If you never thought it would be possible to get snooty about chilli con carne, the guys behind Lincoln Chilli are ready to prove you very, very wrong, and they’ll go above and beyond to show you what a real chilli should taste like. They’ve put together a stonker of a Thanksgiving meal for an event on 21 November which will feature all the familiar flavours of a holiday roast, but in slightly a different guise. Instead of cranberry sauce, the dinner kicks off with a cocktail made with fresh cranberries, ginger reduction and mezcal, while rather than serving a baked ham, there’s a starter of pork belly. Mains are, unsurprisingly, a variety of different chilli options – you can choose from turkey, beef or veggie. Pud is a homemade pumpkin pie, before an excellent finale: a digestif of Copper Fox Distillery Virginia Rye.
It's not the food that we find most interesting at Brewhouse & Kitchen's Thanksgiving dinner on 26 November, which makes a change – it's the beer. Walter Borque, head brewer, will be holding a tasting of five American craft beers to accompany the two course meal of turkey and pumpkin pie. We're pleased to say that Sam Adams' Boston lager will be making an appearance, as will lesser-known names such as Lagunitas American-style IPA, Harpoon UFO White Witbier, Moo Thunder Milk Stout and Chaplin American-style IPA, which is brewed at Brewhouse & Kitchen's Islington site. Sounds beery good to us.
Thanksgiving in a burger: you can't get much more American than that. Bringing a Route 66 feel to Shoreditch, Boneyard will be offering a turkey breast patty (which also features its secret stuffing) topped with cranberry mayo, smoked sweet potato hash and honey roast ham.
For a Thanksgiving menu with a bit of je ne sais quoi, head to Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Oriental. Executive chef Thomas Piat has put a distinctly French spin on things, starting with a butternut and chestnut velouté with – what else – duck confit, followed by turkey breast and leg galantine with all the trimmings, one of which is a rather intriguing-sounding Brussels sprout fondue.
For a (posh) leftover turkey sandwich without the hassle of actually cooking the turkey first, head to Mount Street Deli, which has created a ballotine sandwich for people giving thanks on the go. Other items include crab chowder, cranberry salad with a maple and pecan nut dressing and pumpkin pies. If you've overindulged so much that you can’t move, the nice chaps at the deli will even deliver it to your office.
Deep-fried turkey and candied yams. Yep, you read that right. If you feel like your cholesterol levels need a little top-up, head to Styx for this Thanksgiving extravaganza from Slap Ya Papa, where its Michelin-trained chefs are whipping up a Big Easy-style feast to the sound of live Dixieland music. What's more, you can enjoy knowing that 50% of profits from the dinner on 26 November will be going to Praxis, a charity which works to support migrants and homeless people in London.
The Lockhart will be providing Marylebone with a slice of the Deep South on 26 and 27 November, thanks to Mississippi-born chef Brad McDonald. Bourbon will be a key player on the menu, from the turkey with bourbon gravy, to the pumpkin pie with bourbon chantilly. This is definitely the place to go if you’ve got a sweet tooth: one of the sides is marshmallow and pecan-roasted sweet potatoes.
Howdy, y'all. Everyone’s favourite late night location The Blues Kitchen is going all-out for the Day of Thanks. We're most excited about the New Orleans gumbo: a stew of chicken, smoked sausage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and peppers that'll open your stomach nicely for the roast turkey and pumpkin pie that follows it. In case that isn't enough pumpkin for you, you can wash it down with copious amounts of pumpkin ale.
Q Grill is the most traditional location on our list, but the menu sounds so good we couldn't resist. We'd choose the griddled shrimps with jalapeño grits to start and then go straight for the slow-cooked Highland short rib with sweet potato and shallots, or the truffled mac and cheese with foraged mushrooms and pecorino. No Thanksgiving menu, traditional or not, would be complete without pumpkin, and you can get your fix at Q Grill via a soup, or a chocolate, pumpkin and pecan tart. Mmmmmmmm-hm.
If you want to indulge in American delights without going overboard, Avenue’s Thanksgiving platter for two could be the best of both worlds. Chilli and buttermilk-fried turkey will be accompanied by traditional US sides such as a mini mac and cheese, and charred corn with red pepper and harissa.
