Photo by Wendy Pramik: Columbus-area restaurants
will be serving family-style recipes this Thursday
that'll possibly be as tasty as my sister's tender turkey.

On Thanksgiving Day, we celebrate with food and family.

But perhaps your family situation isn’t of the Norman Rockwell variety, with Mama cooking up a feast and Papa carving up a fat turkey. Or maybe you lack the culinary touch necessary to roast a 16-pound bird, figure out what to do with cranberries, and smooth out the lumps in the gravy.

What to do? Leave it to the pros. Below is a sampling of Columbus-area restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving Day. Many will serve turkey and traditional fixings. Others will offer special menus.

Whatever your cuisine of choice, don’t let the best opportunity of the year to stuff yourself pass you by.

Reservations Required:

BUCA DI BEPPO
343 N. Front St., Columbus
www.bucadibeppo.com
For reservations, call 614-621-3287 or visit www.bucadibeppo.com/reservations. (The Columbus location of Buca Di Beppo was still accepting reservations as of 5:30 p.m., Nov. 24.)
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Cost: Small Turkey Feast, $22.99 (feeds up to three); large Turkey Feast, $38.99 (serves up to six).
Menu: Buca di Beppo serves its meals family style. The Turkey Feast includes white meat turkey served over Buca’s homemade spicy Italian sausage stuffing that’s flavored with garlic, sage and parmesan. Served with gravy and whole-berry cranberry sauce.

HYATT ON CAPITOL SQUARE
75 E. State St., Columbus
www.capitolsquare.hyatt.com
For reservations, call 614-365-4550 (The Hyatt was still accepting reservations as of 5:30 p.m., Nov. 24.)
Thanksgiving hours: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Cost: $48.95 adults; $24.95 children ages 6-12; and free for ages 5 and younger
Menu: Buffet themed the “Feast of the American Bounty” includes traditional thanksgiving fare with carving station, side dishes, salads, fruits and desserts.

LATITUDE 41
50 N. Third St., Columbus
www.latitude41restaurant.com
For reservations, call 614-233-7541 or visit latitude41restaurant.com/thanksgiving.
(Latitude 41 was still accepting reservations as of 5:30 p.m., Nov. 24.)
Thanksgiving hours: 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Meals will be served in three seatings: from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.; and 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Cost: $48 adults; and $15 for children 4-10; free for children 3 and younger
Menu: Gourmet buffet will include seafood, pates and terrines, Caesar salad bar, seafood salad, free-range chicken breast, marinated vegetable anti-pasta, vegetarian pasta, butter-roasted French beans, chestnut and exotic mushroom cornbread stuffing, potato puree, molasses and cinnamon baked sweet potatoes with candied pecans, tomato bisque, shrimp and sweet corn relish. Carving station includes free-range turkey, prime rib and honey-baked ham.

McCORMICK & SCHMICK’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
3965 New Bond St., Columbus
www.mccormickandschmicks.com
For reservations, call 614-476-3663 or visit www.mccormickandschmicks.com/featured-promotion/Thanksgiving.aspx.
(McCormick & Schmick’s was still accepting reservations as of 5:30 p.m., Nov. 24.)
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Cost: $22.95 adults; and $5.95 children
Menu: Three-course traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes pumpkin bisque or mixed-green salad with blue cheese and glazed walnuts, roast turkey with giblet gravy, butter and cream mashed potatoes, sage stuffing, apple butternut squash casserole, seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce, and upside-down apple pie or pumpkin pie.

No Reservations Required:

CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE
4310 Marlane Dr., Grove City, (614-871-1444)
1313 Hilliard-Rome Rd. E., Columbus, (614-878-2027)
www.crackerbarrel.com
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Restaurant opens at 6 a.m.)
Cost: $8.99 adult; $4.49 children
Menu: Home-style Thanksgiving Day meal with all the fixings including turkey breast with made-from-scratch cornbread dressing topped with turkey gravy, baked sugar-cured ham, sweet-potato casserole with caramel pecan topping, cranberry relish, choice of vegetable and fresh biscuits or corn muffins, and pumpkin pecan streusel pie with real whipped cream and beverage.

HOMETOWN BUFFET
3670 Soldono Blvd., Consumer Square West, Columbus, (614-279-6228)
3727 Park Mill Run Dr., (614-527-9229)
3874 Morse Rd., Easton Square, Columbus, (614-471-8777)
5805 Chantry Dr., Chantry Square, Columbus, (614-863-0505)
www.buffet.com
Thanksgiving hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Cost: All-you-can-eat buffet $12.29 adult; 60 cents for each year of age for children 2-11
Menu: Special Thanksgiving Day menu includes turkey, roast beef, broccoli casserole, candied yams, pumpkin pie and drink, and more.

TEE JAYE’S COUNTRY PLACE
1385 Parsons Ave., Columbus, (614-444-6291)
350 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall, (614-861-4160)
4048 W. Broad St., Columbus, (614-274-1374)
1880 Stringtown Rd., Grove City, (614-871-2596)
1195 N. 21st St., Newark, (740-366-3501)
2435 Brice Rd., Reynoldsburg, (614-861-8282)
4910 N. High St., Columbus, (614-885-1383)
www.teejayes.com
Hours: Open 24 hours
Cost: $8.85 adults; children 12 and under $5.10
Menu: Roast turkey or baked ham with pineapple sauce served with down-home sides including turkey rice soup, candied yams or mashed potatoes, green beans, salad or coleslaw, cranberry sauce, biscuits or roll, pumpkin pie and beverage.