Note from Karen,  Note,, db Bistro Moderne is now Boulud Sud (still Daniel Boulud) and Beachcraft is home to a new restaurant that I haven’t tried. Click here for a new list for November, 2018.

By Jennifer Agress and Yours Truly

Give thanks this holiday season at some of Miami’s leading restaurants, where you can kick back, enjoy a delicious feast, and hand off the responsibility of roasting that turkey to one of the Magic City’s top chefs. This Thanksgiving, a bevy of fine South Florida dining establishments have created special menus just for the food-centric holiday — from Coral Gables and Downtown Miami, to Miami Beach. Here are our eight picks for Thanksgiving Miami:

1. The Biltmore Hotel: The Biltmore Hotel, in Coral Gables, will offer two different Thanksgiving dinners this year. At Palme D’Or, you can get a five-course tasting menu of Chef Gregory Pugin’s fine French cuisine. Priced at $125 per person, expect dishes like La Pomme de Terre au Salmon Fume et Caviar, or smoked salmon with potatoes and Osetra Caviar; Poached Alaska King Crab with cauliflower and curry sauce; Seared Alaskan Black Cod with calamari and chorizo Sauce Barigoule; and La Dinde “A ma Façon” with a turkey degustation, butter squash, parsnip and salsify. Because every holiday feast deserves a sweet ending, Palme D’Or will serve La Noix de Peccan, a creamy pecan pie with vanilla pumpkin ice cream. At Fontana at the Biltmore, guests will be able to dine on a four-course, Italian-inspired feast. On the menu, guests will find dishes like Burratina with porcini, fresh figs, chestnut honey; Crostacei al Vapore Marinati allo Zenzero, or ginger marinated steamed lobster medallions, colossal shrimp and sea scallop with pomegranate and curly salad; Veal Tortellini in fontina cheese fondue; and herb-marinated, slow-roasted organic turkey with sweet potato soufflé, sausage stuffing wrapped in savory cabbage, French beans, cranberry sauce and pan gravy. For dessert, opt for sweets like Torta di Ricotta e Zucca, Crema alla Canella e Semi Tostati, or pumpkin cheesecake with cinnamon Chantilly and toasted pumpkin seed. This dinner is priced at $85+ per person. Self parking is complimentary and valet parking is $10. 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables, (855) 969-3080
2.  Essensia Restaurant + Lounge: This Thanksgiving, enjoy a seasonal, farm-to-table buffet at Essensia Restaurant + Lounge. Start your meal with plated smoked salmon and deviled eggs, and move on to salad, carving, and dessert stations, where you’ll find slow-roasted herb-rubbed natural turkey with cranberry-orange chutney, honey mustard braised beef brisket, butternut squash wedges, sourdough herb stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and seasonal mini desserts and pies. Pair your meal with a glass of biodynamic wine or one of Essensia’s garden-to-glass ‘conscious cocktails,’ and trust us: you’ll have plenty to be thankful for. Dinner is priced at $59 per adult and $29 per child under 12, and will be served from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Parking costs $15. The Palms Hotel & Spa, 3025 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, (305) 908-5458

3. Lure Fishbar: Led by Executive Chef John Iatrellis, Lure Fishbar is one of Miami Beach’s hottest seafood spots. For just $55 per person, it will offer a Thanksgiving 2016 tasting menu with dishes like Butternut Squash Bisque with toasted pumpkin seeds and crème fraiche; Roasted Blue Point Oysters with brie, spinach and lemon dust; and Roasted Carolina Turkey with maple roasted yams, whipped potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and Italian sausage stuffing served family-style. For dessert, choose from sweet endings like Pumpkin Panna Cotta or Ice Cream Sandwiches. Thanksgiving dinner will be served from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and valet parking is available for $16 with validation. 1600 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, (305) 695-4550
4. db Bistro Moderne: This Thanksgiving, db Bistro Moderne — Daniel Boulud’s delicious restaurant concept in the JW Marriott Marquis — will once again host a lavish holiday feast. With both a la carte and prix-fixe menu options, this feast will once again highlight Executive Chef Clark Bowen and Chef Pâtisserie Saeko Nemoto’s fresh take on regional cuisine and local flavors. On the a la carte menu, get fruits de mer like oysters, Red Alaskan King Crab, shrimp cocktail, charcuterie and artisanal cheese boards, and sides for sharing like cranberry chutney, whipped sweet potatoes and more. Then, on the prix-fixe menu, choose from seasonal dishes like pumpkin agnolotti with chestnuts, sage, and Brussels sprouts; pumpkin soup with caramelized apple and spiced crème fraîche; roasted Thanksgiving Turkey with chestnut dressing, cranberry chutney, Brussels sprouts, whipped sweet potato and gravy; and a Gianduja chocolate bar with hazelnut mousse, praline jam and orange vodka sorbet. As if that weren’t enough, to make sure the feast continues the next day, diners will also be sent home with a complimentary turkey sandwich to go! The prix-fixe menu is priced at $65 per person, and a kids menu is available for $35. The lounge opens at 12pm with an à la carte Thanksgiving menu, and lunch and dinner service follow from 1 to 9pm. Valet parking is available for $10 with proper validation. JW Marriott Marquis Miami, 255 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Miami, (305) 421-8800
5.  Jaya at The Setai: This Thanksgiving, Jaya at The Setai will offer two options for hungry diners. From 11:30am to 3:30pm, head to the restaurant for an elaborate Thanksgiving Brunch with traditional and non-traditional options; like turkey, ham and a roasted honey glaze leg of lamb, Jaya’s famous Chinese Dim Sum menu, Indonesian Beef Rendang and Traditional Pad Thai, and an extensive array of seafood displayed on an ice sculpture. From 7 – 10:30pm that night, guests can reserve a table for an Asian-inspired Thanksgiving meal. The Thanksgiving Brunch is priced at $125 per person and $63 per child, and the 4-course dinner is priced at $125 per person and $63 per child. Valet costs $15 per car with validation. The Setai, Miami Beach, 2001 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, (855) 923-7899

6. Beachcraft: Located in the lobby of 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach, Tom Colicchio’s famed Beachcraft will host an impeccable thanksgiving soirée befitting the celebrity chef’s A-list reputation. Served family-style, the feast will include mouthwatering menu items like warm squash salad with hazelnuts and ricotta salata, carrot-cauliflower soup, country pate with whole grain mustard and Swank Farm Greens, sausage stuffing with caramelized leeks and onions, roast turkey with gravy, smoked cobia, pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust and more. This meal is priced at $120 per person, and an exclusive children’s menu is available for $30 per child. Want to have your meal at home, but don’t want to cook? Order the feast to go — it’s also available for takeout. Valet costs $10 per car with validation. 1 Hotel South Beach, 2395 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, (305) 604-6700

7.  Meat Market Miami Beach: If it’s dinner on Lincoln Road you crave, look no further than everyone’s favorite trendy steakhouse, Meat Market Miami Beach. With innovative dishes created by Executive Chef Sean Brasel, Meat Market will offer a la carte specials in addition to its regular everyday dinner menu. Some of the dishes diners can look out for include: Bell and Evans Fresh Turkey leg Roulade stuffed with sourdough, house smoked duck leg confit, roasted corn with cranberry and ginger chutney, sweet corn hush puppies and braised local greens; wood-grilled Bell and Evans Fresh Citrus & Vanilla Marinated Sous Vide Turkey Breast with pumpkin purée, roasted cauliflower and short rib sour cherry marmalade; and the créme de la créme: a Mixed Grill of Three made up of the Bell and Evans Fresh Turkey leg Roulad, the Bell and Evans Fresh Citrus & Vanilla Marinated Sous Vide Turkey Breast, and a BBQ  Braised Certified Angus Prime Short Rib with walnut praline demi and roasted bone marrow. On Thanksgiving Day, the bar will open from 4pm – midnight and the kitchen will be open from 5pm – midnight. Seating is limited, and reservations are required in advance. Parking is available in various garages around Lincoln Road, with flat rates ranging from $15 to $20 on holiday weekends. 915 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, (305) 532-0088 
8. Red, the Steakhouse: Though known for serving Certified Angus Beef Prime Steaks (the top 1.5% of beef available in the  U.S.) Executive Chef Peter Vauthy knows how to cook a tasty turkey too. With a gourmet menu that includes all the classic fixings, Red, the Steakhouse is a great destination to “say thanks” this year. Indulge in festive-sized portions of organic turkey with house made gravy, granny smith apple-sausage stuffing, and sweet potato fondue with house-made marshmallows… just make sure to come really hungry and thirsty for that matter, as there’s 400+ wine selections to choose from. It is also offering all dishes available for take out and a full à la carte menu. The restaurant will serve a 11/2 pound dish of Organic Turkey with Gravy for $29. All sides are priced between $12 and $18 each. A tasting of 4 sides will be available for $28. The restaurant will open for dinner service at 5:00pm.