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LIVING IN ITALY

Where can you celebrate Thanksgiving in Italy this year?

For Americans craving a taste of home with minimal effort, here's a look at the restaurants hosting Thanksgiving dinner in 2022.

Published: 10 November 2022 10:51 CET
Updated: 21 November 2022 12:05 CET
Here are some of the places where you can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal in Italy this November.
Here are some of the places where you can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal in Italy this November. Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and many Americans abroad are looking forward to a taste of home during the festive season.

If you’re spending your first festive season in Italy, have no fear: with a little effort it’s perfectly possible to create your own authentic Thanksgiving at home.

But perhaps the idea of sourcing for the all right ingredients for a home-cooked dinner makes you feel exhausted; or maybe you plan to celebrate with a large group.

So what are the options if you prefer to dine out? If you’re in a major Italian city with a sizeable American expat population, you may be in luck.

Here are some of the restaurants where you can book a Thanksgiving dinner in Italy this November.

Although a wide range of Italian restaurants have held Thanksgiving celebrations in the past, we’ve restricted our list to those venues and groups that have confirmed they will be hosting an event this year on Thursday, November 24th.

Milan: 

7.30-11.30pm Milano Culture Club, DOT Chianti Restaurant. American-Italian fusion dinner, €35-€45. Book here.

7.30-10pm God Save the Food, Piave, Brera and Tortona locations. €38 includes water, coffee and a bottle of wine per 2 bookings. Booking details here.

No time given, 24th-27th November, Erba Brusca. Drinks not included, €45. Details here.

No time given, 24th-26th November, Route 66 Diner. €29; €1 extra buys a litre of beer. Book here.

8.30pm, California Bakery. Locations across Milan. Booking details here.

8-11pm Scopriamo la tradizione del THANKSGIVING in cucina! (‘Let’s discover the tradition of Thanksgiving in the kitchen!’) event. Specifically targeted at singles, €86.58. Book here.  

Rome:

7-9pm or 9.30-11.30pm Hard Rock Cafe, Live Pearl Jam tribute act. €26.40 for one or €37.90 for two. Book here.

7pm until late American Club of Rome, Emme Restaurant. €50. Book here. 

6:30-8pm Highlander Pub. All you can eat buffet. €50. Book here. 

7.30-10.30pm or 8-11pm on Saturday, November 26th, Expats in Rome, Expats Club house on Via Portuense 104 in Trastevere. €40. Booking details here.

8.15pm or 9.45pm, Bakery House, Corso Trieste, EUR and Ostia locations. Drinks not included, €40. Booking details here. Takeaway Thanksgiving dinner also offered for €33; book here.

No time given, Hummustown takeaway (or stand around) Thanksgiving kiosk lunch. €20 for first course, €5 drink, €5 pecan pie. Booking details here.

7pm on November 23rd, Joel Nafuma Refugee Centre bring-and-share Thanksgiving meal. Entry is free and turkey provided; bring your own side or dessert and drinks. Book here.

Florence:

9-11.30pm Hotel Savoy, Rocco Forte Hotel. Drinks not included, €65. Booking details here.

12-10pm Hard Rock Cafe, €26.40 for one or €37.90 for two. Book here.

7.30pm until late Ruffino’s Poggio Casciano wine estate, American-Tuscan food in the hills outside Florence. €40. Booking details here.

No time given, Ristorante Accademia. Booking details here.

Venice

No time given, 24th-27th November, Hard Rock Cafe. Live performance on stage at 9.30pm. €27.90 for one or €39.90 for two. Book here.

Naples

8.30pm, Birdy’s Bakery, Thanksgiving turkey burger, sides and cake. Details here.

Do you know of any other restaurants we should add to this list? Please leave a comment below or let us know by email.

Member comments

  1. Hard Rock Cafe Venice
    THANKSGIVING 2022 AT HARD ROCK CAFE VENICE
    Share on social media

    VenueHard Rock Cafe Venice, Venezia
    Date24 Nov 2022 27 Nov 2022
    Event info
    THANKSGIVING 2022 AT HARD ROCK CAFE VENICE

    Create new traditions. Celebrate Thanksgiving together.

    On November 24th celebrate Thanksgiving at Hard Rock Cafe Venice. Taste the traditional turkey meal in limited edition and enjoy Nick & Dodo live performance on stage at 9.30 PM with the best acoustic rock cover of all times.

    THANKSGIVING MENU

    MAIN MEAL
    Slow-roasted turkey breast, roasted fresh vegetables, home-style classic stuffing, creamy sweet potato mash, cranberry sauce finished with a traditional turkey gravy.

    PUMPKIN PIE
    A slice of classic pumpkin pie topped with caramel sauce and house-made whipped cream.

    Thanksgiving Bundle: € 39.90
    (For 2 People, promotion only available on pre-booking)
    2 Thanksgiving Meals + 1 Free Pumpkin Pie to share

    Thanksgiving Menu: € 27.90
    Thanksgiving Meal + Pumpkin Pie

    Thanksgiving Kids Menu: € 11.95
    Thanksgiving Kids Plate

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LIVING IN ITALY

Why is Ascension Day a holiday in most of Europe but not Italy?

Italy is known for being a particularly religious country, so why isn't Ascension Day a public holiday here?

Published: 6 May 2024 10:31 CEST
Updated: 7 May 2024 10:53 CEST
Why is Ascension Day a holiday in most of Europe but not Italy?

This year, Thursday May 9th is Ascension Day, the day many Christians believe commemorates the ascension of Christ to heaven following 40 days of preaching after his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

This means that it doesn’t always fall on May 9th, but changes each year depending on when Easter is.

According to Christian tradition, Ascension Day marks the day Jesus ascended into heaven at Bethany or the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem. The date is marked across all branches of Christianity on the sixth Thursday after Easter.

That doesn’t mean it’s a public holiday everywhere, however.

It’s a holiday in countries including France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Certain parts of Switzerland also have a day off.

Calendar: How to make the most of Italy’s public holidays in 2024

But in Italy, a country known for being overwhelmingly Catholic, the date is not a public holiday and not really marked outside Mass.

This is because, generally speaking, traditionally Catholic countries including Italy don’t place such an emphasis on Ascension Day.

Instead, many Roman Catholic countries, such as Poland, Spain, and Hungary, as well as Italy, tend to mark the ascension on the Sunday before Pentecost and view the Assumption of Mary on August 15th (l’Assunzione di Maria in Italian, though the date is also known as Ferragosto) as the more important celebration.

l’Assunzione on August 15th is marked by processions and religious events in towns up and down Italy, while in the week around Ferragosto more or less the entire country closes down for summer holidays during what is usually the hottest part of the year.

Ascension Day isn’t the only important date on the Catholic calendar not marked with a public holiday in Italy. Good Friday may be a holiday elsewhere in Europe, but not in Italy, where it’s seen as a day of mourning.

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