- December 4, 2024
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If you don't want the hassle of making Thanksgiving dinner this year, gather the family together at a table at one of Longboat Key's restaurants. You will have a lot to be grateful for with these delicious dishes.
The Lazy Lobster is known for celebrating Thanksgiving twice a year.
This summer, the restaurant hosted its "Thanksgiving in June" as a way to raise donations for Meals on Wheels Plus and All Faiths Food Bank. Each night, the donation bins were overflowing with non-perishable items because of how much the community loves the restaurant's holiday meals and helping others.
People are excited to have the official Thanksgiving meal at the Lazy Lobster this year.
For $30, The "Traditional Turkey Dinner" will include fresh-roasted turkey with a homestyle stuffing, turkey gravy, mashed russet and sweet potatoes, green beans with fried onions and cranberry sauce.
People can also order the maple pecan salad for $8, which includes mixed greens, dried cranberries, tomatoes, candied pecans, gorgonzola, cinnamon bread croutons and Vermont maple dressing. To finish off, people enjoy either pumpkin or pecan pie.
"This Thanksgiving holds a special meaning for us, as we have so much to be grateful for in the wake of the recent storms," said co-owner Michael Garey. "Serving this classic meal to about 600 guests is more than a tradition this year. It’s an opportunity to give back and share gratitude. This Thanksgiving, as our guests gather around the tables, we’re reminded of the resilience of our community and the importance of coming together to support one another in times of need.”
As well as serving its normal menu, Harry's Continental Kitchens brings back its famous Thanksgiving menu that brought in 300 reservations and takeout orders last year.
"Holidays are a busy day," said General Manager Hal Christensen. "People don't want to stay home or eat at a hotel. So, we provide the perfect place to get out and celebrate after everything we have been with the hurricanes."
A three-course Thanksgiving meal has all your favorite foods for $48 per person. To start, people can enjoy a five-spiced butternut squash soup with maple syrup drizzle and spiced pecans or a fall apple salad that includes apples, craisins, cherry tomatoes, spiced pecans, spinach, and shallots with a lemon honey vinaigrette.
The main entree is fresh-roasted turkey with apple-walnut stuffing, gravy, cranberry relish, green bean almondine, mashed russet and sweet potatoes.
For dessert, people can choose between pumpkin pie, apple cheesecake and chocolate pecan pie.
This Thanksgiving will mark the first year the St. Regis will be on Longboat Key. To make it special, they planned a unique menu to celebrate at its Thanksgiving Celebration Buffet in the Astor Ballroom.
With only 175 reservations, people will be able to have the "Farmer's Harvest" salad, which includes farm greens, roasted mushrooms, marinated tomatoes, artichokes, caramelized butternut squash, heirloom carrots, candied pecans and sweet potato foam.
For the classic Thanksgiving meal, they will be serving whole-roasted turkey, foie gras gravy, cranberry jam, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and a sweet potato casserole with a marshmallow spread.
People who want the chef's creation can choose from a choice of fried Kurobuta pork chops, creamed spinach fregola, crawfish cassoulet, carrot bisque, butternut squash soubise caramelized cauliflower emulsion, pan-seared red snapper and seared scallops and a corn mousseline.
For dessert, there will be holiday cookies and assorted festive pies, including pumpkin, pecan and apple.
People can also order a la carte at Riva. For $145 per guest, people will receive either the lobster and pumpkin bisque, root vegetable pave or the kale salad to start.
The entrees are the Kurobuta pork chop, turkey and chorizo roulade, Angus filet mignon, the local catch or honey heirloom carrots.
To finish off, people can choose between the pumpkin mille feuille or the apple and cranberry pie.