Hemingway’s, Panini’s to host 29th Orphans & Strays free Thanksgiving dinner

Beaufort SC is one of the friendliest towns you’ll ever find. Neighbors take care of each other and our community rallies like no other; and this holds true even, or especially, at downtown’s Panini’s and at Hemingway’s Bistro at Thanksgiving every year.

Gearing up for their 29th annual “Orphans and Strays Thanksgiving Dinner,” both Hemingway’s and Panini’s on the Waterfront are looking at the holidays as truly a time for giving back to folks in the Beaufort community.

Starting around 2pm, the free dinner is being held at Hemingway’s all afternoon long on Thanksgiving Day.

Started way back in 1993 by the Fosters, the original owners of Hemingway’s, the event has grown quite a bit in the time that new owners Paul Thompson and Kanani Robinson, have stepped in. According to Thompson, who also owns Panini’s on the Waterfront, the free event “draws over 150 locals and visitors,” who would otherwise not have many choices of where to spend the holiday.

In fact, the sense of community is so strong, Thompson decided to close Panini’s next door for the holiday again this year, giving his employees the day off as well as passing up on the revenue generated from being one of the few local restaurants open on Thanksgiving so he could focus his efforts on preparing main courses next door at Hemingway’s for those that don’t have anywhere of their own to go.

“We greatly appreciate all of our regular patrons who have returned over the past 10 years to Panini’s to celebrate with family and enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner,” Thompson said. “This year, we have again made the decision to be closed and will be cooking several smoked turkeys and hams for the annual Hemingway’s Bistro ‘Orphans & Strays’ Thanksgiving.”

“I can’t stress enough the amazing amount of support we get from the community for this special day. This is a great tradition now in its 29th year, and we are always pleased to be part of it; we love when our locals and visitors all come together for a holiday dinner,” Thompson told us.

The annual Orphans & Strays Thanksgiving is a pot luck where the folks who have been coming regularly year after year bring a side dish, with both Panini’s and Hemingway’s donating time and money in preparing the main entrées including turkeys, hams, mac & cheese, salads, etc. While it’s not necessary to bring anything, the food is free to all and you can enjoy live entertainment and meet some new friends. While the free dinner is available to everyone starting around 2pm, the full bar will be available until 1:30am (another post-Thanksgiving dinner tradition).

In yet another selfless act by yet another local, “Campfire Tyler has graciously agreed to provide his talents for the Orphans and Strays party at Hemingway’s, away from his family. We thank him for doing this. Tyler is first and foremost a family man that is giving back his time to the community,” Thompson added.

For a lot of people, Thanksgiving has become their official binge eating day stuffing themselves with as much turkey and goodies as possible. For others, it is a day for shoes off and football. Most likely afterwards, you spend a couple of days eating leftover turkey and stuffing.

However, there are many others who focus on the true meaning of Thanksgiving which is simply to be thankful for everything you have. The purpose of Thanksgiving is to practice humility and give thanks for whatever it is we do have.

“The event has become popular and lots of folks look forward to it,” Thompson said. “So we are going to expand it and also have the same gathering this year on Christmas Day and then again next spring on Easter Sunday. Anyone and everyone is welcome.”

At Panini’s, and at Hemingway’s, humility and giving thanks are obviously things that they practice, and for that, we’re thankful that we have them.

Hemingway’s Bistro is located at 920 Bay Street (Rear) at downtown Beaufort’s Waterfront Park.