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Food & DrinkGrub Notes

Where to Get Takeout in Athens for Thanksgiving

Don’t want to think about cooking from scratch this year for Thanksgiving, but want to serve your guests something tasty and local? We’ve got you covered. Here’s your guide to where to order sides and mains in advance, as well as where to eat on Turkey Day itself.

Athens Farmers Market will hold its annual pre-Thanksgiving market in the parking lot of Heirloom Cafe in Boulevard on Wednesday, Nov. 21, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., if you want to buy the ingredients to cook your own meal.

Big City Bread Cafe has pumpkin pie ($20), pecan pie ($22) or pear frangipane tart ($28), each of which serves eight; orange-cranberry bread or pumpkin bread ($16.50), each serving eight to 10; cranberry pecan batard ($6.95; sort of like a baguette); challah bread ($7.50); and pull-apart rolls ($5.25 for seven). Call 706-353-0029 to order by Nov. 17 for pick-up Nov. 21 before 3 p.m.

Cabin Creek BBQ is offering a “family pack” that feeds six and runs $69.99. It includes turkey, dressing, gravy and your choice of two sides: sweet potatoes, squash casserole, green beans and mashed potatoes. You can also get any of the above separately. Call 706-757-2267 to order by Nov. 17 and pick up Nov. 21 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. (cold orders) or Nov. 22 from 9:30–11 a.m. (hot orders).

Donderos’ Kitchen has its usual massive selection, 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, spoonbread, herbed roasted sweet potatoes [GF and vegan]), mashed potatoes ($13/quart, GF), mashed rutabagas and Swedish turnips ($13/quart, GF), Southern collards ($13/quart, GF and vegan), sweet and sour red cabbage with apple ($13/quart, GF and vegan), red wine gravy ($8/pint; $15/quart, plus $2 if GF), cranberry sauce ($8/pint; $15/quart, GF and vegan), six rolls from Independent Baking Co. ($5.34), apple pie ($18), pumpkin pie ($15), sweet potato pie ($17) and pecan pie ($17). Fill out the order form at donderoskitchen.com by Nov. 16 (Nov. 15 for turkeys), and pick up Nov. 20 from 4–5:30 p.m. or Nov. 21 from 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Five Bar is doing its annual Thanksgiving Feast on the actual day from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. 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 full meals that serve three to five, eight to 10 or 12 to 14 people. Order online at thefreshmarket.com or in-store.

Graduate Athens is doing lunch on the day with seatings from 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person, plus tax and gratuity (includes non-alcoholic beverage); kids 5–12 are half price, and the under-5 crowd is free. You can get them at thefoundryathens.com, and they get you access to a buffet that includes not only smoked turkey, but also mini pimento cheese biscuits, sweet potato pie shooters, salads, ham, grilled tilapia, smoked tempeh, meatloaf (and a vegan version), cranberry sauce tart and hummingbird cake.

The Grit has cakes if you email thegritbakery@gmail.com and order by 10 a.m. Nov. 19 for pick-up by 8 p.m. Nov. 21. Sooner is better than later. If they hit capacity, they’ll close ordering.

Heirloom Cafe has a slightly different ordering system this year. Email catering@heirloomathens.com to order by Sunday, Nov. 18. Pick-up is on Wednesday, Nov. 21 between 11 a.m.–8 p.m., and you should pick your time in the email. For savory stuff—each one serves four people—there’s green bean casserole ($13), root vegetable hash ($14), sweet potato soufflé with pecan crumble ($12), cornbread-based stuffing with apples and sausage ($13), Southern-style braised greens ($8/quart), cranberry orange relish ($7/pint) and turkey gravy ($6/pint). Sweets are chocolate bourbon pecan pie, pumpkin pie, sour cream apple crumb pie and rum bundt cake with ginger crème anglaise and candied ginger ($30 each).

Home.made is doing sides that serve six at $22 each (select the number you want on the website): tomato pie with savory crust, basil, parmesan, cheddar and ricotta; onion pie with Swiss cheese custard and cracker crust; sweet potato gratin with celery cream; and roasted fall vegetables with fresh herbs and pecans. You can also get cranberry pepper jelly ($5/8 ounces), ready-to-bake Sister Schubert yeast rolls ($6 per 24-roll tray), pimento cheese ($12/pint) and chicken salad ($12/pint). Fill out the form at homemadeathens.com/thanksgiving with your order, then call 706-850-7186 or come by the restaurant to pay (both of those steps have to happen). Deadline is noon on Nov. 19 and pick-up is Nov. 20 from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. or Nov. 21 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Lindsey’s Culinary Market has the full meal: roasted turkey ($5/pound), breast ($6/pound), gravy ($14.50/quart), sourdough and cornbread dressing ($12–$50), creamy mashed potatoes with chai-spiced mascarpone and cranberry ($12–$50), sweet potato casserole with pecan streusel topping ($12–$50), squash casserole ($12–$50), green bean casserole ($12–$50), roasted autumn vegetables ($12–$50), macaroni and cheese ($12–$50) and cranberry-orange compote ($9/pound). Bourbon pecan, apple and pumpkin pies are $18 each; chocolate cobbler is $20. Order at 706-353-0558 or lindseysculinarymarket.com.

Mama Jewel’s Kitchen has both individual components of your meal or a “family dinner” option that serves eight to 10. Casseroles are available in two sizes, a small that feeds four and a large that feeds eight to 10: sweet potato soufflé for $26–$36, cornbread dressing for $27–$37, scalloped potatoes for $29–$39, mac and cheese for $29–$39, squash casserole for $23–$33, creamy corn casserole for $26–$36, green bean casserole for $23–$33 and broccoli rice casserole for $23–$33. Other sides include collard greens ($16), marinated vegetable salad ($24), giblet gravy ($18), deviled eggs ($18/dozen), ambrosia ($32), cranberry relish ($24), roasted brussels sprouts ($19–$28) and dirty rice ($18–$25). Also: muffins, biscuits, sweet potato pie, pecan pie (regular and chocolate), salted caramel pumpkin cheesecake and lemon pound cake. Call 706-850-9797 to order by 2 p.m. Nov. 20 for pick-up by 2 p.m. Nov. 21. They can also make your order in your own casserole dishes. The family dinner includes tea, cornbread muffins, roasted turkey breast, giblet gravy, three casseroles, one side and two desserts for $195.

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 email (meschimmel@gmail.com) or phone (706-543-3541).

Opa Robby’s has Southern-style dressing, pecan streusel sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, squash casserole, hash brown casserole and maybe more. Text 770-633-7406 for details.

Pulaski Heights BBQ has 14–16-pound smoked turkeys with gravy for $75 and 5–7-pound pork shoulder hams for $11/pound. 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). There’s also barbecue, if you want to go less traditional. Pick up Thanksgiving Day between 11 a.m.–noon or arrange to pick up earlier, either hot or chilled. Call 706-583-9600 to order.

Rashe’s Cuisine is doing both jerk chickens ($10) and jerk turkeys ($35). Email rashecuisine@gmail.com 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, or $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 888-978-7948 to order.

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