SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — It’s the time of year for family gatherings and feasts.
For those who don’t want to dress the bird, prepare all the fixings or bake endless pumpkin and pecan pies, a few restaurants and community events are happening to make the holiday easier.
It’s wise to call ahead for reservations at local restaurants, to ensure a table is available — or order ahead for pickup.
Community events, including vegan potlucks and free meals or other potlucks hosted by community organizations, are also listed below.
Happy holidays!
RESTAURANTS OPEN
Bluewater Waterfront Grill
4 Marina Drive, Wrightsville Beach • https://www.bluewaterdining.com
Enjoy a meal overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. Thanksgiving plates at Bluewater are $40 for adults and $18 for kids. Servings include roasted turkey or baked ham, mashed Yukon Gold or sweet potatoes, sausage apple stuffing, homemade gravy, collards, cranberry sauce, and rolls or cornbread. Desert is choice of pumpkin cheesecake torte or pumpkin pie.
A Thanksgiving family meal is also being served to-go. Four to six people can be fed for $160 and there are whole pies available for $29.
Call 910-256-8500 for a reservation or to place to-go orders.
Bridge Tender
1414 Airlie Drive • https://www.thebridgetender.com
The Bridge Tender will open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, serving a varied menu of traditional items plus seafood and more.
Prices are a la carte and offered $14 to $49. There is turkey roulade, peppercorn-crusted tuna, tortellini, ribeye and more, plus a bevy of sides including sweet potato and Brussels hash, rice pilaf, carrots and others. Desserts include apple crisp, pumpkin cream cake and fudge brownie.
Buzz’s Roost at the Beach
8 Pavilion Ave. S., Carolina Beach • www.facebook.com/BuzzsBeach
Annually, Buzz’s Roost on Carolina Beach opens up free food to anyone who comes from its doors from noon to 5 p.m. This year will feature a seafood boil, including crab legs, shrimp, oysters, clams, mussels, crawfish and oysters with potatoes and corn. Plus, chicken and pastry will be available.
No reservations are needed.
Casey’s Buffet
5559 Oleander Drive • https://www.caseysbuffet.com
Homemade country cookin’ is always available at Casey’s, whose buffet is stocked with turkey and dressing, ham and fried chicken, and seafood. Of course, don’t forget the sides — mashed potatoes, squash casserole, turnip greens, sweet potato souffle, finished off with choice of pie or banana pudding.
The buffet is open from 11 a.m. to. 5 p.m., first-come, first-serve on Thanksgiving Day.
Elijah’s
2 Ann St. • https://www.elijahs.com
Elijah’s will have a Thanksgiving buffet from noon to 7 p.m. on Nov. 28. The price is $37 per person or $15 for kids 12 and under. They’re also taking orders for pre-made side dishes for $30 per half pan to pick up on Wednesday, Nov. 27 or 28, 10 a.m. to noon.
Call (910) 343-1448 to reserve a spot or place an order.
Fork n Cork
122 Market St. • https://theforkncork.com
The Fork N Cork in downtown Wilmington is opening its doors at 4 p.m. and will serve Thanksgiving plates and turkey sandwiches for $10 until 9 p.m. as part of its “1st Annual Fork n Cork Thanksgiving Cluster Fork.”
The restaurant is small and will have tables open outdoors and various holiday cocktails will be for sale as well (alcohol is allowed indoors or under the restaurant awning only).
Owner Dustin Smith — who took over the restaurant after his brother, James, passed away in 2023 — decided to open it as a social gathering, particularly for people who don’t have a traditional holiday with family planned and don’t want to be alone, he expressed.
Front Street Brewery
9 N. Front St. • frontstreetbrewery.com
Open from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Nov. 28, Front Street Brewery always has traditional turkey plates to enjoy while dining in or to take home and enjoy while watching the games. It also has its full menu — food and beer — available for purchase.
The Harp
1423 S. Third St. • harpwilmington.com
Located in the South Front District, The Harp will feature a Thanksgiving Day buffet for $29.99 a person. It will consist of all the traditional proteins and fixings.
Reservations can be made by calling 910-763-1607 and the restaurant will accommodate walk-ins, if available.
Mema’s Chick’n and Ribs
8232 Market St. • https://www.memaschicknandribs.com/
A beloved traditional home-cookin’ restaurant, which got its start in Burgaw, has reopened in the Porters Neck area, where J. Michael’s Philly Deli once was located.
Mema’s Chick’n and Ribs is known for its barbecue, chicken and ribs, but also has been a staple for catering holiday meals for families. Though the cutoff to order the meal to-go already has passed, its new digs will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Mema’s has smoked turkey, baked ham, pulled pork and ribs, plus collards, green beans, dressing, creamed corn and more. Don’t forget to top it off with sweet potato pie or lemon meringue.
Junction 421
5104 South College Road • junction421.com
Though not dine-in, Junction 421 is offering a $120 Thanksgiving to go package, to feed four people. It comes with roasted turkey or sliced ham, as well as sides including roasted corn chowder, mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing, sweet potatoes, broccoli casserole and cran apple cake.
Folks can order it by calling 910-392-3490.
Oceanic
703 S Lumina Ave. • oceanicrestaurant.com
The beachside restaurant is opening from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and though reservations are not needed, they’re suggested.
Adults eat for $40 and kids under 10 for $20. The entree will consist of herb-roasted turkey breast and homemade gravy, whipped potatoes, cornbread stuffing, haricot verts, and cranberry sauce. Desserts comes with choice of pecan or pumpkin pie.
The full Oceanic menu also will be served. Call for reservations at 910-256-5551.
The Pilot House
2 Ann St. • pilothouserest.com
Reservations are being accepted at The Pilot House overlooking downtown’s Cape Fear River, with seatings starting at noon.
The restaurant will have traditional Thanksgiving classics served, but also will have their full menu available. The Pilot House specializes in coastal cuisine and Southern hospitality, so expect fried green tomatoes and hot crab dip, Low Country spring rolls, shrimp and grits or sweet-potato-encrusted grouper.
Call (910) 343-0200 for reservations or book here.
PinPoint Restaurant
114 Market St. • https://pinpointrestaurant.com
The sixth annual Pinpoint Thanksgiving dinner is scheduled for Nov. 28, with seating from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Reservations are required by calling 910-769-2972.
The meal is $95 per person and served family-style. It includes a traditional Thanksgiving, with turkey and ham, cranberry sauce, roasted garlic mash, ciabatta stuffing, green bean casserole, smoked cheddar mac and cheese, fried Brussels sprouts, and cornbread, with fall salad and for dessert, apple pie.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
301 N. Water St. • www.ruthschris.com
Opening at 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, downtown Wilmington’s Ruth’s Chris Steak House is serving a three-course Thanksgiving meal for $48, with a kids menu priced $20.
The meal starts with a choice of salad or soup, followed by oven-roasted turkey, sausage stuffing and gravy, and cranberry sauce. Sides include garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, creamed spinach, green beans, and finished off with pumpkin cheesecake and vanilla ice cream.
Ruth’s Chris is also offering to-go catering for above, but it must be ordered 48 hours in advance and pick up is on Nov. 27, noon to 4 p.m.; price starts at $175. Sides are also available a la carte, starting at $30.
Sealevel City Cafe
1015 S Kerr Ave. • https://www.facebook.com/SealevelCityDiner
For a vegan Thanksgiving, Sealevel City Cafe has families covered with to-go dishes available for pickup on Wednesday.
Choose from a Thanksgiving roast — housemade seitan with crispy rice paper skin ($40), cream of mushroom gravy ($8-$15), kimchi collards ($15-$30), cheesy scalloped potatoes ($13-$25), stuffing ($13-$25), butterbeans with hemseeds ($13-$25), jalapeño cornbread ($10-$20), and pumpkin pie ($30).
Orders can be placed by emailing sealevelvegan@gmail.com.
Steam
9 Estell Place • https://steamrestaurantilm.com
With a panoramic view of the Cape Fear River, Steam at Embassy Suites will open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 28.
Steam is serving a Thanksgiving brunch for $44 per adult or $22 for kids (6 and under, $9).
The menu includes local oysters, shrimp cocktail, artisan cheese, deviled eggs, plus prime rib and brined turkey, served with poblano creamed corn, green bean casserole, cornbread safe stuffing, garlic parmesan mashed potatoes, sweet potato pecan casserole, creamy mac and cheese and housemade cranberry sauce.
A chef’s selection of desserts will be available as well as holiday-inspired drinks.
Call 910-726-9226 for reservations.
Sweet N Savory Cafe
1611 Pavilion Place • sweetnsavory.cafe
Near Wrightsville Beach, Sweet N Savory is accepting reservations for Thanksgiving (no walk-ins allowed).
Meals are served family-style and include slow-roasted turkey and gravy, Southern cornbread and sausage stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and homemade dinner rolls. Dessert includes pumpkin pie, apple cobbler and flourless chocolate torte.
The meal comes with soft drinks, tea and coffee and is priced $37 for adults, $27 for elders, $22 for kids ages 9-12, $12 for kids 5-8; and free for kids 5 and under.
Call (910) 256-0115 for reservations.
COMMUNITY GATHERINGS
Hampstead Baptist Church Community Thanksgiving
67 Factory Road, Hampstead • https://hampsteadbaptist.org
A tradition for a local congregation, Hampstead Baptist Church, brings together friends and strangers to enjoy a meal together and camaraderie.
It started as a place of respite for anyone without a place to go, but the church has opened its annual Thanksgiving celebration too anyone who would like to attend.
Hampstead Baptist Church provides turkey and beverages and asks everyone else to bring a side dish. Dinner is served at noon and lasts until 2 p.m., but the church is open early for anyone who wishes to enjoy fellowship.
The Healing Place
1000 Medical Center Drive • thpnc.org
The Healing Place is opening its doors on Thanksgiving to feed anyone who needs fellowship, friends, family and a delicious hot meal.
Holidays can be especially tough for the unsheltered population and those fighting addiction, so THPNC will be open to provide comfort, love, and a safe space for our community members in need. Lunch is served from noon to 6 p.m.
The Healing Place helps people with addiction issues and homelessness free of charge. Programs include longterm residential treatment to outpatient care, an overnight emergency shelter and more.
Myrtle Grove Presbyterian Thanksgiving Project
Myrtle Grove Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 800 Piner Road
The Presbyterian church feeds roughly 1,500 meals to families within the community every holiday. The Thanksgiving Project takes place Thursday, Nov. 28, this year.
Volunteers are needed to help. They can make a cash donation, buy and bake a turkey to return to the church fully cooked on Nov. 27, 5 p.m., or carve, slice and prep the Thanksgiving sides at the Myrtle Grove Gym on Wednesday night (bring a knife please).
Day-of help is also needed at 9 a.m. beginning to box meals and deliver them to families throughout the community. Delivery drivers will pick up meals from the church at 11 a.m. and receive their routes; delivery drivers are needed as well.
Sign up here or call 910-617-5619.
Northside Missions Feast of Hope
2501 N. College Road • https://northside.church/feastofhope
A free Thanksgiving meal is offered to those in need from Northside Missions.
Available on a first-come, first-served basis, Northside Missions distribute free meals on Thanksgiving from 9 a.m. to noon. For those who cannot eat on site in the patio area, pick-up is also available.
Each person receives a Thanksgiving meal plate, dessert, and a message of hope.
Call 910-431-0418 to volunteer.
Vegan Potluck
South Front Street Apartments, 1400 S. Second St.
Monthly, a group of vegans get together to host meals and share recipes. This month is a Thanksgiving celebration.
The group meets at South Front Apartments in the great-room area and is open to all vegans. It starts at 1 p.m. and everyone is encouraged to bring a homemade dish, sans of meat, fish butter, honey, gelatin, milk, meat stocks or bone broths, and the like.
Be sure to bring sustainable dishware to eat on as no utensils, napkins or plates will be available, and bring a drink to enjoy. Dining is open indoors and outdoors.
Tips or comments? Email info@localdailymedia.com.
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