Thanksgiving Feasts and Events in Victoria

MEALS

Hotel Grand Pacific’s Full Round of Thanksgiving 

Leave no meal behind this Thanksgiving! Hotel Grand Pacific is offering a well-rounded feast by designing a Thanksgiving Brunch, Dinner, and Dessert menu to appease even the hungriest of diners. For brunch, enjoy a Turkey and Wild Boar Bacon hash, complete with a poached egg and cranberry hollandaise. Dinner includes two options – either a classic Turkey Dinner or a Beef Wellington. Follow your meal with a tasty pumpkin cheesecake slice for a true Thanksgiving dessert. The Grand Pacific’s Thanksgiving offerings will be served from October 8th to the 10th.  Reservations can be made here. 

Fairmont Empress’s Turkey-To-Go

As summer faded into hues of crimson and gold, autumn paved the way for a new series of culinary offerings throughout our restaurants. The talented Chefs at the Fairmont Empress were inspired by the autumn harvest, designing a take-home Thanksgiving menu that can be enjoyed around the dinner-table. The menu offers holiday classics with a twist of timeless Empress elegance, such as an herb brined free-run turkey, maple roasted root vegetables, and cranberry-apple chutney. You can place your dinner order here. 

Missed the order date? Not to worry. Q at the Empress’ fall menu is here to stay, making good use of foraged island ingredients such as wild mountain huckleberries, chanterelles, and spruce tips. It’s a creative culinary rendition of edible wild plants, cultivated by the Coast Salish and Lekwungen speaking peoples living off these lands for thousands of years prior.

Dine Out at the Harbour House

Harbour House Steak and Seafood Restaurant has been a local favourite since 1980, known for entertaining guests around the globe through memorable culinary experiences. At just $49.95 per person, their Thanksgiving menu offers a classic Vancouver Island Free-Run Turkey as an entrée… or opt for a 6oz AAA New York Steak or a Halibut dish, in case you’ve already had your fill of turkey this weekend! Their menu will be available Sunday or Monday, with the full menu found here. 
 

Bard & Banker’s Thanksgiving Turkey

Enjoy your turkey drenched in gravy in a room soaked in history. Bard & Banker is famed for its beautiful setting, being stationed in an 1885 bank. Thanksgiving at the Bard lines up nicely with their live music schedule – with The Pickups performing soul music on Sunday, Music Bingo on Monday, and blues cover-artist Anneda on Monday, you’re in for a lively dinner! At a very affordable $25.95, you’re going to want to make reservations!
 

A Sustainably-Harvested 10 Acres Dinner

The epitome of farm-to-plate dining, 10 Acres owns stretching farmland of (you guessed it) ten acres in size, rolling across green pastures of the Saanich Peninsula. It is here that they source much of their island-fresh ingredients, while turning to local suppliers for ingredients they don’t grow whenever possible. Their Thanksgiving Dinner is available at all three of their restaurant locations (Commons, Bistro, and the Pier in Sidney), all chockful of freshly harvested ingredients. Having troubles deciding where to go? Pick Commons if you are planning on celebrating a “Friendsgiving”, as this restaurant in particular has a lively, energetic atmosphere. Choose Bistro if you are looking for an elevated-yet-casual meal with a menu that ebbs and flows with our changing seasons. Lean on 10 Acres at the Pier in Sidney for stunning oceanside dining to pair with your turkey.
 

A Thanksgiving Escape at the Arbutus Room

Not far away, but closer together – the Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa is just a 25-minute drive from downtown Victoria, but will make you feel a world away from all the bustle. The Arbutus Room faces east and gazes at the waterfront, pairing your spectacular meal with an equally spectacular view. This Thanksgiving, enjoy a three-course dinner for a fixed $75 fare, with a discounted kids menu available. Their menu showcases the best of the west, making great use of seasonal vegetables like brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and kale.  The Thanksgiving set will be available on October 8 and 9, and you can reserve your spot in advance here. 

Give Thanks at the Courtney Room

Tucked away in the Magnolia Hotel & Spa is the sophisticated Courtney Room, a fine-dining restaurant well-decorated with many accolades. Named one of Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in 2019 and featured in Forbes’ Travel Guide, you can feel confident that your holiday meal will be in good hands. With several gluten free and vegan options to choose from, everyone can be accommodated for this $90 3-course dinner. Their dinner will be available October 9th and 10th, and reservations can be made here. 

Enjoy Local Ingredients through Niche Grocerant

Niche Grocerant is a project born out of the founders’ values in knowing where their food comes from. As a fully-licensed “grocerant” (think: grocery + restaurant), their meals can be prepped as take-and-make or ready-to-eat offerings. Their Thanksgiving dinner pre-order includes a take-home meal of roasted turkey, pork sausage and chanterelle stuffing, apple cranberry sauce, a mini pumpkin pie, and more… a feast designed for 2-4 people. Why not add in one of their famous cheese boxes while you’re at it? Pre-orders for the long weekend can be made here.
 

Holiday Fixings at the Snug Pub

Enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner feature in The Snug Pub this year with all the holiday fixings. As heart-warming as it’s name, The Snug Pub is the city’s first neighbourhood pub, tucked away in the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Think: a warm, inviting atmosphere, floor-to-ceiling windows opening up to the ocean, good spirits, and an attention to celebrating life-long relations – these are the vibes of the Snug Pub. Their traditional turkey dinner will be offered on October 9th and 10th starting at 5PM, with a decadent pumpkin tiramisu to follow for a fixed $55 per person. Please note, the Snug Pub runs on a first-come first-serve basis and does not take reservations.

A Feast for Twelve at Whole Foods

Now this is how you wow your family. Place an order for a Thanksgiving feast at the Wholefoods Market located at 3587 Blanshard Street, for a stunning dinner you won’t soon forget. All items are packed cold and may require reheating.

Gobble Up your Meal at Vista 18

Vista 18, located on the 18th floor of Chateau Victoria Hotel & Suites, is serving up more than just their unbeatable restaurant views. Dine on a 3-course, $62 dinner with scrumptious offerings such as Truffle + Parmesan soup, a Lamb Roulade as the main, and a Pumpkin-spiced Doughnut for dessert. Move over turkey and pie – here’s a tasty twist on the classics!

EVENTS

Thanksgiving at the Cook St Village Activity Centre (Oct 7th)

Celebrate the harvest, Oktoberfest, and the community all in one go. The Cook Street Village Activity Centre will be holding a Thanksgiving Celebration complete with a full turkey meal, entertainment, drinks, and tons of good laughs with friends. This event takes place on October 7th from noon – 2pm, with tickets from $18 for members, and $25 for general admission.
 

A Thanksgiving of Voices Concert  (Oct 8th)

2 talented choirs, over 80 voices, a beautiful venue, and good company is a harmonious recipe for a wonderful evening! In support of the Eldercare Foundation, A Thanksgiving of Voices promises an engaging night of song featuring Checo Tohomaso, the Victoria Sweet Soul Choir, and the Daniel Lapp Joy of Life Choir. Proceeds from this evening will fund valuable programs, like music therapy, for the long-term care residents that Eldercare supports. Doors open at 7pm on October 8th at the Farquhar at the University of Victoria.
 

Stein and Dine – Victoria’s 6th Annual OktoberFest Event (Oct 15th) 

Okay, we know this event is *technically* not Thanksgiving related. However, climbing out of a weekend-induced turkey-coma, you may be feeling like you’re erupting with stuffing yourself. Perhaps you want to work off the dinner – or multiple dinners – through a night of song and dance. Victoria’s annual OktoberFest event returns with a complete night of dancing, giant games (think: enormous Jenga and Connect 4), live music including a live harmonica player, and of course… Oktoberfest beer and drinks, all taking place at Victoria Public Market. Wash down your last week’s turkey feast with a night of hot pretzels and beer cheese, schnitzel, corn fritters, and BC craft beer, and get ready to party the Germanic way. 
 

Take a Self-Guided Tour down the Flavour Trails

For a great pre-, post-, or during- Thanksgiving activity, why not embark on The Greater Victoria Flavour Trails? The Flavour Trials are a set of self-guided adventures that celebrate the rich bounty of this region, and beyond! Drive or bike through the rolling acreages of the Saanich Peninsula, indulging in crisp cideries and wineries, fireweed honey, freshly cut herbs, and so much more. The autumn season is the perfect time to relish in island-grown ingredients, with farmed produce and wild edible plants and funghi growing as ripe as ever. These tours are a great way to get many ambitious foodie experiences crossed off at once.
 

Happy Thanksgiving!