There's so much for which to be thankful. On Thanksgiving Day, give thanks for San Diego's beautiful landmarks and good food and treat yourself to a feast at one of our city's most recognizable places. Here's what's cooking.
The Prado at Balboa Park
(1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101)
Give thanks on Nov. 23 at The Prado in the heart of Balboa Park. This year, the iconic restaurant will serve a Thanksgiving feast from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The special three-course holiday menu includes items like Roasted Carrot & Harissa Soup, Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast and Pumpkin Pie Brulee, to name a few choices. A kid’s menu is also available. The meal is priced at $54.95 for adults and $13.95 for kids age 12 and under. Make reservations ahead of time by calling (619) 557-9441.
Hotel del Coronado
(1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, CA 92118)
The Del’s oceanfront Ballroom and Crown Room will each offer Thanksgiving Day dining options, from 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The buffet includes all of the trimmings, set to live musical entertainment. To give you a tiny taste of what's on the table, the menu features Roasted Sweet Potato Soup, Cheese + Charcuterie, fresh seafood including shucked oysters, king crab legs, ahi, salmon and more. There will also be a meat station with lots of sides, a turkey station with all of the Thanksgiving trimmings, and a station filled with sweet treats including pies, cheesecake, and pastries galore.
Dinner in the Ballroom costs $125 for adults, $50 for kids ages 6 to 10 and free for kids 5 and under. Dinner in the Crown Room costs $140 for adults, $50 for kids ages 6 to 10 and free for kids 5 and under. Make reservations in advance by calling (619) 522-8490. The hotel’s other restaurants – 1500 OCEAN and Sheerwater – will also offer seasonal menus on Thanksgiving Day.
The Headquarters at Seaport
(789 W. Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101)
The Headquarters at Seaport – the historic site that formerly housed the headquarters of the San Diego Police Department – is now a marketplace filled with specialty shops and restaurants. On Thanksgiving Day, a couple of the complex's anchor eateries will be open: Eddie V's Prime Seafood and Seasons 52.
Eddie V’s – which sits on the very site where the San Diego courthouse once stood – invites patrons to celebrate Thanksgiving without lifting a finger. The elegant eatery will serve a pre-set traditional holiday feast from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. that includes sliced turkey breast, brioche sage stuffing and hand-whipped potatoes. The meal is priced at $39 for adults and $15 for kids. Make reservations online or by calling (619) 615-0281.
Seasons 52 will also offer a pre-set Thanksgiving meal, which includes roasted turkey, Yukon mashed potatoes, herb stuffing and other tasty trimmings. For dessert, the eatery is whipping up pumpkin pie. The feast is priced at $27.90 for adults and $12.90 for a child's portion. Make reservations online or by calling (619) 702-0052.
Local
California Thanksgiving Getaways for 2016
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
(2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, CA 92014)
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s Bing Crosby Season wraps up on Thanksgiving weekend so what better time for horse racing fans to dine at the track? The Turf Club at Del Mar will serve a 3-course Thanksgiving Brunch that includes bottomless "Del Marys," mimosas or champagne.
A $100 dining package ticket gets you Turf Club admission and a table for the race day, plus the holiday meal. Children 17 and under get into the Turf Club for free with an adult; their meals can be ordered from the regular dining menu. Reservations can be made ahead of time online. Remember, The Turf Club has a dress code.
The US GRANT
(326 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101)
The Grant Grill, located inside the historic US GRANT hotel in downtown San Diego, plans to offer two Thanksgiving Day dining options: a four-course turkey dinner, available from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., or a fancy buffet, available from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., boasting seasonal dishes including turkey, stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes and housemade desserts.
The feast is paired with live music in the hotel’s Presidential Ballroom. Reservations are required; call (619) 744-2046 or (619) 744-2077. The four-course dinner costs $97 per person (or $140 with wine pairings), while the buffet costs $97 for adults, $87 for seniors, and $39 for children.
The Westgate
(1055 2nd Ave. San Diego, CA 92101)
Downtown San Diego's well-known hotel, The Westgate, will also offer two dining options on Thanksgiving Day: a four-course, prix fixe menu in the Westgate Room featuring soup, salad, a main course choice of turkey, beef or salmon, and dessert, or a holiday buffet over in the Le Fontainebleau Room featuring a charcuterie and cheese station, salad, appetizers, sushi, seafood, turkey, a carving station, desserts and more.
Seating for dining in the Westgate Room begins at 11 a.m., while seating for the buffet is available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The coursed meal costs $69 for adults and $40 for children ages 4 to 12. The buffet -- which also includes live music -- is priced at $89 for adults and $40 for children ages 4 to 12. Kids under 3 can dine for free. Seating is limited so make reservations by calling (619) 238-1818.
Mister A’s
(2550 5th Ave., #406, San Diego, CA 92103)
Elegant Mister A’s -- with its gorgeous views of our city -- will offer a prix-fixe menu on Thanksgiving Day that includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Choices include: Macaroni & Cheese: A’s Style, Oven Roasted Maine Lobster Tails and Pumpkin Cheesecake, to name a few options. The holiday meal is $72.50 per person. Reserve your spot by calling (619) 239-1377. If you can, snag a window seat; the view of the San Diego skyline will take your breath away and leave you feeling thankful.
Bali Hai Restaurant
(2230 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego, CA 92106)
The Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island will host a Thanksgiving Day buffet with a Polynesian Flare from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 23. The mouthwatering menu includes Herb-Rubbed Turkey Breast With Rosemary Gravy and Spiced Hawaiian Ham with Ham Hock Jus, plus sides like Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Vegetable Fried Rice. For dessert, treats include all kinds of pie and pastries.
The holiday meal is priced at $48 for adults and $18 for kids ages 6 to 12. Kids 5 and under dine for free. Reservations are recommended by calling (619) 222-1181.
The Marine Room
(2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037)
For more than 75 years, this seaside staple in La Jolla has been known for its incredible views and the pounding surf that creates dramatic displays outside the restaurant’s windows. On Thanksgiving Day, The Marine Room will serve a holiday menu from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. with individually priced selections such as Rose Petal Advieh Coated Wild Prawns ($19) and Woodchuck Pear Cider Brined Turkey Breast ($41). To top off the meal, try a treat off the Thanksgiving Sweets menu which includes Five Spice Pumpkin Torte and Orangecello Crème Brulée ($14 for each dessert). Make reservations online or by calling (866) 644-2351.
Tom Ham’s Lighthouse
(2150 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92101)
One of San Diego’s best-known architectural landmarks on San Diego Bay (aka Beacon No. 9 on USCG Nautical Maps, in business since 1971) will also serve a Thanksgiving Day buffet with a host of scrumptious eats served against picturesque vistas of the bay, the downtown skyline and Coronado Island.
The spread includes a seafood bar, a carving station with free-range turkey and beef brisket, starters and sides, entrées like ham, salmon and mac 'n' cheese, and lots of desserts. The holiday buffet costs $48 for adults and $18 for kids ages 6 to 12; kids 5 and under can dine for free. The restaurant opens at 11 a.m., with the last seating at 6 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended; call (619) 291-9110.
