Philadelphia Thanksgiving Dinner: Pick Your Own Main at a $59 Table, Then Walk to Washington Square

Thanksgiving service runs noon to 10:00 PM on Nov 26, last seating at 9:00 PM. Each guest orders a main: roasted Lancaster turkey with cranberry compote, braised short rib with herb gremolata, pineapple glazed ham, honey-BBQ salmon with spicy shallots, or herb roasted prime rib with horseradish. Sides come family style: Caesar salad, Yukon mashed potatoes, crispy brussels sprouts with bacon vinaigrette, mac and cheese, honey roasted sweet potatoes, cornbread stuffing. The holiday menu also lists three pies, pumpkin, pecan and apple crumb, served family style to take home. Dinner is $59 a person, an added 20 percent service charge goes on every check, and tax and drinks are extra.

A walk of about 15–20 minutes reaches Washington Square from the restaurant, covering about three quarters of a mile in Philadelphia. The square never closes. An eternal flame burns at the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier, a fountain sits under old shade trees, and the 6.4-acre grounds were laid out on William Penn's original grid. Independence Hall is closed indoors on Thanksgiving Day, so plan on an exterior visit to the historic landmark and surrounding plaza.

Sunset on Nov 26 is 4:37 PM. A noon or early afternoon seating keeps the meal and the walk in daylight. Reservations are required, by phone at 215-558-2471 or through OpenTable. Cancel less than 48 hours before the reservation and the card is charged for every guest booked, issued back as a gift card. Thanksgiving To Go is ordered ahead by phone or email, and holiday menus take no discounts or promotions.