Header photo: Big Birdy’s Bigger Birdy Holiday Feast
You don’t have to be American to appreciate all the food-related joy related to the holiday of Thanksgiving, celebrated in the USA each year on the fourth Thursday of November (this year falling on Thursday the 24th). The gut-busting, family-style meal on Thanksgiving Day itself usual revolves around a glorious roast turkey served with various comforting, calorific sides, with pumpkin, pecan and apple pies the staple sweets. Eating also takes centre stage throughout the long holiday weekend, often accompanied by American football-watching marathons and Black Friday shopping sprees.
This year in Hong Kong, we are grateful to the many restaurants around town that are honouring our American brethren with a host of delicious Thanksgiving eats.
Big Birdy
Whether you’re dining with a group or going solo this Thanksgiving, Big Birdy comes recommended. For smaller groups, there’s the Big Birdy Holiday Feast, which includes two whole flame-grilled peri-peri chickens and holiday sides galore (think cranberry sauce, chorizo stuffing, mashed potato, gravy, maple-glazed carrots and creamed spinach), while the Bigger Birdy Holiday Feast ups the eating ante to showcase a 6kg Australian free-range flame-grilled peri-peri turkey. Both feasts are available for dine-in and takeaway. Another dine-in option comes in the form of the Big Birdy Holiday Plate, a three-course meal for one that includes a starter (hummus or chicken tenders), sliced turkey breast with all the fixings and pumpkin pie crème brûlée for dessert.
Where: 9B Ship Street, Wanchai
When: from mid-November until 31 December 2022 for takeaway feasts; 24–27 November for dine-in
How much: Big Birdy Holiday Feast for HK$990 (serves 4–6); Bigger Birdy Holiday Feast for HK$1,799 (serves 10–12); HK$100 for delivery; Big Birdy Holiday Plate for HK$250/person
To order/book: WhatsApp 6050 9332 or email hello@big-birdy.com (note that the Bigger Birdy Holiday Feast requires at least 2 days’ advance notice)
Black Sheep Restaurants
Back by popular demand, Black Sheep Restaurants’ festive F&B programme – All We Want for the Holidays – has returned, kicking off with the restaurant group’s Thanksgiving Delivered package. Created by Black Sheep’s community of US-born chefs, the meal, available for takeaway and delivery, includes a whole roasted turkey with cranberry sauce and rosemary gravy, whipped mash, roasted green bean casserole, mac and cheese and classic holiday pies by Group Pastry Chef Karys Logue of Butter Cake Shop.
When: 22–25 November 2022 for pick-up and delivery
How much: $888/person (4-person minimum); additional fee for delivery
To order: order online (pre-order from 7 November)
Buenos Aires Polo Club
You can add a little Latin flair to your Thanksgiving dining plans with Buenos Aires Polo Club’s dine-in Thanksgiving Feast on the big day itself. The Argentinian-American meal begins with locro, a hearty spiced pumpkin soup. Next up is the smoked turkey with gravy, served with a bevy of drool-worthy sides (roasted garlic mashed potato, honey-glazed carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts with house-made bacon, chestnut-sausage stuffing featuring house-made pork sausage, green bean casserole and provoleta mac and cheese) and a choice of pumpkin or banana cream pie for dessert.
Where: 7/F, 33 Wyndham Street, Central
When: Thursday, 24 November 2022 for lunch and dinner
How much: HK$888/person
For reservations: phone 2321 8681 or book online
Cali-Mex
Instead of deep-fried turkey this Thanksgiving, check out Cali-Mex’s Churkeychanga – a chimichanga (deep-fried burrito) filled with roast turkey and mash blanketed in gravy and served with a side of cranberry sauce! Sandwiches made with leftover roast turkey are what we live for in the days following Thanksgiving, so we’ll certainly be trying out Cali-Mex’s take on the traditional turkey sarnie. To wash down all that Tex-Mex savouriness, order up a seasonal pumpkin pie milkshake on the side.
Where: click here for locations around town
When: November and December 2022
How much: HK$178 for Churkeychanga and HK$88 for pumpkin pie milkshake
Cultivate
This Thanksgiving, now that we can finally celebrate in groups once again, Chef Leonard Cheung has crafted a very special communal fine-dining experience to honour this spirit of togetherness. We don’t know exactly what’s in store with the Festive American Table at Cultivate, but we have been told to expect “large-scale presentations of nostalgic and seasonal roasted dishes”. Bring on the bounty of the season!
Where: 27–29 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central
When: 24–26 November 2022 (seatings at 6:15pm and 7:45pm)
How much: HK$1,888/person (groups of up to 4)
For reservations: phone 5303 1230 or book online
Dang Wen Li
Dang Wen Li’s got your holiday dessert table sorted with their series of limited-time festive pies. The trio of classic flavours includes salted caramel apple, pumpkin and caramelised pecan – just take a gander at these three seasonal beauties.
Where: click here for locations around town
When: 7 November 2022–2 January 2023 for salted caramel and pecan pies; 7–27 November 2022 for pumpkin pie
How much: HK$298 for salted caramel apple pie; HK$288 for pumpkin pie; HK$328 for pecan pie
To order: order online (pre-order by 6 November for early-bird discounts)
Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill
Hong Kongers’ favourite family-friendly American eatery, Dan Ryan’s, has some wallet-friendly Thanksgiving offerings on this year. If it’s just a bird you’re after, go for the whole US turkey with gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mashed potato. The Thanksgiving to-go set menu also includes Dan Ryan’s signature starters, salads and mains on top of the turkey. To make it even more hassle free for the fambam this year, you can dine in and order the Thanksgiving set dinner menu, featuring all the restaurant’s Turkey Day staples on one plate, accompanied by homemade pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie. The Lee Tung Avenue branch will also offer live jazz by the Allen Youngblood Trio, adding to the festive ambience.
Where: click here for locations around town
When: pre-order takeaway specials by 21 November 2022 (Festival Walk and Lee Tung Avenue locations only); 24–25 November for dine-in set dinner menu (all locations)
How much: HK$1,600 for takeaway whole US turkey with sides (serves 6–8); HK$2,388 for to-go set menu (serves 6–8); HK$428/person for dine-in set dinner menu
To order/book: contact Festival Walk/Lee Tung Avenue store managers for takeaway options; book dine-in online
FINI’s
FINI’s adds its own Italian-American twists to its traditional dine-in Thanksgiving set menu, showcasing its signature whole turkey roasted with garlic butter and Wild Turkey bourbon. A selection of antipasti start things off – mozzarella with heirloom tomato, FINI’s famous pork meatballs and chopped salad and cacio e pepe biscuits with honey-garlic butter. Along with the turkey, sides of cranberry sauce, gravy, Italian sausage and Cheddar stuffing, green bean casserole with shiitake, roasted garlic and chive mashed potato and balsamic Brussels sprouts with guanciale complete the savoury portion of the spread. For dessert, it’s apple crumble just like Nonna would make. The dine-in menu is also available as a takeaway package.
Where: click here for locations around town (all branches except Kwun Tong)
When: 23–27 November 2022 for takeaway + lunch and dinner dine-in
How much: HK$3,500 for takeaway menu (serves 6–8); HK$595/person for dine-in (add HK$249 for 2-hour free-flow to include Prosecco, house red and white wine and Peroni cans or HK$299 with draught beer and house spirits and mixers included)
To order/book: contact store managers for takeaway; book dine-in online
GRAIN
K-Town craft beer emporium GRAIN has several tempting options this Thanksgiving. The takeaway turkey meal includes a brined and herb-smoked whole French turkey with sourdough gravy and plum and cranberry sauce, along with a selection of side dishes and desserts. Complete the home-celebration experience with the optional add-on of an Apple Pie bottled cocktail made with Michter’s bourbon; it comes with the recipe and ingredients to make up to 14 drinks. You can also dine in the day after Thanksgiving with GRAIN’s Thanksgiving whole turkey dinner, featuring a brined and herb-smoked whole free-range turkey from Wales, sourdough gravy, plum and cranberry sauce, a collection of sides (including scrumptious-souding mascarpone and brown butter whipped mashed potato and jalapeño cornbread pudding with melted Cheddar) and PB&J crème brûlée and mini pecan pies for afters. Dining solo or want to save some bucks? Then there’s the Thanksgiving in One Plate option, offering the entire Thanksgiving takeaway menu on a single plate.
Where: 3–5 New Praya, Kennedy Town
When: pre-order takeaway turkey meal until 22 November 2022 (for delivery, pre-order by the 18th); Friday, 25 November for whole turkey dine-in; 23–27 November for Thanksgiving in One Plate
How much: takeaway turkey meal for HK$2,200 (serves 6–7); takeaway Apple Pie bottled cocktail for HK$800 (makes up to 14 drinks); dine-in turkey dinner for HK$2,500 (serves 6–7); HK$280/person for Thanksgiving in One Plate; from HK$200 for delivery
To order/book: order takeaway turkey meal online; book dine-in online
HENRY
If your idea of Thanksgiving is firing up the grill, HENRY’s butcher shop has prepared a slap-up BBQ grill set highlighted by 44 Farms rib-eye and NY strip and Berkwood Farms baby-back ribs, ideal for at-home parties. Another option, this time dine-in, is to order up one of the à-la-carte Thanksgiving specials at the restaurant. These include oysters Rockefeller (HK$358 for 6) and lobster bisque (HK$228) to start, herb-roasted turkey (HK$658) and smoked prime rib (HK$898) for mains and pumpkin cheesecake (HK$138) for dessert.
Where: 5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST
When: BBQ grill set available anytime with at least 2 days’ advance notice; 24–26 November 2022 for dine-in Thanksgiving specials
How much: HK$1,998 for BBQ grill set (includes 44 Farms rib-eye, 44 Farms NY strip, half-rack Berkwood Farms baby-back ribs, whole marinated chicken, 4 dry-aged burger patties, asparagus, broccolini, pickled veg, BBQ sauce set and Maldon smoked sea salt); HK$2,418 to add on a bottle of Château Sainte Marguerite Symphonie Rosé; from HK$200 for delivery (free delivery for orders of HK$2,500 or more)
To order/book: order BBQ grill set online; book dine-in online
Hotel ICON
Hotel ICON’s E-Shop is a one-stop wonder for traditional Thanksgiving takeaway meats. In particular, we love the sound of the roasted French baby turkey with apple-chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce and giblet gravy. For those with smaller appetites (or groups), there’s an option for a smoked Poland honey-glazed turkey drumstick with seasonal veg.
Where: 17 Science Museum Road, TST East
When: 21–24 November 2022 for pick-up
How much: HK$798 for the roasted French baby turkey with sides; HK$88 for 1 turkey drumstick or HK$148 for 2 drumsticks
To order: order online
Percy’s
Executive Chef Braden Reardon has crafted an all-American Thanksgiving menu at Percy’s to make all Yanks proud, and it can be ordered for both dine-in and takeaway. The family-style dine-in menu features roast turkey with sides of rosemary gravy, cranberry sauce, mushroom and sausage stuffing, sweet potato with spiced pecans, Brussels sprouts with sage and swordfish bacon and mashed potato, ending with classic pumpkin pie. Individual plates will be available for takeaway, and there’s no minimum order.
Where: 18–18A Shelley Street, SoHo, Central
When: 24–26 November 2022 for takeaway and delivery; Thursday, 24 November from 2–6pm for dine-in
How much: HK$408/person for takeaway; HK$448/person for dine-in (add HK$268 for free-flow to include Prosecco, house red, white and rosé wine, beer and house spirits)
To order/book: order online for takeaway and delivery (requires at least 2 days’ advance notice); book online for dine-in
Pollo Club
Pitmaster Leo Kam, who formerly headed up Foodie faves CRFT-PIT and Big D’s BBQ, is back in business with his catering company Pollo Club. Kam’s Thanksgiving takeaway specials this year come either chilled or hot and ready to eat, and sharing sets feature both a roast turkey and sliced honey-glazed ham, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potato, mashed sweet potato, mac and cheese, roasted root veg and bread rolls. Apple pie and Basque pumpkin cheesecake pie can be added on for dessert. Various à-la-carte options and beverages (we like the sounds of the spiked eggnog and spiced apple cider) are also available.
When: 16–30 November 2022 for takeaway and delivery
How much: HK$3,800 for small Thanksgiving set (serves 6–8); HK$5,500 for large Thanksgiving set (serves 10–12); HK$450 to add a pie; from HK$150 for delivery
To order: WhatsApp 6904 0568 or email info@polloclub.co (pre-order available until 20 November, with 10% off until 16 November)
Quiero Más
This modern Med restaurant is mixing things up with its special American-inspired Thanksgiving dinner. In true Quiero Más sharing style, the meal includes a wood-roasted turkey with an assortment of traditional sides, in addition to a spread of the eatery’s signature appetisers and tapas (Iberian acorn-fed ham shoulder with tomato bread, beef carpaccio with truffle and Manchego, king crab and caviar montadito and wild mushroom and truffle cappuccino). The feasts ends with a very merry pumpkin and pecan pie served with vanilla ice cream. This is a great option for those looking for something a bit different this Thanksgiving.
Where: 20/F, M88, Wellington Place, 2–8 Wellington Street, Central
When: 24–26 November 2022
How much: HK$488/person
For reservations: book online
Smoke & Barrels
Continuing its smoked meat USP, Smoke & Barrels presents a takeaway Thanksgiving set where the 7kg smoked turkey is the star of the show. A generous spread of elevated sides is included – mini tomato and pastrami ciabatta sandwiches to get you started, along with stuffing, gravy, cranberry jam, truffle mashed potato, roasted Brussels sprouts with house-smoked bacon and sautéed mushrooms. A pumpkin spice Basque cheesecake ends the meal on a festive high.
Where: Shop 3, LG/F, My Central, 23 Graham Street, Central
When: 22–27 November 2022
How much: HK$3,688 (serves 6); delivery available for an additional fee
To order: order online
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