From special restaurant menus to holiday cruises, Thanksgiving 2025 in San Diego promises to be festive and delicious.
Let’s talk turkey. From traditional Thanksgiving dinner offered at your favorite San Diego restaurants and hotels, to decadent holiday buffets, to cruising our bays, we’ve rounded up 11 last-minute options to help you make the most of Thanksgiving in San Diego in 2025. Book soon as reservations are filling up fast. Happy Thanksgiving!
Adelaide at L’Auberge | Dine-In
Nov. 27. The elegant ocean-view restaurant at L’Auberge Del Mar Resort is offering a lavish brunch buffet (11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.) for $125 per adult and $39 per child—serving citrus-roasted king salmon, rosemary-roasted turkey breast and braised turkey thighs, cornbread-sage stuffing, heirloom apple salad, pumpkin pie, an omelet station, waffles and pancakes, a seafood and raw bar station, and more. Adelaide is also serving a prix fixe dinner (5-9 p.m.) for $155 per adult and $49 per child, with choices like prime beef tartare, bluefin tuna, red-kuri squash soup, Diestel maple-roasted turkey with all the fixings, Ora king salmon, prime beef striploin, Nantucket Bay scallops, pumpkin pie and banana-pecan bread pudding. 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, 858.793.6467
Extraordinary Desserts | Takeout
Preorder Now. This beloved dessert destination is dedicated to satisfying your holiday sweet tooth. Both the Bankers Hill and Little Italy locations of Extraordinary Desserts are accepting preorders for pickup on Thanksgiving morning. Order seasonal selections like the Aloha Pumpkin Pie with a roasted-coconut-pecan crust, topped with swirls of marshmallow-coconut-milk whipped cream, and finished with roasted pecans, autumn flowers and edible gold leaf; salted-caramel-butterscotch-pecan cake; Valrhona chocolate-pecan pie; and pumpkin tiramisu. Other specials include coffee danish, pumpkin cheesecake for two, pumpkin-apple-pecan scones and more. See website or call for details and availability. 2870 Fourth Ave., Bankers Hill, 619.294.2132; 1430 Union St., Little Italy, 619.294.7001
Herb & Sea | Dine-In
Nov. 27. The bustling Encinitas outpost is offering a pre-fixe Thanksgiving menu—with starters like little gem salad, baba ganoush and beef tartare; second course choices such as caramelized leek soup, lamb lollipops and shrimp with saffron-coconut broth; mains including roasted turkey, braised short rib, seared seabass, and stuffed peppers; sides such as stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and Parker House rolls; and desserts like pumpkin pie and chocolate-pecan pie. See website for reservations. 1-7 p.m. $92 adults; $38 children. 131 D St., Encinitas, 760.704.8300
Hotel del Coronado | Dine-In
Nov. 27. The iconic historical resort will host an equally grand Thanksgiving dinner buffet in its restored Crown Room and Coronet Rooms, and its Ocean Ballroom—complete with all your favorite dishes, traditional trimmings, live music, and stunning holiday lights and decor. The buffet menu includes a chilled seafood display, sushi and sashimi, lobster bisque, whole-roasted turkey, pepper-crusted ribeye, slow-baked spiral-cut ham, a culinary square with cured meats and artisanal cheeses, a pasta station, a decadent dessert buffet, and more. Afterward, head outside for Skating by the Sea, and stroll around the resort grounds—which are decked out with decorations and lights that embrace this year’s theme: “A Holiday in Oz.” See website for reservations and pricing. 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.435.6611
Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern | Dine-In, To-Go
Nov. 27. Point Loma’s popular marina-front tavern is open on Thanksgiving Day, serving its regular menu; as well as a Thanksgiving Feast menu that can be ordered in-house or to-go. The latter includes four courses: butternut squash soup to start; followed by a “Kale-ifornia” harvest salad; then your choice of either a traditional turkey dinner ($60 per person) with all the traditional sides and fixings (chestnut stuffing, mashed potatoes, green-bean casserole, candied yams, cranberry sauce and a dinner roll), or a prime rib dinner ($68 per person); and a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert. Dine-in 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; preorder for Thanksgiving Day pickup. 4990 N. Harbor Drive, Point Loma, 619.226.2103
Lana | Dine-In
Nov. 27. Leave the holiday cooking to Lana this Thanksgiving. The new Solana Beach restaurant is offering a three-course feast dreamt up by executive chef Anthony Wells. Starters include your choice of butternut-squash soup, Hamachi crudo, chopped salad or prawn spring rolls. For a main, choose from roast turkey, red-wine-braised short ribs, wood-oven-seared king salmon, and pot-roasted carrots. For a sweet finish: an individual pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream, a cast-iron-skillet cookie with vanilla ice cream, or stracciatella ice cream with mixed berries. See website for reservations. 1-7 p.m. $85 adults; $25 for a kids’ turkey plate and dessert. 437 S. Hwy. 101, Solana Beach, 858.286.1211
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa | Dine-In
Nov. 27. Tucked away in Rancho Santa Fe, the five-star resort is offering an array of family-friendly fun on Thanksgiving Day—including its signature buffet boasting an extravagant raw bar with Petrossian caviar, a live sushi station, a live taco station, a carving station, autumn soups and salads, charcuterie, and a decadent dessert bar; along with carriage rides, a petting zoo, bounce house, face painting, lawn games, and arts & crafts. Call to reserve. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $245 adults; $95 kids ages 3-11. 5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe, 858.759.6246
STK Steakhouse | Dine-In, Takeout
Nov. 27-30. The Gaslamp steakhouse is offering Thanksgiving specials all holiday weekend long, available for dine-in as well as takeout. Offerings include roasted free-range turkey with cornbread-sage stuffing and shallot-and-thyme confit thighs; with sides including maple-baked sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes with a Parmesan crust, sauteed green beans with crispy shallots, classic gravy and cranberry-orange chutney; plus add-ons such as spiced pumpkin pie. Reservations recommended. See website or call for pricing. 600 F St., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.354.5988
Thanksgiving Dining Cruises with City Cruises San Diego
Nov. 27. Enjoy a Thanksgiving meal while cruising San Diego Bay, courtesy of City Cruises San Diego. The company is offering its two-hour Thanksgiving Day Premier Brunch Cruise, featuring a festive brunch buffet that includes pastries, eggs, breakfast meats and potatoes; salads, veggies and dishes such as birria-style chicken and sesame-glazed Atlantic salmon; a seasonal dessert station; and cocktails and unlimited mimosas. Or opt for the Thanksgiving Day Premier Dinner Cruise with a buffet that includes hand-carved, oven-roasted turkey with cranberry sauce, tri-tip steak, three-cheese baked macaroni, traditional sides from stuffing to mashed potatoes, and apple crisp and other seasonal desserts. The two-and-a-half -hour cruise includes DJ entertainment and a full bar. See website for departure times, reservations and pricing. 1800 N. Harbor Drive, downtown, 619.333.7192
Thanksgiving Family Cruise on Mission Bay
Nov. 27. Celebrate the day on Mission Bay! Step aboard Bahia Resort Hotel’s vintage sternwheeler boat for its annual Thanksgiving Day Family Cruise. The fun includes a cash bar with seasonal treats like pumpkin pie; interactive activities such as face painting, balloon art and holiday crafts; and a photo-op station. Cruises depart from the Bahia Resort Hotel at 2 p.m., 3:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person. 998 W. Mission Bay Drive, Mission Bay
Vistal | Dine-In
Nov. 27. How about a decadent Thanksgiving buffet with a side of San Diego Bay views and live music? Vistal at InterContinental San Diego downtown is doing it up right. The restaurant’s holiday buffet includes a cold seafood display, antipasti, salads, lobster bisque, a carving station—with whole roasted turkey, herb-roasted New York strip steak and salt-crusted baked salmon—short rib tortellini, smoked-gouda mac ‘n’ cheese, sweet-potato casserole tartlets, desserts like pecan-walnut-caramel pie and caramel cheesecake, and more. See website for reservations. 2-5 p.m. $125 adults; $75 kids ages 5-12. 901 Bayfront Court, Suite 1, downtown, 619.535.0485
Photo credits: Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern by Arlene Ibarra. Lana and Vistal by Kimberly Motos. Other images are courtesy of the venues and businesses featured.
