This is a blog post in progress, my friends. I’ll keeping adding restaurants as they come my way. For more ideas on where to celebrate Thanksgiving on November 22, 2018, check out my past posts about Thanksgiving 2017 and Thanksgiving 2016. I’ll bet a bunch of those places will be in the game again this year.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
DINE IN: Where to Eat on Thanksgiving in Orlando 2018
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
Celebrate Thanksgiving two ways at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando. Go high-end at Capa, a stylish Spanish Steakhouse with a wonderful rooftop lounge. In addition to the regular a la carte menu, the dinner-only experience will include a turkey option with potato puree, stuffing, winter vegetables, and cranberry and port gravy sauce, plus black bottom pumpkin cheesecake with caramelized pecans for dessert. $58/$29. For a more casual experience, choose the buffet at Ravello, both a coffee shop and an Italian restaurant regularly. Held from 2pm to 8pm, the buffet will feature not only turkey with cranberry-cherry and ginger sauce, but also king crab legs, roasted leg of lamb, Boursin-whipped potatoes, giblet-sage gravy and more. Click here to see the full menu; it looks sooo good. $115/$45
Wine Bar George
A two-level wine bar with really good food meant for sharing, Wine Bar George will add a Thanksgiving option to its menu on November 22. “A Thanksgiving plate with turkey and all the fixings” will supplement an abbreviated version of the regular menu, and if you just want pumpkin pie, grab a slice for $10. $32/$16. Reservations
Thanksgiving at Wine Bar George
The Alfond Inn
A boutique hotel in tony Winter Park, The Alfond Inn will host two seatings of its annual Chef-Inspired Thanksgiving Feast on November 22. Reserve your spot for 1pm or 4 pm and receive a bounty of seasonal foods. I think the event is a buffet but the promotional info isn’t crystal clear. Either way, look for pumpkin bread, cauliflower-maple soup, turkey with cranberry sauce, spice-rubbed New York strip loin, salmon, fennel-crusted pork loin, pecan pie, apple spice cake and way more. $69/$29. Tickets
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
Del Frisco’s may be known for its steak, and for good reason, yet on Thanksgiving it’s a great bet for a generous three-course dinner. You can still order anything you want from the regular menu, or you can get your slow-roasted turkey on. That bird will come with a salad or butternut squash soup starter, apple-sausage stuffing plus trimmings including cranberry relish and mashed sweet potatoes/Chateau potatoes, and either pumpkin cheesecake or pecan pie a la mode. Details. 1pm to 9pm. $49/$25 Reservations
Big Fin Seafood Kitchen
It looks like Restaurant Row has another place to go for Thanksgiving in Orlando 2018: Big Fin Seafood Kitchen. Yes, it’s a place for fish and crustaceans, but on Thanksgiving guests can go all-American with a dinner of “classic oven-roasted turkey” plus garlic-mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, haricot-vert (those skinny little green beans), cranberry sauce, giblet gravy and dinner rolls. Click here and scroll down for details. $29.99/$14.99 (pretty cheap, I’d say). Reservations: 407.615.8888 or click here
Seasons 52
I’m not usually one to recommend a chain, but I’ve been to Seasons 52 on Thanksgiving elsewhere in Florida, and I’m here to tell you the restaurant does a good job. Every guest receives “never, ever” turkey (referring to the bird having no antibiotics) plus gravy, mashed potatoes, herb stuffing, green beans, mashed butternut squash, cranberry relish and mini pumpkin pies in shot glasses. My troupe loved the meal except the cranberry sauce , and we missed sweet potatoes – yet we’re going back for another round, which tell you it was a hit overall. About $27.95/$13.95. Reservations
Raglan Road
Raglan Road offers rollicking good fun along with fine Irish food every day of the year. On Thanksgiving, the Disney Springs restaurant will add an all-American option: a dinner of butter- and herb-roasted turkey served with mashed potatoes; bacon-roasted Brussels sprouts; apple, sage and sweet-onion stuffing; cranberry-plum chutney; and of course turkey gravy. Live Irish music and dance shows will be on stage from 4:30pm on. $28/$14. Reservations
Reunion Resort
South of Disney World, Reunion Resort goes all out for Thanksgiving. This year, it’s Grande Thanksgiving Feast will be a buffet held in the Grande Ballroom. Live entertainment and children’s activities will be available along with foods such as butter-basted roast turkey, ancho-balsamic strip loin carved to order, salads, sides and desserts. Seatings at 3pm and 5pm. $54.95/$21.95. Reservations
TAKE-OUT: Where to Eat on Thanksgiving in Orlando 2018
Swine & Sons
My mother used to bring in Boston Market for Thanksgiving every year. If we’d had a Swine & Sons option nearby, I would have offered to pay for it myself if she would have switched. This casual dine-in/take-out Winter Parker has an a la carte Thanksgiving 2018 menu. Merely call in your order (407.636.3664) or email (catering@swineandsons.com) by Friday, November 16. Then you can pick up your foods November 12, 20 or 21 between 10am and 4pm. On Thanksgiving Day, heat it and eat it. This heavily artisan and local-foods culinary wonder offers small bites for sharing, including country ham-wrapped dates; charcuterie and cheese platters; turkeys (raw and brined, or smoked and ready-to-eat) that serve 10 to 12; pork; sauces; sides like apple-rosemary stuffing, and loaded fingerling potato casserole; breads; and desserts. Click here for the full menu.
Earl of Sandwich
If you’re at Disney World and want a literal taste of Thanksgiving without going all gorge-on, stop into the Earl of Sandwich at Disney Springs. Grab a Holiday Turkey Sandwich, which manages get the turkey, cornbread stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce into a single items. Mayo too, maybe so it’s not dry.
Sprouts
Sprouts Farmers Market
The new-to-Orlando healthy foods supermarket Sprouts is selling fully cooked turkeys, plus whole meals, to go. The Natural Turkey Meal, as an example, serves six to eight people and includes a cooked bird, mashed potatoes, stuffing, creamed kale and spinach, gravy, cranberry sauce and Hawaiian-style dinner rolls for $70. Details
The Sanctum
Whether you want an entirely vegan Thanksgiving meal or just want to pick up an item or three for your vegan guests, The Sanctum will have you covered. Starting on November 8, 2018 at noon, the vegan restaurant will accept orders at this link for seven items. Options include winter squash soup with apple chips, tempeh sausage and leek stuffing, and bourbon maple pumpkin “cheezecake.” Order by November 15 and pick up your food on November 20 or 21.
THIS AND THAT: Other Appealing Options for Thanksgiving in Orlando 2018
Canvas
The Lake Nona restaurant Canvas invites you to order pies for your meal at home. Send in your order for pumpkin ($15) or chocolate pecan ($20) pie by November 19, and pick it up before the holiday. 407.313.7800 or canvas@canvaslakenona.com
Fattycakes NYC
Smashing Pumpkin, FattyCakesNY