Caviar, foie gras... Where to catch delights for the holidays?

© Kaviari
This year again, tradition obliges, foie gras, caviar, smoked salmon, and truffles will be the stars of the Holiday tables, whether we are hosting at home or invited. But one still has to know where to get the best! Kaviari, Petrossian, Maison de la Truffe… Spotlight on these Houses that establish themselves as reliable choices where one can take advice with eyes closed.

We love grabbing Nordic tartines and tasting Kaviari’s impeccable seafood products near Hôtel de Ville (8 shops in Paris). The ultimate delight, the heart of Scottish smoked salmon stands perfectly on its own with a dash of lemon (starting at €17.50), not to mention a few slices of salmon from the Faroe Islands (starting at €37), accompanied by a bit of crème fraîche and red onion to awaken its flavors. If you’re the type to enjoy fish as appetizers, their Pacific salmon roe (starting at €12.50) is a must. And to perfect any preparation of salmon in sauce or marinade, grab their Gravlax sauce (starting at €9).

Of course, the most impressive caviar tins can be found at Petrossian (18 boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, Paris 7th). But what we also love about one of the chicest caviar houses in Paris is ordering a few slices of smoked salmon to spoil our guests. Special mention for the matured Souhoï salmon with its strong smoky flavor (€40) and the particularly tender Coupe du Tsar, best sliced into thick pieces (€40.50). Ultimate snobbery and a little passion of the buzzing new chefs: smoked pike roe, which pairs particularly well with salmon (€19.50).

Just across from Salle Pleyel, Maison Nordique (221 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 8th) deals in the most delicate fish in the capital, particularly the melt-in-the-mouth salmon hearts, which can be served as a trio on a pretty dish: smoked salmon, dill-marinated, beetroot-marinated, or even mandarin-marinated (starting at €17).

© Petrossian - Kaviari - @lamaisonnordique on Instagram

In her "Maison de Cuisine" MAM, both a caterer, patisserie, and grocery store, Michelin-starred chef Stéphanie Le Quellec offers an anti-inflation Holiday menu starting at €55, delivered everywhere in France or available for pick-up at one of their Parisian shops (the historic location at 22 rue Fourcroy, Paris 17th, or their brand-new address at 5 avenue de Lowendal, Paris 7th). Comté-nutmeg gougère, warm velouté with an apple-celery combo, mushroom cushion ravioli with hazelnut shards, an incredible chicken fricassée immersed in its creamy, porcini-flavored sauce served with ultra-buttery mashed potatoes, topped off with a citrus and bergamot tea verrine followed by a Christmas shortbread: all that’s left to do is plate it beautifully for a guaranteed “wow” effect!

Hyper-stocked with products up to the ceiling, the Maison Barthouil grocery store in Le Marais (41 rue Charlot, Paris 3rd) offers the advantage of presenting only products made directly by the parent company in the Landes. This naturally includes addictively good duck foie gras in jars (starting at €25.50), Espelette pepper tarama (€6.40), Aquitaine Baeri caviar (starting at €62), bottarga (€29), and even French-farmed smoked salmon (€167 for 1.8 kilos).

© Maison Barthouil - MAM

Head to L’Épicerie de la Tour d’Argent (13 quai de la Tournelle, Paris 5th), a fine grocery store presenting the crème of French producers in a typically Parisian setting that echoes the expertise of the legendary Tour d’Argent restaurant. And who better than the duck à la presse expert to offer the best whole duck foie gras in Paris? Specifically: an exclusive recipe with port and spices, featuring firm flesh, prepared by the family-run foie gras house Feyel Artzner from Alsace (€45 for 140g).

Different location, same passion for rustic delicacies at Maison Vérot, where their iconic pâtés en croûte take a back seat for once during the Holidays. Why? Because the most stylish of charcutiers (six shops available here) offers several varieties of house-prepared foie gras, available by the slice or even in XXL terrines for large gatherings. Count €19 for a slice, €22.20 for the truffled version, €117 for the goose foie gras terrine for six people, and €110 for the duck version.

Sweet-and-savory enthusiasts will pair these with lovely jars of chutneys and condiments from La Chambre aux Confitures (€29 for the foie gras gift box).

© @epicerietourdargent on Instagram © Maison Vérot / Lucie Sassiat

Chic Parisians looove caviar. But beware: it’s not to be bought just anywhere! If you’re going to indulge in a luxury treat, you might as well go for the very best. First stop: at the Prunier Madeleine boutique (15 place de la Madeleine, Paris 8th), they’ll recommend a tin of caviar from Acipenser Baerii sturgeons, very lightly salted and offering a unique complexity of flavors (€135 for 30g). Also worth tasting: three recipes of smoked sturgeon rillettes, with Provence herbs or truffle, perfect to enjoy on a slice of toasted bread (starting at €10.45 for 90g).

For an elegant Christmas, Caviar Kaspia (17 place de la Madeleine, Paris 8th) continues to offer its iconic, beautifully illustrated small tins of Beluga, Osciètre, or Baeri caviar (starting at €60).

To add a touch of magic to this luxury, head to Comptoir du Caviar (25 boulevard Malesherbes, Paris 17th) to pick up their Tasting Box featuring a 20g tin of Aquitaine caviar, 90g of summer truffle tarama, an unexpected Tobiko wasabi-flavored tarama (90g), and of course, a mother-of-pearl spoon (€68). Staying in the festive theme, their Royal Tasting Box gathers the sea’s finest treasures: 50g of Osciètre caviar, a sublime selection of five deliciously creamy taramas, a jar of salmon roe (50g), and a pack of 16 blinis to complete the feast (€184).

For grand cru caviar, head to the exceptional restaurant La Maison du Caviar (21 rue Quentin Bauchart, Paris 8th), where their boutique space offers a selection of the greatest sturgeon species presented in precious blue tins. What we adore above all are their gift sets presented in stunning embroidered velvet pouches. A favorite: the Discovery Box, featuring three 30g tins of Osciètre Impérial, Baeri Prestige, and Osciètre Royal caviar (€350), offering a truly exquisite tasting experience.

© Comptoir du Caviar - La Maison du Caviar

Intensely delicious, the truffle owes its prestige to its unique flavor, capable of elevating any dish! At Artisan de la Truffe (19 rue des Martyrs, Paris 9th), rush to grab one of the house’s bestsellers: the truffle risotto, a faithful reproduction of the original recipe from the Michelin-starred restaurant Da Beppe in Alba (€11.50, 175g). Looking for a big treat? The pack of 3 truffled spreads will delight you: pork rillettes with summer truffle, country pâté with summer truffle, and pheasant pâté with summer truffle (€18.90 for a total of 210g).

At Maison de la Truffe (19 place de la Madeleine, Paris 8th), go straight for the essentials with the Grands Classiques Box, including two bottles of extra virgin olive oil infused with black and white truffle, balsamic reduction, and Guérande grey salt with black truffle (€99). Don’t resist their truffle sweets: white truffle chocolate candies (€16).

Head to Eataly (37 rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, Paris 4th) to put together a stylish truffle aperitivo! Add to your basket: Tartufi Mora white truffle butter, divine on toasted bread (€12.50), creamy black truffle burrata typical of Puglia (€4.65 for 125g), the unmissable Truffle Chips (€4.10), 100% Italian pork truffle saucisson (€14.50), and the flavorful truffle mortadella from Negrini (€5.03 for 150g).

Want to add depth to a simple pasta dish? Head to Fauchon (4 boulevard Malesherbes, Paris 8th) to pick up a jar of summer truffle slices (€23.85 for 40g).

© Artisan de la Truffe - Maison de la Truffe - Fauchon

Also check out the best seafood platters in Paris and the best raclette and fondue spots in Paris.