Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27) is approaching. Here’s what several spots on our 100 Very Best Restaurants list have planned:
Amparo Fondita
2002 P St., NW
The modern Mexican-inspired carryout package ($275) from this Dupont eatery feeds four and centers around a half turkey brined and slow roasted in chipotle butter and mole negro. The meal also comes with roast acorn-squash salad; sweet potato with salsa negro; marigold jasmine rice; black beans; 20 blue-corn tortillas; and flan. Also included: a $25 gift card for a future visit to the restaurant. Order by November 21.
Casa Teresa
919 19th St., NW
The Spanish-inspired Thanksgiving package from chef Rubén Garcia includes a take-home dinner for eight ($249.95) featuring a brined turkey, plus gravy; caramelized-onion-and-butifarra-sausage stuffing; olive-oil mashed potatoes; housemade rolls; and more. Tapas, wine packages, a la carte dishes, and desserts (including the restaurant’s excellent Basque cheesecake) are available as add-ons. Order online for pickup at downtown DC’s Square food hall.
Bresca
1906 14th St., NW
The French/American bistro will open at 2 PM on Thanksgiving Day with a four-course menu ($145 per person) or a six-course option ($195 per person). Guests can expect luxe dishes like foie gras “nutter butter”; snow crab cocktail; a brioche- stuffed turkey with bacon, sausage stuffing, and red cabbage; and cavatelli with mushroom and sunchoke. Truffle and caviar supplements are available, too.
Centrolina
974 Palmer Alley, NW
Thanksgiving classics meet Italian flavors at this CityCenterDC restaurant, which is offering several takeout dishes. The main event is a duo of turkey, with porchetta-style breast and marsala-braised leg ($140). Other options: whole roasted cauliflower with a parmesan crust ($43); pumpkin tortelli with butter and sage ($44); cheese and salumi platters ($55 to $60); whole pies ($50); and dirty chai tiramisu ($50) . There are wine pairings ($40 per bottle or $105 for all three), too. Order for pick-up through Tock.
Daru
1451 Maryland Ave., NE
Traditional Thanksgiving dishes get an Indian spin with Daru’s take-home dinners ($110 for two to three people; $220 for four to six people). They feature crispy buckwheat fritters with chili and cumin; slow-roasted tandoori turkey breast with mint sour cream and makhani jus; Brussels sprout pakoda; and more. Pick-up is at sister restaurant Tapori (600 H St., NE).
Duck and the Peach
300 Seventh St., SE
Enjoy an elegant take-home Thanksgiving dinner for five to six people ($300) from this Capitol Hill eatery. It stars a rotisserie turkey roulade dressed with za’atar and fennel stuffing, plus sides like goat-butter mashed potatoes; toasted garlic green beans; and roasted Brussels sprouts with candied lemon. Add on a whole caramel apple cake ($45) or chocolate/pecan pie ($55). You can also grab a turkey by itself ($150), wines, and any of the sides a la carte. Place orders here.
Elle
3221 Mount Pleasant St., NW
Chef Tyson Barrett serves up an á la carte takeout menu that leans classic. There’s roast turkey and gravy (boneless breast and dark meat is $36 per pound); mac and cheese with Mornay sauce and breadcrumbs ($27, serves two); cranberry sauce ($15); and a chocolate-bourbon-pecan pie ($45), among many other options. Elle makes standout breads, such as sweet potato rolls ($18) and sourdough ($11), and you can even get frozen scones ($21 for six) for the next morning. Order by Friday, November 21 at noon.
Ellie Bird
125 Founders Ave., Falls Church
This family-friendly spot from the couple behind DC’s Rooster & Owl comes through with eclectic flavors for their take-home “Gather Box” ($250), which offers a miso macaroni and cheese; rice vinegar slaw; and Filipino-style bibingka cornbread, alongside fried chicken or turkey breast with gravy.
Gemini
1509 17th St., NW
At this Dupont wine shop/cafe, Johnny Monis dreams up a bevy of elegant, á la carte Thanksgiving sides and snacks to take home, including Sea Island blue cornbread with Bordier butter, marscapone-stuffed dates (a favorite from his beloved former restaurant Komi), fenugreek-creamed spinach and leeks, a decadent selection of ice creams, and more.
Joon
8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna
Go for a Persian-accented feast at this Tysons dining room. The take-out package for four to six ($325) features a half turkey with herb butter alongside barberry, cranberry, and apricot chutney; gravy; a choice of rice dish (we love the sour cherry and fava-bean-dill varieties); grilled eggplant; cardamom-spiced sweet-potato casserole; and more. Add on desserts for eight—including chocolate/katafi pie with sour-cherry meringue ($140) or an apple tarte tatin ($100)—plus bottled cocktails and wine (non-alcoholic options are available for both). Order here for pickup on Wednesday, November 26.
L’Ardente
200 Massachusetts Ave., NW
This glam Italian restaurant is open for dine-in meals on Thanksgiving Day from noon to 9 PM (its regular menu is available too). Holiday specials include roasted koginut squash with gorgonzola and pickled cherries ($18) and roast turkey with mushroom stuffing and Marsala gravy ($40). Eating at home? Wine director Kendrick Lindsey has put together a trio of wines available for pickup.
Mita
804 V St., NW
Vegetables take the starring role at this modern Latin restaurant in Shaw. The plant-based take-home feast ($315 for two people; $470 for four people) offers vegetable Wellington with maitake-mushroom-and-celery-root gravy; warm wild-rice salad with golden raisins and pickled almonds; potato-and-yuca gratin, and pumpkin cheesecake.
Moon Rabbit
927 F St., NW
Chef Kevin Tien’s hit Penn Quarter Vietnamese restaurant is offering a takeout package for four ($296) with five-spice turkey breast and gumbo gravy; white-pepper-and-miso mashed potatoes; crawfish cornbread stuffing; and sweet-potato pie with tamarind dulce de leche. Add-ons include wine and whole pies.
Namak
1813 Columbia Rd., NW
This Adams Morgan Mediterranean eatery is open from noon to 5 PM on Thanksgiving, and will serve a prix fixe spread ($55 per person). This menu includes baharat squash soup; roast turkey with autumn succotash and pomegranate-cranberry sauce; beef shortrib tagine; turmeric fried cauliflower; and more.
NiHao
1550 Crystal Dr., Arlington
Chef Peter Chang’s famous Peking duck is the focal point of his Crystal City dining room’s Thanksgiving take-home package for four ($148). Also included: dry-fried brussel sprouts; a choice of vegetable fried rice or lo mein; and stirfried cauliflower with pork belly.
Nina May
1337 11th St., NW
A family-style holiday menu will be available for $75 per person (free for kids under 10) at this farmhouse-inspired Shaw restaurant, which is open from 1 to 7 PM on Thanksgiving Day. It includes oysters Rockefeller; butternut-squash-and-taleggio agnolotti; sage-and-orange-brined turkey breast. Takeout packages for two to six people range from $75 to $225.
Rooster and Owl
2436 14th St., NW
Yuan and Carey Tang’s tasting-menu spot is offering a takeout package that feeds four ($250) and features fried chicken or turkey breast with gravy, plus a bevy of sides to choose from, including baby kale salad, collard greens, and smashed cucumbers.
Rose’s Luxury
717 Eighth St., SE
Whether you’re feeding a small or large group, chef/owner Aaron Silverman’s take-home Thanksgiving spread has you covered. Packages feed either two to four guests ($260), or six to eight people ($500), and offer dishes like lemon-brined turkey breast with a confit thigh and deep-fried turkey leg; wild-mushroom-and-sage stuffing; green bean casserole; pineapple cornbread; and King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls and cranberry for making leftovers sandwiches.
Thompson Italian
1024 King St., Alexandria; 124 N. Washington St., Falls Church
The a la carte take-home menus at this pair of Italian joints, with locations in Old Town and Falls Church, offer an alternative to traditional Thanksgiving fare. Choose from supper trays of lamb meatballs (Alexandria) or spicy pork meatballs (Falls Church); vegetarian or classic bolognese lasagna; salads; roasted garlic bread, and more.
2Fifty
414 K St., NW; 4700 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale Park
Pitmaster Fernando González is serving up Texas-style barbecue for Thanksgiving eve, which you can warm up on the big day. The á la carte options include a whole turkey breast ($75), brisket ($200), Wagyu steak ($295), and large trays of sides like mac’ and cheese, mashed sweet potatoes, and esquites.
Dara T. Mathis is a journalist and nonfiction writer who joined Washingtonian in Fall 2025 as an Editorial Fellow. A 2024 recipient of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize, she resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
