Where to Dine Out For Thanksgiving: 10 Restaurants For Traditionalists

Napa Valley Grille/Lisa Cohen

Sitting in a restaurant for Thanksgiving might not be your tradition (yet), but remember that it's the really best of both worlds: You get to eat your turkey (and often cake, too), and someone else will clean up. In some cases, you'll even have leftovers for that cold turkey sandwich in the morning.

It used to be that hotels were your best option for dining out on the holiday, and many still serve a lavish buffet and prix fixe menus. But we've got 10 non-hotel options for next week's gorge-fest, in no particular order. Turn the page...

1. The communal atmosphere at Evan Kleiman's Angeli Caffe is perfect for Thanksgiving. The menu, all served family-style, includes endive salad with fennel and fuyu persimmons or mixed mushroom soup; roast turkey with all the fixings; pumpkin stuffed with fondue soufflé; and greens braised with hot peppers and garlic. There will be various pies for dessert (of course). $40 per person. Seatings are at 2pm and 4:30pm. 7274 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles; (323) 936-9086; www.angelicaffe.com

2. Night owls can find their feast at the Tar Pit: Choose from mushroom barley soup, shrimp cocktail or a Boston bibb salad for starters. Entrees include dark-beer-brined organic turkey with whole-grain mustard gravy, sweet corn succotash, cranberry chutney, and Blue Lake green beans. For dessert, ice cream sundaes with rum caramel and streusel, and Wild Turkey pecan tart are among the choices. $50 per person; add $20 for cocktail pairings. 4 p.m. to midnight. 609 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 965-1300; tarpitbar.squarespace.com

3. What would Thanksgiving be without some shaved white truffles? You'll find them--on lobster ravioli, if you wish--on the holiday menu at Mélisse. Other dishes include pumpkin soup with black trumpet mushrooms, herb-roasted turkey with pomegranate gravy, and for the vegetarians, wild mushroom and burrata torte with autumn jus. For dessert, try chocolate soufflé, spiced pumpkin pie or apple pie. The three-course menu (with extra sides) is $89 for adults and $42 for kids. 3 to 7:30 p.m. 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 395-0881; www.melisse.com

4. If Suzanne Goin invited you to her house for Thanksgiving, you'd expect dishes like persimmon and pomegranate salad, herb-roasted turkey, and kabocha squash gratin with poblanos and candied pepitas. It's the same at Tavern, where the three-course menu ($65 for adults; $35 for children) also comes with an array of sides, including traditional chestnut stuffing and Brussels sprouts with pancetta. Caroline Styne's wine pairings are an extra bonus. Want to take it home? Order the whole deal from the Larder. 1 to 7 p.m. 11648 West San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood; (310) 806-6464; www.tavernla.com

5. Craft will serve an assortment of Colicchio-approved dishes like spiced pork terrine; frisee salad with apple-smoked bacon, chestnuts and black truffle; organic free-range turkey; prime rib; sweet potato puree; sausage-raisin-fennel stuffing; and chocolate pecan pie for dessert. $85 per person. 2 to 8 p.m. 10100 Constellation Blvd., Century City; (310) 279-4180; www.craftrestaurants.com