If you find yourself in China's capital this November, these restaurants, hotels, and craft breweries are celebrating America's holiday in traditional style.
If you think traveling in China means missing Thanksgiving, think again. The large number of American expats living in Beijing ensures that a surprising number of turkey dinners and promotions pop up every November at restaurants, hotels, and breweries. Here are 10 places to celebrate Thanksgiving there this year.
This popular Xingfucun brasserie is pulling out all the stops, serving a honey agave-glazed turkey with red wine gravy. Turkey portions are available for small tables of two or three people all the way up to groups of 14. Sides, like the portobello and chorizo stuffing with pretzel crumble, and the jalapeño mac n' cheese topped with garlic crumbs, cost extra ($5-$7) each and are suitable for sharing between two to three people.
For dessert, there's pumpkin empanada with salted caramel ice cream topped with peppercorn honey. Wash it all down with one of the restaurant's signature cocktails, or a pint of Jing A craft beer ( from$28 for a small turkey for two to three; Lee World Building, 57 Xingfucun Middle Rd., Chaoyang District; 86 10 6416 2683)
If you're planning to visit 798 Art District, FEAST's Thanksgiving dinner would make the perfect end to the day. Located on the second floor of a stylish business hotel, the airy all-day restaurant is hosting a relatively restrained and reasonably priced affair, with pumpkin soup to start, roast turkey with chestnut and herbed bread stuffing for the main event, and pecan pie for dessert ($30 per person; 22 Jiuxianqiao N Rd., Chaoyang District; 86 10 8426 0888).
For the fifth year running, Great Leap is throwing a Thanksgiving bash "with socialist principles," as put by founder Carl Setzer. The original Doujiao Hutong branch will be the scene of a potluck where the brewery supplies a deep-fried turkey and guests bring sides (free for anyone who brings a side to share; 6 Doujiao Hutong, Dongcheng District; 86 10 5717 1399).
Craft brewery Jing A and the cheekily named "nonkosher delicatessen" Traitor Zhou's are teaming up for Thanksgiving with a laid-back spread of fried chicken and Cajun-style side dishes. Guests can sit either inside the Jing A Taproom or in the 1949 Hidden City courtyard just outside the brewery. There will be two dinner services—one from 6 to 8 p.m. and another from 8 p.m. to late (from $126 per person;86 10 6501 8883)
With sweeping views of Qianmen, the venerable Capital M will leave you in no doubt that you're celebrating a quintessentially American holiday in China. Though pricing and menu were unconfirmed by publication time, dinner will be a special affair if last year's three-course menu is anything to go by (call for price; 86 10 6702 2727).
Sanlitun's The Local is one of the few places in the city to have both vegetarian and non-turkey options for Thankgiving. Though this year's menu and prices haven't been confirmed yet, owner and manager Kenn Bermel assured T+L it's happening. Last year, there was a choice of turkey, roast prime rib or beef, or eggplant lasagna.
For Thanksgiving, the Westin is hosting a lavish Thanksgiving dinner with roast turkey, honey-glazed ham, chestnut and mushroom soup, beef tenderloin with cream cheese polenta, cinnamon pumpkin pie, and more ($61 per person)
Located in the sleepy village of Hegezhuang, The Orchard is far removed—both geographically and conceptually—from the other venues on this list. Much of the produce used in the restaurant's popular Sunday brunches is grown on site. For this celebration, The Orchard will host a dinner buffet with roast turkey with all the trimmings and a variety of sides. After dinner, guests can walk it all off with a stroll around the koi pond ($55 per person; Hegezhuang Village, Chaoyang District; 86 10 6433 6270)
Ah, Lily's. What would expats do without this cheap, reliable American-style diner? For the low price of $29, you get a plate of genuine imported U.S. turkey with gravy, sides (including mashed potatoes), dessert (apple pie, pumpkin pie, brownie, or cheesecake), and a glass of red or white wine.
Last but not least, nothing says Thanksgiving in Beijing like a turkey dinner at the foot of the Great Wall. Stylish eco-retreat The Brickyard has two options: a standalone Thanksgiving dinner and a dine-and-stay package. Dinner highlights roast turkey with all the trimmings, a dessert buffet, live jazz, and a supervised kids' playroom. A bus service will be available to dinner guests (from $61 per person)
