Thanksgiving Made Easy: Skip The Cooking Chaos

November 18, 2023
Full Homemade Thanksgiving Dinner with Turkey Stuffing Veggies and Potatoes

As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, Thanksgiving approaches, bringing with it a time of gratitude, family, and, of course, the much-anticipated feast. While the traditional image of Thanksgiving involves hours spent in the kitchen, basting turkeys and rolling pie crusts, the reality for many is much more chaotic. Rather than stressing over the holiday meal, consider leaving the cooking to the pros this year. Whether you want to dine in for a feast or have one prepared to take home, there are options for everyone looking to save some time this Thanksgiving. 

OAK & REEL

2921 East Grand Boulevard, Detroit

Oak & Reel is offering two sizes of a traditional Thanksgiving meal to go. Choose from a half turkey that feeds 4-6 people or a whole turkey that feeds 8-12 people. Each order comes with sides like stuffing with or without oysters, roasted Brussels sprouts and cippolini onions, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls. Pumpkin Basque cheesecake can be added to your to-go order as well. Order ahead, and pick up your order on Wednesday from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. On Thanksgiving, all you’ll need to do is heat your meal, as everything is fully cooked beforehand. 

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oak and reel thanksgiving spread with turkey, rolls, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, brussels sprouts, and gravy
Photo courtesy of Oak & Reel

ERNIE’S GRILL

16655 19 Mile Road, Clinton Township 

Ernie’s Grill is back again for its grand buffet featuring more than 65 menu choices. Items include roasted Tom turkeys, honey baked Virginia ham, whipped potatoes and gravy, a pastry table, and so much more. Entry to the buffet costs $49 for adults, $17 for children under 11, and is free for children under 5. Ernie’s is also offering complete individual Thanksgiving dinners for curbside pickup. The deadline to order is November 21 and all orders must be prepaid. You can expect roast turkey breast, grandma’s dressing, potatoes, gravy, yams, cranberry relish, tossed salad, pumpkin pie, and more for $35.

FOLK DETROIT

1701 Trumbull, Detroit

Ordering from FOLK Detroit is always a great choice with ingredients that are local and responsibly sourced. Owner Rohani Foulkes tells us, “Folk is your one-stop-shop for delicious food, biodynamic wines, and specialty coffee, served in a cozy cafe, wine shop, and private event space, plus catering and holiday pre-order offerings to make any event unforgettably delicious! This year, our Thanksgiving pre-order options feature a variety of Zingerman’s Bakehouse Pies and Breads, a delectable housemade Whipped Brie Butter, a very limited release Michigan-made Zweigelt Nouveau from Modales Winery, and Wine Duos perfectly suited for your gatherings – as a host gift, or to be enjoyed together with your loved ones. Prefer to choose wines in person? Visit our curated wine shop daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering the best in sustainable and biodynamic wines from small, independent producers. Let us help you find the perfect bottle! We hope you will consider Folk as an addition to your Thanksgiving and Holiday Tables this year in addition to paying us a visit in our relaxed and inviting atmosphere…”

slices of pumpkin pie, bread, butter, and wine from FOLK detroit
Photo courtesy of Taylor Douglas Higgins (Instagram: @_calma_tay)

RUGBY GRILLE

100 Townsend Street, Birmingham 

This complete meal from Rugby Grille includes everything you could ever want and then some on Thanksgiving. Adrienne Cousins, General Manager of The Townsend Hotel says, “The members of our culinary team have families, and they know the stress the holidays, specifically cooking for the holidays, put on the person pulling together the meal. This menu was created to relieve that stress from our guests and let them enjoy the actual festivities instead of worrying about the meal.” Choose to either dine in or have your meal prepared for at home. To take out, you’ll need to order ahead and pick up on Thursday, November 23rd at 12 and 3 p.m. The menu is for two guests and includes a Michigan fall salad, sage and peppercorn roast turkey, brioche and chestnut stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied squash, cranberry relish, and your choice of apple, pumpkin, or pecan pie, all for $150. You can order additional pies for $30 as well. 

If you’d prefer to dine in, create a reservation for the 12:30, 3, or 6 p.m. seating times. The price starts at $125 per adult and it has an a la carte kids menu. For your first course, choose from a charcuterie board, shrimp cocktail, or a wild mushroom and dried sage bouchée. For the second, choose either a soup or salad, with options like roasted carrot potage, smoked turkey chowder, Michigan salad, or roasted pear and pecan salad. Entrées to choose from include the roast turkey, sautéed gnocchi, Townsend cioppino, or the cider braised squash, quinoa, and lentil salad. And finally, for dessert, select either the pumpkin spice pana cotta or the chocolate toffee cardamom cake.

THE WHITNEY

4421 Woodward Avenue, Detroit

Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at the iconic Whitney Mansion. Its three-course meal features a traditional main course with turkey, green beans, sage and brioche bread stuffing, and white cheddar whipped potatoes. If you’d prefer a vegetarian main course option, that is also available. A $10 deposit is required for all Thanksgiving reservations, so make yours soon!

CARLYLE GRILL

3660 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor

If you don’t feel like cooking, Carlyle Grill has you covered to dine in or take out. If ordering ahead, place your order by Tuesday the 21st. Open Thanksgiving day with a limited menu from 11:30 a.m. to a last seating at 7 p.m., Carlyle Grill is serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey and all the sides. If you don’t feel like turkey, you can substitute it with salmon or prime rib for an additional charge. Sides include Brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze, Michigan maple mashed sweet potatoes, cornbread dressing, and more. For dessert choose from pumpkin pie, pecan pie, or apple, pear, and cranberry crumble. The meal will be $32 per person, or $17 for kids 12 or younger. 

THE TURKEY GRILL

8290 Woodward Avenue, Detroit

If you’re looking for Detroit-style turkey, The Turkey Grill is the place to try. You can order turkey dinners, turkey meatballs, or even a whole turkey. Pick up some sides like candied yams, collared greens, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and more to make a whole feast. Looking for dessert too? The Turkey Grill has sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, and banana pudding. 

This article has been updated to include new information. The original article was published on November 15, 2022 and was authored by Katie Goncalves.

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