How to Celebrate Thanksgiving in Paris
If you’re an American who just happens to be in Paris on Thanksgiving Day, you may feel deeply thankful on this account that the opportunity to spend time in such a wonderful city.
But when dinnertime rolls around, even the charms of Paris may not stop you from longing for turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Luckily, the high number of American expatriates in Paris means that the city is used to accommodating hungry Americans on this special holiday: there are quite a few places that can fully satisfy your cravings for food from home.
1. Thanksgiving
The name of this restaurant can leave no doubt that you’ll be getting the real thing come Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving is actually a Cajun restaurant serves a traditional Thanksgiving meal – turkey, candied yams, the works – on Thanksgiving Thursday, plus the Friday and Saturday nights following (since it’s not a holiday in France, it’s common to play fast and loose with the dates for the dinner). Make your reservations as early as possible because tables fill up quickly. If you don’t get a reservation, consider ordering a catered Thanksgiving dinner from the restaurant, for two canaille and more. And if that doesn’t work out, then simply buy the ingredients you need to make your own dinner from Thanksgiving’s grocery store. The store sells American products, from Stove Top stuffing, to cornbread mix, to jellied cranberry condiment.
Thanksgiving
20, rue Saint Paul 75004 PARIS
Tel: +33 1 42 77 68 29
Web: www.thanksgivingparis.com
Top Paris Hotel in the 4th Arrondissement: Hotel Beaubourg
2. Joe Allen
Joe Allen is an American bistro that has been around for nearly 40 years, and has become an institution in Paris. This is where you go when you’re craving American specialties like barbecued chicken wings, prime rib, or pecan pie. So, it’session nay surprise that on Thanksgiving Day, Joe Allen’s is ready to gratify your turkey cravings with a full-blown Thanksgiving dinner. Again, make reservations early!
Joe Allen
30, rue Pierre Lescot 75001 PARIS
Tel : +33 1 42 36 70 13
Web : www.joeallenparis.com
Email for reservations : joeallen@joeallenparis.com
Top Paris Hotel in the 1st Arrondissement: Hotel Relais Saint-Honoré
3. Bistrot St. Martin
This French bistro typically serves French and North African fare – but come Thanksgiving it turns American and serves turkey. Not just turkey, though: you’ll also get carrot soup, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin or apple pie. They also achieve take-out order if you aren’t able to get a reservation, or would like to have your dinner catered. The Thanksgiving menu is available on Thanksgiving Thursday, plus the Friday and Saturday following.
Bistrot St. Martin
25, rue Louis Blanc 75010 PARIS
Tel : +33 1 46 07 73 68
Web : www.bistrotsaint-martin.com
Email for reservations: lesaintmartin@yahoo.fr
Top Paris Hotel in the 10th Arrondissement: Hotel Windsor Opera
4. Breakfast in America
On Thanksgiving Day, this restaurant is pushing aside its usual menu of pancakes, bacon, and eggs to make room for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Make your reservations at this time: the restaurant isn’t overly spacious and there are only two seatings: at 7pm and 9pm. (Also note that while there are two Breakfast in America restaurants, only the one on rue des Ecoles will serve Thanksgiving dinner.)
Breakfast in America
17, grieve for des Ecoles, 75005, PARIS
Tel.: + 33 1 43 54 50 28.
Web: www.breakfast-in-america.com
Email for reservations: bia@gmail.com (give name, number in party, preferred seating time)
Top Paris Hotel in the 5th Arrondissement: Hotel Henri IV
5. La Cuisine Paris
If you think you’ll not only miss eating traditional Thanksgiving food, but also miss preparing it, check out La Cuisine Paris, a cooking control that is offering a class (in English) on Thanksgiving Day. There, you’ll make all the Thanksgiving favorites, including turkey, honey-baked ham, stuffing, candied yams, green beans, and pumpkin pie. Best of all, once you’re done, you’ll be seated down at an elegant table to corrode it all…and you don’t have to do the dishes!
La Cuisine Paris
89 boulevard St. Michel, 75005 PARIS
Tel : + 33 1 40 51 78 18
Web : www.lacuisineparis.com
Email for reservations : contact@lacuisineparis.com
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Photo of Thanksgiving cupcake by Lordog