The best fine dining restaurants to visit in London this Thanksgiving

For a lot of Americans across the pond, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. If beloved sitcoms like Friends, Seinfeld, Cheers and How I Met Your Mother are any indication, this is a holiday for friends, family and feasting with a touch of sports. 

Held on the fourth Thursday of November each year — this year it’s 28 November — Americans across the world will gather to give thanks for the blessings of the past year and the powers that helped them achieve it. This day itself has its roots in the harvest festivals of Europe, adapted by the US to mark the settlement and founding of America in the 1600s –– the first is commonly held to have been celebrated by Pilgrim settlers in 1621.

The main event at any Thanksgiving celebration is, of course, the big Thanksgiving feast. So whether you’re looking for a pocket of home away from home or simply would like to indulge in a classic Thanksgiving feast, here are some of the best fine dining restaurants in London that are releasing festive menus to celebrate this festive holiday.Sette by Scarpetta, Knightsbridge

In a nod to Sette’s New York heritage, its London counterpart is hosting a Thanksgiving dinner on 28 November to celebrate this American holiday. The four-course menu will feature seasonal favourites with Sette’s own twist. Standout dishes include a celeriac, porcini and truffle soup, pumpkin ravioli, roasted bronze turkey and a pecan pie for dessert. In keeping with the spirit of giving, Sette has partnered with StreetSmart UK, a leading charity supporting homeless and vulnerable people. From 1 November to 31 December, an optional £1 donation will be added to each bill, offering diners the chance to give back this Thanksgiving.108 Brasserie, Marylebone

108 Brassierie in Marylebone will be hosting a Thanksgiving feast on 28 November — complete with a pie room. Start proceedings with an amuse bouche of butternut squash & beef short rib arancini with smoked Monterey Jack cheddar. Next up, choose from Baltimore-style crab cakes with chicory & avocado salad finished with creole remoulade sauce, or honey roasted fig & goat cheese tart with rocket and spiced pecans. The main course is the Caldecott free-range Bronze turkey with all the trimmings — traditional stuffing, green bean & mushroom cassoulet, sweet potato mash, creamed corn, roast potatoes and cranberry relish. For vegetarians, there is a sweet potato & mushroom wellington with sage and cranberries. Then, head to the pie room which is filled to the brim with a selection of golden-crusted, homemade pies, the brasserie’s dedicated pie room will provide the ultimate finale to its four-course Thanksgiving feast.The Kensington, South Kensington

From 28 to 30 November, The Kensington in London will be serving a special Thanksgiving menu filled with all the festive favourites. Begin with a choice of creamy New England clam chowder or a fresh garden salad adorned with cranberries and pecans. For the main course, guests can indulge in traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings — savoury stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and rich gravy — or opt for a butternut squash risotto with sage for a vegetarian twist. To conclude the meal on a sweet note, there’s a choice of classic pumpkin pie topped with cinnamon whipped cream or southern pecan pie served à la mode. For an additional Thanksgiving cheer, The K Bar will host an exclusive Pappy Van Winkle bourbon tasting on Wednesday 27 November for all the whisky enthusiasts in the city.The Pem, Westminster

The Pem, located inside Westminster’s Conrad London St James, is hosting a one-night-only Thanksgiving dinner on 28 November. Led by acclaimed chef Sally Abé, The Pem’s menu reimagines Thanksgiving classics with a distinctly British touch. Highlights include a sweetcorn and clam chowder, featuring dressed crab and Exmoor caviar, a maple-glazed turkey paired with duck-fat Hasselback potatoes, green beans with wild mushrooms, and smoked chestnut Brussels sprouts and pumpkin pie ice cream on hazelnut shortbread and a classic pecan tartlet. Vegan and children’s options are also available for people looking for an alternative meal.CUT at 45 Park Lane, Mayfair

This year, CUT at 45 Park Lane is pulling out all the stops by serving a spectacular Thanksgiving feast. The three-course menu starts with a choice of starters including a bigeye tuna tartare, Dorset crab & lobster ‘Louis’ cocktail, prime beef steak tartare. For mains, guests can choose from a Norfolk bronze turkey with the traditional sides of cornbread stuffing, cranberry compote and pigs in blanket, or a grilled cornish Dover sole or an Australian wagyu beef, served with classic Thanksgiving sides for the table, including sweet potatoes with torched marshmallows, roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts and green bean casserole topped with breadcrumbs. Finish off the feast with an array of American pies including a key lime, pumpkin and pecan.The Dorchester, Mayfair

The Promenade at The Dorchester will be hosting a four-course Thanksgiving themed dinner on the evening of 28 November, featuring classic and contemporary dishes, alongside live entertainment.  The menu starts with a selection of canapés on arrival before a choice of starters, including a crab cake with sea herbs, a grilled shrimp salad, or a guinea hen salad. An intermediate course follows with a choice of either clam chowder or Jerusalem artichoke velouté before mains including a Cambridge bronze turkey with all the trimmings, a roasted seabass, a JD bonded Bourbon braised ribs or a butternut squash & smoked applewood wellington. The feast ends with a selection of desserts including a caramel pie, a pumpkin pie, or a blueberry cheesecake.Claridge’s Restaurant, Mayfair

This Thanksgiving, Claridge’s Restaurant will swing open its doors to welcome guests for a decadent Thanksgiving feast. The four-course celebratory menu offers a refined take on Thanksgiving classics using the finest locally sourced ingredients the restaurant is known for. To begin, expect a warming pumpkin and ginger soup amuse-bouche before moving on to smoked salmon royal with cauliflower salad and pickled cucumber, followed by maple glazed ham hock, creamed leek, parsley sauce. 

For mains, opt for a Thanksgiving showstopper of roasted Norfolk bronze turkey with apricot and chestnut stuffing, pigs in blankets, and turkey jus. Those who prefer something less traditional can go for roasted halibut with mixed bean casserole and sweet potato or a celeriac, mushroom, and truffle wellington. Sides include roast potatoes, sautéed brussels sprouts, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots, and cranberry red cabbage. For dessert is the classic pumpkin pie served with vanilla ice cream for pudding, or a blueberry tart paired with cream cheese ice cream. Round things off with a cheese course including truffled brie with watercress, toasted walnuts, cranberry compote.abc kitchens, Knightsbridge

If you’re after a slice of New York in London, you cannot go wrong with celebrating Thanksgiving at Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s abc kitchens in Knightsbridge. He has crafted a menu celebrating the season’s classic autumnal flavours with a contemporary twist — perfect for celebrating with family and friends. Kick off proceedings with a butternut squash soup, garnished with parmesan cheese and crispy croutons, before moving onto a traditional Thanksgiving centrepiece, with a succulent roasted turkey complemented by a mushroom and chestnut stuffing and a selection of seasonal sides including roasted brussels sprouts and homemade cranberry sauce. Finish off with a pumpkin pie, served with a dollop of mascarpone chantilly, a pivotal part of a Thanksgiving feast, ensuring a memorable ending. The Connaught Grill, Mayfair

The Connaught Grill in Mayfair, London will mark Thanksgiving with a one-off menu on 28 November. Guests can expect Thanksgiving classics with a modern twist, using high-quality seasonal produce cooked over a wood-fired grill. The four-course feast begins with an amuse-bouche of white bean soup with pancetta crumbs and dill; followed by a choice of glazed honey nut squash served with whipped ricotta and spiced date purée, or Scottish scallops with brussels sprouts, smoked bacon and mustard sauce. Onto the main event, diners can choose from roasted Norfolk turkey crown served with confit leg, traditional stuffing and gravy; line-caught sea bass with seaweed butter sauce; or grilled caraflex cabbage with smoked celeriac and black truffle. Sides include mashed potato, caramelised brussels sprouts, delicata squash and cranberry compote, with a selection of Thanksgiving cakes to round off the celebrations.

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