Thanksgiving Dishes and Add-Ons Complete the Holiday with No Fuss As Houston Restaurants Save the Day

Even with a pandemic, we still have to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family and friends, and Houston restaurants and venues are ready to assist! Don’t be shy about ordering a little bit of everything! I won’t tell. From Tacos to Turkeys, a Jazz Brunch and more, there’s something for everyone! There’s also a little boost in here for your Black Friday plans too.

photo: Nick de la Torre

ARNOLDO RICHARDS’ PICOS TAMALE STAND RETURNS WITH A TWIST: Picos Commissions Local Artist Jose Arredondo to Create Murals Spotlighting Hispanic Culture–Similar to years past, the stand will be located in the parking lot with a menu that boasts Picos’ famous tamales, salsas and moles made fresh daily. This year, however, Picos will usher in the tradition with a special twist. The Richards have commissioned local artist Jose Arredondo to create two murals that serve as a reminder of the agave-driven restaurant and pay homage to the Hispanic tradition of tamales during the holidays. One mural will adorn the stand and the other will be displayed in the parking lot facing Richmond. The life-size mural will depict an agave farmer wearing the classic jimador outfit worn during agave harvest. Arredondo’s work has caught the attention of KHOU and George R. Brown who have worked with the artist to commission murals and backgrounds.  The launch of the tamale stand comes in anticipation of Picos’ annual 12 Days of Mole and Tamale Brunch.

Pinstripes, the top choice for experiential dining and entertainment is offering a holiday menu of braised short ribs, root vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, and apple pie. Holiday weekend brunch includes the savory Steak & Eggs, Smoked Salmon Flatbread and Reindeer Waffles, available December 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, 2020 and January 1-3, 2021. Enjoy Cranberry Mule Drinks and Christmas Ugly Sweater Drink Specials, and happy hour pricing from open to close every Wednesday and Thursday. Enjoy these specials and special pricing on bowling and bocce ball throughout the month of December. Ring in the new year and visit Pinstripes for your New Year’s Eve celebration, Dec 31, 2020 for holiday ambiance, live music, party favors, surprise giveaways, champagne toasts for adults, and juice or cider for the kids. In addition, a New Year’s Eve display for your Instagram poses! Advance reservation highly recommended. Walk-ins allowed.Want your holiday meal to-go? Curbside pick-up available, place your order online Houston: To make a reservation, call 346-297-1771 or visit https://pinstripes.com/houston/.

Courtesy of TAG Restaurant Group

Let Guard and Grace chefs do the planning, shopping, and cooking. The modern steakhouse in Downtown Houston has recently re-opened their doors and is offering a full Thanksgiving meal to-go, or Thanksgiving In A Box, for 4 people with all of the favorite fixings. Every box includes turkey neck stuffing & French onion gravy, killer mashed potatoes, cultured butter, chives, roasted brussels sprouts, winter salad greens with lemon honey vinaigrette, G&G house rolls, sweet potato cake, and Troy’s Signature Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies (!). Detailed instructions to heat and serve are included. The package also allows guests to choose their protein, such as the herb-roasted turkey breast with smoked turkey leg sausage ($199), Prime Rib ($199), or guests can choose without a protein ($119). A la carte options are also available if guests need a few things only. Make sure to take advantage of the wine packages and cocktail kits as well! The wine team can guide your palette with a selection of favorite wines that would be great for pairing (3 bottles for $90 | 6 bottles for $175). Cocktail kits featuring a selection of G&G’s signature cocktails can serve up to 16 cocktails ($135). A gallon of the house margarita is also sold and can serve up to 30 guests ($100). Orders must be place by November 23rd by noon. Pick up is from 12 PM to 3 PM on November 24th and 25th. For more information, call 346.326.0789 or go to https://guardandgrace.com/houston/.

No better way to unwind after Thanksgiving Day at the new Italian eatery, Ostia. Ostia will be open for post-Thanksgiving Day brunch (11/27) from 11 AM to 4 PM. Enjoy fresh pasta, pizzas, seasonal salads, frittatas, a la carte meats, and other lunch/brunch menu items in their extensive patio area or dining room. Orders can also be placed during hours of operation for curbside pickup, too. The restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving Day. More details at https://www.ostiahou.com or call 713.324.9288.

Courtesy of Hannah Gregus

State of Grace will be offering take and bake commissary items for guests’ at-home Thanksgiving celebrations. These select items include chocolate chess pie ($25), pumpkin pie ($25), pecan pie ($25), ginger snap cream pies ($3.50), and dozens of milk rolls with steen’s cane syrup butter ($18/dozen). Pickup will be on Tuesday (11/24) or Wednesday (11/25) at State of Grace. All pies will require 48-hour notice and come with a kit to make homemade whipped topping. All items are available to purchase here and will also be available for Christmas: https://stateofgracetx.square.site/.

Goode Company is synonymous with the holiday season, from smoked turkeys and sides to their famous Brazos Bottom Pecan Pies enjoyed in Houston and shipped across the county. Goode Thanksgiving options, from the full feast to individual items, are available for online pre-order from October 26 to November 18, for pick-up on November 24 & 25. Orders can be picked up at Goode Co. Barbecue locations at 5109 Kirby Drive (77098); 8911 Katy Freeway (77024); and 8865 Six Pines Drive (77380).  Orders can also be ordered for delivery via Goode Co. Grocers. Convenient drive-through booths will be set up two days before both Thanksgiving and Christmas between 8 am and 5 pm at three Goode Company Barbeque locations (Original, Memorial and The Woodlands). Customers can easily pick-up Brazos Bottom Pecan Pies and Goode Company Chocolate Pies without pre-ordering.  Quantities are limited!

In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Taco Cabana will offer three limited-time specials starting Wednesday, November 25, 2020. Taco Cabana lovers can enjoy their favorite menu items at special prices, including signature Taco Cabana tacos, margaritas, Cabana Bowls and more. Kicking off the trio of specials, “Drinksgiving” will offer guests their choice of any one Taco Cabana soft taco (excludes brisket and steak tacos) and margarita combination of their choice for only $3. This combo is available on Wednesday, November 25, 2020 only. On Black Friday, November 27, Taco Cabana invites guests to enjoy a buy one get one (BOGO) offer on their signature shredded chicken or ground beef TC Cabana Bowls, available with or without a crispy tortilla shell. This BOGO offer is valid on Black Friday (November 27, 2020) only. Offers are valid at all participating Taco Cabana locations in Texas. Select Taco Cabana dining rooms and patios are now open for dine-in. For more information on Taco Cabana’s offerings, visit tacocabana.com.

Start New Family Holiday Traditions with Thanksgiving Day Jazz Brunch & Breakfast with Santa at Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe Houston.  THANKSGIVING DAY JAZZ BRUNCH – Enjoy a socially distanced brunch with friends and family on Thanksgiving Day. Dine alongside a Jazz Duo and floor-to-ceiling views of beautiful Lake Conroe on November 26, 2020 – 10:30am – 3:30pm at              Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston at the Del Lago Ballroom at 600 Margaritaville Parkway. Open to the public, guests, and members. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 936.448.4400, Option #3, or 936.448.3224. Adults $59.00 | Children 6-12 $19.00 |Children 5 and under FREE. $15 Bloody Mary and Bubbly Bar plus tax & gratuity Complimentary Valet at Conference Center Entrance.

This holiday season is about to be a little easier with the addition of La Lucha’s family packs including Houston’s favorite fried chicken. La Lucha will be offering family packs to-go that feed four people and includes their classic fried chicken (eight pieces), a Superica entrée salad, boiled corn, collard greens, and a bottle of Bisol Prosecco, served with four biscuits, pickles, honey sambal, and jam ($59.95). Available via online ordering for curbside pickup or Door Dash delivery through their website at  http://laluchatx.com.

Leave the Thanksgiving cooking to Le Colonial this year. River Oaks District’s upscale Vietnamese eatery is offering a robust, family-style takeout menu, featuring signature dishes and seasonal selections.  Highlights include your choice of: Whole roasted Australian rack of lamb (8 chops per rack), Vietnamese spiced whole roasted chicken, Whole roasted duck, Le Colonial Signature crispy red snapper and Sides included with every order of the above Garlic green beans, Crispy lemon Brussel sprouts, Le colonial signature fried rice, and optional add-ons for an additional charge, which are Le Colonial garlic noodles, Tarte Au Citron – fresh lemon curd, meringue, fresh berries, Pear almond Bourdaloue Tarte- Almond Frangipane, Anjou Pear, Madagascar Vanilla, and French pecan pie. All orders must be placed online prior to 12 p.m. on Monday, November 23. The restaurant will be offering pick up on Wednesday, November 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Take yourself on a journey this Thanksgiving with Musaafer. The visionaries behind their Neoteric Indian cuisine will be serving their full menu in addition to a Spiced Turkey Mosaic which captures the essence of a classic holiday roast infused with Indian flavors. The Turkey Mosaic is comprised of celeriac puree, cumin dust, cranberry and blueberry chutney, drunken spiced cheery and roast gravy. Musaafer is located in the Galleria’s luxury wing, and will be open Thanksgiving Day from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. More information at 713.242.8087 or musaaferhouston.com.

Featured photo: Goode Company