Best Restaurants for Thanksgiving Dinner in Los Angeles

Whether you have friends and family coming to Los Angeles, California, for Thanksgiving or are just having an intimate Thanksgiving meal with someone special, why not let the fabulous chefs in the area do the cooking for you? Several restaurants in the City of Angels are open with special Thanksgiving menus. Or why not impress someone with a great seafood, vegan, or sushi meal rather than a traditional holiday meal? For your convenience, our team at Teak Master has put together a list of the best restaurants for Thanksgiving dinner in Los Angeles.

Culina Ristorante + Caffè

Pecan pie and turkey by Kristie Moser is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Culina Ristorante + Caffè is a modern Italian restaurant that offers breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, kids, and even a pet menu for Thanksgiving, and the chefs and staff are also offering a luscious Thanksgiving brunch that’s sure to please everyone. If you prefer Thanksgiving breakfast, you can enjoy the live breakfast station that’s open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Here you can indulge in eggs Benedict, cheese blintzes, or omelets made to order.

Come after 3 p.m. and nibble on a bowl of mixed olives or sample seafood on ice and sushi. Vegetable dishes on the menu include roasted butternut squash, Caesar salad with crispy Brussels sprouts and pomegranate seeds, and spiced sweet potato. At the carving station, you can enjoy sliced turkey with sage gravy, cinnamon and honey-glazed ham, and roasted prime rib. Save room for dessert, with pie, pastries, and gelato on the menu.

Location: 300 South Doheny Drive in Los Angeles

Contact: 310-860-4000

The Arbour

People enjoy dining at the Arbour for their farm-to-table cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients. Make reservations for a magnificent three-course Thanksgiving meal at this elegant restaurant in historic downtown Pasadena, and you’re sure to have a meal to remember. The first course offerings include appetizers like jumbo lump crab salad with wild arugula or butternut squash soup with herb oil.

For your second course, you can choose butter-poached turkey breast with all the fixings or the roasted salmon with a mulled spiced polenta cake. The third-course dessert offering includes an array of tasty treats, such as pumpkin pie with a salted caramel sauce, milk chocolate pecan tart with cinnamon whipped cream, and fresh mixed berries with lemon curd.

Location: 527 S. Lake Ave. Suite 120 in Pasadena

Contact: 626-396-4925

Noshi Sushi

For something different on Thanksgiving day, why not order sushi to-go and eat it on your patio while sitting on your restored teak furniture. Japanese restaurant Noshi Sushi is open on Thanksgiving day, and you can order from a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, tempura, and other Japanese-style foods made with the freshest ingredients. You’ll want to order appetizers like sauteed shishito peppers or lotus root to start your meal. Enjoy the taste of the seaweed wakame salad with sesame oil or a refreshing cucumber salad with mixed seafood.

Of course, you can order all your favorite sushi rolls and sashimi, along with house specialties, such as salmon sashimi with a yuzu dressing and avocado oil or Japanese mackerel with jalapeño peppers. Hot dishes include chicken teriyaki with rice, filet mignon beef tempura with mixed vegetables, and a green mussel and mushroom bake with a spicy sauce. After ordering your sushi takeout, bring your Thanksgiving meal home and eat outside while enjoying a mild Los Angeles evening.

Location: 4430 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles

Contact: 323-469-3458

Saddle Peak Lodge

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into another time and place when you book a reservation at Saddle Peak Lodge up in Malibu Canyon. This striking restaurant has rough-hewn logs and a crackling fireplace that’s sure to get in the holiday spirit. You’ll enjoy your Thanksgiving meal in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

On Thanksgiving, Saddle Peak Lodge is offering a four-course meal priced for adults or children. For the first course, you can choose from items such as the pear salad with Saint Agur blue cheese or lobster bisque with puff pastry croutons and cognac cream. Second-course offerings include tartare of bison with crispy capers and fried shallots or roasted baby beets with cranberry mustard and pickled grapes.

Moving on to the main and third course, Saddle Peak Lodge offers free-range turkey with sausage-apple stuffing and fixings, New Zealand elk tenderloin with a bacon and pumpkin ragout, or Chilean sea bass with roasted acorn squash. Save room for dessert to enjoy banana-huckleberry bread pudding with vanilla ice cream or pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

Location: 410 Cold Canyon Road in Calabasas

Contact: 818-222-3888

Crossroads Kitchen

While Crossroads Kitchen may not have a dedicated Thanksgiving menu, you can find a wide variety of vegan and plant-based dishes at this upscale eatery to satisfy your palate. This restaurant has a full bar with wines from around the world. Once seated, order a bottle of wine to share with friends and family as you start on appetizers that include mushroom tart, stuffed zucchini blossoms, and artichoke oysters with crispy oyster mushrooms.

Move to the next course with a salad, such as the baby beet salad with candied walnuts or the kiwi and avocado salad with a citrus vinaigrette. For your main meal, try the pumpkin seed tofu marsala with shimeji mushrooms, heirloom butter beans with oven-roasted tomatoes and kale, or eggplant filet served with bordelaise sauce. Vegetable dishes include innovative offerings, such as truffle potatoes with fresh thyme or salsify puree with roasted onions.

If you enjoy pasta, why not try the spicy rigatoni with vodka sauce or the squash tortelli with sage butter and pumpkin seeds? After your hearty plant-based Thanksgiving meal, a like cup or sorbet of the day will cleanse your palate and leave you feeling refreshed.

Location: 8284 Melrose Ave.

Contact: 323-782-9245

Having a chef prepare Thanksgiving dinner for you allows you more time to spend with friends and family rather than cooking and cleaning up. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish and restaurant to enjoy in the Los Angeles area? If you have a favorite restaurant where you enjoy spending Thanksgiving, please let us know. We’re always interested in discovering new hidden eateries in Los Angeles.