If preparing a full-course traditional Thanksgiving feast is not your idea of a good time, you’re not alone. But there’s an easy way out.
If you’re a seasoned pro when it comes to entertaining on Thanksgiving Day, feel free to move along.
For the 95 percent of you who are still here, who consider planning, shopping, cleaning, prepping, cooking and cleaning some more to be an ideal way of how NOT to spend a holiday, you’ve come to the right place.
A growing number of people are foregoing the annual ritual of preparing a Thanksgiving feast, and the stress that comes with it, in favor of an afternoon or evening out. And an increasing number of local dining establishments are opening their doors in response to the demand.
“When we first opened for Thanksgiving a few years ago we weren’t sure what to expect but it quickly became very popular,” says Cate Buchanon of Sperry’s Restaurant.
So popular, in fact, that the restaurant in Belle Meade has been booked for weeks. There’s always a chance for last minute cancelations but your best bet for Sperry’s is the Cool Springs location, which still has availability.
If you crave prime rib, many of the area’s top steakhouses will be open. But there are also Italian, new South and meat ‘n’ three options available. Chinese restaurants typically do a brisk business on Thanksgiving and, if you just want a dose of normalcy after a long day with family and friends, there’s a good chance your neighborhood tavern will be open as well.
“Thanksgiving and Christmas have emerged as two of Sperry’s biggest days of the year,” says Buchanon. “There are a lot of people who would rather enjoy these occasions without the work and effort that goes into preparing and cleaning up after a big meal.”
There is one day, however, that Sperry’s is closed: Super Bowl Sunday.
Here’s a list of some of some restaurants to consider if you’d rather make reservations instead of Thanksgiving dinner. Read it now, then reach for your phone and dial!
And Happy Thanksgiving from CurrentVue.
BELLEVUE
LOVELESS CAFE
8400 Highway 100
615.467.1945
Thanksgiving hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Menu: Regular menu available, plus select holiday specials.
Why take chances on your Thanksgiving meal when fresh biscuits from Loveless Cafe are a sure thing? Photo courtesy of Loveless Cafe.
Loveless Cafe’s full menu is available on Thanksgiving Day, including a festive country ham. Photo courtesy of Loveless Cafe.
BAR LOUIE
One Bellevue Place
615.733.4400
Thanksgiving hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Menu: Regular menu available.
For those seeking a break after a long Thanksgiving day, Bar Louie will be serving a hearty dose of normalcy well into the evening. Photo courtesy of Bar Louie.
BELLE MEADE
SPERRY’S BELLE MEADE
5109 Harding Pike
615.353.0809
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Menu: Full menu, plus a traditional Thanksgiving set menu for $32.
Sperry’s Restaurant in Belle Meade has built quite a following on Thanksgiving and with it’s classic prime rib it’s easy to see why. Photo courtesy of Sperry’s.
BRENTWOOD
DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE
207 Franklin Road in Brentwood
615.928.6159
Thanksgiving hours: 11 to 8
Menu: Special Thanksgiving menu with Holiday Entrees (Herb & Citrus Butter Roasted Turkey or Honey Dijon Pork Tenderloin) in addition to beef and fish specialties.
Del Frisco’s Grille is offering a limited but satisfying menu in its vibrant, upscale Brentwood location. Photo courtesy of Del Frisco’s Grille.
MERE BULLES
5201 Maryland Way in Brentwood
615.467.1945
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Menu: The Thanksgiving menu features your choice of four entrees and a dessert. Prices are $45.99 or adults, $16.99 for children. A la Carte appetizers and salads are available for $10 each and additional sides are available for $5 each.
The stately elegance of its Maryland Farms mansion makes Mere Bulles the ideal location for a Thanksgiving feast. Photo courtesy of Mere Bulles.
MIDTOWN
FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE AND WINE BAR
2525 West End Avenue
615.342.0131
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Menu: In addition to the regular menu, a traditional three-course Thanksgiving menu (featuring Mixed Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast or Petite Filet Mignon) is available, starting at $52 per person. A children’s menu is also available.
Photo courtesy of Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.
GIOVANNI
909 20th Avenue South in Midtown
615.760.5932
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Menu: Three-courses (appetizer, entrée, dessert) featuring Italian fare or turkey. $75 per person.
Photo courtesy of Giovanni.
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE
2100 West End Avenue
615.320.0163
Thanksgiving hours: Noon to 8 p.m.
Menu: Regular menu, plus Thanksgiving Day specials.
If turkey and stuffing is not your thing, the Chilled Seafood Tower at Ruth’s Chris Steak House probably is. Photo courtesy of Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
COOL SPRINGS
SPERRY’S COOL SPRINGS
650 Frazier Drive
615.778.9950
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Menu: Full menu, plus a traditional Thanksgiving set menu for $32.
You can spend all day an all night preparing your meal and washing your dishes. Or you can settle-in by the fireplace at Sperry’s Restaurant Cool Springs. Photo courtesy of Sperry’s.
THE HONEYSUCKLE
1770 Galleria Boulevard in Cool Springs
615.771.2111
Thanksgiving hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Menu: Thanksgiving buffet. $35 for adults, $15 for children.
The Honeysuckle is serving a Thanksgiving buffet with upscale Southern flare. Photo courtesy of The Honeysuckle.
