Where to eat during the holidays in Paris

Where to celebrate Christmas & the New Year, plus a long list of restaurant closures

Nov 11

The Christmas and New Year holidays are a family time in France, most often celebrated at home. There aren’t a lot of restaurants open on the actual holidays. But it’s not just a question of December 25 - many restaurants close before Christmas and reopen a few days after the new year, around January 3.

We’ve reached out to the restaurants we recommend in order to share their plans with you. In this post, you’ll find your options for celebrating in Paris restaurants, as well as the closing schedules (scroll down) for our favorite restaurants. In December we’ll be sharing some ideas for self-catering for those who are able to celebrate at home, even if “home” is a hotel room.

We’re publishing this on the early side for those who want to plan ahead, but we’ll be updating this post with additional information in the coming weeks. Not every restaurant had decided their plans when we first asked in late October.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS

Our recommendations are usually based on our recent and anonymous restaurant experiences. Because there are so very few options open during the holidays, we’ve included many restaurants that we’ve never visited. Click the links to see what we have (or haven’t) written.

Restaurants open December 24

Our top picks

Huîtrerie Régis is one of the best spots for oysters in Paris, and they’re open every day throughout the holidays. Read more about them in our guide to favorite restaurants in Saint-Germain.

Le Coq et Fils - this restaurant from chef Antoine Westermann specializes in roasted prestige birds, which sounds just perfect for Christmas. They seem to be serving their regular menu, without holiday pricing. Expect the surrounding Montmartre streets to be lit up and highly charming. Read more about them in our guide to eating in Montmartre.

Prix fixe menus

Epicure - Éric Fréchon’s three-star restaurant at Le Bristol hotel will be serving a multi-course holiday meal for 950€
Fouquet’s - this historic restaurant near the Champs-Élysées will be serving a multi-course holiday menu created by three-star chef Pierre Gagnaire for 210€.
Le Dali - slightly more reasonably, this “second restaurant” at Le Meurice will be offering a holiday menu for 380€.
Lucas Carton - this one-star restaurant near Madeleine will be serving an eight course dinner on Christmas Eve for 380€.
Madame Brasserie - two-star chef Thierry Marx has recently taken over this restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower, and will be offering criminally reasonable menus that range in price, depending on where you sit (with or without a panoramic view), for 69€ or 95€ per person. They’re open for both lunch and dinner.
Le Train Bleu - the stunning Belle Epoque restaurant inside the Gare du Lyon train station will be offering a Christmas Eve dinner for 165€.
Le Meurice - this two-star restaurant from Alain Ducasse will be offering a multi-course holiday meal for 650€ (or 900€ with wine pairings).

Open and serving their regular menu

Dilia - this modern Italian restaurant in Ménilmontant will be open and serving their regular menu.
Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République - these two affordable spots serving classic French dishes will be open every day and serving their regular menu.
L’Entente - this British brasserie near the Opéra Garnier will be open every day.
All 3 of the L'Avant Comptoir (standing) wine bars will be open without reservations – L'Avant Comptoir, L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer & L'Avant Comptoir du Marche.
These historic brasseries are open every day: Bistrot Vivienne, Au Pied de Cochon, La Coupole, Le Vaudeville, Le Train Bleu, La Mascotte, Le Balzar, Bouillon Julien.

Restaurants open December 25

top picks

Huîtrerie Régis is one of the best spots for oysters in Paris, and they’re open every day throughout the holidays. Read more about them in our guide to favorite restaurants in Saint-Germain.
Le Coq et Fils - this Montmartre restaurant from chef Antoine Westermann specializes in roasted prestige birds, which sounds just perfect for Christmas. They seem to be serving their regular menu, without holiday pricing. Expect the surrounding Montmartre streets to be lit up and highly charming.

Prix fixe menus

Madame Brasserie - two-star chef Thierry Marx has recently taken over this restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower, and will be offering criminally reasonable menus that range in price, depending on where you sit (with or without a panoramic view), for 69€ or 95€ per person. They’re open for both lunch and dinner.

Open and serving their regular menu

Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République - these two affordable spots serving classic French dishes will be open every day and serving their regular menu. Read our reviews of Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République.
L’Entente - this British brasserie near the Opéra Garnier will be open every day.
All 3 of the L'Avant Comptoir standing wine bars will be open without reservations – L'Avant Comptoir, L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer and L'Avant Comptoir du Marche.
These historic brasseries are open every day: Bistrot Vivienne, Au Pied de Cochon, La Coupole, Le Vaudeville, Le Train Bleu, La Mascotte, Le Balzar, Bouillon Julien.

Bouillon République (photo: Emily Monaco)

Other Holiday Christmas Options

Christmas Markets

There are more than twenty Christmas Markets around the city during the weeks leading up to the holidays. The biggest is Le Magie de Noël at the Tuileries Garden near the Louvre and features an ice skating rink, rides and a Ferris wheel, along with vendors of food, mulled wine, and crafts. Other atmospheric locations include Notre Dame, Montmartre, and Hôtel de Ville. Check this guide for a good description in English of your options.

Food Tours with Paris by Mouth

We're not leading food tours December 24-26 but still have some availability on December 22 & December 27. Many dates during the holiday week are fully booked, but you can send an email to tasteparisbymouth@gmail.com to join a wait list.

Museums on Christmas Day

Open on December 25:

Centre Pompidou, the Eiffel Tower, Musée de Montmartre, Atelier des Lumières, Musée Jaquemart-André, the Museum of Jewish Art & History, Institut du Monde Arabe.

Closed on December 25:

Musée du Louvre, Musée Carnavalet, Musée d'Orsay, Pantheon, Catacombs, Musée du Chasse et Nature, Musée Picasso.

CELEBRATING THE NEW YEAR

Restaurants on December 31

Restaurants sometimes change their mind about what they’ll be serving on New Year’s Eve, and what it will cost. Among the restaurants we’ve listed as “serving their regular menu,” there’s a chance they’ll later decide to do a special menu. We recommend booking early but checking their website closer to the holidays to see if they’ve updated their offering.

Our top picks

Le Grand Véfour - if you want a little glitz, this stunningly beautiful restaurant that overlooks the gardens of the Palais Royal will be offering celebratory menus at 160€ and 210€.
Le Petit Sommelier near Montparnasse will be serving their regular, modestly priced menu. A great option with an excellent wine list for those who want or need to go out, but don’t want to splurge.
Twenty-Two Club - This supper club overlooking the Palais Royal (one of our favorites) will be twenty-two guests at their communal table. They haven’t yet decided the menu, but are guessing it will be around 400€ with festive ingredients like caviar, truffles and Champagne. Reservations will open one month in advance (this will book quickly), with more details available at that time.
Liquide (one of our favorites) will be serving a six course meal for 180€.
Ellsworth - this wonderful restaurant near the Palais Royal (run by the same team behind Twenty-Two Club) will be open and serving a tasting menu that hasn’t yet been decided, but will likely be in the range of 90-100€.
Massale - this modern bistro in the 11th (one of our favorites) will be offering a New Year’s Eve menu with seven courses for 100€. This seems like a steal.

Prix fixe menus - very, very expensive

Le Meurice - this two-star restaurant from Alain Ducasse will be offering a multi-course holiday meal for 990€ (or 1350€ with wine pairings).
Le Dali - the “budget restaurant” at Le Meurice will be offering a holiday menu for 480€ (or 700€ with wine pairings).
Lucas Carton - this one-star restaurant near Madeleine will be serving a ten course dinner on New Year’s Eve for 450€.

Prix fixe menus - expensive

Le Train Bleu - the stunning Belle Epoque restaurant inside the Gare du Lyon train station will be offering a New Year’s Eve dinner for 220€.
Fouquet’s - this historic restaurant near the Champs-Élysées will be serving a multi-course holiday menu created by three-star chef Pierre Gagnaire) 310€ for nye 210€ for Christmas eve
Elmer - this modern bistro in the Marais will offering a New Year’s Eve menu for 195€.

Prix fixe menus - moderate

Dilia - this modern Italian restaurant in Ménilmontant will be open and serving a nine-course menu for 99€.
Milagro - this modern restaurant near the Eiffel will be serving a New Year's Even menu, but they haven’t yet decided about the pricing. Read our review of Milagro.
Pottoka - this Basque bistro near the Eiffel Tower will be serving a New Year's Even menu, but they haven’t yet decided about the pricing.
Willi’s Wine Bar will be serving a special holiday menu but they haven’t yet decided about the pricing. Check their social media closer to time for details.
Macéo will be serving a special holiday menu but they haven’t yet decided about the pricing. Check their social media closer to time for details.
Mesa - this vegan restaurant near Pigalle with be serving a plant-based tasting menu for 80€ with three courses and a glass of sparkling wine. Read our review of Mesa.

Open and serving their regular menu

Le Coq et Fils - this Montmartre restaurant from chef Antoine Westermann specializes in roasted prestige birds and will be serving their regular menu without holiday pricing.
Astier is open and accepting online reservations on December 31. You can read our review of Astier here.
L’Avant Poste - this modern bistro in the 10th (with good vegetarian options) will be open and serving their regular menu. Read our review of L’Avant Poste.
Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République - these two affordable spots serving classic French dishes will be open every day and serving their regular menu. Read our reviews of Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République.
L’Entente - this British brasserie near the Opéra Garnier will be open every day.
All 3 of the L'Avant Comptoir standing wine bars will be open without reservations – L'Avant Comptoir, L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer and L'Avant Comptoir du Marche.
These historic brasseries are open every day: Bistrot Vivienne, Au Pied de Cochon, La Coupole, Le Vaudeville, Le Train Bleu, La Mascotte, Le Balzar, Bouillon Julien.

Restaurants on January 1

Our top picks

Jones - this small plates restaurant near Voltaire will be open and serving their regular menu. You can read more about Jones in our post about where to drink natural wine in Paris.
L’Avant Poste - this modern bistro in the 10th (with good vegetarian options) will be open for brunch and dinner and serving their regular menu. Read our review of L’Avant Poste.

Open and serving their regular menu

Le Coq et Fils - this Montmartre restaurant from chef Antoine Westermann specializes in roasted prestige birds and will be serving their regular menu without holiday pricing. Read more about them in our guide to eating in Montmartre.
Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République - these two affordable spots serving classic French dishes will be open every day and serving their regular menu. Read our reviews of Bouillon Pigalle and Bouillon République.
All 3 of the L'Avant Comptoir standing wine bars will be open without reservations – L'Avant Comptoir, L'Avant Comptoir de la Mer and L'Avant Comptoir du Marche.
These historic brasseries are open every day: Bistrot Vivienne, Au Pied de Cochon, La Coupole, Le Vaudeville, Le Train Bleu, La Mascotte, Le Balzar, Bouillon Julien.
L’Entente - this British brasserie near the Opéra Garnier will be open every day.

HOLIDAY WEEK CLOSURES

75001

Juveniles will close from December 24 through January 2.
Twenty Two Club will be closed December 18-26 and open December 27-31. They will be closed January 1.
Ellsworth will be closed December 23-26 and open December 27-31.
Le Grand Véfour will be closed from December 24-26 and January 1. Open December 31.
Willi’s Wine Bar will be closed from December 24 through 26. They’ll be open on December 31 and then closed January 1-3.
Macéo will be closed from December 24 through 26. They’ll be open on December 31 and then closed January 1-3.
Liquide will be closed from December 17-27, reopening the 27th for dinner.
Granite will be closed from December 23 through January 2.
Au Pied de Cochon will be open every day.

75002

Brasserie Dubillot will be closed from December 24-26 and the 31st.
Racines will be closed from December 24 through January 2.
Adar will be closed from December 19 through January 1.
Frenchie will be closed from December 24 through January 2.
Frenchie Bar à Vins will be closed from December 24-26 plus December 31 & January 1.
Café Compagnon will close from December 24 through January 1.
Chez Georges will be closed from December 24 through January 1.
L’Entente will be open every day.

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Parcelles will be closed from December 23 through January 2.
Le Mary Celeste will be closed December 24-25 and December 31-January 1.

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Les Papilles will be closed from December 24 through January 2.

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Augustin Marchand d’Vins will be closed on December 25 & January 1. They’ll be open on December 24 and 31 from noon until 8pm for takeaway wine sales only.
Fish will be closed from December 24 through January 2.
Semilla will be closed from December 24 through January 3.
Freddy's will be closed on December 24-25 and December 31 + January 1.
Cosi rue de Seine will be closed on on December 24-26 and December 31 + January 1.

75007

Milagro will be closed from December 23-24 and from January 1-9. Open December 31.
Tomy & Co. will be closed from December 24 through lunch on January 2, reopening for dinner on January 2.
La Fontaine de Mars will be closed on December 24-25 and December 31 & January 1.
Café des Ministères will be closed from December 23-26. They will be open on December 31, then closed from January 1-9.

75009