The soul of Thanksgiving has always been about community—about friends and family gathering around the table to re-connect, share, and express gratitude. Of course, a big part of what helps create that feeling of community is food, both the traditional holiday fare and the family-specific favorites that often draw upon cultural backgrounds.
So while turkey and stuffing may make an appearance at most Thanksgiving feasts, it’s not unusual to also find dishes made with Asian spices, Mexican techniques, or—in the case of these six restaurants—authentic Italian flavors.
From Seattle and San Francisco to Houston and Miami, here are some top Italian places at which to gather with your loved ones this Thanksgiving.
Caffe Abbracci
Miami, Florida
Serving a steady stream of regulars for over three decades, Nini Pernetti’s Coral Gables staple is this year offering a $42 three-course holiday meal full of dishes that draw from family recipes. Start with a pumpkin ravioli topped with sage butter and pieces of amaretti, then make room on your plate for roast turkey with sweet potato mash and Brussel sprout gratin sprinkled with pine nut-infused breadcrumbs. Apple pie with vanilla gelato rounds off the set menu, but you can also order off the regular a la carte list if you want to try signatures like black lobster ravioli and Branzino primavera.
Caffe Abbracci: Black Lobster Ravioli homemade filled with Maine lobster light Cognac-lobster sauce, Herbs
Rosalie Italian Soul
Houston, Texas
After making his name on the West Coast with his award-winning restaurants in San Francisco, Portland, and Napa Valley, “Top Chef Masters” winner Chef Chris Cosentino ventured down south to Houston in October 2019, opening this eatery in the new C. Baldwin hotel. Named after his great-grandmother, a first-generation Italian immigrant who inspired Cosentino’s love of cooking, Rosalie Italian Soul celebrates the classic red sauce dishes so associated with a generation of immigrants. On Thanksgiving, settle in to the bright and playful dining room for a $60 three-course meal with options like lasagna, roasted pumpkin soup, and traditional meatballs, accompanied by hearty sides and delicious pies.
Rosalie Italian Sauce: Lasagne for Thanksgiving
Nico’s Osteria
Chicago, Illinois
“Being neighborly” takes on a new meaning at this elegant Gold Coast restaurant, where the tables are so close together you can’t help but make friends with those dining next to you—which makes it perfect for a convivial holiday like Thanksgiving. Bond over sunchoke soup with hazelnuts and duck confit, pappardelle with turkey sugo, smoked ham chop with polenta integrale and prosciutto brodo, and sides like chestnut-truffle stuffing. The classic pumpkin pie comes with cinnamon gelato, while the chocolate pecan pie is topped with a vanilla-bourbon version.
Nico's Osteria
Via Sophia
Washington, D.C.
Just blocks from the White House, this bright, stylish new osteria puts a modern spin on Italian classics and Neapolitan-style pizza (made in an imported wood-burning oven.) The $95 Thanksgiving menu kicks off with an amuse bouche of foie gras with cranberries, then continues with a choice of primi (a Tuscan Garden salad with squash, poached quince, and more, or a butternut squash velouté with gingerbread, pear, and apple.) Next comes a choice of three pastas—including cappelletti di zucca and gnocchi with black truffle—followed by a main course of turkey or salmon accompanied by lots of sides. If you’ve got room, cap off the feast with chocolate budino, tiramisu, or some pecan pie.
Via Sophia
Agrodolce
Seattle, Washington
Located in Seattle’s Freemont neighborhood, this casual trattoria uses locally-grown, wild, and organic Pacific Northwest ingredients to craft dishes inspired by the cuisine of Sicily and southern Italy. Drawing from his Italian-American roots, chef/owner Thomas Litrenta has created a $75 Thanksgiving set menu featuring dishes like caramelized onion crostada, squash cavatelli with marsala mushrooms, and organic turkey breast involtini, finished off by a pumpkin cannolo dusted with candied pecans. Vegetarian and vegan menus are also available.
Agrodolce: Tomato Rigatoni Salciccia
Seven Hills
San Francisco, California
To create the menus for his intimate Russian Hill restaurant, Chef Anthony Florian—who honed his skills working in restaurants in both California and Italy—seeks inspiration in the city’s farmers markets and in his relationships with local purveyors. You’ll find a lot of those partners featured on the $85 four-course Thanksgiving menu, in dishes like the Marin Roots chicory salad with pomegranate, balsamic, and parmigiano, Grace Creek Prime Rib with roasted chanterelle mushrooms and truffle butter, Diestel turkey with roasted cranberry, and Rugosa squash tart with eggnog Chantilly cream and Valrhona chocolate.