• Many hotel restaurants will provide Thanksgiving meals to weary travelers (or wary diners seeking to escape cooking at home). At Hutton Hotel's 1808 Grille (1808 West End Ave., 615-340-0012), executive chef Jake Strang ladles out cauliflower soup before laying out entrées such as roasted turkey with sage and sausage stuffing, cranberry-orange relish and herb jus and dry aged bone-in NY strip with roasted marrow butter and balsamic shallots. Cost is $68 per person, and a credit card is required for reservations; there is a $35 fee if you cancel within 24 hours.
• Fire-roasted turkey breast with gravy and cranberry-blood orange garnish and braised turkey legs with pearl onions, turnips, carrots and red wine sauce are the centerpiece of Thanksgiving buffet at celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman's Adele's (1210 McGavock St., 615-988-9700). $42 adults, $15 ages 5-15, gratuity not included; open noon to 8 p.m. Any reservation cancellations must be made 72 hours in advance.
• Sick to death of seasonal fare? At her Chauhan Ale & Masala House (123 12th Ave. N., 615-242-8426), superstar chef Maneet Chauhan plans a special Thanksgiving menu from noon to 8 p.m. — special in this case meaning turkey tikka masala.
• Kiss turkey goodbye altogether at the Indian buffets at Bombay Palace (2912 West End, 615-321-6140), Sitar (116 21st Ave. N., 615-321-8889), Taj (3943 Nolensville Road, 615-750-3490) or their vegetarian counterpart Woodlands (3415 West End, 615-463-3005).
• Or opt for a hearty Italian meal at Buca di Beppo (1722 Galleria Blvd., 615-778-1321) or Maggiano's Little Italy (3106 West End, 615-514-0270) — which will both have turkey as backup just in case.
• The Hermitage Hotel's Capitol Grille (615-345-7116) will offer Thanksgiving brunch from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $59.50 per adult, $27.50 per child under 12.
• At the other end of the dining spectrum — our end — Cracker Barrel serves up Thanksgiving dinner for $11.99 per person ($6.99 for kids) starting at 11 a.m. Or serve up to six with Thanksgiving takeout for $59.99 — just make sure you give 24 hours' notice.
• Fresh from its Restaurant: Impossible makeover, Ellendale's (2739 Old Elm Hill Pike, 884-0171) will have its Thanksgiving buffet available 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cost is $32.95 plus beverage.
• No doubt the Pilgrims were sometimes homesick for England; they'd feel right at home in Printers Alley among the Anglophiles at Fleet Street Pub (207 Printers Alley, 615-200-0782), the joint that practically never closes. (Keep that in mind, night owls.) Spare one turkey's life so that you may dine on fish-and-chips, curry, Welsh rarebit or the signature Westminster beefsteak starting at 1 p.m.
• Thanksgiving with Tuscan flourishes in a manse dating back to 1819 is the unique experience promised by Harvest at Homestead Manor (4683 Columbia Pike, 615-538-6113), where executive chef Carlos Garcia extends his usual farm-to-table menu to provide herb-roasted lamb and turkey leg stuffed with focaccia. The meal includes soup or salad, an entrée, three sides, dessert and a nonalcoholic beverage for $40 per person, $15 children 12 and under.
• The good news: The Loveless Cafe (8400 Highway 100, 646-9700) offers its usual menu items as well as a Thanksgiving meal of roast turkey, dressing and homemade pies from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The bad news: All reservations are currently filled, and takeout orders are completely sold out. November 2017 is looking good, though.
• In the Gulch, M. Restaurant (Cummins Station, 615-678-1591) will have smoked or herb-roasted turkeys feeding 10 to 12 people available for takeout for $49, as long as you give at least three days' notice; they'll also deliver up to Wednesday, Nov. 25. Or you can dine in there or at sister restaurant Mack & Kate's (3078 Maddux Way, Franklin, 615-591-4104).
• Merchants (401 Broadway, 615-254-1892) provides Thanksgiving fare at its downstairs bistro, with prix-fixe options upstairs. Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Mere Bulles (5201 Maryland Way, 615-467-1945) gives thanks in Brentwood with entrées such as prime rib, seared scallops or oven-roasted turkey and dessert for $37.99 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Seniors $32.99, ages 5 to 12 $14.99.
• Monell's locations in Germantown and in the old New Orleans Manor on Murfreesboro Road will pass around the family-style platters of turkey, skillet-fried chicken and roast beef from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for $24.95 per person. Ages 4 to 12 are $13, while 3 and under eat free. No reservations — first come, first served.
• Wait for company to leave, then mosey down to Sylvan Park's Neighbors (4425 Murphy Road, 615-942-5052) for a neighborhood get-together starting at 4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. We recommend the dry-rubbed smoked wings.
• If you're planning to gorge yourself at the Opryland Hotel (2800 Opryland Drive, 615-458-6848), act quickly: Almost all the reservations were gone as of press time, with a few left at 11 a.m. and 3:30, 4 and 4:30 p.m. The lavish buffet on the Ravello and Solario patios in the Garden Conservatory comes at an equally lavish price: $78.90 for adults, $33.09 for ages 6-11.
• The Puckett's Grocery locations both downtown (500 Church St., 770-2772) and in Franklin (120 Fourth Ave. S., 794-5527) will lay out a Thanksgiving buffet of smoked turkey, holiday ham and fried chicken for $27.50 adults, $13.75 ages 12 and under. Call or make reservations online, though the Nashville location has a lengthy wait list.
• That faithful fount of breakfast-buffet gluttony Shoney's has your steam-table Thanksgiving standing by at $11.99 for adults, $6.99 for kids.
• Nashville reliable Sperry's will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at both its Belle Meade (5109 Harding Road, 353-0809) and Cool Springs (650 Frazier Drive, 778-5990) locations. $31 for adults, $16 for children.
• Thanksgiving at Ted's Montana Grill (2817 West End Ave., 615-329-3415) features Ted's Traditional Roast Turkey Feast with garlic mashed potatoes, buttered carrots and "Aunt Fannie's Squash Casserole" starting at $25 per person; it can also be ordered in a half-sized portion for kids for $12. Also: select wines by the bottle for $30.
• At the downtown Hilton, Trattoria Il Mulino (144 Fifth Ave. S., 615-620-3700) will have its regular Italian menu available from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.
• Need your Thanksgiving scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped, topped and country? Buddy, there's bound to be a Waffle House location with your name on it.Â
• Whole Foods Market in Green Hills and on McEwen in Franklin will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The hot bar will feature traditional Thanksgiving food items such as herb-rubbed turkey, gravies, stuffings, mashed potatoes, side dishes and more. As for catering, a smoked turkey dinner that feeds six to eight runs $119.99, while the stores feature several dinner-package options that include vegan dinner for one for $13.99.
And as always, report back on wherever you decide to go. Happy Thanksgiving!
