Give Thanks in Love City – Where to Eat on Thanksgiving Day

I have received a TON of requests for Thanksgiving Dinner options from those of you who will be visiting that week. I generally wait until I start seeing posts about holiday events before beginning to skim through my rolodex to compile a post like this. And, after a day of messages a phone calls I have learned that A LOT of places are choosing to close for the holiday to give their overworked staff a rest and some time to be with their loved ones before the crazy busy season begins. Read on for a list of who is open and what your options are for your holiday meal!

First, I want to let you all know that reservations are basically REQUIRED at any place that will take them this season! We have family visiting November 29-December 4 and I called around to make a few reservations for us on November 1. And, the seatings were limited at even a month out for a party of six. So, if you are visiting at any point during this winter, start calling and make your reservations now for restaurants, rental cars, boat trips, etc. And, once your trip is in full swing, you will have it all planned out with little to worry about once you arrive 🙂

Thanksgiving is no exception to that rule. If you are visiting during the holiday, start calling today to reserve your spot or order your Thanksgiving meal from one of the options below. I will say that a lot of places were still unsure about their specials when I called around yesterday so please check back here as I will be updating the post as more information rolls in!

Dave & Jerry’s- They will be open with their full menu, but will also be offering a splendid Thanksgiving Feast! The chefs will be roasting turkeys in house and serving them up with dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce from 4PM until they sellout. They will also feature some holiday dessert specials to compliment your dinner. Call ahead to reserve your table!

Ocean362- Located at Gallows Point Resort, the restaurant with one of the best views on island will be offering a prix fixe menu of holiday specials for the evening for $85 per guest. I was notified that the chef is still working on the menu, so please call the restaurant or check back here for more details over the next few days.

Maho Crossroads- For a non-traditional setting with a traditional Thanksgiving meal, head to the beach! Maho Crossroads will be open for lunch from noon-4PM (or until the turkey is gone) on Thanksgiving day. They will be serving fried turkey with sides in lieu of their regular menu for the holiday.

The Windmill Bar- The Windmill Bar will be offering a traditional Thanksgiving meal with a complimentary view that is definitely a reason to give thanks! Lunch or dinner is first come, first serve and is $28 for a full plate of deliciousness.

Cruz Bay Landing- Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the holiday with the addition of a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all of the fixins for dinner. They will also be offering wine specials for your holiday celebration and I will add the full menu here as soon as it is posted. Call ahead to reserve your table.

Pop-Up Nights with Vinnie- For a gourmet dinner in your villa, call Chef Vinnie! Menu is as follows….

Homemade Meals to Go- Another great in-villa option for your Thanksgiving Feast, especially if you are staying in Coral Bay. Contact them via their Facebook Page to pre-order your dinner. A 50% deposit is due upon placement of order and price below is listed as per person.

Starfish Market- Another GREAT catering option…Starfish Market is even offering delivery options on their Ala Carte Thanksgiving menu. I love a few things about this menu…For starters, you can craft your own feast. Secondly, there are some great options here with Caribbean flare so you can get a little local for your St. John Holiday. Call the deli department at Starfish at least one week before the holiday to order your dinner (number on flier below).

Lovango Rum Bar- Open for dinner service from 4PM-11PM with a Thanksgiving PIZZA special! Their perfectly delicious pizza crust will be topped with turkey gravy, roasted turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes mozzarella and fresh arugula! Live music all weekend with Mother Goat on Wednesday night (8PM), Mark Wallace and Eva on Thanksgiving Day (5PM) and Travis Riddle (4PM) and Jon Gazi (7PM) on Friday.

Sam & Jack’s Deli- The Uncle Peep with roasted turkey and cranberry walnut aioli is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving at the beach! The deli will be open for regular service from 8AM-2PM. Thanksgiving specials and catering options will be announced shortly.

For a non traditional Thanksgiving, hit the water for the day and be grateful just to be here (boat days ALWAYS do that for me!). Pizza Pi and Bikini’s on the Beach at Honeymoon will both be open for the holiday with plenty of lunch options, best enjoyed in the sand or on the high seas.

Stop by the Quiet Mon Pub for after dinner drinks starting at 4PM. With so many restaurants closed, I’m sure there will be some “local wildlife” spotted at this service industry favorite hangout.

Dessert anyone? St. John Scoops will be open from 3PM-9PM with delicious handmade ice cream and seasonal flavors!

Rhumb Lines- Open for Happy Hour and Dinner service with Thanksgiving specials to follow.

Morgan’s Mango- Open for dinner service but when I called yesterday they only had a few bar seats left as far as reservations go. Call ton check for openings and cancellations.

High Tide- Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with their regular and fantastic menu!

Greengos- Open for lunch and dinner with the regular menu.

The following establishments have notified me that they will be closed for Thanksgiving Day in gratitude to their hardworking staff:

The Terrace Restaurant

18.64 the Restaurant

Banana Deck

Extra Virgin Bistro

Columbo’s Smoothies

Salty Mongoose

Café Roma

Tap & Still

The Tap Room

Miss Lucy’s

Lime Inn

North Shore Deli

Skinny Legs

Sun Dog Cafe

The Beach Bar

Shambles.

As I mentioned, I am still waiting to hear back from a few places and will continue to update this post as the information comes in. But, if you are planning to be on island and have your heart set on a traditional Thanksgiving meal to be prepared by someone other than yourself, I would advise calling one of the above options today. Most of the places that will be closed for the holiday WILL be open over the weekend. So, maybe opt for your fancy meal on a different day and spend Thanksgiving in a non-traditional way. If we are lucky enough to be on St. John, we have plenty to bee grateful for with or without the turkey 🙂