Spending Thanksgiving in Buenos Aires

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Buenos Aires Thanksgiving Menu at Kansas Restaurant Traveling to Argentina is the experience of a lifetime, yet we all know that in order to travel there are some sacrifices that need to be made. As a traveler you are usually so caught up in the life and culture of Argentina that the word ‘homesick’ is a nonexistent part of ones vocabulary. Yet if there is one time of year when traveling that one may long to be home or just embrace a part of their US roots, it is during the holidays. I found myself in this very position as Thanksgiving drew nearer and nearer in Buenos Aires.

Thanksgiving is obviously not a holiday that is celebrated in Argentina. Most Argentineans do not even know what it is, or how it is celebrated. However, if you find yourself in a city of 12 million people you are bound to find just about anything. Buenos Aires has so much to offer and appeals to people from all around the world, so I knew that if I did some research I would be able to find the perfect place to celebrate this American holiday with others who had the same idea I did.

A great option when traveling is always to throw a Thanksgiving party in the hostel where everyone can cook and share the cultural experience with the people from all over the world. This was the original plan, until I heard that the other North Americans in our hostel decided a turkey would be too hard to cook and instead bought food to prepare tacos and burritos. Although I am sure they had a great dinner, this was not going to satisfy my Thanksgiving desires. So there was only one solution….a trip to Kansas.

Looking online I discovered a great restaurant called Kansas which is located in Palermo and was offering a special for the night of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I suppose the name of the restaurant was a good sign that they probably knew what Thanksgiving dinner was all about. However the holiday is much more than the dinner, it’s sharing that time with others. So I invited two of my best bunk mates I met in the hostel a few nights before to come and be a part of the experience with me. I headed off to Kansas with one man from Chile, another from England, and a big grin on my face.

It turned out to be a perfect night. North Americans flooded into the doors of Kansas from all over Buenos Aires looking for a big meal and fun festivities. In no time at all we were sitting around a big table of about 20 people sipping our wine, and eating our Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans….the works. It was delicious, and tons of fun. There was a great ambiance in Kansas and they did a great job in creating the back home feel that we all needed for the one night.

So remember that if you are traveling during the holidays to not get your hopes down. Thanksgiving in Argentina does exist. I found it in Kansas and I loved having the opportunity to not only celebrate, but also to share it with others from different parts of the world.

7 Comments

Carrie on November 21, 07

Thanks for the thanskgiving tip! My boyfriend and I had been looking all over for a good spot to celebrate and were very sad to find that the American club was full (this might actually have been for the best because it sounded a bit posh for us). We´ll definitely try and be at Kansas tomorrow.

In the US we usually eat Thanksgiving dinner in the late afternoon, but Argentinians love to dine late. Any suggestions on the best time to eat? Also, should we make reservations?

steve ibarra on November 27, 08

Thanks for writing this up, we also couldnt find anything that served thanksgiving….thanks! We will give thanks to the indegenious people that this holiday is really all about! We are a mixed gay couple from the san francisco bay area enjoying Argentina this week. Thanks!

Mama Bear on November 27, 08

What’s wrong with staying home and cooking your own damn turkey?

You call dining out celebrating thanksgiving? lazy ass Americans!

[…] stuffing, and all of the fixings. (Much as the Manolo felt mysteriously impelled to seek out the traditional American Thanksgiving meal, here in Buenos Aires, at the restaurant called […]

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[…] out. Kansas, at 4625 Avenida del Libertador, had been mentioned several times on forums, and on other blogs. On TripAdvisor, it’s listed as the #13 most popular restaurant in Buenos […]

[…] out. Kansas, at 4625 Avenida del Libertador, had been mentioned several times on forums, and on other blogs. On TripAdvisor, it’s listed as the #13 most popular restaurant in Buenos […]

[…] Americans and at this time o0f the year, Buenos Aires burns in heat for it is summer there. Some expats reveal that Kansas is a great place to hang out in Buenos Aires for Thanksgiving […]

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