Here’s how to taste Thanksgiving all month long in Seattle

The best part of Thanksgiving dinner comes not with the annual choking down of dry meat from the turkey, but from the parade of fall flavor in the form of side dishes. Nobody minds turkey’s confinement to a single celebratory meal each November, but the smell of sage in the air and the sharp tartness of cranberries in the bowl that signal to our tastebuds the arrival of the coziest time of year deserves more than just a day in the spotlight.

Thankfully, these Seattle restaurants and bakeries totally get that and have the best parts of a Thanksgiving dinner on their menus all month long – so even if you can’t bear to tell your uncle Lenny that his mashed potatoes feel like your kid’s toy slime, you can still enjoy some garlicky goodness.

Fosolia at Ahadu

In the sea of Seattle Ethiopian restaurants, Ahadu stands out for both general excellence and meat: the restaurant originated as a butcher shop and still takes deliveries of a half-steer on a weekly basis, selling some of the beef and using the rest in dishes from their menu. But the best dish on that menu uses no meat, just long-cooked green beans and carrots. The fosolia comes on their combination platters or from the sides menu, and builds flavor through butter, spices, and time, resulting in ultra-sweet beans.

Garlic mashed potatoes at Lil Red Jamaican Takeout & Catering 

You could put together a whole Thanksgiving dinner from Lil Red’s excellent selection of smoked meats and sides – he’s got deli turkey, yams, and mac and cheese. But then you miss out on a chance to get his best stuff: the jerk, barbecue and curry chicken, and whatever wild options pepper the specials board – plus the garlic-centric mashed potatoes. This homestyle version tastes like what most of us wish our parent’s mashed potatoes would taste like, creamy and full of the sweetness of roasted garlic.

Cranberry ricotta cake from Deep Sea Sugar & Salt

Thanksgiving dinners mean that Americans tend to place cranberries in the savory section, but the alluring tartness makes it a wonderful element to balance out an otherwise extremely sweet dish, like cake. The cranberry comes in jam form here, interspersed with cream cheese frosting among a stack of super moist ricotta olive oil cake.

Squash hummus at Cafe Munir

This quintessential neighborhood restaurant rarely lures people from too far away, but those nearby know that the rest of the city misses out on the Lebanese-style mezzes that incorporate local, seasonal produce into Middle Eastern classics, like this kabocha squash hummus that comes topped with wild chanterelle mushrooms and pine nuts cooked in butter.

Potato Gruyere Donut at Temple Pastries

You could practically make a complete meal solely of this Central District shop's seasonal treats, which include a buckwheat furikake and yam croissant, a shallot and gruyere pastry, and a pumpkin cheesecake croissant. But weekends at Temple bring the ultimate Thanksgiving flavor in donut form. The cheesy mashed potato center comes surrounded by a brioche dough full of chopped herbs, designed to mimic the flavors used for the holiday bird.

Thyme dinner rolls at Copine

Sure, you need to order one of this Ballard spot’s Thursday or Sunday takeaway suppers to get your hands on these, but once you order, you can add on extras, which you will want to do – because as good as the entrees, like confit chicken pot pie, are, they just don’t come with nearly enough of the tender, herby dinner rolls (there is no such thing as enough).

Pumpkin pie yogurt from Ellenos

The thick, rich Ellenos yogurt tastes good enough to be dessert even without any added flavors. But with the addition of sweet pumpkin puree and oaty cookie crumbles, this seasonal special brings the spirit of pumpkin pie to your spoon – along with a good excuse to eat it for breakfast.