Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. It is a return to the basics: delicious food, in the company of people you love, reminiscing about all that is good in life. It is also a glorious time of year in Salt Lake with the trees hanging on to the last of their fall colors, a dusting of snow on the valley floor, and the mountains topped with white. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving also ushers in the stress of the holiday season. It’s easy to get caught up and overwhelmed by expectations. Make this your best Salt Lake Thanksgiving with a few of our favourite sources for simplifying, catering and eating out.
Simplify Your Table
Preparation is key to simplifying your Thanksgiving table. In the wise words of local chef and restaurateur Marguerite Henderson, “Nobody should be setting a table, making a pie or mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving!”
Niche Homes Design Director Kayley Danielson sets a cozy table (above) for four. Ball jar drinking glasses look right at home next to Vintage Wedgewood China. Pulling in some organic touches, like mini-pumpkins and a fall basket adds interest and soft texture to any harvest table. Think traditional, textured, and organic. Setting a Thanksgiving table should be as simple, and natural, a proposition as the holiday itself.
Photo credit Room for Rent, Trader Joe’s floral
Where to Find Gorgeous Thanksgiving Floral and Decor in Salt Lake
Purchase or pre-order no later than the first week of November
Trader Joe’s—$; gourds, grasses, floral; Downtown/Cottonwood Height/Orem.
Jolley’s—$$; floral and succulent pumpkin arrangements; Yalecrest.
The Kinlands—$$; gourds, pumpkins, old-world market finds; Riverton.
Cactus & Tropical—$$$; plant and floral arrangements; Millcreek/Draper.
Harvest Board—$$$; wood slabs for charcuterie, sides and desserts; online with local pickup.
Photo credit Marguerite Henderson
Simplify Your Food
Chef Marguerite Henderson has some easy tips for simplifying your entire Thanksgiving dinner. For starters, focus on the food that is meaningful to you and avoid serving too many dishes or trying to make every dish the star of the show. For her, it’s all about the turkey, gravy and stuffing. She has clever hacks for simplifying and supplementing your meal with Trader Joe and Costco shortcuts as well as desserts, sides and charcuterie boards from local small businesses.
Read the complete article, Marguerite Henderson’s 10 Tips for Simplifying Thanksgiving Dinner.
The Best Catering, Restaurants and Bakeries for Thanksgiving Take Out in Salt Lake
Once you’ve figured out what you want to cook (or if you don’t want to cook at all!), make life easy and outsource the rest. Salt Lake is bursting at the seams with wonderful options for ordering out this Thanksgiving. Here are a few of our neighborhood favorites delivering mouth-watering results. Just make sure to order as soon as possible. We recommend ordering by the first week of November.
Photo Credit Caputo’s
Charcuterie & Bar
Caputo’s—$$; charcuterie, sides, bitters & bar; Downtown/15th & 15th/Holladay.
We Olive & Wine Bar—$$$, charcuterie & wine, Downtown.
Photo credit Vessel Kitchen
Sides to Go
Vessel Kitchen—$$; salads, “everything but the bird”; Midvale/Sandy/9th &9th/Park City.
Luna’s Kitchen— $$; gluten-free party platters, charcuterie, and sides; Park City.
Photo Credit Gourmandise
Pies & Baked Goods
Gourmandise—$$; desserts, rolls, and sides; Downtown/Draper.
Tulie—$$; pies, cakes and other baked goods, 15th &15th.
Fillings and Emulsions—$$; macarons, pies, rolls, and other baked goods; Downtown.
Schmidt’s Pastry Cottage—$; rolls, pies, cakes & cookies; South Jordan/West Jordan.
Les Madeleines—$$; pies, cakes and other baked goods; Downtown.
Sweet Cake Bake Shop—$$; gluten-free pies and baked goods; Bountiful.
Photo credit Provisions
Complete Thanksgiving Meals & Sides To Go
Harmons Grocery—$; locally-sourced fresh meats, catered Thanksgiving sides, charcuterie, pies and bakery; all along the Wasatch Front, find a location near you.
The Store—$-$$; locally-sourced fresh meats, catered Thanksgiving sides, pies and bakery; Holladay.
Archibald’s—$$; turkey and ham dinner with sides and pumpkin pie cake; West Jordan.
Gourmandise—$$; complete turkey dinner, a la carte sides and desserts; Downtown/Draper.
Cucina—$$; complete turkey dinner and a la carte sides; The Avenues.
SLC Mother—$$; complete Thanksgiving kit (whole serves 15-20 or half serves 7-10) or sides & pies a la carte, order online for Holladay pickup.
Provisions—$$; heritage Thanksgiving dinner for four; Millcreek.
Whole Foods—$$; organic and gluten-free fresh meats, sides & pies; Downtown/Sugarhouse/Cottonwood Heights/Park City.
Liberty Heights Fresh—$$-$$$; organic, locally-sourced, order: fresh meats, catered Thanksgiving sides, pies and charcuterie; Sugarhouse.
Pago—$$$; locally-sourced Thanksgiving dinner for two with vegetarian and vegan options; 9th & 9th.
Photo credit Grand America
Our Favourite Restaurants for Dining Out on Thanksgiving in Salt Lake & Deer Valley
Some call eating out on Thanksgiving sacrilege, we call it the best meal of the year without breaking a sweat! Salt Lake and Park City restaurants pull out all the stops with decadent options that your pickiest eaters will love. Dining out is an especial treat for someone who has spent years stuck in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a chance to sit down and have a nice, long conversation without worrying about the dishes. Make sure to make your reservations early! Popular buffets like The Grand and Little America sell out in October.
Hub & Spoke Diner—$$; Thanksgiving buffet, reservation only; Sugarhouse.
Silver Fork Lodge—$$; Thanksgiving buffet, reservation only; Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Little America Coffee Shop—$$; Thanksgiving menu, first-come, first-serve; Downtown.
The Grand America & Little America Buffet—$$$; Thanksgiving buffet, reservations only; Downtown.
Log Haven—$$$; Thanksgiving buffet, reservation only; Millcreek Canyon.
Tuscany—$$$; Thanksgiving menu, reservation only; Cottonwood Heights.
Glitretind at Stein Eriksen—$$$; Thanksgiving menu, reservation only; Deer Valley.
St. Regis—$$$; Thanksgiving buffet, reservation only; Deer Valley.
Bambara—$$$;Thanksgiving menu, reservation only; Downtown.
Fleming’s—$$$; Thanksgiving menu, reservation only; Downtown.
Yuta at Blue Sky—$$$; Thanksgiving menu, reservation only; Wanship.
Niche Homes is a full-service real estate agency specializing in Wasatch Front neighborhoods and enclaves. Contact us if you are interested in buying or selling a home.
