On the fourth Thursday of November, people in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving – probably the biggest national holiday. As an American living abroad, you might be missing the usual holiday festivities around this time. Thankfully, there are a lot of American expats that brought the tradition to Berlin with them. Here are a few places that offer authentic American Thanksgiving food as well as tips on where to find ingredients if you want to cook for yourself!
Enjoying Thanksgiving with the help of a restaurant…
P.S. If you plan on visiting one of these restaurants during thanksgiving, make sure to make a reservation ahead of time – spots can fill up quick!
1. Café am Neuen See
If you’re willing to splurge on a Thanksgiving meal, check out Café am Neuen See. Thanksgiving dinner is available from November 21 to 3o, from 46 euros per person. It is suggested to reserve a table one week in advance.
2. Masha’s Bagels and Delicatessen
Every year, Masha’s Bagels hosts a traditional U.S. Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 28th. They have seatings from 11.30 AM to 3.30 PM, and their feast is hosted family-style on long tables to make you feel at home. For dine-in, the three course meal costs 18€ per person, and for the Bagel takeaway, the cost is 12€ per person.
3. Hard Rock Café
For a more affordable thanksgiving meal, check out Hard Rock Café, which serves a 2 course meal on Thursday, November 25th and Sunday, November 28th. For 29.95€ , you can get an entrée with all the thanksgiving staples (turkey, stuffing, etc) and a slice of classic pumpkin pie.
4. Barcomi’s
Barcomi’s are famous for their American-style cakes and pies which you can order for pick-up or delivery in their online shop. Special Thanksgiving menu items are available!
Thanksgiving – for all who prefer to cook themselves
The turkey…
Germans eat turkey for Christmas, if at all, so it’s good to organize your bird in advance. Most Fleischereien will be able to sort a bird out if you give them a week’s notice. Plan on 500 grams per person when ordering, more if you’re fond of leftovers.
… and where to get it:
- Kaufland, several locations across Berlin: In this huge grocery store you can often find frozen turkeys in the meat section. Expect to pay between 8-10 Euros per kg of turkey.
- Rogacki, Wilmersdorfer Str.145/46, Charlottenburg: At this traditional delicatessen in Charlottenburg, you should be able to find a turkey. Rogacki may have turkeys in stock, but it is recommended to place an order ahead. Open: Tue-Th 10am-6pm, Fr 9am-6pm, Sat 8am-2pm, Tel. 030 3438250
- Kaufhauf des Westens (KaDeWe), Tauentzienstraße 21, Schöneberg: This famed department store also has a delicatessen, along with plenty of other international food options that make it the perfect place to pick up your thanksgiving essentials. Open: Wed-Sat 10am-8pm, Mon-Tue 10am-8pm, Tel. 030 21210 (poultry counter)
- Fleischerei Domke, Warschauer Str. 64, Friedrichshain: They say it’s best to come by in person to place an order, but Domke always has a few turkeys (presumably frozen) on hand. Open: Mon-Fr 6:30am-10pm, Sat 8am-9pm, Su 11am-9pm Tel. 030 2917635.
Make your own vegan loaf:
This hearty vegan lentil loaf is packed with healthy ingredients and holiday flavors. It’s even gluten-free too!
German guide to the Thanksgiving classics:
The stuffing/dressing
Since you can’t turn to admittedly-terrifying bags of stuffing mix, you’ll want a sturdy white bread that won’t fall to bits nor stay too stodgy. We suggest cubing Soluna’s La Boule or else what’s called französisches Landbrot, which is sold at many organic bakeries. Vacuum-packed chestnuts are easy to find in Berlin grocery stores and often more affordable than in the States, so they’re suited well as an addition to your stuffing.
The mashed potatoes
Look out for potatoes described as mehlig or mehligkochend (i.e. floury potatoes): they’re the best substitute for russets.
The pumpkin pie
You can find canned pumpkin at KaDeWe and Broken English. As a cheaper alternative, fresh pumpkins are available at most general supermarkets at this time of the year.
The sweet potatoes
If you want to make a sweet potato casserole, Süßkartoffel and marshmallows are sold in most grocery stores in the city.
The cranberry sauce
Cranberries can be found at most large grocery stores like Edeka and Kaufland, as well as most organic shops.