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 fifth annual Thanksgiving directory! This week every year, we try to make it easier for people looking for a Thanksgiving dinner by putting some options out there.
So if you’re from the States, down here in Central America, and 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 or Garifuna Settlement Day), people will be celebrating. In fact, in Costa Rica, Thanksgiving became a “day” last year. Not a holiday in any way, but a recognized day, regardless… something to, basically, attract tourists.
Shops, banks, restaurants, etc. will be open like a regular Thursday. Because, down here, it is a regular Thursday. But you’ll find a place to celebrate, for sure. 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 some places to check out:
- Barrier Reef Sports Bar & Grill (Caye Caulker)
- Aji Tapa Bar & Restaurant (San Pedro)
- Placencia Beach Club (Placencia)
- Bahay Fiesta (Hopkins Village)
- Queen’s Grab & Go (Belize City) – take out/to go
- Vino Tinto (Belize City)
Guatemala
If you need a place to do Thanksgiving in Guatemala, look right here:
- Restaurante Las Palmas (Antigua)
- Pappy’s BBQ (Antigua and Guatemala City)
- Real Intercontinental Guatemala (Zona 10, Guatemala City)
- Porta Hotel (Antigua)
Honduras
Thanksgiving in Honduras needn’t be difficult to celebrate if you know where to go:
- Infinity Bay (Roatán)
- Roatán Island Brewing Co. (Roátan)
- Utila Lodge (Utila)
- Copantl Hotel (San Pedro Sula)
- La Caserola Honduras (Tegucigalpa)
El Salvador
If you’re looking for a place to celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast in El Salvador, it helps if you’re in the capital:
- La Barrica (San Salvador)
- States Diner (San Salvador)
- Cadejo La Montaña (San Salvador)
Nicaragua
If you’re in Nicaragua this Thanksgiving, here’s where to get your turkey-flavored treats:
- Mango Rosa (San Juan del Sur)
- Big Wave Dave’s (San Juan del Sur)
- Playa Roca (Las Peñitas, León)
- Jimmy Three Fingers (Managua)
- Hogs Breath Saloon (Granada)
Costa Rica
There are tons of places celebrating Thanksgiving in Costa Rica – as we mentioned above, Thanksgiving is a “day” in the Land of Pura Vida. Here a few to check out:
- Chubbs Escazu (Escazu, San José)
- Longboards BBQ (Tamarindo)
- Angelinas (Flamingo)
- Rolling Thunder Saloon (Jacó)
- Shana by the Beach (Manuel Antonio)
Panama
Finding a Thanksgiving dinner in Panama is a little challenging this year – ongoing protests and blockades have disrupted the supply chain somewhat. But there are still some places around to get your turkey on:
- TEKA Panama (Panama City)
- Michael’s Restaurant (two locations in Panama City – Obarrio and Costa del Este)
- Club Santa Lucia (Boquete)
- Merén Pool Club (Bocas del Toro)
We hope this gives you some idea of where to enjoy Thanksgiving in Central America, wherever you are
And if you’re in doubt, pretty much any hotel will probably have something happening. Wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing tomorrow, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
