Canadian Thanksgiving in Ontario and BC: eating out, harvest menus and farm days

Thanksgiving in Canada is held on the second Monday of October. It is a harvest holiday, and in Ontario and British Columbia, where autumn colour and the last crops arrive together, it is one of the favourite weekends of the year. Families gather, cottages and farms fill, and restaurants run harvest menus. If you are visiting or do not have a family dinner to go to, here is how to eat well over the weekend.

What do Canadians eat at Thanksgiving?

The classic meal is roast turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, root vegetables, squash and brussels sprouts, followed by pumpkin pie. Many families add their own dishes, from tourtière to dumplings, curries and rice, reflecting Canada's range of cultures. Fruit pies, apple crisp and butter tarts are common.

Where can you eat Thanksgiving dinner out?

• Hotels and resorts: buffets and set menus on Sunday and Monday, often with several seatings.
• Farm restaurants and country inns: in the countryside around Toronto, Ottawa, Niagara and the Fraser Valley, Okanagan and Vancouver Island, many serve harvest dinners.
• Restaurants with a Thanksgiving menu: many city restaurants run a three-course turkey dinner or a harvest menu over the weekend.
• Chinese, Indian and other restaurants: many remain open, with regular menus.
• Takeout dinners: some caterers, delis and grocery stores sell full Thanksgiving dinners to heat at home.

Monday is a statutory holiday in both provinces, and many restaurants close on the Monday or on Sunday night, so check their hours.

When should you book?

As early as you can. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest of the year for restaurants in cottage country and wine regions. Hotel seatings sell out weeks ahead.

What is in season at Thanksgiving?

• Ontario: apples, pears, pumpkins, squash, potatoes, brussels sprouts, cranberries and cider. Many farms hold pick-your-own days and corn mazes.
• British Columbia: apples, pears, grapes, squash, mushrooms and cranberries, along with the wine harvest in the Okanagan and the Fraser Valley.

See the guides to seasonal food in Ontario and in BC for the full calendar.

How do you plan a Thanksgiving weekend trip?

1. Book accommodation early. Popular autumn destinations, such as Prince Edward County, Muskoka, Niagara and the Okanagan, fill up.
2. Book restaurants at the same time.
3. Drive on Friday or early Saturday to avoid traffic back on Monday evening.
4. Check the weather and fall colour reports.
5. Pack a cooler for farm stand finds.

What about grocery shopping?

Stores are crowded on the Friday and Saturday before, and many close on Thanksgiving Monday or run short hours. If you are cooking, shop early in the week, and order a fresh turkey in advance.

Can you eat well on a budget?

Yes. A potluck, a cooked dinner at home or a farm stand lunch are all cheaper than a restaurant dinner. Many community groups hold low-cost or free Thanksgiving dinners for people who are alone. A farmers market on the Saturday has seasonal produce at good prices.

What does a restaurant Thanksgiving dinner cost?

Set menus vary by place. Menu prices do not include tax. Ontario adds 13 percent HST, British Columbia adds 5 percent GST to food and an extra provincial tax to alcohol. At a table with a server, a tip of 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax amount is normal.

Is Canadian Thanksgiving different from American Thanksgiving?

The date is different, the second Monday in October rather than the fourth Thursday in November, and Canadian celebrations are generally lower key, centred on the harvest and a long weekend.

What are good Thanksgiving weekend day trips?

In Ontario, apple orchards and pumpkin patches around Toronto, the wineries of Niagara, and Prince Edward County are popular. In British Columbia, the Fraser Valley farm route, the Okanagan wineries and Vancouver Island farms are favourites. Weekday trips before the holiday are quieter. Fall colour is at its best in much of Ontario in early to mid-October.

What if you are a visitor with no plans?

Check whether your hotel serves a Thanksgiving dinner, look for a restaurant with a harvest menu, or visit a farmers market for a picnic. Many Canadians welcome visitors, and community groups and newcomer organizations sometimes hold open dinners. A simple way to join in is to ask your hotel or a local community centre.

How do you keep your Thanksgiving weekend in one place?

A harvest weekend often splits between a farm, a market and a dinner table. In the Mosey app, make a list with a section for each, add a note on what was ripe and what you would buy twice, and share the invite link with the people travelling with you. Rate the dish you ate on the day by name, such as the turkey dinner or the pumpkin pie, so next October starts with your own notes.

The daily food games are three quick puzzles with a new set every day, a pleasant way to fill the drive to the cottage.

More guides to read next:

• Restaurants open on Christmas Day in Toronto and Vancouver: how to find a table
• Food tours in Toronto and Vancouver: are they worth it, and how to choose one
• Restaurant deposits and cancellation fees in Canada: what diners should know (2026)

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.

This Thanksgiving, open the Mosey app and rate the best plate of the weekend.