Where to get a Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant in Fresno – and where to buy pies
Coronavirus can’t stop Thanksgiving, but it sure is going to complicate it.
Normally, this time of year we’d bring you a story about all the restaurants where you could take the whole family and sit down for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
That’s not going to happen this year.
With COVID-19 rates rising, Fresno County is likely to stay in the purple tier of the state’s restrictions, which means restaurant dining rooms will be closed.
But you can still get Thanksgiving meals to take home. And since this year is so different, there are some new names jumping in on the Thanksgiving business.
And of course, we’ll tell you where to get pie. Hint: There’s a lot more pie bakers in this town than Marie Callender’s.
Should I host Thanksgiving dinner?
But first, the basics. Should you even have a Thanksgiving meal with family outside your immediate household?
Most experts say no.
“Consider just canceling Thanksgiving and just letting your relatives know let’s hope for next year, or sometime in the spring after everyone has a vaccine,” said Fresno County Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra.
The Centers for Disease Control is pleading with people not to travel for Thanksgiving or meet up with people outside their household.
Canada, which holds its Thanksgiving in October, saw a spike in cases after the holiday.
If you still want to have in-person Thanksgiving, check out The Fresno Bee story with Vohra’s advice about how to make it safer, including eating outside, not using buffets or shared utensils, etc. Or, see the CDC’s detailed recommendations on its website.
Restaurant food
A ton of restaurants are offering take-home meals this year. Most offer all the traditional foods – turkey (though sometimes ham or prime rib) with side dishes like mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, rolls, pie and more. Since there’s so many nuanced options, we won’t list their entire menus here, but check out each restaurant’s website or give it a call to see what it’s offering.
Most places have you pick up the meals, which usually have reheating instructions, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
One thing to note: Most of these meals are large, designed to serve between eight and 12 people. Many don’t seem to take into account the smaller Thanksgivings many people concerned about their health are having this year.
However, a handful of places – like Yosemite Falls Cafe, Max’s, Riley’s Brew Pub and Black Bear Diner – are serving individual take-home plates that include turkey and all the sides with a slice of pie. We’ve also included meals from grocery stores, which have more options for small get-togethers.
Elbow Room is offering a $150 meal that feeds eight people, with a choice of a whole turkey or a bone-in ham. Order online or call 559-227-1234.
Tabachines Cocina, an upscale Mexican restaurant in north Fresno, is selling its version of a Thanksgiving dinner that includes turkey and ham, guacamole and tostadas, and tres leches cake for dessert. It’s $40 per person and can be ordered online or by calling 559-473-1077.
BooBoo Bean, the little bakery/breakfast and lunch spot at Bullard and West avenues, is getting creative during the coronavirus pandemic and offering full Thanksgiving meals.
You can get “The Gobbler,” which serves all the classic Thanksgiving dishes, and dessert for four to six people for $125. “The Traditional” meal for $185 serves the same dishes, but feeds 10 to 12 people.
BooBoo Bean also sells individual sides like mashed potatoes for $12, for example, and a long list of dessert options. Check out its Facebook post for menu details.
The deadline to order is noon Monday. Call 559-570-8093. The business is closed on the weekends, so email booboobeancafe@yahoo.com or send it a message on Facebook.
Tahoe Joe’s at Cedar and Herndon avenues, the only one left in town, is selling a “Joe’s Holiday Pack” that serves 10 to 12 people for $129.99. Full menu online. Order by Nov. 25. 559-323-8592.
Mad Duck Craft Brewing Co. and its restaurants are offering a “take & bake” feast that feeds eight for $140. You can add “the Duck’s famous breading pudding” for $20, or a bottle of wine for $40 or $60. The full menu is online.
Note the deadline for this one is coming fast: It’s Friday. All three locations are participating. Campus Pointe is at 559-325-3825, Herndon and Willow avenues at 559-298-3825, and the northwest location at Herndon and Marks avenues can be reached at 559-840-3825.
Yosemite Falls Cafe is selling both Thanksgiving plates and a feast that serves an entire family.
The $17.99 per person plates include turkey, six sides and a slice of pumpkin pie.
The take-home turkey dinner costs $179 and comes with a whole pumpkin pie. Whole pies can also be purchased individually for $12.99.
Call your nearest restaurant to order. Ashlan Avenue and Highway 99 location: 559-275-6060. Blackstone: 559-225-6800. Shaw: 559-324-8456. Cedar: 559-222-7800.
Riley’s Brew Pub is selling a to-go feast that feeds eight for $150. Pre order by calling 559-862-2925.
The Clovis restaurant is also selling take-out Thanksgiving plates that can be ordered in person or via phone on Thanksgiving Day only. The plates are $25 for adults or $15 for kids.
Campagnia is selling a holiday meal serving six to eight people. The turkey dinner costs $179 and the rib roast dinner is $284. Order by Friday.
Max’s Bistro & Bar is offering a Thanksgiving meal and individual meals. The roast turkey meal serving four costs $150 and includes several sides and a pumpkin pie. The same meal serving 10 costs $350.
Individual meals with turkey and sides costs $37 each. Pick up is Thursday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 559-439-6900.
Black Bear Diner is offering take-home plates with all the familiar Thanksgiving foods for $18.99 for adults, $7.99 for adults.
There’s also a to-go family turkey feast for $179.99. Call 559-271-4704 to order either.
Southern Hospitality isn’t a restaurant, but a Clovis-based catering company that is offering full meals for the holidays.
Options include turkey, turkey Wellington and ham, and customers pick which side dishes and pies they want. The deadline to order is Sunday. Minimum $100 purchase. Order online or call 559-213-8202.
Golden Tamale, a new restaurant in downtown Fresno that The Bee told you about last month, is taking pre-orders for people who want tamales instead of turkey. Limit three dozen. Call 559-825-0615 or order in person at 744 P St. Suite 103.
Westwoods BBQ is selling a $150 deluxe trio package that serves five to six people. It includes turkey breast, tri-tip and honey-baked ham, plus sides and pecan pie. The deadline to order is Friday. Call 559-449-9227.
Grocery store meals
Grocery stores also sell complete Thanksgiving meals, often more affordable and smaller than restaurant deals. Each one varies, so check out their websites or call your closest store.
Some supermarkets selling meals include locally owned The Market at Herndon and West avenues, Sprouts and Whole Foods, which has a huge variety of options. Save Mart is one of the few with a meal for two people (plus larger options) and will deliver if ordered through Instacart.
The pies
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pie, of course.
This year, Fresno is buzzing about the return of Marie Callender’s at Shaw and Cedar avenues. The restaurant has opened for pie sales only this month. It will fully reopen this winter.
The deadline to order for Thanksgiving is Sunday, though certain pies are already selling out.
Order online, by calling 559-449-3104 or stop by the restaurant at 1781 E. Shaw Ave.
Local bakeries are selling pies, too, many with Sunday deadlines to order.
They include Chiffonos Bakery at 559-433-9066, La Boulangerie at 559-222-0555, and Eddie’s Bakery at 559-323-0900.
Some smaller bakers, including home-based bakers, are also selling pies for Thanksgiving. Check out Little Wind Bakery online.
Local restaurants like Yosemite Falls Cafe also sell pies for $12.99 each, including berry, French apple, pumpkin, and banana cream. Call your closest location to order.
This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 1:19 PM.
