Where to buy turkeys for Thanksgiving in Philly, plus halal and kosher options

It’s always a good idea to plan ahead for Thanksgiving, especially if a fresh turkey is part of the game plan.

Cooking with fresh birds has its advantages: The meat is less processed, lending a juicier, tender taste. Many butchers and markets in the Philadelphia region recommend preordering and picking up days before to ensure your turkey is ready for the holiday.

Thanksgiving begins a busy season for these local butchers, including favorite halal and kosher spots. Philly’s Muslim and Jewish communities head to the handful of butchers offering religiously permissible meats that follow specific dietary laws.

“The flow of business is very busy. There’s a lot of people that come in during this time of year,” said Laith Newton, co-owner of Prime Halal Meats. “That weekend before definitely till the day prior [to Thanksgiving] is just a lot of business — a lot of American Muslims and second-generation Muslims are happier to find strictly hand-slaughtered cuts.”

To help you get your Thanksgiving plans in order, we’ve compiled a list of butchers for fresh turkeys in Philly and beyond, including kosher and halal options.

Order a fresh cut of whatever poultry item your heart desires at this full-service Reading Terminal stall. There’s boneless turkey breast roasts, bone-in breasts, and whole smoked turkeys, too. Not to mention the capons, ducks, squab, and geese, should you want an alternative bird. Pro tip: The butchers here are happy to spatchcock your bird for you.

Turkeys are 10 to 30 pounds for $4.25 per pound. Place orders by phone or in-person by Nov. 18 and pick up as late as 4 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving.

📍 1136 Arch St., 📞 215-922-7589, 🌐 mercato.com/shop/godshalls-poultry, 🕑 Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

West Philly’s 52-year-old co-op sources its whole turkeys from Downingtown’s Howe Turkey Farm. Preorder starts Nov. 4 for pickup from Nov. 19 to 23. Member-owners can get turkeys for a discounted price of $2.99 per pound while turkeys will be $3.29 per pound for everyone else. Smaller birds range from 10 to 12 pounds, and larger ones are 16 to 18 pounds.

📍 4824 Baltimore Ave., 📞 215-729-2121, 🌐 mariposa.coop/holiday, 🕑 Monday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (starting Nov. 5)

Fishtown and Old City’s robust, locally sourced grocer carries fresh turkeys from two suppliers: New Jersey’s Smith Poultry and Lancaster Farm Fresh (which also draws from several area farms). Smith Poultry produces some of the best pork sausage in the region, but Kyle Smith’s turkeys are worth seeking out: They grow up in New Jersey pasture, grazing on acorns, nuts, seeds, fruits, buds, berries, flowers, insects, even small reptiles. Last year, Riverwards sold out of them in a week. Brace yourself for a price tag that reflects the product’s quality: Both Smith Poultry’s turkeys and Lancaster Farm Fresh’s organic fresh turkeys are going for $6.99 a pound.

📍2200 E. Norris St., 146 Bread St., 📞 215-678-4304, 215-592-4650, 🌐 riverwardsproduce.com, 🕑 Daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Howe Turkey Farm is big on the co-op circuit: It also supplies Philly’s newest co-op, where birds will be sold for $3.49 a pound. (If the co-op gets 100 preorders by Nov. 13, the price will drop to $3.28 a pound.) Prefer an organic, pastured bird? SPFC will also have Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative turkeys available for $6.49 a pound. Bonus: Every turkey comes with a free tote bag.

📍 2031 S. Juniper St., 📞 215-920-1100, southphillyfoodcoop.square.site, 🕑 Daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Not to be left out, all three branches (soon to be four) of Weavers Way will have fresh, organic turkeys. There’s a national brand available for $2.29 a pound, and then there are locally sourced options from Lancaster County’s Esbenshade Turkey Farm, Juanita County’s Empire Kosher, and Schuylkill County’s Koch’s Turkey Farm for $4.99 a pound. Round out the meal with readymade sides like green beans amandine and roasted Brussels sprouts; vegan options available, even gravy.

📍 559 Carpenter Lane, 8424 Germantown Ave., and 217 E. Butler Ave., Ambler; 📞 215-843-2350, 215-843-2350, 215-302-5550; weaversway.coop/pages/thanksgiving; 🕑 Daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Bourbon reds and broad-breasted bronzes are the only turkeys raised on this nonprofit farm, which is also home to chickens, wagyu beef, and Berkshire pigs. Their turkey stock is usually in limited supply, so order early. Turkeys are 16 to 45 pounds for $7.50 per pound. Proceeds are donated to local charities — this year, it’s Manna on Main.

📍 620 Quarry Rd., Lower Salford Township, 📞 267-577-8150, 🌐 quarryhillfarm.net, 🕑 Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This Montco field-trip spot is known for its dairy products, but it also sells fresh, locally sourced birds come Thanksgiving. Order a whole turkey up to 32 pounds or turkey breast six to 12 pounds by Nov. 12; order from 20 varieties of pie by Nov. 20. And when you come to pick up, don’t forget to grab some ice cream on your way out. Call for pricing information.

📍 2222 S. Valley Forge Rd., Lansdale, 📞 610-584-4410, 🌐 merrymead.com, 🕑 Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

One of the first health-foods stores in the country, Martindale’s will stock a limited supply of pastured, organic birds from Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op, organic ones from Koch’s Farms, and heirloom turkeys from Stryker Farms for Thanksgiving. Orders are already coming in, so act fast. Call for pricing information.

📍 1172 Baltimore Pike, Springfield, 📞 610-543-6811, 🌐 martindalesnutrition.com, 🕑 Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Call this Delco destination soon to reserve your fresh turkey, which you can pick up as late as Thanksgiving morning (by 11 a.m.). The farm sources its birds, ranging from 10 to 30 pounds as well as fresh turkey breasts, from a Chester County farm. Be sure to check out the wide selection of pies, too, including peach melba, chocolate shoofly, and sweet potato crunch. Preorders are required for turkeys. Call for pricing information.

📍137 W. Knowlton Rd., Media, 📞 610-876-7116, 🌐 linvilla.com, 🕑 Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Thanksgiving extended hours: Wednesday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

Pick up all your Thanksgiving dinner supplies (produce, pies, sides, and local products) at the storefront for this bustling family farm, which raises around 10,000 turkeys each year. Bolton turkeys range from 12 to 40 pounds and live their entire life — from hatching to processing — on the farm. Order for $4.59 per pound by Nov. 15 — more details are online. Be sure to pick up Nov. 21 to 22 to ensure fresh turkeys are cooked in time for the holiday.

📍 1005 E. Main St., Silverdale, Pa., 📞 215-257-6047, 🌐 boltonfarmmarket.com, 🕑 Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The fresh whole turkeys and breasts sold at this long-running family farm come from Sensenig Turkey Farm in Lititz. Reserve a bird by mid-November for the best size selection, and remember to add sides (sage stuffing and mashed yams) and pie. Place orders by phone or in store. Call for pricing information.

📍 4458 York Rd., Buckingham, 📞 215-794-5201, 🌐 nonesuchfarm.com, 🕑 Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This turkey farm is all about family; check its Facebook page to see the Howe kids herding turkey poults inside the barn. Get a fresh bird as small as 10 to 12 pounds or as big as 30 pounds plus. Turkey sizes are limited so reserve now. Orders are by phone and online (expect a nonrefundable $20 deposit per turkey to reserve and pay the remaining balance on pickup). Pickup deadline is Nov. 22.

📍 152 Culbertson Run Rd., Downingtown, Pa., 📞 610-384-5508, 🌐 howeturkeyfarm.com, 🕑 Wednesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Thanksgiving pickup: Monday to Wednesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Kimberton’s seven area locations, stretching from Downingtown to Ottsville, source fresh, organic birds from Koch’s Turkey Farm. Pick up your bird as early as the Monday before Thanksgiving, and be sure to add Kimberton-made sides, as well as a variety of Kimberton and Frecon Farms pies to your order. You can preorder your turkey online or in-store by Nov. 16. It is highly recommended that you preorder sooner than later. Call for pricing information.

📍 150 East Pennsylvania Ave., and other locations, 🌐 kimbertonwholefoods.com, 🕑 Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Free-range white (14 to 26 pounds) and heritage-breed (14 to 18 pounds) turkeys are both available from this 65-acre farm, as are quails, capons, pheasants, geese, and ducks. The turkeys come plain (pick up on Saturday), brined for 24 hours, or oven-ready (pick up on Tuesday and Wednesday). Don’t miss the soups, gravies, and pies. Call for pricing information.

📍 484 Bunker Hill Rd., Princeton, N.J., 📞 908-359-5218, 🌐 griggstownfarm.com, 🕑 Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

This 39-year-old shop is a destination for its dry-aged beef, but it has plenty of poultry for turkey day, too, including fresh farm-raised turkeys, boneless and bone-in turkey breast, fresh duck, capons, and even turducken. Order sides by the pan (mac and cheese, sautéed spinach and mushrooms, mashed potatoes) or by container (stuffing, cranberry relish, turkey demi-glace). Place orders online. Call for pricing information.

📍 219 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J., 📞 856-428-0045, 🌐 arniesgourmet.com, 🕑 Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Halal is the Arabic word for “permissible” used to describe various elements of Muslims’ lifestyle, including food. In reference to meat, the word certifies it follows the tradition of zabihah, defining whether the animal has been fed and treated humanely before and during hand slaughtering, blessed in the name of Allah, and drained of blood.

In 1975, Vietnam veteran Wali Scott opened the butcher shop on South 23rd Street to serve halal meat in Philly. His youngest son, Amr, has kept the legacy going since 2000, when he took over the shop. The shop run by Amr and Laith Newton sells a wide selection of beef, poultry, lamb, goat, seafood, dairy, and deli items.

Get your orders for Thanksgiving in now, Newton said. Hand-slaughtered whole turkeys are 14 to 15 pounds for $3.99 per pound.

📍 500 S. 23rd St., 📞 215-735-8185, 🌐 primehalalmeat.com, 🕒 Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 3 to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Since 2001, the Berks location of this local supermarket chain has offered halal meat. Turkeys from an Amish farm in Lancaster arrive at the 40,000-square-foot store in the first 10 days of November. Visitors can find 10 to 22 pound birds for about $2.79 or so per pound (prices change each year).

📍 1900 N. Fifth St., 📞 215-236-4000, 🌐 cousinssupermarket.com, 🕒 Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This Northeast shop offers produce up front, international products including Palestinian olive oils and Omani chips in the various aisles, and hand-slaughtered halal meat at the butcher in the back. For Thanksgiving, folks can typically find 12 to 22-pound whole turkeys. The birds will arrive Nov. 4 to 7. Expect to pay about $2.99 per pound. (Prices may change.)

📍 419 E. Wyoming Ave., 📞 215-324-0720, 🌐 alaqsastore.com, 🕒 Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Kosher is the Jewish dietary law for meat, poultry, and fish. The animal must be hand-slaughtered painlessly, have its internal organs inspected by a trained person or bodek, salted or broiled to extract blood, supervised by a reputable Orthodox Rabbinic authority, and other protocols.

For five and half years, Rabbi Shloime Isaacson’s gourmet kosher market has been a community favorite. The market specializes in kosher grocery items and products, catering, and ready made pizza, sushi, and other takeout. There are also Judaica (religious) items and kosher wine.

From kosher chicken distributors in Pennsylvania and New York, order whole turkeys ranging from 10 to 14 pounds at $4.99 to $5.69 per pound. Turkey legs, turkey breast, and turkey London broil are also available. Keep an eye out online for holiday specials.

📍 9806 Bustleton Ave., 📞 215-677-8100, 🌐 houseofkosher.com/Philadelphia, 🕒 Sunday to Tuesday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Find the kosher experience at Ravitz Family Markets in Cherry Hill with a wide array of kosher foods, both fresh and packaged meats, including Thanksgiving turkey. All meats adhere to Glatt kosher standards under the strict supervision of the Cherry K Vaad Hakashruth and have supervision on premises during all hours of operation. Select your bird at the two Cherry Hill kosher experience locations in the Garden State Pavilions ShopRite and the Evesham Road ShopRite. Turkeys are expected to come in Nov. 8 from distributor Wake Fern. Check the website for sizes and prices.

📍 2240 West Marlton Pike and 400 East Evesham Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ, 📞 856-910-2300 and 856-216-1400, 🌐 ravitzfamilymarkets.com/kosher-experience, 🕒 Kosher experience hours with supervision: Monday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.