The best restaurants for Thanksgiving takeout in Philadelphia

It’s that time of year again — Thanksgiving is just around the corner. And while we may be able to more safely celebrate holidays amid a downturn in the pandemic (provided everyone is vaccinated and follows the CDC’s holiday advisories), there’s one big question.

Who wants to painstakingly put together an enormous meal after the last 20 exhausting months?

Luckily, throughout the Philadelphia region, there’s more than a few places that are willing to do the cooking for you. And all you have to do is heat it up and enjoy a nice Thanksgiving meal in the comfort of your own home. Heck, there’s at least one that’ll present your holiday meal for pickup hot and ready to eat — no oven work necessary.

So, where can you get a good takeout Thanksgiving meal this year? Here are a few good options, whether you’re dining solo or feeding a crowd.

» READ MORE: Where to buy a fresh turkey for Thanksgiving in the Philadelphia region.

If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving on your own, Frieda is a great option thanks to its individual dinner portions. You can choose from two Thanksgiving meals — carved glazed ham or roasted turkey with chestnut apple stuffing and gravy — that are served with sides including colcannon, sautéed veggies, and a winter root salad with orange cinnamon dressing, plus a pecan pie brownie for dessert. And you can even get it delivered if you’re in one of the zip codes the restaurant covers (19102, 19103, 19106, 19107, 19123, and 19147).

📍 320 Walnut St., 📞 215-600-1291, 📷 @friedaforgenerations, 🌐 friedaforgenerations.com, 💵 $25-$28 per plate, 🗓 Order ahead for pickup or delivery on Nov. 24

The Midtown Village storefront may not be back, but Garces Trading Co. is cooking again thanks to a range of heat-and-serve options available whenever you get a craving. For the upcoming holiday, the chefs offer a Thanksgiving menu complete with butter lettuce salad, rosemary rolls, a herb-roasted Hudson Valley turkey breast (plus gravy made with its drippings), cranberry-orange relish, challah bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. For dessert, it’s your choice of caramel apple or pumpkin pie.

📍 Pickup at Volvér at 300 S. Broad St., 📞 267-284-7950, 📷 @garcestradingco, 🌐 garcestradingcompany.com, 💵 $45 per person (two-person minimum), 🗓 Order by Nov. 19 for pickup on Nov. 23 or 24 (or have it delivered within 15 miles of Center City)

This South Street staple reopened under its usual moniker in early 2021 after a fire closed it down for a few years, so this Thanksgiving is a special one. Order its heat-and-serve meal on Toast Tab for a feast of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, Brussels sprouts, cranberry compote, and gravy. Plus, you can add on dessert options — including pumpkin cheesecake, maple pecan pie, double-crust apple pie, and a side of cinnamon whipped cream — if you’ve got a sweet tooth.

📍 200 South St., 📞 215-922-1813, 📷 @bridgetfoys, 🌐 bridgetfoys.com, 💵 $34 per person, 🗓 Order by Nov. 21 for pickup on Nov. 24

There’s no need to heat and serve at this Queen Village outpost — you’ll be able to pick this menu up hot and ready, so you don’t even have to crank the oven on this Turkey Day. Here, the feast includes half a roasted turkey glazed with Worcestershire and maple syrup, Baharat-roasted squash, Brussels sprouts with mushrooms in a walnut-leek vinaigrette, herb stuffing, ramp butter mashed potatoes, and a whole heirloom pumpkin pie. And if you need more dessert, there are so, so many add-ons (like the pumpkin Bundt cake or apple danish ring).

📍 743 S. Fourth St., 📞 215-278-2736, 📷 @fitzandstartsphilly, 🌐 fitzandstartsphilly.com, 💵 $250 for a meal that serves four, 🗓 Order ahead for pickup on Nov. 25

For a little more variety in your Thanksgiving protein, check out this Society Hill spot, which offers individual dinners where you can pick from roasted turkey, charcoal-grilled hangar steak, pineapple-glazed ham, or honey barbecue-glazed salmon. Sides, which are served family-style, include seasonal salad, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts with bacon, mac and cheese, honey roasted sweet potatoes, and cornbread stuffing. And for dessert, there’s pumpkin, apple, or pecan pie — the choice is yours.

📍 509 S. Second St., 📞 215-558-2471, 📷 @twistedtailphl, 🌐 thetwistedtail.com, 💵 $55 per person, 🗓 Order by Nov. 18 for pickup on Nov. 25

» READ MORE: Thanksgiving Day Parade is back in Philly this year.

While it’s known for its gelato, this Queen Village spot can also take care of Thanksgiving with a family-style, heat-and-eat takeaway meal. The menu includes buttermilk biscuits, cranberry sauce, stuffing with fennel sausage, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, honeynut squash in a ‘nduja vinaigrette, and a rosemary and sage-rubbed turkey (and, psst, you can add drinks like eggnog and mulled cider, either alcoholic or not, too).

📍 757 S. Front St., 📞 215-339-0509, 📷 @fiorefinefoods, 🌐 fiore-finefoods.com, 💵 $64 per person, 🗓 Order by Nov. 18 for pickup on Nov. 24

Chef Christopher Kearse’s modern French bistro in Old City has a slightly elevated takeaway option for folks looking for a more gourmet Thanksgiving meal. This year’s menu features turkey leg confit and smoked turkey wings, cornbread and turkey neck stuffing, Brussels sprouts, lacinato kale and fregola sarda (a type of pasta that’s similar to couscous) salad, lobster and pumpkin bisque, house-baked focaccia, and chai tea.

📍 233 Chestnut St., 📞 215-644-9395, 📷 @forsythia_philly, 🌐 forsythiaphilly.com, 💵 $100 per person, 🗓 Order by Nov. 21 for pickup on Nov. 24

Sure, you could take a Thanksgiving cooking class or holiday pies class at this Northern Liberties cooking space and restaurant — but let’s be honest: Sometimes all you want to do is eat. Hudson Table can help there, thanks to a Thanksgiving meal kit that includes a roasted turkey breast (plus gravy and cranberry sauce), roasted garlic and sage stuffing, creamy pumpkin soup, twice-baked potato casserole, glazed Brussels sprouts, and a seasonal berry cobbler.

📍 1001 N. Second St., Unit 01, 📞 215-982-2580, 📷 @hudsontablephilly, 🌐 hudsontable.com/philadelphia, 💵 $125 for a meal kit that serves four, 🗓 Order ahead for pickup on Nov. 24

While the main draw here might be the ability to get more than 150 kinds of wine by the glass, Panorama also has a serious Thanksgiving meal kit. The main menu includes focaccia bread with rosemary whipped brown butter, roasted turkey with black truffle gravy, a traditional stuffing, rigatoni with a wild boar Bolognese, green bean casserole, cranberry conserva, roasted fall veggies, and ricotta cake. Not enough? Add on items like lobster bisque, shrimp cocktail, eggplant parm, and an antipasti misto for a little more.

📍 14 N. Front St., 📞 215-922-7800, 📷 @PanoramaWineBar, 🌐 pennsviewhotel.com/panorama, 💵 $200 for a meal kit that serves four, 🗓 Order by Nov. 19 for pickup on Nov. 24

This farmer-owned restaurant in King of Prussia Town Center is offering a number of ways to enjoy Thanksgiving without turning on your stove. For the take-home Thanksgiving experience, diners can order from a menu of options like herb-crusted prime rib, honey-glazed ham, and roast turkey with all the fixings (a complete dinner for four ranges from $150 to $220, depending on your main entree). Also available are a bevy of starters like salads and soups, breads, additional sides, or even a leftover add-on, which includes all the essential items for building a masterful sandwich, like barbecue mustard, cranberry relish, a country loaf, and pickles. People who value rest and relaxation on Turkey Day can preorder all of the above, hot and ready upon pick up.

📍 255 Main St., King of Prussia 📞 484-808-4008, 🌐 wearefoundingfarmers.com, 💵 Prices vary from $150-plus, 🗓 Place orders by Friday, Nov. 19, at noon, or while supplies last.

Head to this Holmesburg spot in the Northeast for the makings of a true feast. The spread will be prepared cold, but don’t worry, Sweet Lucy’s will provide reheating instructions to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. You’ll get four pounds of hickory-smoked turkey breast, three quarts of any side dish on the menu, eight pieces of cornbread, a half-pint of cinnamon honey butter, plus gravy and mild barbecue sauce to feed between six and eight people. Don’t forget to add on desserts like bourbon chocolate chip bread pudding, s’mores pie, apple crisp, or its cookie and brownie platter.

📍 7500 State Rd., 📞 215-333-9663, 📷 @Sweetlucys_bbq, 🌐 sweetlucys.com, 💵 $140 plus tax, 🗓 Order by Nov. 21 for pickup by Nov. 24

» READ MORE: The best barbecue in Philly

OK, yes, this is a small chain with locations in Cleveland, Denver, and Portland, Ore. — but we’re pretty sure they celebrate Thanksgiving in those cities, too. Check out Urban Farmer for a Thanksgiving package that includes a 12- to 14-pound turkey, cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing with sage and tart cherry (and the standalone cornbread to match), smashed potatoes, gravy, Brussels sprouts, roasted carrots and parsnips, and your choice of dessert — either pumpkin, apple, or pecan pie.

📍 1850 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 📞 215-963-2788, 📷 @UrbanFarmerPHL, 🌐 urbanfarmersteakhouse.com/location/urban-farmer-philadelphia, 💵 $190 for a meal kit that serves four to six, 🗓 Order ahead for pickup on Nov. 25

Tyler Akin’s French-forward Le Cavalier serves a family-style, take-home Thanksgiving feast for two that’s available for pickup on Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day. The meal starts with your choice of roasted turkey or citrus-glazed ham, each of which comes with a whole slate of sides including Brioche stuffing, Brussels sprouts, green beans, and roasted sweet potatoes. For dessert, you get to pick pumpkin pie or French apple cider cake. As a bonus, your meal comes with white bread and mayo for leftovers sandwiches.

📍 42 W. 11th St., Wilmington, 📞 302-594-3154, 📷 @lecavalierde, 🌐 lecavalierde.com, 💵 $165 for a meal that serves two 🗓 Order ahead for pickup on Nov. 24 or 25

» READ MORE: Turkey trots happening in Philly this Thanksgiving.

Got a crowd to feed? Miles Table’s traditional Thanksgiving feast feeds up to 10 and includes a whole herb-roasted turkey with sage gravy and orange cranberry relish, a house salad or butternut squash soup, three sides of your choice from a list of 10 options (think honey-glazed carrots, sausage and sage stuffing, and garlic butter green beans), and bourbon pumpkin pie or apple crumb pie for dessert. If you don’t need all that, their Friendsgiving meal feeds up to five people with similar options.

📍 Pickup at Bok at 821 Dudley St., 📞 215-651-3040, 📷 @MilesTable, 🌐 milestable.com, 💵 $169 for a meal kit that serves five ($289 to serve 10), 🗓 Order by Nov. 19 for pickup or delivery on Nov. 24

Meal kits not your thing? No problem — you can customize your Thanksgiving meal via High Street Philly’s Thanksgiving market, which offers a la carte selections via its Tock page. There, you’ll find everything from Green Meadow Farm turkeys (available roasted or uncooked) and sides like mashed potatoes and roasted mushroom and cracked corn stuffing, to crudité platters, charcuterie boards, and desserts like pecan bars and hazelnut chocolate silk pie. Oh, and breads — lots and lots of breads.

📍 101 S. Ninth St., 📞 215-625-0988, 📷 @HighStPhilly, 🌐 highstreetonmarket.com, 💵 Prices vary, 🗓 Order by Nov. 23 (Nov. 15 if you’re ordering a turkey) for pickup from Nov. 19-24

Yeah, yeah, yeah — turkey is tradition. But porchetta is delicious whether it’s Thanksgiving or not. And at Porco’s, you can order an entire five-pound porchetta that serves 10 to 12, plus all the sides you could ever need. Or, keep it a la carte and get some porchetta by the pound, or maybe a braciole with herb-mushroom stuffing, plus desserts like lemon-passion fruit tarts, cookie cream pies, and cookie platters. Still want turkey? It has that, too, in the form of herb and porchetta lard-rubbed turkey breasts that weigh in at five to six pounds and a Thanksgiving sandwich that’s available until the holiday.

📍 2204 Washington Ave., 📞 215-545-2939, 📷 @PorcosPhilly, 🌐 smallovenpastryshop.com, 💵 Prices vary, 🗓 Order by Nov. 19 for pickup on Nov. 24 and 25

Keep it traditional and laid-back with this Reading Terminal Market staple, which offers Thanksgiving dinner kits that feed as few as two people or as many as eight. Turkey is the main attraction, and side-wise, there’s all the classics, like cornbread, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, and gravy — plus lemon pound cake, apple pie, or pumpkin pie for dessert.

📍 45 N. 12th St. (inside Reading Terminal Market), 📞 215-925-5598, 📷 @TheOriginalTurkey, 🌐 theoriginalturkey.com, 💵 Prices vary, 🗓 Order up to 48 hours ahead for pickup by Nov. 24

» READ MORE: Live your best life in Philly: Read our most useful stories here.

Controversial opinion: The best dish at Thanksgiving is pie. Instead of a turkey this year, Bucks County farm and pie purveyor Pie Bird is leaning all the way in with its Thanksgiving dinner pie, a three-layer masterpiece featuring all the dishes that make the holiday so memorable. The 10-inch pie starts with the stuffing crust (made with organic bread, onions, celery, grass-fed cultured butter, and spices), which is filled with local peas, corn, turkey, and gravy. The whole shebang is topped with whipped mashed potatoes — think of it like an Americanized shepherd’s pie. The pie starts at $45, but for $150, you’ll get one 10-inch turkey dinner pie, one 10-inch dessert pie of your choice, cranberry sauce, whipped cream, and gravy, which serves four.

📍 641 Cafferty Rd., Ottsville, 🌐 piebirdfarm.com, 💵 Prices from $15, 🗓 Pickup Nov. 23, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Nov. 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Over in South Philly, this Italian restaurant will be open on Thanksgiving Day but will also serve a four-course, hot-and-ready meal for takeout. The meal includes salad, ravioli alla vodka, hand-carved turkey meat, stuffing, sweet potato mousse, gravy, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Additions include an escarole soup ($12), cannoli ($3 each), or a whole tiramisu ($50).

📍 2500 S. Broad St., 🌐 scannicchio.online, 📞 215-468-3900 💵 $70/meal for 2, $130/meal for 4 (cash only) 🗓 Pre-order by 4 p.m., Monday, Nov. 22; Pickup Nov. 24, from 4-8 p.m., and Thanksgiving Day, 12-2 p.m.

» READ MORE: Live your best life in Philly: Read our most useful stories here