Yahoo News Thanksgiving Dinner: Where to find the best menus in London
For Americanophiles and expats, the foodie festivities of the year are almost upon us.
Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so whether you’re a born and bred American longing for a Pumpkin-pie-shaped slice of home, or just think turkey deserves to be served more than once a year, London has ample options to choose from.
Americana classics are taking over London menus for the fourth Thursday of November. All menus here are just for the big day itself – Thursday 23rd November – unless specified otherwise.
From corn bread to cranberries, pulled pork to pecan pie, take a look at what’s in store.
Bar Boulud
This London outpost of the famed New York bistro (see above) is providing a fine French twist on the American Thanksgiving classics. A “Degustation de dinde” or “Tasting of Turkey” is on the menu – a serving of turkey breast and leg galantine white sausage, with sage stuffing, brussel sprout fondue (honestly), sweet potato and cranberry compote. A squash soup is to start with a truffle marshallow and pumpkin seeds, and a “noix de pecan” – yes, you guessed it, a pecan tarte – to finish up. 3 courses come in at £45.
SW1, barboulud.com
Red Rooster
Chef Marcus Samuelsson is doing Thanksgiving Harlem-style. The Ethiopian-born, Sweden-raised chef brought his insanely popular soul food from New York to London last year, opening the second branch of Red Rooster at The Curtain hotel in Shoreditch. Samuelsson’s £55 three course feast will feature a sharing course of his signature dishes – cornbread with honey butter, deviled eggs with chicken skin aioli and duck jerky and Helga’s meatballs – before the main event of roast turkey with cornbread stuffing and all the trimmings (including a dish of sweet potatoes and marshmallow).
EC2, thecurtain.com/red-rooster
Chutney Mary
Get quirky with your turkey at Chutney Mary, where the celebrated Indian restaurant will be serving up an Asian take on American favourites. Start off with a venison samosa before moving onto either roast duck with Himalayan apricots (see above) or a masala raan of turkey to share, with a stir fry of squash and chillies, sindhi crispy potatoes and lemon quinoa. Even the dessert comes with an aromatic hint of Indian spice - a toffee and ginger pudding with with cinnamon, chantilly cream and brandy sauce. Get three courses at either lunch or dinner for £50.
SW1, chutneymary.com
Bunga Bunga Battersea
Why limit yourself to just one American food obsession? Bunga Bunga are branching out with their festive menu, focusing on two other great American favourites: pizza and Jack Daniels fine-sippin’ whisky. Bunga Bunga, of course, know Italian-style pizza backwards, but Thanksgiving is an All American affair at their Battersea restaurant. The Thanksgiving pizza is topped with fior di latte mozzarella, roast turkey, caramelised onion and pancetta, all drizzled with a Jack Daniels BBQ glaze, and further courses include a turkey Milanese and slow cooked ribs in Jack Daniels Honey sauce. Four courses come in at £27, with entertainment including karaoke and a live band.
SW11, battersea.bungabunga-london.com
Blues Kitchen
You may already be planning to get on your red shoes and dance at Blues Kitchen, but on Thanksgiving you can fill up beforehand on their Thanksgiving feast. Buttermilk fried turkey, twice baked mac and cheese, toasted marshmallows and pumpkin pie are on the menu, followed by the chance to boogie on down to funk and soul at Brixton, a Mardi Gras Mambo in Shoreditch and a James Brown Mashed Potatoes U.S.A. Special in Camden. Born and bred Americans are in luck - there's a free can of Goose Island available for every USA passport holder. 3 courses are just £29.95.
Various locations, theblueskitchen.com
The Rail House Café
The baby sibling of The Riding House Café is celebrating its first Thanksgiving with a cornucopia of Stateside treats. For £40 a head, slow roasted turkey comes with maple-butter roasted potatoes with a crispy shallot and Parmesan crumb, Calvados gravy, creamed corn casserole and more. Choose between pumpkin brulée or pecan pie for dessert and wash everything down with a festive Old Fashioned, spiced up with Calvados, cinnamon and Bourbon soaked cranberries.
SW1, railhouse.cafe
CUT at 45 Park Lane
Wolfgang Puck’s London home is pulling out all the stops, as you might expect, with a three course menu for £110. There’s roast turkey on the menu of course, with wild mushroom stuffing and cranberry compote, but if you want to do Thanksgiving Puck-style, it’s possible to punt for a main of Japanese Wagyu Kagoshima Beef – that’s if you feel like forking out for a festive £110 supplement.
The Jones Family Project
This particular family is making a weekend of it. From the Thursday to the Saturday you can tuck into The Jones Family Project’s Thanksgiving menu (3 courses for £35); a roster of classics features a roast turkey dinner and pecan pie and, for a £35 supplement, you can add four paired Wild Turkey cocktails inspired by American fruits and classic Americana-themed tunes.
The Breakfast Club
Make like Molly Ringwald and head to The Breakfast Club, where all locations are serving up a Thanksgiving dinner with a side of pizzazz; Norfolk Turkey is bacon and beer roasted, the mac and cheese is made with three cheeses and the butternut bisque comes with warm jalapeno and coriander cornbread – all for £28 a head.
Various locations, thebreakfastclubcafes.com
Christopher’s
For a more sophisticated soiree, Christopher’s is offering up a wide-ranging menu in its sleek surroundings this thanksgiving. There’s a classic ballotine of turkey on offer, but also a Missouri-rubbed rack of lamb served with a pulled lamb, pomegranate and avocado tamale, or a baked celeriac, comté and piquillo pepper millefeuille for the vegetarians. On offer for dessert is a fusion of U.S. favourites: a baked pecan pie cheesecake with Graham cracker ice cream and a peanut butter chocolate cookie. 3 courses comes in at £60.
Jackson & Rye
American brunch enthusiasts Jackson & Rye are celebrating all weekend – from 5pm Thursday until Sunday – with a New York brasserie style Thanksgiving menu. Their turkey is served with sweet potato, rosemary and veal jus, following on from a choice of shrimp and bacon chowder, chicken wings with Peri Peri sauce and blue cheese sauce (yes, both), roasted beetroot with goats curd and candied pecans or pork, apple and Calvados terrine. 3 courses and a glass of prosecco are just £29.25
Various locations, jacksonandrye.com
Bodean’s
American cuisine isn’t known for its refinement, but they sure as hell know what to do to a piece of meat across the pond. BBQ purveyors Bodean’s follows in this admirable tradition on a daily basis, with Thanksgiving proving no exception. Kick off proceedings with a pulled pork quesadilla, followed by a sharing platter of turkey breast and drumstick, with glazed ham, mashed potato, corn bread stuffing and grilled veg. Not full yet? Plug the gaps with either key lime or pumpkin pie. 3 courses are just £27.95.
Various locations, bodeansbbq.com
Absurd Bird
So it’s not strictly a Thanksgiving menu, but fried chicken purveyors Absurd Bird are feeling festive from now up until the New Year, with Thanksgiving as no exception. You can party like you’re in the USA with house jalapeno and cheese biscuits, marinated roast turkey and corn bread pudding stuffing, or sweet potato, feta and spiced chutney tarts – all topped off with a very American apple pie. Parties from £18.95 per person.
W1F, E1, absurdbird.com
