We aren’t insinuating anything about grandma and her home cooking, but unless she’s a classically trained chef in one of the most competitive culinary settings, enjoying turkey dinner on the road isn’t all that bad. Especially when today’s chefs are anything but traditional—finding inventive and delicious ways to transform turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, then mixing in some wildcard ingredients you’d never expect to see on a Thanksgiving spread. Whether you’re on the road this season or just looking for inspiration for your own events, these restaurants have no shortage of creativity.
Gramercy Park Hotel, New York City
Have a when-in-Rome experience with an Italian take on Thanksgiving at Maialino. Chestnut soup, pumpkin-sage tortelli di zucca pasta, turkey, kale-and-sausage stuffing, polenta and a cranberry mostarda round out all the necessary fixings. maialinonyc.com
Saddle Peak Lodge; Calabasas, California
Head for the hills this holiday for a filling four-course meal of pumpkin soup, roasted baby beets, Spanish octopus salad, turkey breast, New Zealand elk tenderloin, spiced pumpkin pie and banana-huckleberry bread pudding. saddlepeaklodge.com
Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans
Put a Cajun twist on turkey dinner at The Grill Room with a lobster etouffee starter, followed by heritage-breed turkey, oyster stuffing and haricots verts. grillroomneworleans.com
Viceroy Snowmass Resort; Aspen, Colorado
Thanksgiving has another significance to skiers: first day of the season. Viceroy Snowmass Resort celebrates with Thanksjibbings Leftover Challenge, where chefs compete to create the best day-after meal. Guests can sample and vote for their favorite. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
Fairmont San Jose, California
Looking for a boisterous atmosphere that mimics home? Live piano music and kids’ games ought to do the trick. Indulge in semitraditional fixings such as rubbed roast turkey with chestnut and sage stuffing and lavender mustard rib-eye roast with thyme garlic jus. fairmont.com/san-jose
