Laura Reynolds

Thanksgiving In London 2019: American Restaurants, Special Meals And Thanksgiving Events

Thanksgiving 2019 falls on Thursday 28 November. While it's an American holiday, there are plenty of opportunities for American ex-pats, former USA residents and general food lovers to celebrate Thanksgiving here in London. Many London restaurants serve great American food year round, and for an extra dose of Americana, head to one of the capital's best diners.

Otherwise, get yourself booked-in to sample these special Thanksgiving menus, and celebrate at these one-off events around the capital.

Thanksgiving icing class at Biscuiteers, Notting Hill

Take part in a Thanksgiving icing class

Whipping up your own Thanksgiving feast this year? Learn how to top off the desserts perfectly at Biscuiteers' Thanksgiving themed icing class. In a group of no more than seven people, learn the techniques that the bakery's own professional icers use. All biscuits and icing are provided, as are tea and coffee.

£85, booking required. 24 November 2019.

Thanksgiving 2019 at Christopher's, Covent Garden

Modern American bar and restaurant Christopher's offers a one-off three course set menu for Thanksgiving. Begin with starters including carrot & cumin soufflé or seared Orkney scallops. For the main event, indulge in Christopher’s signature, slow-cooked ballotine of organic turkey cornbread, Michigan chestnut cherry stuffing, cranberry relish, buttered beans, and creamed potatoes .

Finish up with an indulgent pumpkin pie, or the spectacular chocolate pecan pie.

The ground floor Martini Bar of the venue also serves unique themed cocktails until 1am. The gingerbread martini (£13) is available for one day only, consisting of Tito's vodka, Noilly Prat vermouth, cacao liqueur, gingerbread syrup, lime cordial, and angostura bitters. For a non-alcoholic alternative try the pumpkin pie martini (£7), which combines pumpkin puree, apple juice, lemon juice, caramel syrup, nutmeg, and ginger biscuit rim.

£65 for three courses, booking required. Available 28 November 2019.

Thanksgiving at the Hard Rock Cafe London

Two of London's Hard Rock Cafes — the original on Piccadilly and the new one in Piccadilly Circus — serve a special Thanksgiving menu this year, and it sounds like very good value. The menu includes slow-roasted turkey breast, roasted fresh vegetables, home-style classic stuffing, creamy sweet potato mash, cranberry sauce and a traditional turkey gravy, with pumpkin pie as an optional extra. The bar staff are whipping up a special Holiday Espresso Martini, chilled and served with Grey Goose Vodka, Kahlúa and fresh brewed espresso, to wash it all down.

£26.20/£39.45 with Espresso martini/£8.95 for under 10s, booking required. 28 November only.

Thanksgiving at Duck & Waffle

Enjoy a Friendsgiving Feast with views over London in Duck & Waffle's private dining room. Chef Elliott Grover’s set menu includes festive classics like pumpkin soup, sweet potato casserole, and the main event: succulent turkey, carved tableside and served with all the trimmings (Wellington nut roast also available). The meal is served family-style, and make sure you leave room for pecan pie. A wine pairing is included in the ticket price.

£90 per person, booking required. Available 28 November at 7pm.

Thanksgiving at 108 Brasserie, Marylebone

Marylebone's swanky 108 Brasserie offers Americans in London a taste of home, with a traditional Thanksgiving menu. Begin with New England clam chowder served with cornbread, followed by turkey with cranberry stuffing and all the trimmings. Finish with pumpkin pie served with cinnamon cream.

£40 per person/£45 with a special Thanksgiving cocktail, booking required. 28 November only.

Thanksgiving at Town House at The Kensington

If it's a refined Thanksgiving you're after, head to Town House, where Long Island pumpkin soup, roast turkey confit leg fritters’ and pecan tart are all on the menu, along with meaty pork ribs, and a fall harvest salad for those looking for something a little less traditional.

£50 per person/£95 including wine pairing, booking required. Available 28 November, 6.30pm-8.30pm

Thanksgiving wing-eating competition at Big Easy

BBQ restaurant Big Easy celebrates Thanksgiving with its second annual wing-eating contest. 10 competition spots are available at each restaurant (email wingeating@bigeasy.co.uk to sign up), with the competition taking place at 6.30pm on Thanksgiving. The diner who eats the most wings in 10 minutes wins free beer for a year.

28 November only.

Thanksgiving 2019 menu at Aqua Shard

For the first time, Aqua Shard serves up a special Thanksgiving menu, 31 floors above London.

The Thanksgiving dinner menu combines traditional American favourites with innovative twists — think juniper smoked salmon with pumpkin and black truffle salad to start. For the main course, choose from either a seafood or meat option, with grilled lobster with tarragon hollandaise and cornbread crumble or roast turkey with gravy, mashed potato, stuffing, green bean salad and cranberry sauce.

Follow up with a mini pecan pie, a pumpkin pie with sweet potato ice cream, caramelised pecan nuts and charred marshmallows.

On Thanksgiving itself, enjoy Thanksgiving lunch with dishes from the main menu. Spiced poached prawns, sweet potato, confit onion and champagne mousse are some of the options, and the meal finishes with turkey shaped iced biscuits from Biscuiteers.

Available 25-29 November, with a special lunch on 28 November. Thanksgiving menu £75 per person (or with bespoke wine pairing for £105 per person). Thanksgiving lunch on 28 November priced at £38 per person.

NFL Thanksgiving Party at Nordic Bar, Fitzrovia

As any Friends fan knows, the NFL match on Thanksgiving is a huge event. If for you, Thanksgiving is more about the sport than the turkey, head to Nordic Bar in Fitzrovia which is throwing an NFL screening party. It kicks off with the Detroit Lions against the Chicago Bears, followed by the Dallas Cowboys against the Buffalo Bills, finishing with the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons

£5-£10, booking required. 28 November 2019. Find out more about NFL in London 2019.

Smith & Wollenksy's Thanksgiving 2019 menu

Dine inside Smith & Wollensky

The London outpost of New York restaurant Smith & Wollensky — where that Fleabag episode was filmed — offers a special Thanksgiving menu. For £69, tuck into three courses. Traditional turkey, sirloin steak and ribeye steak (£30 surcharge) are all on the menu), as are pumpkin pie and Oreo cheesecake.

Thanksgiving feast at Riding House Cafe, Fitzrovia, and Rail House Cafe, Victoria

Both Riding House Café (Fitzrovia) and Rail House Café (Victoria), offer a Thanksgiving feast for one day only (28 November).

Begin with a Ginger Pilgrim cocktail (Bourbon, honey, lemon and ginger), before tucking into a slow-roasted Norfolk bronze turkey cooked in herb butter, served with all the trimmings including cornbread and sausage stuffing; maple-buttered sweet potatoes; mac and cheese; and creamed corn casserole.

For dessert, choose between pumpkin brûlée pie or pecan pie, each served with hand-whipped vanilla cream.

£40 per person, booking required. Available for lunch and dinner at both venues, 28 November only.

Thanksgiving at B&H Garden Room

Leicester Square's B&H Garden Room celebrates its seasonal makeover with a series of special feasts, including a Thanksgiving event. It's held in the private dining room, so tickets are strictly limited, and the food consists of twists on classic Thanksgiving dishes, accompanied by a specially curated cocktail menu.

28 November. £45 per person, booking required

Thanksgiving 2019 at Blues Kitchen: Camden/Shoreditch/Brixton

Each of Blues Kitchen's three London venues does Thanksgiving in its own way.

Brixton serves up a buttermilk-fried turkey feast, plus other special menu items including New Orleans gumbo, and pumpkin pie toasted with marshmallows. Stick around until 10pm for a special edition of the venue's regular Thursday night music night, with Motown, Stax and Atlantic tracks performed by a live band.

Camden also serves up a turkey-led menu, served up family-style and accompanied by live honky-tonk music from the Jambalaya House Band. Americans can claim a free shot of bourbon by showing their American passport.

The free bourbon offer applies in Shoreditch too, where the turkey feast gives way to two live shows and DJ in between, with southern soul & rock n roll performed live by the Sierra Band.

28 November only.

Thanksgiving at Blakes Hotel, Kensington

Boutique hotel Blakes offers a three-course Thanksgiving menu, highlighting American traditions using British ingredients. Start with a butternut squash velouté with Brussel sprouts, chickpeas and sage (which sounds like a main in itself to us). Follow up with Norfolk Bronze turkey with seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and hazelnut stuffing, and finish with apple caramel tart with cinnamon ice cream

£49 per person, booking required. Available 28 November.

Thanksgiving dinner with Bulleit Whiskey at Tramshed, Shoreditch

Mark Hix's Tramshed restaurant has team up with Bulleit Whiskey for a Thanksgiving dinner using seasonal British ingredients. It's served on the mezzanine overlooking the restaurant, and each traditional American course is served alongside a whiskey cocktail — think Sweet Potato Whiskey Sour and Fennel Iced Tea. Sounds like a Thanksgiving meal to remember... or not.

£65 per person, booking required. Available 28 November, 7pm

Thanksgiving at All Star Lanes

For something a little less traditional and stuffy, All Star Lanes offers Thanksgiving drink, dine and bowl packages. Tuck into lemon & garlic half chicken (or Mac 'n' Cheese), followed by a cherry pie dessert. There's half a bottle of wine per person, and you can burn it all off on the lanes afterwards.

£30 per person, booking required. Available 28-30 November.

Thanksgiving 2019 at Outsider Tart, Chiswick

All-American bakery Outsider Tart brings people together for a three-course Thanksgiving feast. Despite the venue's name and usual specialities, it's a traditional Thanksgiving meal including turkey with all the trimmings, including sausage cornbread stuffing, sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole. Dessert takes the form of apple, pumpkin or pecan pie.

Thanksgiving 2019 at Outsider Tart, £65 per person/£85 with alcohol. Booking required. Available Thursday 28/Friday 29/Saturday 30 November.

Thanksgiving 2019 at The Savoy

Both Kaspar's and The Savoy Grill are serving special menus for Thanksgiving this year. Kaspar's offers you the choice of a full, traditional Thanksgiving dinner on the day itself (£75 per person) — think turkey, roasted pumpkin, Scottish salmon, pumpkin pie... — or a Thanksgiving brunch on Sunday 1 December (£95 per person). This also takes a traditional approach, with turkey and pumpkin featuring heavily, but it's a far more extensive menu with a few unexpected (think sushi & sashimi).

Over at The Savoy Grill, a very set menu is served on Thanksgiving itself. Start with Oyster Rockefeller, followed by turkey with all the trimmings, and finished with peanut butter parfait and cranberry ripple. £68 per per

See The Savoy website for further details.

Thanksgiving doughnuts at Crosstown Doughnuts

Crosstown's vegan Spiced Pumpkin doughnut is inspired by the traditional Thanksgiving dessert. It's made from Crosstown’s vegan sourdough, filled with a homemade spiced pumpkin custard and topped with both pumpkin glaze and a cinnamon and pumpkin seed crumble.

£4.50 each/£34 for a box of 12. Available 31 October-29 November in all Crosstown stores.

The Hansom's Harvest Punch cocktail

The Hansom at The St. Pancras Renaissance has created The Hansom’s Harvest Punch, a special cocktail to kick off the American holiday season. The zesty concoction consists of lemon juice, sherbet, Chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur paired with Earl Grey infused Plymouth gin, topped with British sparkling wine.

£14. Available 25 November-3 December.