What Foods Can You Eat in Paris?

People travel from all over the world to experience the culinary wonders of Paris - and it's no mystery why. The capital of France brings the finest cuisine from all over the country, and as a major international hub, it also features delectable dishes from across the globe. Between Michelin-starred restaurants and markets filled with fresh produce, Paname is a foodie's paradise.

Because it has so much to offer, finding a restaurant or shopping for food in the City of Light can be overwhelming at times. However, with a bit of knowledge, you'll be able to graze your way through Paris like a pro.

Top Foods to Try

Though just about everything you try will wow your taste buds, you absolutely must try these French eateries and dishes while you stay in Paname.

Anything at a Traditional Patisserie and Boulangerie

Paying a visit to a French bakery should absolutely fall on your itinerary. Buy a baguette to nibble on as you stroll through the boulevards, or try classic pastries like croissants, macarons, or even a pain au chocolate.

Classic French Fare

Make sure to get your fill of traditional French foods at bistros or brasseries. The most quintessential dishes include steak-frites and duck confit. However, don't pass by corner shops and cafes either; a croque-monsiuer or jambon-beurre should also be on your list to try.

Sample Some Charcuterie

A charcuterie platter will include the three staples of French cuisine - bread, meat, and cheese. You can buy them separately at a market, or head to a bistro to drink a glass of wine while enjoying their finest meats and cheeses.

Street Foods

Eating at street stalls isn't just a great way to help you save money - it's also a great way to try Parisian classics like crepes. You can also experience some of the best ethnic options that Paname has to offer at a simple kebab stand.

Getting the Most Out of Your Experience

Even with hotel concierges and the magic of Google, deciding where to order these wonderful dishes can be quite difficult. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your culinary experience in France.

Take a Food Tour

Embarking on a day-long or kids since you can take special excursions geared toward your preferences.

Shop for a Picnic

Shopping for a picnic is also a great way to get to know French cuisine. Get lost in one of Paname's many open-air markets, or check out gourmet shops filled with cheeses and other goodies. Finally, enjoy the fruits of your effort at a gorgeous park.

Branch Out

While you should absolutely try the standard array of Parisian fare, you should also venture beyond your comfort zone and try something new. With it's stellar culinary culture, Paris is home to interesting concepts from raw food eateries to Japanese fusion patisseries - and they're all as fantastic as a traditional bistro.

For more information, please refer to the following pages:

FAQ

What is a typical breakfast in Paris?

In Paris, you’ll rarely find a local indulging in a hearty breakfast. In fact, the French generally consider breakfast to be the least important meal of the day, so a typical Parisian breakfast will be quite light—especially by American standards. For the most part, a traditional French breakfast will consist of a croissant or toast with butter or jam along with coffee. Some people may include yogurt or fruit with their breakfasts (but only rarely), and more decadent pastries, such as a pain au chocolat, are often reserved for weekends.

Although most French people stick with their traditions, breakfast habits in Paris are changing—no doubt due to international influence. Egg dishes like omelets are becoming more common on breakfast menus, and the avocado toast craze has hit Paris, too. So, while most Parisians will eat a traditional French breakfast, you can certainly find heartier options to start your day.

Where do the locals eat in Paris?

When you think of where to eat in Paris, you may first think of famous Michelin-starred restaurants and world-renowned cafes. However, some of the best cuisine in Paris can be found at lesser-known eateries that are more popular among locals than food critics. Au Passage in the Bastille neighborhood, for instance, is a modern, inventive restaurant where chefs are known to congregate on Monday evenings. Locals also tend to enjoy Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. You can find plenty of kebab and falafel made on the streets of Paris, or you can check out restaurants like Miznon. Other local joints include Clamato, a no-reservations seafood restaurant with the same owner as Septime; L’Avant Comptoir, a wine bar with upscale bar snacks; and Dilia, an upscale pasta restaurant. If you truly wish to eat like a local, you should be willing to venture off the beaten path, and you should always ask for nearby suggestions from your hotel concierge or Airbnb host.

Can I drink water from the tap in Paris?

Yes, you can safely drink tap water in Paris, and the vast majority of Parisians consume it on a daily basis. In fact, Parisians take pride in the high quality of their city’s drinking water. Instead of spending all of your Euros on bottled water, you should always ask for a pitcher of tap water - or carafe d’eau - at a restaurant, and you will be able to enjoy a glass of water from the sink at your hotel or AirBnB. When you’re on the go, you can bring your own water bottle with you and fill it up at Paris’s many public water fountains and bottle filling stations. You can even find three public sparkling water fountains if you crave a bit of carbonation. Thanks to Paris’s high-quality tap water, you can enjoy the city while being both budget-conscious and environmentally friendly.

What should I eat when visiting Paris?

Paris is the culinary capital of the world, so you should do your best to try the following essential French foods during your visit. First, Paris is well-known for its baked goods, so you should make time to sample bakery staples like baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat, and macarons. Next, you should head to one of the city’s many specialty cheese shops to sample French cheeses like camembert, brie, and comte - and don’t forget the charcuterie! You shouldn’t snack too much, however, since you’ll want to save room for lunch and dinner. For your meals, you should try French classics like duck confit, steak frites, and crepes. You should also make time to try some of the city’s international cuisine - especially Middle Eastern cuisine. Paris is a cultural melting pot, so you can often find excellent falafel, couscous, and even ramen at various Middle Eastern and Asian restaurants throughout the city.

Where to eat good and cheap food in Paris?

Eating in Paris is a memorable experience, but if you’re not careful, you can easily blow your whole travel budget on food alone. Luckily, eating cheap, delicious food in Paris is quite easy if you know where to go. The first and most important tip for eating cheap in Paris is to avoid buying lunch or dinner in touristy areas, so you should seek cafes and bistros that are packed with actual Parisians in less-touristy parts of the city. Street vendors are another place where you can reliably find inexpensive food. A filling crepe from a street stall, for instance, will only cost a few Euros. Boulangeries can be another excellent place to find cheap eats. Most boulangeries offer a selection of sandwiches made with their breads, and even popular ones will offer lunch specials for under €10. Finally, if you want to enjoy a higher-end meal from a bistro or brasserie, choose a place with a fixed-price menu that include drinks, multiple courses, and desserts for the best deal possible.

What are the best food markets in Paris?

Paris is well-known for its stunning markets that feature delectable local foods, but if you’re visiting Paris for only a week, you may not be able to visit them all. So, which food markets should you see before you leave the City of Light? Marché des Enfants Rouges is the oldest and most famous food market in Paris. This market was first established in 1628, and it features both local food products as well as food stalls that sell crepes, Japanese bentos, and even Moroccan couscous. If you want to visit a lively market with diverse fare, head to Marché d’Aligre. This market is also one of the most affordable ones in the city, and if you visit in the early afternoon, you may be able to haggle with the vendors to get a great deal. Finally, Marché Bastille is a great place to visit if you want to purchase souvenirs along with your picnic supplies. Though the market has many non-food vendors, you’ll find plenty of butchers, cheese shops, and fishmongers throughout the market.

What kind of food will you find on Rue des Rosiers?

Rue des Rosiers is a famous street food destination located in Paris’s Jewish quarter. This area is filled with both locals and tourists, and it has plenty of sights to see with historic Synagogues and unique boutiques. Along with quaint shops and stunning architecture, you’ll find plenty of excellent food on this historic street. The majority of street food vendors here sell delicious Middle Eastern meals that are generally quite affordable, making this destination popular among locals, students, and travelers on a budget. L’As du Fallafel is, by far, the most popular restaurant in this area, but if you prefer to skip the line, then you’ll find similar quality falafel and other dishes at nearby restaurants. Israeli restaurant Miznon is another great choice in this area, and for traditional European Jewish food, head to Sacha Finkelsztajn. However, you should not visit this street on a Saturday since many Jewish restaurants close to celebrate Shabbat.

Should you visit Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis?

If you head to Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis in the 10th Arrondissement, you’ll find one of the most diverse streets in all of Paris – if not the world. This street is packed to the brim with vendors selling a wide variety of cuisines from around the world – but primarily from Asia and the Middle East. One of the go-to spots here is Le Daily Syrien, which is famous for its cheap yet delicious sandwiches. However, while this street is a great destination for those looking for a delicious and cheap meal, some tourists tend to avoid the area because the 10th Arrondissement has somewhat of a reputation for being ‘unsafe’, and this claim is not totally unfounded thanks to the seedy characters that the Gare du Nord train station attracts late at night. However, Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis is a relatively safe up-and-coming area, so fans of diversity and cheap ethnic food should certainly visit.

More About Our Baguettes Classes

Getting a bit technical during our Baguette Class in Paris

The French baguette, actually probably better known as the Parisian baguette has beome a true symbol of French popular gastronomy. A true icon of French life even - look around and you will see the Parisians strolling back home with their baguettes under their arm. But if you are French why would you learn how to do this? You can buy a baguette at any corner of Paris for about one Euro a piece. But in our Baguette Class in Paris you will learn how do this from scratch. It is somewhat technical, but also full of tips and tricks. But when you leave, it will have not secret left for you. From the original mix to the famous "scarification" through adding water to your oven through baking, you will see and do it all.

Learning more during your Baguette class in Paris: Croque Monsieur Bread and Brioche

This class is like all our other baking or cooking classes: totally hands-on. So you get to practice from beginning to end - and to taste at the end. But not only will you learn how to make Baguette, but you will also learn to make two more types of bread: the French Croque Monsieur bread. The basis for the classic French bistrot appetizer. And in your Baguette class in Paris you will also learn how to make your own Brioche. Probably the most indulgent bread you will find in France - if not the lightest ...

And you might learn some history during your Baguette Class in Paris

While you will learn the techniques to create - and get to taste - three classic types of French breads, you will also learn some of the stories on the origin of the baguette. Just beware it is still being quite hotly debated. What is for sure though is that the Baguette is absolutely part of today Parisian's life. A classic you will be able to take back home with you.

More About Our Wine and Cheese Lunch in Paris

Cheese and Wine in Paris

The pleasures we can derive from French cuisine can seem endless. However two of the best known and loved French gastronomic heroes are French cheese and wine. Whether we talk about a Brie which actually comes from very close to Paris, to a creamy Camembert from Normandy, or a Comté from the Alps, French cheese has a delight for all palates. And of course, French wines are even better known whether from Bordeaux great wines or Burgundy sophisticated whites – all of which enthral wine lovers. Well, at our course on cheese and wine in Paris you will come to appreciate that although each is delicious on its own, properly matched cheese and wine together can make the experience of each even more enjoyable and an absolute delight.

How to pair French cheese and wine

Because not all pairings are actually what people expect, at Le Foodist we have decided to call these experiences 'Daring Pairings'. Maybe because we like to step out of the ordinary to challenge our taste buds, but really all we try to do is give you the perfect match fo cheese and wine in Paris. So not only will you learn how to select the best wine to go with your cheese, but you will also learn what are the big cheese families in France – there are actually only five, and this is one of the keys to great pairing. In discovering all these pairings of cheese with wine you will be convinced that indeed two things together can be better than the sum of their parts.

It is important to have fun with pairing cheese and wine in Paris

Beyond the tastings though, we have found that the best way to help our clients remember and re-use their experience is to vary the way to approach both wine and cheese. That is why during our courses on cheese and wine in Paris we share sensory games and many an anecdote to bring the produce to life in your mind as well as on your palate. Overall we will feature four excellent wines, one Champagne and demonstrate to you how best each combines with cheese, letting your taste guide you along with our teaching.

Understanding cheese and wine pairing while in Paris

While for many top Parisian wine stores and restaurant wine lists can be confusing and even intimidating, we believe that after our lunch learning how to pair cheese and wine in Paris, you will feel much more comfortable navigating all of those. And we sincerely hope your knowledge will help you unlock a door to a whole new world of enjoyment of French wine and cheese pairing. At every step of the way our sommelier will also share unique tips and tricks to understand wines better and how culture and wine are so related in France; hopefully enriching your own experience as well.

And they do not have to do with what you will find in those markets. They have to do with when you can go shopping there. Open Air markets are only open in the morning. Typically from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. And they are not open every day. As a matter of fact for the vast majority they are open either open every other day (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or Wednesday, Friday, Sunday), or sometimes only twice a week.

This is the case of the Bastille Market (Metro Bastille and Metro Bréguet Sabin )which is open only on Thursday and Sunday morning. We like to send people there because it is a very big market with over one hundred vendors. And it has a nice stand of Crêperie in the middle. Here you get a video of a lady preparing a crêpe there; and you can get that crêpe for only 3 Euros!
There is only one Open Air market open every day of the week, it is called Marché Aligre (Metro Ledru Rollin or Metro Faidherbe Chaligny) which happens on the eponymous street. It is an interesting market because you find all kinds of quality in that market – the good, the bad and the ugly. There is also a nice covered market in the middle of it called Marché Beauveau – sometimes called Marché Beauveau Aligre. On the contrary, Covered Markets are open every day, and not just in the morning, but also in the late afternoon. Typically from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

We are blessed with two markets close to where Le Foodist is located, so we can walk to a market every morning – sometimes it is the Maubert market, and sometimes it is the Monge market. Both nice with their own specififies. Last but not least, none of these markets is open on Monday. Do not sign-up for a Market Tour on Monday, you might never see that money again …

Choosing Ingredients in Paris

While all markets are different, they also have some things in common. First they work on specific schedules as explained before. But also you will find always at a minimum the following vendors: a Maraîcher – this is the name we give to people selling fruits and vegetables, a butcher, a fishmonger, a cheesemonger and a baker. Normally you will find several of each, with different levels of quality, organic or non-organic, local or not local (but mostly not local unfortunately).
And we explain how to recognize each of those of course during our Market Visits and Cooking Classes in Paris. But choosing ingredients can be daunting at first, because of the variety that is on display. A typical fishmonger will carry 20 different types of fishes, and as many shrimp and shelf fish varieties. A good cheese monger will easily carry up to 100 different types of cheese and obviously you could get over 100 different cuts of meat at a butcher (from the type of meat to the cut itself). And a normal Maraicher will carry between 50 and 100 fruits and vegetables as well.
This is what makes these markets so exciting – the variety of products, the beauty of their display, and the exchange you can have with most of the vendors. We give you tips though on how to make sure that exchange with the vendors go well – a few magic words, and everything will be fine!

Cooking in Paris

Obviously going to markets is nice, but actually knowing that you are going to cook what you find there is even more exciting. It is not uncommon for Parisians to buy a little bit too much food because they get so excited at the idea of cooking it all! But as most of us have hardly any space where we live, that can limit the enthusiasm sometimes. Because of the lack of space, Cooking in Paris can be quite different from cooking in the rest of France. And there are also dishes that are typically associated with regions which the Parisian will not cook at home – but taste when they visit friends or families in the various regions of France. However our kitchen has plenty of space, so we can cook traditional French dishes without a problem – whether they come from Paris or any region. And the most important part for us is to ensure that we share techniques much more than just recipes. As a matter of fact, we love to share a bit of the science behind what we do so people can better remember the “what” by understanding the “why”.

Sharing Stories

In November 2010, some experts from the UN cultural organisation, decided tha France’s multi-course gastronomic meal, with its rites and its presentation, fulfilled the conditions for featuring on the “world intangible list” of the UNESCO.
In this list you can find all kinds of cultural practices, including Mexico Day of the Dead festival for example. Importantly this is not suggesting French cuisine is better than other cuisines (even though we the French tend to believe that …). It is only saying that the gastronomic meal and what it entails is a very vivid cultural practice which people in France partake into on a very regular basis. That is why the same experts indicated that the French gastronomic meal is a “social custom aimed at celebrating the most important moments in the lives of individuals and groups”. And in that social custom, there are many parts: the attention we pay to the way we choose ingredients, how we pair wine with food, how many dishes we will present to our guests, how we lay the table, etc… But one big part of the cultural practice is that commensality (the fact of sharing the food) is always accompanied by sharing stories about …. Well, you would have guessed it, Food of course!
To us it is THE perfect example of how Food and Culture come together – actually we decide to share food is a considered a cultural practice. I would argue that it is true of all countries, regions, etc… As the way we relate to Food is such a big part of anybody’s identity. But as a result and to make sure you have the most genuine experience of French culture, after the a coking class in Paris at Le Foodist, you will share a gastronomic meal at a common table with your Chef and fellow participants to the class.

French Wine and Food Pairing

As mentioned above, one of the big cultural practices in France is choosing how to pair Wine and Food in general and Wine and Cheese in particular. We actually have a class which focuses specifically on this. As it is so important though, we always make sure we share white and red wines during our meals, chosen to pair well in our opinion with the food we cook. And being at the table together is a good opportunity to discuss about wine as well, with concepts such as “terroir” (to simplify, terroir means “what you do depends on where you are”) which are essential to grasp the way the French think about Food.
And all this will always go with a cheering “Santé” – which quite simply means, to your good health!