Skip the Stress and Enjoy the Holiday: 6 Restaurants with the Best Holiday Dinners in Del Mar

shutterstock_516544855The holidays can be as stressful as they are wonderful. Between keeping the house clean for visits from friends and family and fighting the crowds to finish up gift shopping, one of the last things you want to worry about is putting together an elegant holiday meal.Instead of putting yourself through that stress for yet another year, maybe it’s time to start a new holiday tradition. Several of Del Mar’s beloved restaurants are offering special, prix fixe menus just for the holidays. Without the burden of meal prepping and cleaning, you’ll be able to better enjoy the time spent with your loved ones. So give yourself and your kitchen a break for the night, and make your reservation at one of these restaurants in the Del Mar Village for your Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner: 

Sbicca || Thanksgiving + Christmas Eve

If your heart is set on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, book a table at Sbicca where they’ll be serving a three-course turkey or prime rib dinner. You may even be able to enjoy an oceanfront sunset with your meal. 

Il Fornaio || Thanksgiving + Christmas Eve

Il Fornaio is known for having some of the best Italian food in all of Del Mar, so be sure to make a reservation for an Italian take on your Thanksgiving and Christmas meals this year. You can also enjoy an Italian aperitivo or two out by the fireplace before your meal. 

KITCHEN 1540 || Thanksgiving + Christmas Eve + Christmas Day

The prix fixe holiday menus at L’Auberge’s KITCHEN 1540 give you several options to drool over. From heritage turkey and beef tenderloin on Thanksgiving to pork, NY strip steak, grilled swordfish, and housemade gnocchi on Christmas, the three-course meals will certainly make your holiday special. 

Pacifica Del Mar || Thanksgiving + Christmas Day

While Pacifica Del Mar is offering a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (complete with turkey and pumpkin pie), the restaurant is known for its seafood, so make sure you give the Soy Glazed Seabass, Grilled Swordfish, and Sugar Spiced Salmon careful consideration. 

Jake’s Del Mar || Thanksgiving + Christmas Eve

A little different from the rest, Jake’s Del Mar’s holiday menus are à la carte. They will be offering a Diestel Farms Herb Roasted Turkey Dinner, though, complete with pecan stuffing, roasted vegetables, and black truffle turkey jus. 

Del Mar Rendezvous || Christmas Day

For something really non-traditional, book your Christmas dinner at Del Mar Rendezvous, Del Mar’s Asian-fusion restaurant. Aside from award-winning Chinese fare, you can think of the experience as reenacting A Christmas Story—nevertheless, ordering Peking duck for the table is totally optional. In Del Mar, we know how to kick things up a notch, so you can expect your holiday meal to be an extra special one. Make a reservation for a truly gourmet meal prepared by some of the country’s top chefs, and nix the stress of cooking your own meal this year.We can’t guarantee your holidays will be totally stress-free, but taking one more chore, especially one as elaborate as preparing Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, off your to-do list might lighten your load. Make your holiday dinner reservation now, and visit the Del Mar Village Association website for other dining options year-round.