Wondering how to spend Thanksgiving in Paris? Whether you are living in Paris, or just passing spending November in Paris, this guide will help you enjoy the Thanksgiving in Paris of your dreams.
Choose a restaurant to eat out or invite friends over to host your own Thanksgiving. If you are missing your family’s Thanksgiving traditions, celebrating a beautiful and special Thanksgiving in Paris will help.
Going out for Thanksgiving in Paris
Although there are so many delicious things to eat in Paris at all times of the year, you will probably want to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving in Paris. If you’re anything like me, that means that your stomach will be grumbling for turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie for dessert. Oh, and wine, because we’re in Paris after all!
The following restaurants will serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in 2023 :
Hotel Vernet
If you are looking for a really special, luxury Thanksgiving experience, I highly recommend the Thanksgiving menu at Hotel Vernet. Hotel Vernet is a luxury boutique hotel in the 1st arrondissement near the Louvre. I went to their Thanksgiving dinner in 2011 and it was a really wonderful experience.
25 rue Vernet 75008 Paris // Reservation : 01 44 31 98 00
Harry’s Bar
This Parisian institution opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day in 1911. It is said to be the oldest cocktail bar in Paris. Located next to the Palais Royal Gardens, this bar is oh so chic and such a lovely place to celebrate Thanksgiving with a touch of Frenchiness.
5 rue Daunou 75002 Paris // Reservations : 01 42 61 71 14
Sunday in Soho
The couple behind Sunday in Soho, and their sweet little daughter, continue their Thanksgiving dinner tradition this year. Head to Sunday in Soho for dinner or have it delivered to your home.
Their Thanksgiving dinner including a starter, a full Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, Mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole, kale salad, gravy, cranberry sauce and more!) and dessert. The only tough part about Thanksgiving dinner at Sunday in Soho will be choosing between pumpkin pie and pecan pie for dessert!
7 rue Saint-Marc 75002 Paris // Reserve online
Verjus (temporarily closed for 2023)
At Verjus, you can reserve a fixed Thanksgiving menu for 100€ per person with an optional wine pairing. Verjus is known for whole, delicious food in a beautiful, Parisian setting, making it an ideal place to spend Thanksgiving in Paris with your loved ones.
52 rue de Richelieu 75001 Paris // Reservations : 01 42 97 54 40
Breakfast in America
Breakfast in America, or B.I.A., first opened its doors back in 2003. I arrived in Paris in 2002 and spent an entire year missing real American pancakes! When I discovered B.I.A. as a college student in Paris, it was love at first sight. I became a permanent fixture on Sunday mornings.
Their Thanksgiving plate is everything you could want for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in Paris. Turkey, check. Cranberry sauce, check. Sweet potatoes, check. Pumpkin pie, check. Simple and seriously delicious.
4 rue Malher 75004 Paris // Reserve online (by email)
Joe Allen
Joe Allen is the oldest American restaurant in Paris, dating back to 1972. The walls are red brick and decorated with beautiful old photos of NYC, making you feel like you’ve stepped into a cozy bar and restaurant in the heart of NYC. I come here on days when I am missing my hometown of NYC. They even serve pastrami grilled cheese. (Heart beating faster.)
For Thanksgiving, you can expect a traditional turkey dinner with all the yummy fixings, in a relaxed American atmosphere. They can host tables for 1 to 8 people. The fixed menu costs 50€ per person and includes an entrée, main course, dessert and coffee or tea.
Entrées include gorgeous offerings such as pumpkin and squash chowder with croutons and crab cakes with herb and lime tartar sauce, amongst others. For a main course, you can opt for a traditional Thanksgiving turkey place, a baked ham plate or even a grilled and marinated tuna plate for those who prefer fish. For dessert, you can choose between pumpkin pie with Bourbon sabayon, pecan pie, cheesecake, a brownie or more tasty options.
30 rue Pierre Lescot 75001 Paris // Reserve online
Treize au Jardin
This is one of our favorite spots in Paris for American brunch! We love being greeted with a friendly “hello” and a smile at the door, the interior is gorgeous and the Southern style food is out of this world.
This may be one of the best places to spend Thanksgiving in Paris! The fixed Thanksgiving menu includes roast turkey served with house gravy, cranberry orange relish, broccoli and cauliflower gratin, garlicky green bean salad, sweet potato crumble and a buttermilk biscuit. You can even add bacon cheddar Mac an cheese to your menu! For dessert, choose between pumpkin cheesecake, apple crumble pie and pecan pie.
5 rue de Médecis 75006 Paris // Reserve online
Hard Rock Cafe Paris
If you are a Hard Rock Cafe lover, Thanksgiving could be a good time of the year to visit. Enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in the heart of Paris and pick up a collectible t-shirt on the way out.
Address Paris // Reserve online
Milagro Paris
Why not celebrate Thanksgiving in this Bistronomique restaurant in the 7th arrondissement? The chef is Franco American and the food is fresh and creative. Their Thanksgiving menu is a mix of roasted turkey and turkey confit which sounds interesting and ends with pumpkin pie with whipped cream (the most important part for me honestly!).
85 Avenue Bosquet 75001 Paris // Reservations : 01 42 97 54 40
Ralph’s Saint Germain
For an authentic American Thanksgiving experience, consider reserving a table at Ralph’s Restaurant on Avenue Saint Germain. They offer a full Thanksgiving dinner, complete with turkey, veggies, stuffing, a selection of desserts and coupe de Champagne. At the time of writing this, their Thanksgiving menu was 150€ per person.
Hosting your own Thanksgiving in Paris
If you live in Paris, or are here for an extended stay, you may be interested in hosting your own Thanksgiving dinner.
We have hosted several Thanksgiving dinners over the years, sometimes with our families and sometimes just with friends.
Where to buy a turkey in Paris to prepare yourself
It can be tricky and expensive to hunt down a turkey in Paris but don’t let this dissuade you from hosting your own traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
When I first arrived in Paris 20 years ago, there was a store called Thanksgiving. It was opened in 1990 by Ms. Bluyssen and her husband. They used to provide cooked turkeys, baked pumpkin and pecan pies and all sorts of American products to help you prepare the perfect Thanksgiving dinner, in your Parisian home, à la Française.
Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is permanently closed and has been replaced by a luxury hotel, The Hotel Charles V.
In recent years, some butchers have discovered that there are quite a few Americans searching for turkeys around Thanksgiving and have started sourcing them for us.
If you are planning to order a turkey for Thanksgiving, make sure you ask one of the butchers below in advance. You could also try to ask your local butcher to see if they could order a turkey for you.
Turkey is sometimes served at Christmas in France, so you will need to clearly state that you need a turkey for the end of November.
Butchers who have turkeys for Thanksgiving in Paris
If you would like to order a turkey for Thanksgiving in Paris, make sure to contact your butcher in advance. Turkeys are traditionally served at Christmas in France and will not be available in time for Thanksgiving unless you plan and reserve in advance.
Most butchers will ask that you leave a deposit or even pay in full for them to request a turkey for you.
Le Coq Saint Honoré
This butcher is famous for the quality of their poultry. Make sure you reserve your turkey as early as possible!
3 rue Gomboust 75001 Paris
Boucherie Jean-Paul Gardil
Located on the beautiful Ile Saint Louis, this butcher shop has been on the island since 1903. This is one of my favorite neighbourhoods in Paris. Stop by to order your turkey, then go for a walk around the island.
44 rue Saint-Louis en L’Ile 75004 Paris
Au Chapon d’Aligre
If you have been following our blog for a while, then you know how much we love going to the Marché d’Aligre on Sunday mornings for oysters and white wine. We love buying our fruits and vegetables here, as well as meat, fish and gorgeous cut flowers.
Place d’Aligre 75012 Paris
Turkey alternatives in Paris
If you are having trouble finding a turkey, you could choose another type of poultry that is a little more French and arguably just as delicious.
Celebrate Thanksgiving like a French with the following poultry choices :
- Poulet de Bresse – known as the best poultry you can find in France, the poulet de Bresse can sometimes be found at Christmas tables across France. My French family loves enjoying poulet de Bresse at Christmas.
- Poulet de Cent Jours – this is a chicken that has been kept for 100 days, or a little over 3 months, making it a larger chicken.
- Chapon – basically a castrated rooster but also a good alternative to turkey in Paris.
- Caille – as an alternative, you could also serve individual quail for each guest.
Where to buy a prepared turkey in Paris
Rachel’s Grocery
Across from Rachel’s Cakes, owner Rachel Moeller has opened an American deli/grocery store where you can source various products you may need to prepare the American Thanksgiving in Paris of your dreams.
20 rue du Pont aux Choux 75003 Paris // 01 40 29 98 11
American Grocery Stores in Paris to Get Other Products for Thanksgiving
You can absolutely make your entire Thanksgiving dinner from scratch in Paris (even in a very small kitchen). However, if you are short on time, or just prefer to purchase things already made, you may want to stock up on American products at one of the stores below.
Native Delicatessen
If you really want to go back to America’s roots, why not pick up Inuit Native American tea or a birch tree syrup from Native Delicatessen.
55 rue de la Fontaine au Roi 75011 Paris // 09 82 25 05 06
The Real McCoy
When I was a student at the American University of Paris, this was our go-to place for American products in Paris. It is just down the street from AUP in the 7th arrondissement.
You can find pretty much anything you are looking for to complete your Thanksgiving dinner in Paris (other than the turkey).
194 rue de Grenelle 75007 Paris // 01 45 56 00 00
La Grande Epicerie de Paris
This is not actually an American grocery store, but a chic French gourmet food store attached to the department store Le Bon Marché that stocks a lot of American products.
38 rue de Sèvres 75007 Paris // 01 44 39 81 00
Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Dinner
- Turkey – this recipe walks you through preparing a traditional turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.
- Stuffing – not Thanksgiving dinner is complete without stuffing! It’s easy to make from scratch, and tastes better than making it from a box.
- Gravy from scratch – yum! Like with stuffing, homemade gravy is easier to make from scratch than you think and will take your Thanksgiving to the next level.
- Chestnut soup – this French chestnut soup recipe is the perfect, creamy Fall soup to add to your Thanksgiving menu, especially if you’d like to add a French touch to the traditional meal.
- Sweet potatoes topped with marshmallow – possibly the most surprising dish for French guests at your Thanksgiving dinner, this may be my
- Cranberry sauce – I love making the cranberry sauce for our Thanksgiving dinner.
- Pumpkin pie – the quintessential Thanksgiving dessert! This recipe makes the best even pumpkin pie.
If you have leftover turkey, not to worry, make one of these 15 leftover turkey recipes.
More Fun Activities in Paris
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- Seine Cruise with Music
- Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket to the Louvre
- Paris Dinner Cruise on the Seine
- Take a Guided Tour of the Eiffel Tower
- Explore Versailles as a Day Trip from Paris
Thanksgiving in Paris
Go out for a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner in Paris or host your own. All the information you need to plan the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for you and your loved ones in Paris!
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First published November 5, 2020. Last updated October 6, 2023 with more information, additional tips, and better readability.
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