Where to Celebrate Thanksgiving 2020 in Central America

Updated for Thanksgiving 2020:

A list of restaurants, hotels, and other places putting on a Thanksgiving spread this week. If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving in Central America but don’t know where to go, we hope this quick guide will help you. 

Welcome to our second annual Thanksgiving directory! This year is obviously much different to last year, when we listed 35 places around Central America putting on the turkey and trimmings. 2020 will be more low key. 

So if you’re from the States and down here in Central America, feeling like the full turkey dinner followed by some NFL on the tube, where do you go?

After all, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated all the way down south is it? Does anyone care about Thanksgiving in Central America?

Well, to answer the last question first, people do care about Thanksgiving in Central America. You know who? Gringos care.

Especially that flavor of gringos who come from the United States.

And to answer the first question last, although Thanksgiving isn’t an official holiday in this part of the world (any more than, say, Americans celebrate Guanacaste Annexation Day), people will be celebrating.

Shops, banks, and restaurants etc. will be open like a normal day (whatever constitutes a normal day in this pandemic). But you’ll find a place to celebrate. Just remember that COVID restrictions often demand reduced capacity in places, so be sure to book in advance if you want to go out.

We’ve scoured the internet and social media looking for Thanksgiving recommendations throughout Central America so you don’t have to.

Belize

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Belize? Here are three places to check out:

Aguarda Hotel (Santa Elena, Cayo District)

 

Portofino Restaurant (Ambergris Caye)

Inky’s 19th Hole Bar & Grill (Placencia)

Guatemala

If you’re looking for a place to do Thanksgiving in Guatemala, look right here: 

The Londoner Pub (Antigua)

Pappy’s BBQ (Antigua)

For more in-depth, on the ground recommendations for Thanksgiving, check out this article from our friends at Que Pasa in Antigua!

Honduras

Thanksgiving in Honduras needn’t be difficult to celebrate if you know where to go: 

Silversides Restaurant & Bar at Barefoot Caye (Roatan)

Infinity Bay Spa & Beach Resort (Roatan)

Hasta La Pasta (San Pedro Sula)

 

El Salvador

If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving in El Salvador, it helps if you’re in the capital: 

La Barrica (San Salvador)

States Diner (San Salvador)

Crowne Plaza (San Salvador)

Nicaragua

Thanksgiving in Nicaragua will be great in any of the below places: 

The Art Warehouse (San Juan del Sur)

Jimmy “3 Fingers” Alabama Rib Shack (Managua)

Costa Rica

There are hundreds of places to celebrate Thanksgiving in Costa Rica. We’ve only listed a handful here:

Chubbs Bar (Escazu)

Tap House (Santa Ana)

Lola’s (Playa Avellana, Guanacaste)

Sportsmens Lodge (San Jose)

Los Sueños Marina Resort (Playa Herradura)

Panama

Wanna celebrate Thanksgiving in Panama? These places will be putting on a spread: 

Las Hadas at the Sheraton Grand (Panama City)

Mike’s Global Grill (Boquete)

We’ve only listed a few places offering Thanksgiving dinner in each country, but as we said, ask at your hotel too. Chances are they’ll be doing something.

And if you know of anywhere else putting on a Thanksgiving spread better than anyplace we listed above, let us know in the comments. The more places we know about the better.

Happy Thanksgiving in Central America!

James Dyde is the editor of CentralAmerica.com. He lives in Escazu, Costa Rica.