup at the Oconee location Nov. 23-25: mac and cheese, butternut squash and brussels sprouts, cornbread dressing, goat cheese sweet potato souffle with candied bacon and pecans, honey-glazed green beans with almonds and goat cheese, yeast rolls, biscuits and cranberry sauce ($14.99-$24.99).
Marti’s at Midday has sides of smashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar and parmesan, roasted brussels sprouts tossed with balsamic glaze, mac and cheese, Grammy Schimmel’s cornbread dressing, fresh green beans with pecans and smashed new potatoes for $23/$46 to serve four to eight, yeast rolls and both pumpkin and pecan pie ($21 per pie or dozen rolls). Order by email to catering@martisatmidday.com or call 706-543-3541 by Nov. 19.
Nedza’s is doing its brown butter gooey pie (GF), banana pudding, cinnamon rolls, savory breakfast casserole, pumpkin ice cream with cheesecake by the pint, homemade jam and cookies, orderable via Google form by Nov. 20 to pick up Wednesday, Nov. 25.
Off the Vine Produce has sides in three sizes—to feed 20-24, 12-15 or four to eight—of cornbread dressing, hashbrown casserole, sweet potato soufflé, mac and cheese, green beans, pistachio pudding/Watergate salad, squash casserole and broccoli casserole ($15-30), as well as pies for $12 each (coconut, chocolate, pecan, sweet potato, pumpkin and lemon meringue) and cakes for $20-$25 (coconut, red velvet, German chocolate, pineapple mandarin orange, carrot, hummingbird and 7-Up). Call 706-899-0400 to order by Nov. 20 and pick up by Nov. 25.
Pulaski Heights BBQ has whole smoked turkeys (10-14 lbs., $75), turkey breast (4-5 lbs., $50; 8-10 lbs., $85), hams ($65), brisket, pork, shoulder, ribs, chickens, orange-cranberry sauce, gravy and sides (mashed potatoes, squash casserole, baked beans, stew, collards, whipped sweet potatoes, cornbread dressing and more), plus banana pudding. Pre-order online by scrolling down to the Thanksgiving tab on Upserve (as well as “add-ons” and “sauces, pickles, and buns”). Pick up on Thanksgiving Day between noon and 1 p.m. or any day before.
Rashe’s Cuisine is doing smoked jerk turkeys ($50) or chickens ($35) with three 1 lb. pans of sides (collards, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or zucchini/squash cornbread) and Jamaican cranberry cake for dessert. Order and pay at rashecuisine.com by Nov. 22 to pick up Nov. 25.
Saucehouse is doing a full holiday package for $145 (feeds 10-12) that includes turkey or ham, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, two sides (choose from mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole and collards) and Sister Schubert’s rolls. Add tea or lemonade for $6/gallon and half-pan desserts (peach cobbler, bread pudding, banana pudding, brownies/cookies) for $37.50. Call 888-978-7948 or email catering@saucehouse.com to order.
VTasteCakes is offering vegan holiday pound cakes in pumpkin spice, old-fashioned vanilla, red velvet, double chocolate, Key lime or cranberry pecan for $35, any of which can be made GF. Order at vtastecakes.com/holiday-pound-cake-pickup by Nov. 20 and pick up at the Varsity on Nov. 23 from 2 to 5 p.m.
The West Broad Farmers Market is doing a separate order/pickup for pies and cakes through a Google form, with a deadline of Nov. 20 to order. Drive-through pickup is Nov. 24 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Athens Land Trust office (685 N. Pope Street).
Don’t want to go into a bigger store but still want to cook? Opa Robby’s is doing baskets for curbside pick-up on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19 and 20, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 24 and 25, from noon to 5 p.m., with produce that can let you prepare green bean casserole, brussels sprouts, candied yams, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing/dressing and apple pie, plus recipes. They also have heat-and-eat casseroles and sides, pecans (plain and candied), Red Mule grits and cornmeal, Luna bread, local eggs and sausages, chow chow, hoop cheese and decor like gourds and corn.
The Athens Farmers Market will hold its annual pre-Thanksgiving market in the parking lot of Heirloom Cafe in Boulevard on Wednesday, November 25, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., if you want to buy the ingredients to cook your own meal. Heirloom will also be open for brunch and drinks that day. Social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing are required.
Shiraz has turkey brine for $5 a gallon if you don’t want to make your own, plus fancy ham, green bean casseroles, tiny sweet potato soufflés, lemon-lavender biscuits, brussels sprouts, cranberries and organic fruits and veggies.
Creature Comforts’ taproom and drive-through are closed on Thanksgiving Day but open regular hours the rest of the week for to-go beer.
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