10 Interesting ways to celebrate Thanksgiving in Alberta

Alberta eateries offering up delicious last-minute Thanksgiving options

Image via Hawthorn Dining Room's Instagram

Although many of us have been settled into the fall season for some time already, if this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend has snuck up on you and you’re feeling underprepared, fret not, you’re not alone.

Despite the popularity of the annual autumn feast, a fantastic assortment of Alberta restaurants are still providing options to ensure your Thanksgiving long weekend is as stress-free and full of flavour as possible. 

Whether you’re planning to serve a quiet dinner at home, providing a full-fledged feast for a large group, or you’d simply prefer to leave the prep work, cooking, and cleanup to the professionals, there are still plenty of ways to make this Thanksgiving long weekend a memorable one.

Biera (Edmonton)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Biera (@biera_yeg)

Alberta weather has been especially kind to us this year, so Biera has partnered with some of Edmonton’s favourite food and beverage brands to put together a “Friendsgiving” picnic box that is perfect for casual al fresco Thanksgiving snacking. 

Each box features charcuterie options from Meuwly’s, artisan cheese, house-made pumpkin orange beer mustard, sourdough crackers, and a bottle of Sip Field Notes Garden Amaro along with instructions on how to make a refreshing spritz.

Deane House (Calgary)

Deane House has long been one of Calgary’s premier providers of holiday-themed takeout packages, and this year is no different. This year’s Thanksgiving Dinner In Your Home menu includes brined turkey breast, confit turkey leg, maple cranberry sauce, locally-sourced seasonal vegetables, sugar pumpkin sticky toffee pudding, and more. The heat-and-eat packages are available in multiple sizes with optional wine pairings available at checkout.

Fairmont Banff Springs

The Vermillion Room at Fairmont Banff Springs is serving a traditional three-course Thanksgiving feast with an array of classic accompaniments from October 8 through 11, as well as an extravagant Thanksgiving Sunday brunch on October 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

The restaurant is also hosting a luxurious Thanksgiving-themed afternoon tea over the long weekend that will run from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

In addition to a slew of family-friendly Thanksgiving activities taking place over the long weekend, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise’s Fairview Bar and Restaurant will be offering a Thanksgiving menu featuring three seasonally-curated courses. 

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Like other Fairmont properties, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge will be hosting a multitude of fun Thanksgiving activities over the long weekend, including  pumpkin carving competitions, wagon rides, boat tours, and more. 

On Thanksgiving Sunday, Orso Trattoria will feature an Italian-themed Thanksgiving brunch with an assortment of small plates such as Thanksgiving eggs Benedict, braised beef ravioli, sweet potato hash, and more. 

For dinner, the Beauvert Ballroom will play host to a mix and match Thanksgiving feast featuring either a chef-carved turkey or a New York striploin, paired with a selection of sides that range from herbed stuffing with confit shallots and Yukon gold mashed potatoes to harvest vegetable medley and mushroom ravioli with truffle cream sauce and fried sage.

The Guild (Calgary)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by The Guild (@theguildcalgary)

The Guild's talented culinary crew has created a full Thanksgiving take-home dinner package that includes two seasonal salads, citrus and herb brined turkey leg confit and sous vide turkey breast, sage and brioche turkey stuffing, Yukon Gold and sweet potato pave, roasted vegetables, and individual pecan pies with salted caramel and crème anglaise.

Hawthorn Dining Room (Calgary)

From a pair of turkey to-go packages complete with a bottle of Chandon Brut and all the usual trimmings to a three-course in-restaurant Thanksgiving menu, to a wide array of seasonal multi-course take-home kits, however you prefer to celebrate Thanksgiving in Calgary, Hawthorn Dining Room has you covered. 

JOEY Restaurants

Similar to years past, JOEY Restaurants have once again assembled a turkey dinner takeout package that covers all the bases. Along with a traditional oven-roasted turkey, JOEY’s Thanksgiving package includes caramelized apple and sage stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, butter glazed carrots and yams, Brussels sprouts, fresh-baked apple pie with ice cream, and much more. JOEY is also offering up to 50 per cent off all bottles of wine paired with each package.

Rouge (Calgary)

Rouge Restaurant’s popular Thanksgiving Feast Heat and Eat meal kit is back this year with an elevated assortment of classic Thanksgiving offerings using all the fresh and seasonal ingredients you’d expect from the award-winning eatery. 

The $65 steal-of-a-deal includes a roasted squash and sweet potato salad, lamb meatballs with foie gras sauce and fried sherry Brussels sprouts, a turkey roulade with crabapple chutney, truffled pomme purée, roasted carrots, and rutabaga fondant, followed by a pumpkin pudding chômeur.

Sunterra Market

Sunterra Market has assembled a slew of seasonal Thanksgiving offerings that check just about every box. From ingredients and recipe instructions to take your home-cooked meal to the next level to heat-and-serve Thanksgiving feasts and meal kits, to Thanksgiving-inspired non-turkey entrees, Sunterra seemingly has a solution for every need.