If roasting a whole turkey sounds like more stress than celebration this year, a long list of restaurants across the American West has you covered. Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and kitchens from San Diego to Scottsdale are rolling out everything from classic buffets to omakase menus — so you can skip the dishes entirely.
Southern California has the deepest bench. Redbird in downtown LA runs a three-course prix fixe from chef Neal Fraser at $125 per person, with private dining rooms at $150 for a family-style affair. The Restaurant at Hotel Bel-Air goes all day (11 a.m.–8 p.m.) with maple-glazed heritage turkey and winter truffle risotto at a steep $295 per adult, while Birdie G's at the Fairmont Century Plaza offers a friendlier $115 three-course menu. Feeling untraditional? Nobu's seven-course Thanksgiving Omakase ($220) runs the whole holiday week and swaps turkey for A5 Wagyu and caviar-topped spring rolls. In Long Beach, the Sky Room at Fairmont Breakers makes a case for duck instead of turkey ($125), and down the coast, Marvela at the San Diego Marriott Marquis is the budget standout at $62 for a Mediterranean-leaning three-courser.
Families have solid options too. Rancho Valencia in Rancho Santa Fe turns Thanksgiving into a full day out — carriage rides, a petting zoo, face painting, plus a $275-per-adult buffet with Petrossian caviar and live taco and sushi stations. Nettuno, also at Fairmont Breakers, does a $125 buffet with a $49 kids' price, and Adelaide at L'Auberge in Del Mar covers both ends of the day with a brunch buffet ($130) and a three-course dinner ($160).
Wine Country brings the fine dining. Michelin-starred Caruso's at the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito serves a five-course menu built on Santa Barbara-area ingredients ($285), while in Napa, The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil — the valley's first fine-dining spot, dating to 1981 — pairs a French-Californian four-course dinner with vineyard views. Further north, Lucia in Carmel Valley leans seafood-heavy with oysters, poke and ceviche alongside honey-brined turkey ($165), and Lola in Nevada City offers a $100 prix fixe if you'd rather spend the holiday in Gold Rush country.
Arizona keeps things affordable. Carcara at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown does a Sonoran-spiked three-course dinner for just $75 per adult, and La Fogata at The Scottsdale Resort & Spa is close behind at $79, with pumpkin pie, butterscotch crème brûlée or chocolate flan cake to finish.
The practical takeaway: prices vary wildly — from about $60 to nearly $300 a head — and reservations are essential, with some venues (Rancho Valencia, Adelaide) taking bookings by phone only. If you're travelling for the holiday or simply want a second kitchen's worth of sides, book early; the most scenic rooms, especially in Napa and Montecito, fill first.
Story via Sunset.
