Thanksgiving Takeout in Columbus: Turkey Dinners, Sides and Pies

The short version for people who would rather not cook

Thanksgiving in Columbus lands on Thursday, November 26 this year, and the smartest move for a lot of households is to hand the bird to someone with a bigger oven. The city has a real bench of options: a Grandview barbecue trailer smoking whole turkeys over white oak, neighborhood markets that roast and slice the meat for you, a Dublin Italian kitchen that sells turkey and stuffing by the tray, and a handful of dining rooms that will simply seat you on the day and do the dishes afterward.

What separates a calm holiday from a frantic one is the calendar, not the menu. Most of the places below cut off orders a week or more before the holiday, several have pickup windows only on Tuesday or Wednesday, and a few sell out well before the posted deadline. We pulled every detail here from each business's own website or ordering page in late October, and we flag the spots that have not posted this year's program yet. Prices and windows can still shift, so treat this as your shortlist and confirm on the order page before you pay.

If you only read one section, read the next one. Our first call for a holiday bird this year is the Steele trailer on King Avenue, and the reasons are below.

Our top pick: Texas Steele BBQ in Grandview

Texas Steele BBQ is the black trailer at the corner of King Avenue and Kenny Road, run by pitmaster Akil Steele, and it already holds the Best Overall spot on our Best BBQ in Columbus list. That ranking is built on brisket and beef ribs, but the Thanksgiving program is where the smoker earns extra goodwill. The trailer posts a dedicated section on its food menu called Thanksgiving Mains, Sides and Bundles, and its events calendar lists Thanksgiving Thursday, November 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as the pickup day.

Here is how the 2026 menu reads. The Whole Turkey Meal is $175 and brings a whole turkey smoked over white oak, two half pans of sides, and a loaf of Texas toast. The Turkey Breast Meal is $150 for the same setup built around a smoked breast instead of the full bird. If you already have the sides covered by a relative who insists on bringing her casserole, you can buy the meat alone: a whole smoked turkey is $90, a turkey breast is $65, and a whole brisket is $175 for the table that wants beef next to the bird. The bundles are priced to save you a few dollars over buying the same pieces separately.

Half pans of sides run $45 each, and the list leans Texas rather than Pilgrim. You can pick potato salad, coleslaw, cornbread souffle, queso mac and cheese, brisket charro beans, or southern candied yams. Two pans of those plus a smoked bird is a full meal for a big family; the ordering page describes the bundles as feeding families of 10 to 12. For dessert, the Texas Crack Cake is $30 and serves about 10 people.

Ordering runs through the trailer's Toast page, where you choose a pickup time at checkout, and you collect at 1060 King Ave. Supply is limited, which is the polite way of saying a pitmaster can only fit so many turkeys on one smoker. The trailer approves orders during business hours and asks for 24 hours of notice on large orders, but for Thanksgiving the real deadline is whenever the turkeys run out, so order early in November rather than the weekend before. Call (614) 321-2431 with questions.

Why we put it first: you get a smoked turkey with real bark on it, sides with more personality than the usual steam table, and a Thursday pickup window that lets you collect the food hot on the day instead of reheating something you bought on Tuesday. Pair it with a pie from the bakery section below and you have a holiday that took one phone and one car trip. Grandview residents can browse more nearby spots on the Grandview neighborhood page.

More smoked turkey from Columbus barbecue kitchens

Smoked on High BBQ, German Village. The shop at 755 S. High St. is a finalist on our barbecue list, and it runs a focused turkey program on its turkey preorder page. The product is a turkey breast smoked for about eight hours and sliced, sold at $22 per pound with a two pound minimum. Orders are online only and paid in advance. The last day to order is Monday, November 23, and pickup is Wednesday, November 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The shop also offers a kosher smoked turkey at $25 per pound, picked up at Torat Emet at 2375 E. Main St. Both locations are closed on Thanksgiving Day, so this is a Wednesday errand. Sliced breast is the right fit for smaller tables or for a household that wants a second protein next to a ham. Read our German Village guide if you want to turn the pickup into a walk through the brick streets.

City Barbeque, multiple locations. The chain started in Columbus and now runs holiday meals at scale. Its holiday preorder announcement says orders opened September 30, with pickup available from November 18 through November 29 while supplies last. The smoked turkey meals come in three sizes: a half breast meal for 4 to 6 people at $67.99, a whole breast meal for 8 to 10 at $114.99, and a whole turkey meal for 20 to 24 at $194.99. There are also ham meals starting at $79.99, a brisket meal at $279.99, and a Smokehouse Holiday Meal at $194.99. This year adds a pumpkin pie, and you can choose hot or chilled pickup. If your family is scattered across the suburbs, the wide pickup window and the number of stores make City Barbeque the easiest logistics on this page.

Ray Ray's Hog Pit, check for 2026 ordering. The Clintonville based barbecue operation has sold holiday smoked meats in past years, but as of this writing its website had not posted a 2026 Thanksgiving menu. Keep an eye on its Clintonville listing and its own social channels in early November.

Neighborhood markets that cook the whole spread

Weiland's Market, Clintonville. The independent grocer at 3600 Indianola Ave. publishes a full set of 2026 holiday flyers on its holiday orders page, and the cooked dinner is one of the better values in the city. At $24.99 per person you get sliced Bowman and Landes turkey, sage and onion dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans almondine, cranberry relish, and rolls. The dinner is sold in groups of four (four, eight, twelve and so on), there are no substitutions, and it is packed cold for you to warm at home. Order by 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18, and pick up Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of Thanksgiving week (November 23 to 25).

Weiland's has two more tricks worth knowing. If you buy a whole turkey from the meat counter, the kitchen will roast it for a $30 fee plus the cost of the bird. And from 9 a.m. Monday, November 23, through 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 25, the prepared foods case sells sliced white meat turkey at $19.99 per pound along with sides by the pound, which is handy for the household that only needs to fill gaps. The market also takes pie orders from Just Pies and from Stevens Bakery of Urbana, with the same November 18 deadline and pickup after 2 p.m. on Monday, November 23. Call (614) 267-9878 or email the store to order. More Clintonville favorites live on our Clintonville page.

Littleton's Market, Upper Arlington. The market at 2140 Tremont Center, in the former Huffman's space, has a dedicated Thanksgiving 2026 page and takes orders through its catering menu until November 19. The headline item is a whole cooked Bowman and Landes turkey at $11.99 per pound, available for pickup on Thanksgiving Day only, which is rare among markets. If a whole bird is more than you need, the menu also offers a cooked boneless turkey breast at $21.99 per pound, a smoked bone-in breast at $12.99 per pound, and spiral ham at $9.99 per pound. Sides range from $30 to $90 depending on size, pies are $25 (cherry, pumpkin, apple crumble, and pecan), and a baked brie is $25 for the appetizer table. The main store number is (614) 826-1432. See what else is nearby on our Upper Arlington page.

Carfagna's Market, Polaris area. The Italian market at 1440 Gemini Pl. sells a Roast Turkey Dinner for $219 that feeds 6 to 10 people. It is built around a 12 to 14 pound Ohio free range turkey and comes with dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, coleslaw, rolls, and an 8 inch apple or pumpkin pie. Order by Friday, November 20, and pick up on Wednesday, November 25, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The dinner is served cold with reheating instructions. Carfagna's is an easy stop if you live on the north end; our Polaris and North Side food crawl covers the rest of the area, and the Polaris neighborhood page has more.

Restaurant kitchens that sell trays to go

The Berwick, East Columbus. The longtime Susi family restaurant at 3250 Refugee Rd. publishes a Thanksgiving carryout menu with an all in Thanksgiving Dinner starting at $180, available hot or cold, plus individual items and whole pies. Orders are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17. Pickup runs Tuesday, November 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, November 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is also a Thanksgiving morning window from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 26 for orders of $300 or more, placed by phone only, and delivery is offered on Tuesday, November 24. Call 614-235-7100. If you would rather not haul anything, see the dine in buffet in the next section. Browse more nearby on our East Columbus page.

Tucci's, Dublin. The restaurant at 35 N. High St. in historic Dublin offers Thanksgiving catering that you build piece by piece. Roasted turkey with gravy is $120, stuffing and garlic mashed potatoes are $30 each, green beans are $40, rolls are $20, and a pumpkin pie is $25. Each item serves 5 to 6, so a family of 12 doubles the order. Orders close at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 20, and pickup is Monday, November 23, or Tuesday, November 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The restaurant sells retail wine, which saves a separate stop. Phone 614-792-3466. Our Dublin page lists more around Bridge Street.

Bob Evans Farmhouse Feasts, statewide. The Ohio chain, headquartered in New Albany, has its Farmhouse Feast lineup live for the season. The Premium Farmhouse Feast serves 8 to 10 and pairs slow roasted turkey with hickory smoked ham, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans with ham, cranberry relish, macaroni and cheese, rolls, pumpkin bread, and both pumpkin and apple pies. There are smaller turkey feasts for 4 and for 8, a ham version, and a pot roast version. Everything is packed cold to heat at home. The menu page does not post a cutoff, so check your local restaurant when you order, and expect the pies and pumpkin bread to run out before the turkey does.

Restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day

Some families want the whole thing taken off their hands, dishes included. These dining rooms have posted plans for Thursday, November 26, and every one of them will fill up, so book now.

The Berwick buffet, East Columbus. The Thanksgiving buffet runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adults are $49.50 and children 4 to 12 are $26, with a 25 percent service charge added. Reservations are taken by phone. It is the most traditional option on this list, aimed at the multigenerational table where Grandpa wants a second plate of everything.

The Guild House, Short North. The restaurant at 624 N. High St. lists a Thanksgiving prix fixe on its menus page from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The dinner is $59, or $89 with wine pairings, and moves through parsnip soup, a squash salad, turkey, and a pumpkin torte. The regular menus stay available for anyone at the table who would rather skip turkey. Call 614.280.9780. Walk it off afterward with our Short North page as a map.

Lindey's, German Village. The restaurant at 169 E. Beck St. has posted a Thanksgiving menu dated 11/26/26. The turkey plate is $40, combining a maple brined breast with confit dark meat, and the holiday sides are $9 each: sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and herb stuffing. The dessert menu includes pumpkin pie at $13. Hours for the day are not listed on the menu, so call (614) 228-4343 to reserve. Lindey's is a finalist on our Best Steak and Seafood list, so anyone who would rather order a filet will be fine.

Tucci's, Dublin. Beyond the catering trays, Tucci's posts a Thanksgiving Day menu served from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is a three course meal priced by the entrée you choose, with prices still to be announced at press time. Reservations are required with a $25 per person deposit.

Columbus Fish Market, Olentangy River Road. The seafood house at 1245 Olentangy River Rd., just east of Grandview, lists holiday hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 26, on its homepage. There is no special turkey menu posted, which is the appeal for a crowd that would rather have crab legs and salmon. Call (614) 291-3474 to book.

Pies and desserts

A store bought pie is not a moral failing. These bakeries make pies worth bragging about, and each one runs its own Thanksgiving schedule.

Dough Mama, Clintonville. The pie shop at 3335 N. High St. has Thanksgiving preorders live on its order page. Whole 10 inch pies serve 8 to 10: Brown Butter Pumpkin is $40, and Honey Apple (with Branstool Orchards apples), Maple Bourbon Pecan, Ginger Cranberry Pear, and Buckeye Cream are $42 each. You can add cheddar scallion biscuits or a bacon, egg and cheese bread pudding for Friday breakfast. Pickup is Tuesday, November 24, or Wednesday, November 25, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shop is closed Thanksgiving Day and the day after, cancellations after November 21 are not refunded, and unclaimed pies are donated. Flavors have sold out early in past years, so do not wait.

Just Pies, Westerville. The bakery at 736 Northfield Rd. normally takes pie orders with 24 hours of notice but does not take preorders during the week before a major holiday, so plan on calling (614) 818-9300 well before Thanksgiving week or walking in Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and buying from the case. An easier route this year: Weiland's Market is selling Just Pies on its 2026 holiday flyer at $20.99 for a large and $15.99 for a medium, with the November 18 order deadline described above. More Westerville spots are on our Westerville page.

Resch's Bakery, check for 2026 ordering. The east side institution now operates at 150 N. Hamilton Rd. in Gahanna. Its Thanksgiving page lists cherry, apple, Dutch apple, pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan pies, ordered by phone at (614) 237-7421 or in person, but no 2026 dates had been posted when we checked. Call before you count on it.

Several of the dinners above also include dessert. Carfagna's packs a pie with every turkey dinner, Littleton's sells four flavors at $25, The Berwick sells whole cherry and apple pies at $18 and pumpkin at $15 with its carryout, City Barbeque added pumpkin pie this year, and Texas Steele's crack cake feeds a crowd for $30.

If someone in the family insists on roasting a bird

Not every household is ready to give up the oven. If the turkey is the one thing you still want to cook, these two sources take raw bird orders, and both have deadlines that come sooner than you think.

Bluescreek Farm Meats, Plain City. The family farm shop at 8120 US 42 N., north of Plain City, says on its homepage that fresh turkey orders close on October 31, 2026. Call 614-504-6605 or visit Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A $20 nonrefundable deposit holds your bird. This is the earliest deadline in this guide, so if you want one, call this week.

The Hills Market, Northwest Columbus. The grocer at 7860 Olentangy River Rd. runs a separate turkey preorder site with a $5 deposit. Choices include American White turkeys at $5.99 per pound, Tea Hills Farms American White at $7.99, Tea Hills Bronze at $8.99, heritage Bourbon Red at $11.49, and bone-in turkey breast at $9.99 per pound. The last day to order is November 20, with pickup during Thanksgiving week. Phone 614-540-3208. The Northwest Columbus page covers the area.

A practical hybrid: buy a raw bird from one of these two, then let Weiland's roast it for $30, or buy raw and order your sides from Tucci's or Weiland's. You still get to say you picked the turkey.

How to choose, by situation

For a big family that wants smoke and personality, order the Texas Steele Whole Turkey Meal and add a third pan of charro beans. For a small household of two to four, a two pound order of sliced breast from Smoked on High or a half breast meal from City Barbeque avoids a week of leftovers. For the most hands off traditional plate, Weiland's per person dinner or the Carfagna's box are complete down to the rolls. For a hot bird on Thursday without a Thursday reservation, Texas Steele and Littleton's are the two pickup options that land on the holiday itself, and The Berwick adds a Thursday morning window for large orders.

For a family that wants to sit down and have someone else clear the plates, The Berwick buffet suits the grandparents, The Guild House prix fixe suits the food people, Lindey's suits the German Village regulars, and Columbus Fish Market suits the table that is tired of turkey. If the guest list includes picky eaters, Tucci's Dublin catering lets you buy only the trays you need instead of a fixed bundle.

Deadlines at a glance

• October 31: Bluescreek Farm Meats fresh turkey orders close.
• Tuesday, November 17, 5 p.m.: The Berwick carryout orders.
• Wednesday, November 18, 7 p.m.: Weiland's cooked dinners and pie orders.
• Thursday, November 19: Littleton's Market Thanksgiving orders.
• Friday, November 20: Carfagna's turkey dinner, Tucci's catering (5 p.m.), and The Hills Market turkeys.
• Saturday, November 21: last day to cancel a Dough Mama order with a refund.
• Monday, November 23: Smoked on High turkey breast orders.
• Rolling until sold out: Texas Steele BBQ and City Barbeque.

Pickup and reheating habits that save the day

Cold packed dinners are designed to be reheated, not cooked again. Pull everything out of the refrigerator about an hour before it goes in the oven, keep the turkey covered with foil so it does not dry out, and add a splash of stock or the provided gravy to the pan. Sides in aluminum half pans can go straight into a moderate oven, but stuffing and casseroles take longer than you expect, so start them first. Most of these businesses include printed heating instructions, and they are worth following because they know their own portions.

For Thursday pickups, bring a cooler or an insulated bag even if the food is hot. The drive from King Avenue to a far suburb is longer than it looks when half the city is on the road to a relative's house. Have your order number ready, since several shops call names from a list, and check your confirmation email for the exact pickup slot. If you are splitting duties, assign one person to the turkey run and another to the pie shop, because the Tuesday and Wednesday windows overlap at several stops.

Finally, count your oven space. A whole turkey, two casseroles, and rolls will not all fit at once in a standard home oven. Buying the turkey hot from Texas Steele or Littleton's on Thursday frees the oven for sides, which is a big part of why a Thursday pickup is worth chasing.

More Columbus guides for the long weekend

Thanksgiving weekend tends to fill up with visiting relatives who want something to do once the food is gone. Our guide to doing fall in Columbus covers orchards, trails, and seasonal events. If the cousins stay through Sunday, the brunch by neighborhood guide will get you through Friday and Saturday mornings, and our rainy day with kids guide is the backup plan if the weather turns. Visitors who have never been to the city can start with the weekend in Columbus guide.

Prices and windows above were taken from each business's own website or ordering page in late October 2026. Holiday programs change and sell out, so confirm on the linked order page before you plan the day around it.

Hero photo: A whole smoked turkey cooked for Thanksgiving dinner, by Gatorfan252525 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.