If you wish to shake things up this Thanksgiving, then give yourself a brand-new fall tradition with a unique meal at a top South Florida restaurant. Though the palm tree leaves may not be changing color and the cold fronts last only hours, South Florida still celebrates Thanksgiving with a big bang and local restaurants are offering up a variety of unforgettable fall flavors. So, gather up your friends and family and head on over to these top spots:
1. Council Oak Steaks & Seafood at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino takes the stress out of cooking for the family, serving up a three-course menu that features a roasted spiced pumpkin bisque topped with a toasted acorn and an all-natural Tanglewood Farms black turkey dinner with cognac pan gravy, sage corn stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans and sweet-potato mash. End the evening with a sweet-potato cake topped with cinnamon-spiced, caramel-and-brown-butter frosting. Council Oak will have you giddy just at the thought of Thanksgiving. Open 3 to 10 pm on Thanksgiving Day. Council Oak, 1 Seminole Way, Fort Lauderdale, 954.327.7501
2. The Forge Restaurant and Winebar opens its doors on Thanksgiving Day to offer a four-course dinner menu starting at 5 pm. The menu features plates like herb-roasted turkey breasts, plus a crispy crab cake with granny smith apples, black garlic and lemon horseradish aioli. Need more? Enjoy the creamy butternut squash soup with a succulent poached lobster, a 24-hour braised dark meat, fennel sausage stuffing, potato puree, orange cranberry sauce and giblet gravy. The Forge, 432 41st St., Miami Beach, 305.538.8533
3. If you’re in the mood to really put the twist on an old-fashioned holiday, check out The Setai’s version of the holiday's table-top classics. Executive Chef Mathias Gervais prepares the traditional American holiday meals with a French flare. A gourmet roasted turkey with Ballotine turkey legs stuffed with chestnut, sausage and martadella is but one delicious part of a huge selection of tasty dishes. The Setai, 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 844.292.1471
4. Looking for dinner with a view this Thanksgiving? 3030 Ocean presents a relaxing picture of a Thanksgiving without stress, an oceanfront seat and fresh ingredients. Open on Thanksgiving Day from 5 to 10 pm, this elegant eatery boasts Kabocha squash soup with maple chive cream, turkey breast and confit leg complete with mushroom bread stuffing, Yukon puree, fall vegetables and cranberry sauce. End the meal with a bang with the spot's pecan bars topped with cranberry and caramel and a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. 3030 Ocean, 3030 Holiday Dr., Fort Lauderdale, 954.765.3030
5. For those not willing to commit fully to a non-traditional Thanksgiving evening, how about a brunch? BLT Prime at Trump National Doral Miami is offering a Thanksgiving prix-fixe brunch buffet from 10:30 am to 4 pm. BLT hosts an assortment of accompaniments and an endless variety of food to choose from, like kabocha squash risotto with pumpkin seeds, pecornio and saffron, plus striped bass with brussel sprouts and cranberry. Be sure to try the cranberry-spiced bread pudding with walnuts and the velvet chocolate rocky road with vanilla and hazelnuts to end your meal. BLT Prime, 4400 NW 87th Ave., Doral, 305.591.6606
6. Kick back and be thankful for the things in life you love most—at a home away from home, right at the heart of Midtown. Sugarcane Raw Bar and Grill creates a dining experience when three kitchens unite for a sultry take on classic meals. On Nov. 27, Sugarcane will prepare a three-course meal fit for the possibly chilly weather, with oven-roasted and fried turkey chorizo bread pudding, beef tenderloin or pan-seared turbot as the main dishes. End the meal with either (or both) of their holiday dessert selections, which include warm fruit cobbler and a pumpkin praline tart. Sugarcane Raw Bar and Grill, 3252 NE 1st Ave., Miami, 786.369.0353
7. In too much of a hurry for anything this holiday season? No worries, Tongue & Cheek Restaurant offers a “Feast-to-Go” for Thanksgiving. No need to worry about dinner plans or cooking—just order a full family dinner that serves parties of six to eight or 10 to 12 people, turkey included, by Sunday, Nov. 23, for pick-up on the day before Thanksgiving. Dinners include arugula salad, mashed potatoes, cinnamon apple-cranberry sauce, green beans, Southern buttermilk biscuits and more familiar classics cooked to perfection—all perfect for bringing to your friend's place or that hotel suite. Tongue & Cheek, 431 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305.704.2900