It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal at one of the Boston area's great restaurants on Thursday, November 23, 2017.
Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation.
We feature these holiday reservation reminders early so our readers can get a head start and grab a reservation at a worthy spot. We'll keep adding updates as more places announce their intentions to open and menus.
Boston Area Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving
Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this means some excellent choices including:
- Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Hotel
- L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
- The Bristol at the Four Seasons Boston
- Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
- Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel.
- Dante at the Royal Sonesta Hotel across the River in Cambridge.
Master Lists of Boston Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving
The reservation site Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what is available.
Here are a few places we recommend:
- La Voile on Newbury Street always plans a special meal for the neighbors who love this small French charmer.
- Bistro du Midi always serves a wonderful meal. And, if you want lighter fare, their Café will be open at 11 a.m.
- A lower cost option with very good food would be Petit Robert on Columbus Avenue in the South End. ( In addition to holiday fare, they are also offering their full menu .)
- Chef Jackie Robert will also be offering a value menu at his Ma Maison on Cambridge Street in Beacon Hill.
Open Table even includes some places outside the city if you're meeting up with family and friends who live in the suburbs. And they can help you find a place to enjoy the holiday meal if you'll be away for the long weekend.
Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few options we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu:
- Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square will be open all day starting with breakfast and will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 1-8 p.m.
- L'Espalier in the Back Bay will showcase the harvest from Chef McClelland's Apple Street Farm and will offer a three-course prix fixe menu or, for a special holiday treat, a degustation menu.
- Fairsted Kitchen in Brookline is offering family style meal packages serving 2-8 or more people and these may be reserved for dining in or to go.
- Harvest in Harvard Square, Cambridge
- Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view which can sometimes come in handy when you are looking for topics of conversation!
Boston Chefs also has a listing for Thanksgiving Feasts To Go.
A Few Places with Their Regular Menus Available
Many restaurants in Boston's Chinatown will be open. You can check the Twitter account @bostonchinatown for more details.
Some chain restaurants will also offer their regular menus. But we urge you to consider celebrating with local restaurants or at least local chains with good food like Davio's in Boston and Chestnut Hill when you make each dining decision.
We'll post updates in this space as other Boston resources post their lists and choices.
Update 11/12/16 Eater Boston has set up their map of restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving. We're sure Rachel Leah Blumenthal will do her usual great job of keeping this growing list updated.
Update 11/14/16 Boston Magazine has its recommendations.
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: istockphoto.com