Thanksgiving in Italy in 2024: a quick guide.
Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Italy however a growing number of restaurants and bars in major Italian cities mark the annual American holiday with a traditional menu.
Known in Italy as il Giorno del ringraziamento, Thanksgiving in 2024 falls on Thursday 28 November.
For Americans in Italy craving a taste of home, here is a quick guide to the main Thanksgiving events taking place as well as some tips on where to stock up on ingredients for the perfect Thanksgiving meal at home.
Thanksgiving events in Italy generally require advanced booking, and normally the sooner the better.
Rome
A Thanksgiving Day Mass with music will be held at St Patrick’s – America’s Catholic church in Rome – on Via Boncompagni 31 at 10.00 on 28 November, followed by a reception with homebaked muffins, coffee and juice. All are welcome.
Later that evening, from 18.30 to 22.00, the American International Club of Rome hosts a Thanksgiving Dinner at the Emme Restaurant on Via Margutta 19. Reservations required.
The Hard Rock Cafe, the American-style bar and grill on Via Veneto, offers traditional Thanksgiving fare to the backdrop of live music, with two time slots available o to book online: from 18.30-20.30 and from 21.00-23.00.
Expats living in Rome host a Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration “for expats and foreigners in Rome” at Alle Fratte di Trastevere restaurant, with booking required. Organisers note that there are only 30 tickets available and they “tend to sell out quickly”.
Thanksgiving favourites in the capital are also offered by Bakery House, in-house and to take away, from its outlets in EUR, Ostia and Corso Trieste as well as at Vivi Bistrot in Piazza Navona and Hamericas near the Vatican Museums.
For those who want to celebrate Thanksgiving in Rome with a few beers, check out the Abbey Theatre on Via del Governo Vecchio 51; the Drunken Ship in Campo de’ Fiori; The Highlander on Vicolo di S. Biagio 9, and Scholars Lounge on Via del Plebiscito 101.
Milan
Favourite venues in Milan for a Thanksgiving dinner include Route 66, Joe’s American Factory, Hamericas, Ribs and Beer, God Save The Food and The Brisket.
Florence
There are numerous Thanksgiving options in Florence, including the Hard Rock Cafe, Harry’s Bar, Ristorante Accademia and the American bar Djària.
Venice
The Hard Rock Cafe in Venice offers a traditional Thanksgiving menu all day, with live music from 21.30, booking required.
Where to buy Thanksgiving ingredients in Italy
When buying a turkey for Thanksgiving in Italy it is advised to order it from the butcher at least several days in advance, specifying the size required.
Rome: The Castroni chain of shops stock many of the ingredients needed for a Thanksgiving dinner or for an “Italian-inspired celebration” head to Eataly. Some of Rome’s best food markets include Mercato Testaccio, the Campagna Amica farmer’s market near the Circus Maximus, and the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino on Via Principe Amedeo 184.
Milan: Stock up at American Crunch on Via S. Maria Valle 1, or at one of the 10 Milanese locations of California Bakery which also has outlets in Bergamo and Bologna.
Florence: Check out Mercato Centrale, Vivi Market, and Mama’s Bakery, which offers ready-to-go Thankgiving treats including apple pie, pecan pie and pumpkin pie.
Naples: Thanksgiving ingredients can be bought at the American Mini Market on Via Scarlatti 211/g, and LittleAmericaNA, on Viale J.F. Kennedy 369.
For those living far from major cities there are also numerous online shopping options.
The US embassy in Rome is closed on Thanksgiving Day.
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