Where To Eat Thanksgiving Dinner In Boston
Everyone wants an easy Thanksgiving, and when you elect to dine out at a restaurant, you can have it all: give thanks with your family and friends over delicious food and drink in a beautifully decorated space, all without any cleanup. Here are our picks for where to eat Thanksgiving dinner in Boston:
Bar Boulud, Boston
Hot new spot Bar Boulud, Boston at the Mandarin Oriental is giving thanks this year with French flair. For $95 a person ($154 with wine pairings), a three-course prix fixe is available for diners. Chef de cuisine Aaron Chambers works with sommelier Joe Camper to pair each dish with an American wine in true patriotic spirit. Some of the offerings include housemade pumpkin cavatelli, Niman Ranch short rib, and Heritage Breed turkey. Finish the meal off with pumpkin pie and you will most definitely be giving thanks to this new restaurant.
Beat Hotel
For beats and treats, head to Harvard Square's Beat Hotel on the holiday. From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., chef Ignacio Lopez has prepared an à la carte menu with items like black bean pumpkin soup and baked crab cakes, as well as all the usual traditional Turkey Day items. To cater to everyone, the chef has also prepared a vegetarian's delight with roasted vegetables, mushroom and leek stuffing, parsnip mashed potatoes, and herbed gravy. Come in for a taste or an entire meal and don't forget about the live music that makes Beat Hotel (and sister venue The Beehive) so special.
Bistro du Midi
Chef Robert Sisca always has something delicious and exquisite up his sleeve for the holidays, and this Thanksgiving is no different. On November 27, indulge in seared foie gras or goat cheese gnocchi to start, move on to pan-roasted codfish or slowly cooked turkey ballotine, and round off the meal with a pumpkin cornmeal tart. Have sommelier Todd Lipman pair each dish with a wonderful wine. For $68 a head you'll get three courses, with an additional fee for wine pairings. Children eat for $29 and those under 12 years of age eat free.
Boston Chops
If classic beef pot pie with harvest vegetables, roasted Misty Knolls turkey, and sides such as spiced cranberry and fig chutney, herbed brioche stuffing, and roasted sweet potato purée with maple sound good to you, Boston Chops in the South End is the place to be this Thanksgiving. Chef and owner Chris Coombs will be serving up this feast from noon to 8 p.m. for $78 a person.
Eastern Standard
Over in Kenmore Square, Eastern Standard offers guests a three-course prix fixe menu from 1 to 8 p.m. For $58 per person, indulge in all the Thanksgiving Day classics with a professional touch, like squash soup with pecans, celery, and mulling spices, and a roasted turkey plate with cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, and giblet gravy. An assortment of seasonal pies can be expected for dessert.
Legal Harborside
From 1 to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Legal Harborside offers gorgeous views and a customizable prix fixe for $60 a person. Start off with their Treasures of the Sea (oysters, jumbo shrimp cocktail, snow crab, and house made accoutrements) or perhaps their sweet potato and local squash soup. For mains, roasted Creekstone sirloin, Loche Duart salmon, Georges Bank sea scallops, or Misty Knoll Farms turkey are all options. To finish, warm pumpkin steamed pudding, apple turnover, or a classic chocolate soufflé will have you begging for seconds.
Strega Prime
For the Italian in you, celebrate Thanksgiving over in Woburn (or at their North End location, Strega Ristorante) with Strega Prime. From noon to 9 p.m. $55 will get you a selection of three courses. Antipasti options include zuppa, and burrata; secondi courses include salmone alla griglia (grilled salmon, shucked lobster, Parisienne potato, and butternut squash), tacchino (roasted turkey, cider-roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, whipped potatoes, bread stuffing, orange-cranberry sauce, and traditional gravy); and veal osso buco (fettuccine pasta, herb butter, and Marsala sauce). For dessert, or dolci, choose from Italian classic with creative twists like torta di zucca (pumpkin pie with biscotti crust and whipped cream), or their torta di noci pecan (pecan pie with mascarpone gelato), among others.