Thanksgiving 2011 in a Restaurant: Fort Lauderdale, Broward Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving

Gavin St. Ours via Flickr Creative Commons

Thanksgiving in a restaurant: all of the reward, none of the work.

​Thanksgiving dinner is great, but what about all that weighing the turkey and calculating how many hours per pound you have to cook it and then figuring out all of the sides that will complement the bird? Seriously -- who can be bothered?

If you're celebrating Thanksgiving in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in Broward County and you don't feel like spending your Wednesday night/Thursday morning in the kitchen, shoving half of your arm up a turkey's rear, you can turn to the professionals for a bit of holiday help.

We've gathered information on a few South Florida restaurants who will serve Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 24. Here are a few options for your Thanksgiving dinner in Fort Lauderdale and elsewhere in Broward County:

- Sublime, 1431 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-615-1431. Seatings from 1 to 4 p.m. Book by Monday, November 21, and the cost is $39 for adults and $29 for those 12 years and younger. Add $10 to the price if booking after November 21.

Thanksgiving is clearly not the holiday of choice for vegetarians, but that doesn't mean you need to settle for a dull-ass plate of bland dinner rolls and a mountain of mashed potatoes sans gravy. Sublime will offer a dinner starring a meat-free Gardein "turkey" or a roasted acorn squash filled with quinoa stuffing. Dinner comes with a Waldorf salad to start and sides of fresh green beans, mushrooms, and cranberry sauce. Dessert is pumpkin "cheesecake" or apple pie.

- China Grill, 1881 SE 17th St. Causeway, Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-759-9950.

You can order from the restaurant's regular menu or try a fusion twist on turkey. The T-Day special is "Roasted Turkey Two-Ways," which includes turkey spring rolls with pan gravy, crispy onions, sweet potato mash, and cornbread stuffing ($38). The special dessert is a five-spice pumpkin pie.

- 11th Street Annex/Two Ugly Sisters, 14 SW 11th St., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-767-8306.

While you can't dine in on Thanksgiving, if you act fast, you can order a catered meal from this well-kept secret just south of downtown. Orders must be placed by Friday and picked up on Wednesday, November 23. Catering is offered à la carte with holiday menu choices like turkey and gravy ($61 to $76), ham, stuffing, smashed potatoes, and tons of desserts.    

- East End Brasserie, 601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-567-8070. Reservations from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cost is $55 for adults and $27 for children.

Try a French twist on the traditional Thanksgiving meal with a fairly decadent prix fixe with options that include butternut squash soup, pan-roasted filet mignon with lobster béarnaise sauce, truffled mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach or a more traditional turkey dinner with many sides. Lots of dessert options available.

- Steak 954, 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-414-8333. Reservations from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Build your own Thanksgiving dinner with à la carte pieces like butternut squash soup, roasted turkey, creamed spinach, and black-plum bread pudding. Or you can choose from the restaurant's regular menu, which includes a raw bar.

- Texas de Brazil, 2457 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-681-0082. Dinner is $47 per person.

Take Thanksgiving meat consumption to a new level with a wide assortment of grilled meats, including roasted turkey. You can also snag gravy, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato casserole in addition to enjoying salad bar access, a large dessert menu, and tableside-carved meats. 

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