Classic Thanksgiving menus: What people were having for their holiday dinner from the 1890s through the 1950s
What kind of old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinners did people enjoy years ago, like during the Victorian era or the Roaring Twenties? Take a look back at some restaurant menus from holidays past — many of which make our modern-day feasts seem simple in comparison.
Thanksgiving Day dinner at Logan House, Altoona, Pennsylvania (1898)
BLUE POINTS
GAME, A LA ST. GEORGE – CLEAR GUMBO, CREOLE
RUSSIAN CAVIAR
QUEEN OLIVES, CELERY, SWEET PICKLES, SALTED ALMONDS
STRIPED BASS, EN BELLEVUE
POTATO MONACO, SLICED CUCUMBERS
FILET OF BEEF, AUX CHAMPIGNONS
POTATO CROQUETTE
ROAST YOUNG PIG, STUFFED, APPLE SAUCE
STEWED TOMATOES CANDIED SWEET POTATOES
STEWED TERRAPIN, MARYLAND
SARATOGA POTATOES
ROAST PHEASANT, LARDED, TRUFFLE SAUCE
FROZEN EGG NOGG
ROAST TURKEY, CHESTNUT DRESSING
CRANBERRY SAUCE, ASPARAGUS ON TOAST
LETTUCE MAYONNAISE
PLUM PUDDING, HARD AND BRANDY SAUCE
MINCE PIE, PUMPKIN PIE
NEAPOLITAN CAKE, GLACE JELLY, MACAROONS
CHAMPIGNONS, VICTORIA KISSES, ASSORTED CAKES
TUTTI FRUTTI ICE CREAM, RHINE WINE JELLY
NUTS AND RAISINS, FRUIT
CHEESE AND CRACKERS
COFFEE
Victorian Thanksgiving dinner menu from the train – Chicago and North Western Transportation Company (1899)
Thanksgiving dinner menu from the Majestic Hotel (1899)
Antique Victorian Thanksgiving dinner menu from the Plaza Hotel (1899)
Antique Victorian Thanksgiving dinner menu on a train car (1900)
Dining car service on the Philadelphia & Reading Railway, Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad, and the Central Railroad of New Jersey
Thanksgiving day dinner at Hotel Roanoke, Virginia (1895)
CONSOMME DESLIGNAC GREEN TURTLE Au QUEENELLE
SPANISH OLIVES KALAMAZOO CELERY
BOILED PENOBSCOT SALMON MONTMORENCY
POTATOES DUCHESS
BOILED SMITHFIELD HAM SAUCE MADEIRA
PHILADELPHIA CAPON TRUFFLE SAUCE
PRIMERIBS OF NEW YORK BEEF
TURKEY STUFFED WITH CHESTNUTS CRANBERRY SAUCE
SUCKLING PIG WITH APPLE SAUCE
DIAMOND BACK TERRAPIN MARYLAND STYLE
SWEETBREADS PIQUE CHAMPIGNON QUEEN FRITTERS AU VANILLA
MASHED POTATOES CAULIFLOWER CREAM SAUCE
ASPARAGUS ON TOAST FRIED SWEET POTATOES
FRENCH PEAS
CHICKEN SALAD LETTUCE MAYONNAISE
SORBET A LA ROMAINE
Thanksgiving day dinner at Great Southern Fireproof Hotel in Columbus, Ohio (1898)
Thanksgiving menu from City Hotel in Worcester Mass (1898)
OYSTER COCKTAILS
TOMATO WITH TOAST CONSOMME OF CHICKEN
BOILED PENOBSCOT SALMON—Hollandaise Sauce, Green Peas
BOILED FRESH BEEF–Horseradish Sauce, Brussel’s Sprouts
ROAST YOUNG VERMONT TURKEY—Cranberry Sauce
SADDLE OF VENISON—Currant Jelly
BARON OF BEEF with Fresh Mushrooms
BAKED CHICKEN PIE—New England Style
PINE APPLE FRITTERS—Maderia Sauce
VEGETABLES: Celery, Mashed Turnips, Mashed Potatoes, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Green Peas
RELISHES: Worcestershire Sauce, Grape Catsup, Tomato Catsup
Mrs Kessel’s Pumpkin Pie Apple Pie Mince Pie
ENGLISH PLUM PUDDING—Brandy Sauce
Young America Cheese – Water Crackers
Tea, Coffee, Milk, New Sweet Cider
Oranges, Bananas, Layer Raisins, California Grapes
Occidental Hotel – San Francisco 1891
Savoy Hotel Thanksgiving Menu – Philadelphia (1900)
Park Avenue Hotel – Thanksgiving menu 1900
Thanksgiving dinner held by The New Yorker at Terrace Restaurant — New York 1930
Eaton’s Thanksgiving dinner $1 menu (1937)
Hotel Duane Thanksgiving dinner menu (1941)
Thanksgiving dinner at Savoy Plaza, New York (c1950)
Waldorf-Astoria hotel holiday menu (1956)
Thanksgiving dinner menu from Knott Hotels (1924)
CELERY SALTED ALMONDS OLIVES
LYNNHAVENS
CREAM OF CORN, CLEAR CONSOMME
BOILED SALMON, HOLLANDAISE
FILET MIGNON
ROAST VERMONT TURKEY
CRANBERRY SAUCE, CHESTNUT STUFFING
MASHED OR BOILED POTATOES, CANDIED SWEET POTATOES
BOILED WHITE ONIONS, NEW SPINACH
THANKSGIVING PUNCH
FLORIDA SALAD
FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREAM, ASSORTED CAKES
MINCE PIE, HOT OR COLD PUMPKIN PIE
NUTS AND RAISINS, CHEESE AND CRACKERS
DEMI-TASSE