INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Growing up in Greenwood in the 1970's, my three food options on Thanksgiving Day were my mom's turkey, followed by my mom's turkey and then finished off with some of my mom's turkey.
Oh, how times have changed.
In 2019, restaurant food options on Thanksgiving are as plentiful and varied as the number of apps on your smartphone. So I set out to create a list of places for Hoosiers to go if they didn't feeling like cooking and cleaning up for hours on Nov. 28.
I had to stop the list at 25. I have a feeling I could've listed twice this many.
Sorry, mom — your turkey now has some serious competition.
So here they are: 25 places to eat out on Thanksgiving in Central Indiana (in alphabetical order):
1. Big Lug Canteen - Brunch on the Monon Trail invloves steak & eggs from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. with $5 beers or mimosas.
2. Bob Evans - Open until 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving offering turkey & dressing, hickory-smoked ham or country fried steak w/ 3 sides, endless bread & a slice of pie for $14.99.
3. Boston Market - All locations open; online delivery available from their website throughout the day; $13.99 per person or $39.99 for a "Feast for 3."
4. Buca Di Beppo - You can order or do take-out, Thanksgiving feast features turkey, gravy, spicy Italian sausage & garlicky mashed potatoes.
5. The Capital Grille - From 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., $42 gets you slow-roasted turkey w/ brioche stuffing, French green beans w/ Marcona almonds, cranberry pear chutney, mashed potatoes & pumpkin cheesecake.
6. Cracker Barrel - Open on Thanksgiving since 1969, they claim Thanksgiving is their busiest day of the year.
7. Denny's - Come in or try their carry-out turkey dinner. (Take-out meals must be ordered on Denny's website at least 24 hours before pickup.)
8. Fleming's Steakhouse - Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, serving up meals from the full menu and a special three-course special.
9. Fogo de Chão - Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. if you're wanting some Brazilian flavor this Thanksgiving, as well as menu additions like turkey and cranberry relish.
10. The Garrison - $32 (reservation required) buffet from noon to 4 p.m. with roasted & smoked turkeys, cornbread dressing, prime rib, bacon-wrapped pork loin, smoked salmon, white cheddar mac & cheese.
11. Gray Brothers Cafeteria - Well-known Mooresville buffet with turkey, fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, pie & cake from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
12. Hollyhock Hill - You need a reservation; while you can't get their famous fried chicken, you can get a family-style feast w/ both turkey & ham, as well as a shrimp cocktail at $38.95 per person.
13. Hooters - Because, you know, football.
14. Maggiano's - Family-style menu of salad, roast turkey w/ gravy & stuffing, smoked ham w/ mashed sweet potatoes & Parmesan-crusted tilapia; finish w/ pumpkin praline cheesecake.
15. Metro Diner - Breakfast, brunch & lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. including a waffle made from stuffing & topped with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, w/ side of cranberry sauce.
16. Morton's Steakhouse - Featuring oven-roasted turkey roulade w/ savory sage cranberry stuffing as well as mashed potatoes, cranberry chutney & seasoned veggies all for $39.
17. Mike's Charcoal Grill - Brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. w/ turkey & ham, grilled salmon & your go-to Thanksgiving sides & desserts.
18. Mitchell's Fish Market - 11 a.m to 9 p.m., offering a traditional Thanksgiving dinner; $29 for adults, $12 for kids; you can also pre-order a take-home feast before Nov. 24.
19. Oceanaire Seafood - For $39, you get roasted turkey roulade rolled around sage cranberry stuffing alongside mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry chutney & a seasonal vegetable.
20. Rick's Cafe Boatyard - For 2 decades, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, trimmings & pumpkin pie for 28 bucks.
21. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - Adults pay $41.95, kids get fed for $14.95; oven-roasted turkey breast w/ sausage & herb stuffing, gravy, cranberry relish & pumpkin cheesecake w/ vanilla ice cream.
22. Seasons 52 - Adults $29.95, Children $14; turkey, gravy, Yukon mashed potatoes, herb stuffing, green beans, butternut squash, cranberry relish & pumpkin pie mini-indulgence.
23. Sullivan's Steakhouse - 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. allowing guests to order a three-course prix fixe menu for $42 or choose from regular menu.
24. Waffle House - Open 24 hours a day on every single day of the year since being founded on 1955, including Thanksgiving 2019.
25. Weber Grill - Two words: grilled turkey.