Three American-inspired venues have teamed up to bring the ultimate Thanksgiving celebration to Sydney this November.

New Orleans inspired NOLA Smokehouse and Bar, underground cocktail bar The Swinging Cat and Nashville-inspired whiskey and country music bar Jolene’s, are launching Thanksgiving Month.

The last Thursday in November is the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year and has become a national holiday to rival Christmas as a time to feast and spend time with friends and family.

Thanksgiving Month in Sydney will feature an extensive range of food and drink offerings, such Thanksgiving Pie Cocktails, Snickerdoodle desserts and roast turkey.

There will also be a ‘parade’ of local bands and special guest artists performing live throughout the month.

NOLA and The Swinging Cat General Manager Pete Fischer said: “Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that is steeped in history and nostalgia. Even if people haven’t been to the US for Thanksgiving before, most people could name one or two traditions that are iconic to the occasion, with incredible food, drinks, a sense of community, and entertainment at its core.

“As the hospitality industry bounces back after two years of ongoing disruptions, we are really excited to bring these three American venues together to host a fun and simple Thanksgiving experience that will hopefully allow all Aussies the opportunity to enjoy moments of camaraderie and celebration together. Who says the Yankees get to have all the fun?

“There’s an option for everyone – each venue will be putting on a unique Thanksgiving offering, from sit-down formal banquets, all the way up to late-night Thanksgiving-Throwdown parties!”

On Thanksgiving, 24 November 2022, NOLA Smokehouse and Bar will be hosting an exclusive Thanksgiving Feast set menu,
featuring all the American classics, including mac ‘n’ cheese, devilled eggs, pumpkin pie and roast turkey. The menu is $130 p/p and can be ordered alongside a range of Thanksgiving-inspired cocktails including a ‘Southern Belle Spritz’ and banana pudding inspired ‘Banana Ballroom’. The NOLA Private Dining Room can also be booked for the occasion. For more details or to book, click here.

Every night for the month of November, underground bar The Swinging Cat will be offering a creative Thanksgiving drinks menu taking inspiration from holiday favourites including ‘Peach Kiss’ and Banana-Split inspired ‘Let’s Split.’ The bar will also serve a Thanksgiving Leftovers Jaffle stuffed with turkey, brie and cranberry jam. For further information or to book a table, click here.

Jolene’s will feature a selection of Thanksgiving cocktails including the ‘Just Peachy’ and the ‘King Kong,’ plus a Thanksgiving Turkey Dog topped with Cranberry Slaw and Stuffing Crumb and American desserts including a Southern-Style Pecan Pie. For further information or to book a table, click here.

Delicious Sydney Thanksgiving preview

Drinks Digest enjoyed a delicious preview of the Thanksgiving offerings at all three venues this week.

The celebrations kicked off at NOLA, which is such a special venue to enter – the fabulous decor makes you feel like you’ve been transported to New Orleans and the vibe was enhanced during our visit by a jazz band.

Our visit began with a cocktail featuring prosecco, peach, St Germain and Jack Daniel’s – an absolute must try. Highlights of our feast included superb mac n cheese, corn on the cob, fried chicken and, of course, roast turkey.

The Swinging Cat was filled with live music and happy patrons when we arrived there for post-dinner cocktails.

New kid on the block Jolene’s was even busier than her sister venue and we can attest that both the homemade Turkey Dog and Pecan Pie are delicious. However, the highlight of the night was meeting the driving force behind the bar, Simon Rose-Hopkins, while sipping the King Kong, a sublime combination of Jack Daniel’s, dark cacao, banana and walnut bitters, and watching a strolling guitarist belt out a tune.