Hi, Athens. Some of you love to slave for hours in the kitchen, shaving brussels sprouts thinly or whipping cream by hand. Others would prefer to put their feet up and have a glass of wine. This list of places around town offering Thanksgiving eats is for those of you in the latter group.
Athens Farmers Market will have its annual pre-Thanksgiving market in the parking lot of Heirloom Cafe on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 11 a.m., if you want to buy the ingredients to cook your own meal.
Big City Bread Cafe has pumpkin pie ($18), pecan pie ($20) or pear frangipane tart ($25), each of which serves eight; orange-cranberry bread ($14.50) and pumpkin bread ($16.50; gluten-free), each serving eight to 10; cranberry pecan batard ($5.75; sort of like a baguette); and pull-apart rolls ($4.50 for seven rolls). Call 706-353-0029 to order by Saturday, Nov. 18 for pick-up Nov. 22.
Cabin Creek BBQ has whole turkeys at $7.99 per pound (6–8-pound average weight), hams at $7.99 per pound and sides in half pans ($19.99 to feed 15 people) and whole pans ($39.99 to feed 30 people): cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, sweet potato soufflé, squash casserole and green beans. Call 706-757-2267 before Nov. 18 to order.
Donderos’ Kitchen has its usual huge selection of stuff, including roasted whole turkey (10, 14, 18 or 22 pounds for $4.95/pound), sides at $11 to feed two to four people or $24 to feed eight to 12 (herbed dressing with sausage or pecans, which you can also get gluten-free, corn pudding, herbed roasted sweet potatoes, green bean casserole), mashed potatoes ($13/quart), mashed rutabagas ($13/quart), red cabbage with apple ($13/quart), creamed brussels sprouts ($15/quart), red wine gravy ($8/pint; $15/quart), cranberry sauce ($8/pint; $15/quart), six rolls from Independent Baking Co. ($5.34), apple pie ($18), pumpkin pie ($15) and pecan pie ($17). Fill out the order form at donderoskitchen.com by Nov. 17 (Nov. 16 if you want to ensure a turkey) and pick up Nov. 21 from 4–5:30 p.m. or Nov. 22 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Five Bar is doing its fourth annual Thanksgiving Feast on Nov. 23 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. If you’ve missed this in the past, the meal is free, but donations are accepted to benefit Project Safe. They also take volunteers.
The Fresh Market has stuff with which to cook your own meal, but also à la carte eats and an entire dinner that serves 12–14 people. Order online at thefreshmarket.com/holiday-meals or in-store.
Graduate Athens will host a Thanksgiving buffet on Turkey Day, with seatings from 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. It’s $29.50 per person, half price for kids 5–12 and free for those under 5. Call 706-549-7020 or purchase tickets online.
Heirloom has its usual handy online form for orders at heirloomathens.com/holidayorderform. Choose from green bean casserole for $13, root vegetable hash for $14, sweet potato soufflé with pecan crumble for $12 or cornbread, apple and chorizo stuffing for $13, each of which serves three or four people. Also: Southern-style braised greens for $8, turkey gravy for $6/pint, cranberry orange relish for $7/pint, apple pie with oatmeal streusel for $28 and salted caramel pecan pie for $28. Place orders by Sunday, Nov. 19 at 10 p.m. Pick up between 11 a.m.–8 p.m. on Nov. 22.
home.made is doing sides in six-person servings at $22 (select the number you want on the website): tomato pie with savory crust, basil, parmesan, cheddar and ricotta; herbed wild rice with dried cranberries and toasted pecans; sweet potato gratin with celery cream and brown butter breadcrumbs; roasted fall vegetables with fresh herbs and pecans; and mac and cheese with brown-butter breadcrumbs. You can also get cranberry pepper jelly ($5/8 ounces), ready-to-bake Sister Schubert yeast rolls ($6 per 24-roll tray) and two kinds of desserts at $20 each (pumpkin icebox pie and North Georgia caramel-apple upside-down cake). Order via 706-850-7186 or info@homemadeathens.com by noon on Nov. 20 to schedule your pick-up for Nov. 21 or 22.
Lindsey’s Culinary Market has the full meal, mostly priced per person: roasted turkey for $5/pound, breast for $6/pound, gravy for $14.50/quart, sourdough and cornbread dressing for $4.25, garlic and chive mashed potatoes for $3.75, sweet potato casserole with pecans and mini-marshmallows for $3.75, squash casserole for $3.75, corn pudding for $3.75, “Not Your Mama’s Green Bean Casserole” for $3.75 and cranberry-orange compote for $9/pound. Bourbon pecan, apple and pumpkin pies are $18 each. Order at 706-353-0558 by Nov. 18 or at lindseysculinarymarket.com/eat.
Mama Jewel’s Kitchen has casseroles that serve 12–14 and sides. You can even pick them up hot if you want. Your options are sweet potato soufflé for $35.95, cornbread dressing for $36.95, scalloped potatoes for $39.95, mac and cheese for $36.95, squash casserole for $32.95, corn casserole for $36.95, green bean casserole for $36.95, broccoli rice casserole for $32.95, collard greens for $8/pint or $16/quart, ambrosia for $12/pint or $24/quart, cranberry relish for $12/pint or $24/quart, marinated vegetable salad for $24, giblet gravy for $10–$20, deviled eggs for $18/dozen and dirt rice for $24.95. Also: muffins, biscuits, pumpkin cake, sweet potato pie, monkey bread and more. Whew. Call 706-850-9797 to order by 2 p.m. Nov. 19 for pick-up by 2 p.m. Nov. 22. They can also make them in your own casserole dishes, should you prefer.
Marti’s at Midday has casserole sides in two sizes ($21 to serve four hungry people or $42 to serve eight hungry people). Choose from sweet potatoes with parmesan and brown sugar, roasted brussels sprouts tossed with housemade pesto, Southern squash casserole, Grammy Schimmel’s cornbread dressing, fresh green beans with Georgia pecans or smashed new potatoes. Marti’s also has homemade cranberry sauce and chicken gravy for $12/quart and pumpkin and pecan pies for $18 each. Order by Nov. 17 by email (meschimmel@gmail.com) or phone (706-543-3541).
Pulaski Heights BBQ has 14–16-pound smoked turkeys with gravy for $75; 5 pounds of turkey breast with gravy for $65; and 5–6-pound pork shoulder hams for $55. Kick in an extra $75 and make it a meal with cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce and two sides (smoked cauliflower, mac and cheese, baked beans, squash casserole, potato salad, collard greens, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or vinegar lime slaw). Pick up Thanksgiving Day between 11 a.m. and noon or arrange to pick up earlier, either hot or chilled. Call 706-583-9600 to order.
Saucehouse is doing catering for $12 per person. That includes turkey or spiral-sliced ham, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, two sides (choose from mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole) and Sister Schubert’s rolls; add $1 extra for tea or lemonade; $2 each for peach cobbler or pumpkin pie. The minimum order is 12 people, but you can include full service if you really want to kick back, or you can get just ham or bird for $65. Call 706-363-3351 to order.
Wok Star is open on Thanksgiving Day, should you want something less traditional but still warm and tasty.
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