Need Christmas dinner plans? These local restaurants will do the cooking for you
2020 has been stressful enough, so keep Christmas dinner plans simple this year with a meal prepared by a local restaurant.
Some Bradenton area eateries are offering premade and heat-and-serve meals for pickup and delivery.
Others will be open for dine-in service on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Here’s where to find your holiday feast.
Bob Evans
Bob Evans offers a complete Christmas spread to-go for a decent price. Order ahead for carryout, delivery or curbside pickup. The restaurant’s “Farmhouse Feast” meals are available in servings for four, eight or 10 people ($54.99-$124.99). Choose ham or turkey as a main dish with sides of dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans with ham, cranberry relish, rolls and pumpkin pie. Additional sides are available à la carte. The meals come cold and take up to two hours to heat, according to the restaurant’s website.
Bob Evans restaurants will also be open on Christmas Eve with special holiday plates for those who want to dine in.
Details: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Christmas Eve. Closed Christmas Day. 7393 State Road 70, Bradenton.
Info: bobevans.com.
Boston Market
Boston Market offers a selection of turkey, ham or prime rib holiday meals for carry-out that come complete with mashed potatoes, rolls, pie and other sides. The meals are chilled and simply require heating, and options for 4-6 or 12 people are available ($79.99-$159.99). You can also pick out individual mains and sides. Heat-and-serve or hot catered meals are also available for delivery.
The restaurant will also be open for dine-in service on Christmas Eve and with a special holiday menu on Christmas Day.
Details: Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 5002 Cortez Road W., Bradenton.
Info: bostonmarket.com.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
At Cracker Barrel, the holidays are a specialty. “Heat n’ serve” and to-go meals can be ordered as soon as 24 hours in advance. The meals include sugar-cured ham and a host of sides ($69.99-$139.99). The smaller option serves 4-6, and the larger option serves 8-10 and includes two pies. The meals can be picked up from Dec. 21-28.
The restaurant chain is also open for dine-in and takeout early Christmas Eve.
Details: Open 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Christmas Eve. Closed Christmas Day. 2203 Cortez Road W., Bradenton and 636 67th St. Circle E., Bradenton.
Info: crackerbarrel.com.
Denny’s
Denny’s is open 24/7, and the chain offers special menus for the holidays. A turkey dinner goes for $10.79 and is available for dine-in, takeout, curbside pickup and delivery.
Details: Open 24/7. 610 44th Ave. W., Bradenton. dennys.com.
Der Dutchman
This famous Sarasota Amish restaurant is open for early Christmas Eve dining with a full menu of home-cooked meals, plus the scrumptious buffet and salad bar. Due to COVID-19, guests will be required to wear a mask and gloves (gloves are provided) while self-serving at the buffet line. The buffet meal is all-you-can-eat and costs $13.99 at lunchtime. Be forewarned, the restaurant usually sees extended holiday wait times.
Der Dutchman is also offering family Christmas meals to-go this year. The meals include a choice of turkey or ham, sides and dessert and are available in a servings for up to five people ($89.99), 10 people ($149.99) or 20 people ($264.99). The meals can be ordered through Dec. 21 and picked up on Dec. 23 or 24. Add on a tray of homemade cookies for an extra charge.
Details: 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Christmas Eve. Closed Christmas Day. 3713 Bahia Vista St, Sarasota.
Info: dhgroup.com/restaurants. 941-955-8007.
Euphemia Haye
Enjoy a Christmas meal with a fine dining touch at Euphemia Haye Restaurant on Longboat Key. In addition to the regular menu and daily specials, the restaurant will offer a Bavarian-style roasted goose dinner that includes giblet gravy, German potato dumpling and sweet and sour red cabbage. Reservations are recommended.
A limited number of meals and pies for curbside pickup are also available. Orders must be placed by Sunday, Dec. 20.
Details: 4-9 p.m. Christmas Eve and 2-9 p.m. Christmas Day. Euphemia Haye Restaurant, 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key.
Info: euphemiahaye.com. 941-383-3633.
Golden Corral
Golden Corral is offering holiday meals to-go that feed 6-8 people. Customers can choose a whole roasted turkey, a smoked turkey breast or a spiced ham as the centerpiece; included accompaniments are mashed potatoes with gravy, yeast rolls with honey butter, cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing, a choice of one homestyle side and a pumpkin or pecan pie ($64.99-$69.99). Alternatively, change out the traditional holiday meat for fried chicken meal of 12 or 24 pieces ($49.99-$59.99). Individual sides and pies are also available as add-ons. The meals must be ordered with 72 hours advance notice. Order by Dec. 21 for pickup on Christmas Eve.
The restaurant will also be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with all the usual homestyle buffet offerings.
Details: Open Christmas Eve. 5525 Cortez Road W., Bradenton.
Info: goldencorral.com.
IHOP
IHOP restaurants offer a roasted turkey and sides entree, and they are open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There are also limited-time holiday pancakes to enjoy. Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are also available.
Details: Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 5427 14th St. W., Bradenton and 6320 State Road 64 E., Bradenton.
Info: ihop.com.
Mattison’s Restaurants
An Italian-American, Feast of the Seven Fishes-inspired menu awaits at Mattison’s restaurants in Bradenton and Sarasota this Christmas Eve.
At $55, the four-course meal features Maine lobster bisque, a pasta fresca with steamed mussels, clams and shrimp, a main course starring grilled swordfish, steamed lump crab and stuffed oyster complimented by vegetables with herb butter sauce and, to finish, a dessert of espresso and biscotti. The special meal will only be available from 4-8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, while the restaurants’ regular menus will be available all day.
Live music will keep things festive from 6-9 p.m. at Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille in Bradenton and from 7:30-10:30 p.m. at Mattison’s City Grille in downtown Sarasota.
Reservations are recommended.
Details: Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille, 101 Riverwalk Blvd., Bradenton (11 a.m.-9 p.m. Christmas Eve; Closed Christmas Day); Mattison’s Forty-One, 7275 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Christmas Eve; 2-8 p.m. Christmas Day); Mattison’s City Grille, 1 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota (11 a.m.-11 p.m. Christmas Eve; Closed Christmas Day).
Info: mattisons.com.
Pier 22/Grove Restaurant
Sister restaurants Pier 22 in downtown Bradenton and The Grove in Lakewood Ranch will offer elegant holiday meals for dine-in and to-go service.
This year’s Christmas meal to-go features prime rib as the main course. Choose from a family-size meal that feeds up to four ($180) or an individual option ($35). Both options come complete with prime rib, au jus and horseradish sauce, roasted potatoes, green beans, house salad and dinner roll(s). The family meal also includes a chocolate cream pie and a bottle of Cabernet. Additional sides, desserts and alcoholic beverages can be added for an extra fee.
The meals can be pre-ordered online and picked up during designated windows on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
For dine-in guests, Pier 22 and The Grove will offer a special holiday menu featuring appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts. Reservations are recommended.
Details: Open 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Christmas Eve and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Christmas Day. Pier 22, 1200 First Ave. W., Bradenton and Grove Restaurant, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch.
Info: pier22dining.com or grovelwr.com.
Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus
Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus in Holmes Beach will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day serving traditional German fare and cheer. The menu includes many varieties of schnitzel as well as salad, meat entrees, a special roast duck plate and vegetarian options.
Enjoy your food with imported wine or German beer on draft.
Details: Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Reservations recommended. 3246 E. Bay Drive, Holmes Beach. 941-778-1320.
Info: schnitzel.house.
Starbucks
Starbucks coffee shops will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for all of your caffeine needs, and with the chain’s ever-expanding food offerings, it can be a good place to grab a quick bite.
Details: Hours vary by store.
Info: starbucks.com/store-locator.
Waffle House
In an emergency, there’s always Waffle House. The restaurant does not offer a holiday menu, but all of your old favorites will be there. We recommend the pecan waffle.
Details: Open 24/7, 365. 2400 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 603 67th St. Circle E., Bradenton and 1515 51st E., Ellenton. wafflehouse.com.
Did we miss a local restaurant that will offer Christmas Day dining? Send an email to rballogg@bradenton.com with details.