There's so much to be thankful for this year, including the fact that so many restaurants have survived the pandemic and will be open on Thanksgiving Day. Here's a look at some Chattanooga eateries that will be open to feed you.
DINE IN
- Bridgeman's Chophouse at the Read House, 107 W. M.L. King Blvd. Thanksgiving dinner will be served tableside at the historic hotel from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The menu will be a classic Thanksgiving meal with turkey and all the trimmings. For reservations, call 423-643-1240 or go online to bridgemanschophouse.com.
- Cracker Barrel will open for breakfast at 7 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, then turkey and fixings - mac and cheese, stuffing, green beans, sweet potato casserole and more yummy sides - will be served up from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Don't forget the Thanksgiving pies - pumpkin, traditional pecan, chocolate pecan, cinnamon roll pie and the best apple strudel pie you've ever had. The four Chattanooga-area locations are at 2346 Shallowford Village Drive, 8852 Old Lee Highway in Ooltewah, 50 Birmingham Highway in Tiftonia and 1460 Mack Smith Road in East Ridge.
- Food Works, 205 Manufacturers Road, will open its doors Thanksgiving with seatings at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and again offer its tremendous buffet with roast turkey and all the sides and other trimmings you can imagine. Make reservations online at opentable.com or call 423-752-7487.
- Golden Corral, 760 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. Enjoy a huge buffet featuring all of your Thanksgiving favorites. They'll be opening and closing a little early for the special meal - 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. 706-866-7514.
- Homestead Harvest Restaurant at Cumberland Mountain State Park, 24 Office Drive, Crossville, Tennessee. The annual Thanksgiving buffet will be filled with turkey and all the trimmings plus all the desserts you can imagine. Reservations are not accepted this year, so get there early as seating will be first-come, first-served. Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. CST.
- Olive Branch Mediterranean Foods, 3992 Ringgold Road. If you're wanting your Turkey Day meal a day early, Olive Branch will be filling its hot bar with a traditional Thanksgiving feast of turkey and all those wonderful trimmings. Eat in or get it to go and have it ready to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day. The hot bar will be offered 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24. 423-805-5295. restaurantji.com/tn/chattanooga/olive-branch-mediterranean-foods-/
- Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant, 2 W. Aquarium Way, will serve its down-home Thanksgiving meal family-style again this year by reservation only with seatings from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The meal includes meatloaf, turkey and pulled pork with sides including cranberry relish, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole. Reservations: 423-708-8505.
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- Rodizio Grill, a Brazilian steakhouse at 439 Broad St., will supplement its traditional offerings with citrus turkey breast as well as bacon-wrapped scallops, prime rib and fish with a wide selection of traditional sides and desserts. Make reservations at rodizio.com.
- Ruth's Chris, 2321 Lifestyle Way, opens its doors from noon to 9:30 p.m. for its annual Thanksgiving four-course turkey feast. Diners will get a choice of Caesar salad, a Steak House salad or seafood gumbo, then on to the main course of roasted turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce along with a choice of one side: garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, creamed spinach or that incredible sweet potato casserole. The final course is dessert: pumpkin cheesecake with vanilla ice cream. For reservations, log onto ruthschris.net and follow the links, or call 423-602-5900.
- Smokey Bones, 2225 Gunbarrel Road. Not everyone likes turkey, so this house of 'cue will be open to offer its standard menu of steaks, barbecue, burgers and salads. Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Phone: 423-893-7850.
- Whitebird at The Edwin, 102 Walnut St. Thanksgiving at Whitebird will be served family style this year. Choose from one of four entrees - roasted turkey, roasted chicken, pork belly or prime rib - then choose your sides and dessert. Seating will be at 5 or 7 p.m. Make reservations at whitebirdchattanooga.com, where you'll also find a complete menu.
TAKE OUT
Maybe you don't want to eat out on Thanksgiving Day, but still want someone else to do some or all of the cooking. The following restaurants are among those offering Thanksgiving to go. Note the deadlines for placing orders so you won't go without.
- Acropolis Grill, 2213 Hamilton Place Blvd., has several offerings available for pickup through Thanksgiving eve, Nov. 24. A full dinner with turkey and three sides, such as sweet potato casserole, dressing and mashed potatoes will be offered. Choose from a 14-pound turkey (serves 10-12) or a 20-pound bird (feeds 18-20). Also available are spiral hams weighing 8 to 9 pounds (serves 10-12), additional assorted sides and a bevy of dessert choices, including the restaurant's popular strawberry cake, Heath Bar cake, cheesecake, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and baklava to bring your Thanksgiving dinner to a deliciously sweet finish. Orders must be placed no later than Friday, Nov. 19. 423-899-5341.
- Bluff View Art District, 411 E. Second St. Chefs at Bluff View will prepare a meal for your family and friends this Thanksgiving, and all you need to do is pick it up. Let them make the entire meal or just a few sides or dessert. Choose from an extensive menu of Thanksgiving favorites at bluffviewartdistrictchattanooga.com or call 423-321-0235, ext. 4. The deadline for ordering is Friday, Nov. 19.
- Carrabba's, 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd., concentrates its efforts on "Friendsgiving," with handmade Italian dishes offered in family bundles or catering packages. Catering packages can be delivered to your door or picked up at the restaurant seven days a week. For these group options, you can create your own package, pick a popular bundle serving 10 or more, or opt for individually packaged meals. The family bundles feed up to five and come with salad and bread. Call orders in at 423-894-9970 or go online to carrabbas.com. Orders for Thanksgiving Day must be placed by Monday, Nov. 22, and picked up no later than Wednesday, Nov. 24.
- Golden Corral, 760 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. Choose a 12- or 24-piece fried chicken meal. Each meal comes with a choice of two large sides, plus mashed potatoes and gravy, dinner rolls and a whole pie. Order by Sunday, Nov. 21, for pickup as late as Thanksgiving Day. For orders, call 706-866-7514.
- Main Street Meats, 217 E. Main St. Chef Erik Niel and his crew will offer a selection of fresh turkeys ready for you to bake at home - brined if you want them a tad more moist - or smoked and ready to serve. In addition, a delicious line of sides will be available, such as Parmesan broccoli with roasted garlic, Aleppo pepper and Parmesan; cornbread-bacon dressing with sausage gravy; and slow-cooked greens with ham hocks. For dessert? How about sweet potato bread pudding with cream cheese icing or bacon-chocolate chip cookies? Orders must be placed by Thursday, Nov. 18, and picked up between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. no later than Wednesday, Nov. 24. Call 423-602-9568 or email brent@mainstreetmeatschatt.com.
- Olive Branch Mediterranean Foods, 3992 Ringgold Road. Olive Branch will be preparing full meals that will fill at least eight at your Thanksgiving table. Roasted turkey comes with a choice of green beans, sweet potato casserole, cornbread or herb stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce and more yummy sides to complete the meal. Choose from an array of desserts, such as baklava, lemon bars, brownies pecan and pumpkin pies. Everything will be cooked and ready for you to take home and reheat. Order by Friday, Nov. 19, and pick up by Wednesday, Nov. 24. 423-805-5295. restaurantji.com/tn/chattanooga/olive-branch-mediterranean-foods-/
- Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant, 2 W. Aquarium Way. The takeout menu will feature smoked, roasted and fried turkeys; pulled pork and baby back ribs, along with sides such as corn pudding, green bean casserole and cornbread dressing. Pies and cobblers will complete the feast. All orders will be chilled for you to take home and heat yourself. Orders must be placed by 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. 423-708-8505.
- Ruth's Chris, 2321 Lifestyle Way, is offering dinner packages, each serving four adults and including your choice of salad, roasted turkey, homemade gravy, traditional cranberry relish, sausage-herb stuffing, your choice of two family-style sides and pumpkin cheesecake. Orders must be placed by 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19. 423-602-5900.
- Smokey Bones, 2225 Gunbarrel Road. Order your turkey dinner, and it will be wrapped and ready for you to pick up and take home as late as Thanksgiving Day between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. The meal includes a 12- to 14-pound turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cornbread with pecan butter - enough to feed eight people. Spiral glazed 10-pound hams are also available to add to your meal. The deadline for placing orders is Friday, Nov. 19. Stop by the restaurant or call 423-893-7850.
- Sticky Fingers, 420 Broad St. You can order a whole meal to go (enough for eight to 10 people) or individual items a la carte. The meal includes a whole smoked turkey, sides, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. If you want ready-made portions to add to your own spread, they have whole smoked turkeys that will feed 10-14 people or slices of turkey and ham sold by the pound, as well as a la carte sides. Orders must be placed no later than Friday, Nov. 19, with pickup all day Thanksgiving Eve or on Thanksgiving Day from 9 to 10:30 a.m. only. See the menu options at stickyfingers.com. 423-265-RIBS (7427).
- Whitebird at The Edwin, 102 Walnut St. The Thanksgiving to-go menu will mirror that served in-house (see above or go online to whitebirdchattanooga.com), but with the addition of chocolate cream pie, pecan pie, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls or Edwin buttermilk biscuits. Orders must be placed by Friday, Nov. 19, with pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Call 423-269-8539.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or annebraly.com.