Thanksgiving Feasts for Pickup or Delivery in Austin
And a couple of dine-in options for lagniappe
By Wayne Alan Brenner, Fri., Nov. 20, 2020
So – you're pretty much staying home this year and not packing your residence with a bunch of too-close-for-comfort relatives or friends? We understand. Oh boy, do we totally understand! But, still, you want to be all-Americanly lavish about this particular holiday and treat your limited number of guests (and your own hardworking, pandemic-wearied self) to something special? Then here's a fine parcel of suggestions for your culinary pleasure. (And even two compelling venture-out-into-the-restaurant-world opportunities, should you be so inclined.) In any case, your Austin Chronicle food team hopes you have a safe and stuffed-to-the-gills Thanksgiving, citizen – and watch out for those 'ronas!
Note: Quantities are limited and restaurants will almost certainly sell out. Order early!
Andiamo Italiano Ristorante
What sounds good this Thanksgiving? Freshly house-made pumpkin ravioli? Butternut squash soup? Roasted red potatoes and asparagus? How about each of those palate-pleasers and a loaf of Andiamo bread, all of which they say will feed up to 10 hungry Austinites ($55)? Or elevate your feast to $100 and it comes with wine, too: a bottle of red and a bottle of white. It all depends on your appetite – right, Billy? 2521 Rutland #325, 512/719-3377. www.andiamoitaliano.com.
Contigo
This ranch-inspired place won't cook anyone's goose, but they'll cook you a perfect turkey with an array of mouthwatering sides (enough for eight people, $255), or you can get just the 14-pound roasted turkey itself ($75), or just the sides ($180). Or go full à la carte on all that chef Andrew Wiseheart's prepared, choosing among the savory goodness of pumpkin chocolate muffins, kumquat & pepper marmalade, garlic & cream mashed potatoes, and more. 2027 Anchor, 512/614-2260. www.contigoaustin.com.
Cru
In addition to very limited dine-in reservations, this popular food and wine bar (at the Domain and Downtown) is offering a three-course Thanksgiving To-Go option, with butternut squash bisque and Caesar salad, roast turkey breast with all the fixin's, and pumpkin cheesecake or apple-pecan bread pudding for dessert. ($80 serves two; $150 serves four.) Of course, if you did dine in, you'd be welcomed with a glass of Angry Orchard Rosé Cider; we had to mention that, because cider's always a good thing. Domain: 11410 Century Oaks Terrace #104, 512/339-9463. Downtown: 238 W. Second #13, 512/472-9463. www.cruwinebar.com.
Easy Tiger
The Tiger's helping you take it easy this turkey day, with a Grazing Platter ($95) that features three cheeses from Antonelli's, a variety of salumi (prosciutto, salami, and summer sausage), spiced candied walnuts, fruit, and whipped butter and seasonal jam to accompany the array of sliced Easy Tiger bread that comes with. And a Complete Thanksgiving Feast ($175) with smoked herb-roasted turkey breast, potatoes au gratin, Easy Tiger stuffing, roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts, cranberry jam, kale salad, and house gravy. And a Thanksgiving Leftover Bundle ($30) to help you turn those turkey-and-sides remains into a snacktastic follow-up with Easy sourdough, house mustard, dill pickles, manchego cheese, romaine lettuce, and sliced tomatoes. Available for free delivery (Nov. 21-29) or pickups at the Linc or South Lamar location. Linc: 6406 N. I-35, 512/494-4151. Lamar: 3508 S. Lamar, 512/964-8229. www.easytigerusa.com.
Emmer & Rye
There's no question of this feast's excellence – it's more a matter of how much you want. Because the meal kit for two ($150) includes a choice of one main course with sides and dessert, and the kit for four ($250) includes a choice of two mains and commensurate sides and desserts. And those mains? A whole Terra Purezza chicken roast, glazed Yonder Way Farm ham, smoked lion's mane mushroom, and prime rib. Cooked the way only Kevin Fink and company can. And the sides? Holy succulent goodness, they're so amazing we can't even. Pickup will be Wed., Nov. 25. 51 Rainey #110, 512/366-5530. www.emmerandrye.com.
Hoover's
Preorders at this epicenter of down-home Southern-inflected goodness end on Fri., Nov. 20, so do move fast if you want to enjoy Hoover Alexander's renditions of holiday classics. They've got a full menu of holiday options available, but also that new Family Six-Pack ($119.17) featuring roast turkey or ham steak with cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, candied yams, cranberry sauce, plus sweet potato biscuits and cornbread muffins. Note: They'll cook the Six-Pack at Hoover's on Manor (2002 Manor Rd.), but you can pick it up on Nov. 25-26 at Sterling Event Center, 6134 Hwy. 290 E., 512/479-5006. www.hooverscooking.com.
Huckleberry
Davis Turner, co-owner and seafood-centric chef of this culinary powerhouse of a food truck near the imminent Austin FC stadium, is offering the eatery's first Thanksgiving feast to their lucky city. The holiday special features "Envy" turkey cooked with Circle Brewing Co.'s own Envy Amber, chorizo dressing, pimento cheese mashed potatoes, horchata bread pudding(!), and more. Pickups will be available on Wed., Nov. 25, 11am-3pm. 2340 W. Braker, 512/900-5818. www.huckleberrytx.com.
Launderette
Wanna be sated by what chefs Rene Ortiz and Laura Sawicki have prepared for this nommiest of holidays? Good idea, citizen, as Launderette's got a bone-in turkey breast meal ($150) and a beef tenderloin meal ($180), and both of those come with plenty of herbed stuffing, ginger cranberry sauce, and honey butter pull-apart rolls. There are other sides you can order separately, too, like delicata squash and Gruyère scalloped potatoes, and more, and three special desserts, too – but we can't think beyond the homemade rosemary ice cream that'll make this feast perfect for remembrance. Preorder by Mon., Nov. 23. 2115 Holly, 512/382-1599. www.launderetteaustin.com.
Micklethwait Craft Meats
If you already know how good these guys are with the brisket and sausage and other meats, then you're probably also addicted to their jalapeño cheese grits. Which is why we're stoked to tell you that Micklethwait's offering complete family meals – with a whole turkey ($105) or a whole brisket ($160), and each including delicous sides – or you can order the meats by themselves. And there's special holiday sides and desserts, too. (Did we say jalapeño cheese grits yet?) Pickup will be on Nov. 23-25. 1309 Rosewood, 512/791-5961. www.craftmeatsaustin.com.
Olamaie
Chef Michael Fojtasek's renditions of classic sides like broccoli and cheese casserole and cornbread sage stuffing are the bodacious basics of this Everything but the Turkey Dinner that feeds six ($150), but the secret weapons are those famous flaky buttermilk biscuits – and biscuit-dough cinnamon rolls for the next morning. Or, you know, you can order just a half-dozen biscuits with a variety of tasty spreads. Pickup Wed., Nov. 25, 8am-6pm. 1610 San Antonio St., 512/474-2796. www.olamaieaustin.com.
Old Thousand
The savvy tastemongers of Dope Chinese cuisine want to make your palate grateful with a Lucky Family Meal for Four ($88) that comes with two egg rolls, hot & sour soup, green beans, Xian Mian noodles, General Tso's chicken, Mongolian beef, and cabbage pickles. Note: Currently available only at the 11th Street location. Vegetarian option is also available. (Also note: The actual General Tso, if he were still alive? Would likely weep tears of joy to be associated with food this good.) 1000 E. 11th, 737/222-6637. www.oldthousandatx.com.
Russian House
Maybe give a hearty cheer of "zazdarovje!" before slamming a shot and tucking into some blini with turkey ($12) or turkey khinkali ($17) or the turkey-centered tandoori platter ($70) at this Downtown center of classic Russo-delicio cuisine. They'll be serving up the nourishing noms in-house on Thanksgiving Day – or, of course, you can pick 'em up or choose deilvery instead. 307 E. Fifth, 512/428-5442. www.russianhouseofaustin.com.
Sawyer & Co.
This Louisiana-inspired diner's got a Cajun turkey with your name on it, friend. A Cajun fried turkey breast with cornbread dressing, cranberry-orange relish, mashed potatoes, green beans, and dinner rolls – enough to serve four hungry people ($80) – and, yes, if you're traditional and kind, you'll want to order one of the available holiday pies, too. Pumpkin? Dutch apple? Buttermilk chess? Chocolate bourbon pecan? This is America, so you get to decide. And choose pickup or delivery, too. 4827 E. Cesar Chavez, 512/531-9033. www.sawyerand.co.
TLV
Here's a Middle Eastern Thanksgiving meal you'll not soon forget. TLV's popular purveyors of Israeli street food are cooking up a feast with kabocha squash hummus, roast sweet potatoes, grilled Brussels sprouts, green lentil salad, and more, surrounding the main course of turkey shawarma (or vegetarian option of stuffed collard greens) and a dessert of tahini ice cream with chocolate chips and candied pumpkin. Available for two ($100) or four ($175). Pickup will be Wed., Nov. 25. In Fareground, 111 Congress, 512/608-4041. www.tlv-austin.com.
Uchiko
If you're among those people who prefer to eat nowhere but here as often as possible, you'll be glad to know about their menu of Thanksgiving sides. Brussels sprouts, Japanese sweet potato, green beans, cauliflower, jalapeño broccoli cheddar cornbread, and Japanese cheesecake. OK, that last is a dessert, not a side, per se – but they're all done up as only Uchiko can and will be ready for you to pick up on Wed., Nov. 25, 4-9:30pm. 4200 N. Lamar, 512/916-4808. www.uchikoaustin.com.
Two Dine-In Ops
Arlo Grey
On Thanksgiving Day, this Kristen Kish-helmed destination for fine dining in Downtown's Line hotel is offering an à la carte menu with all the traditional trimmings, including confit turkey presse with broccoli and brioche stuffing, herbed vinaigrette Yukon golds, and more. The featured dessert's a Texas pecan-and-caramel tart with pumpkin ice cream, brown butter, and cinnamon chantilly – and if that isn't Lone Star fancy, then we don't know what is. 111 E. Cesar Chavez, 512/478-2991. www.thelinehotel.com.
Hopfields
OK, this is Friendsgiving, actually. Or, to be precise, it's a Friendsgiving-versary day party for the popular eatery's ninth anniversary, with socially distanced outdoor games and chef James Flowers dishing up a fine mess of sides (savory bread pudding, Brussels sprouts with shrooms and maple gastrique, and more) as well as turkey potpies with poutine curry gravy, turkey sausage on a stick, and brown butter pecan bars for dessert. Note 1: Some of the beers on tap this day will be up to 5 years old (because birthday!). Note 2: Most of the party will be on the venue's extended back patio for maximum safety. Sat., Nov. 21, 11am-5pm. After 5pm, dinner specials commence until they're all sold out. 3110 Guadalupe, 512/537-0467. www.hopfieldsaustin.com.
Vegan Thanksgiving
Counter Culture
Sue Davis' Eastside bastion of savory succulence offers two vegan meals-for-one ($20 each), one of which is also gluten-free, to supercharge your holiday dining pleasure in plant-based style. Featuring seitan loaf, mashed potatoes, glazed ginger sweet potatoes, cauliflower gratin, cranberry applesauce, gluten-free gravy, and more. Note: No turkeys – no animals at all, of course – were involved in bringing you this delicious meal. (Well, except for some excellent human chefs, yes.) Order by Sat., Nov. 21, for pickup on Wed., Nov. 25, noon-7pm. 2337 E. Cesar Chavez, 512/524-1540. www.countercultureaustin.com.
Don't Forget the Turkey!
No matter which well-deserved feast you choose, nothing complements it quite like a chocolate turkey (or two) from Austin’s Delysia Chocolatier. Order now at www.delysia.com.
