Vegans and vegetarians: Have you ever watched in grim silence as a monster turkey carcass is sliced in front of you? Have you discovered livers in the stuffing and bacon in the green beans? It’s enough to make you give up on Thanksgiving altogether — or just slink off to the kitchen and microwave some leftover quinoa.

Don’t do that! We’ve found some of the most savory, inventive and meat-free Thanksgiving menus at restaurants around the country.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving in Los Angeles

True to its name, Café Gratitude serves an amazing vegan Thanksgiving dinner — and it’s free. Every year, the Venice location offers diners a pre-set organic menu of dishes like mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, roasted vegetables, and butternut squash-lentil loaf. Prepare to be asked “What are you grateful for today?” (“Pie” is an acceptable answer.)

You’ll find a more decadent vegetarian Thanksgiving menu at Crossroads Kitchen, which serves four courses for $75. Butternut squash bisque with nutmeg crème fraiche? Brussels sprouts with crispy shallots? Yes please. Or, if you want to enjoy all the vegetarian fixings at home, order Thanksgiving To Go from Real Food Daily. For $45 per person, the meal includes faux turkey, sides like corn stuffing and yams, and a slice of pumpkin pie.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving in Chicago

Once the center of America’s meatpacking industry, Chicago still loves its sausages and steaks. But the Windy City also eats its veggies, and some phenomenal vegan restaurants are open on Thanksgiving.

The Chicago Diner has been “meat free since ’83,” as it proudly proclaims, and locals love its carry-out Thanksgiving specials. Instead of a set menu, customers can choose among several vegan entrees and sides. The beefy Wellington is puff pastry filled with seasoned seitan, mushroom, spinach and roasted red peppers, with a madeira-shallot sauce. The veggie loaf, which is also gluten-free, combines mushrooms, lentils, wild rice and grains with white truffle mushroom sauce.

Or, for the simplest of holiday meals, head to Furious Spoon in Wicker Park. The popular noodle spot is giving away free bowls of ramen on Thanksgiving, both turkey and vegetarian.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving in New York City

Most restaurants’ vegetarian Thanksgiving menus are simply meatless takes on standard side dishes. Blossom takes a different approach, serving dishes that are seasonally inspired but not traditional. One year’s menu featured spicy beet and arugula salad, butternut squash gnocchi with roasted pumpkin seeds, and pine nut-crusted eggplant.

For something even more inventive, try Bunna Café’s Ethiopian-inspired Thanksgiving menu. Dishes include duba wot (kabocha squash flavored with berbere sauce, garlic, ginger and onion) and fasolia (green beans with carrots, garlic and ginger).

If you’re dining with a non-vegetarian on Thanksgiving Day, Narcissa in the East Village will thrill everyone at the table. Its Thanksgiving menu includes vegetable-focused options for each course, such as roasted delicata squash, porcini soup and carrots Wellington.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving in Miami

Miami’s a pretty great place to be for Thanksgiving. While your neighbors in the northeast are shivering, you can be lounging in the sun, sipping a pumpkiny cocktail. Miami isn’t known as a destination for vegetarian diners, but one local standout is Sublime. This elevated vegan restaurant serves a Thanksgiving menu with Gardein meatless turkey or roasted acorn squash, with vegan pumpkin cheesecake for dessert.

Jugofresh, one of Miami’s favorite destinations for cold-pressed juice and smoothies, makes raw, vegan pies for Thanksgiving. If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around the idea of “raw pie,” just taste it. The Key lime pie has a crust made from almonds and dates, with a lime-avocado filling. Jugofresh even pulls off a raw chocolate-chip derby pie with chickpea cookie dough and raspberry coulis.

Wherever your travels take you on Thanksgiving, don’t forget to protect yourself with travel insurance from Allianz Global Assistance. Travel insurance can save your vacation with emergency medical benefits, trip interruption/cancellation coverage, trip delay coverage, baggage coverage and other benefits. Get a free quote today!

Richmond-based travel writer Muriel Barrett has a terrible sense of direction, and has spent many happy hours getting lost in Barcelona, Venice and Jerusalem. Her favorite travel memories all involve wildlife: watching sea turtles nest in Costa Rica, kayaking with seals in Vancouver and meeting a pink tarantula in Martinique.

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