Did you know that in 2019, 38 million people visited Paris? Paris is a cultural mecca, from the Mona Lisa at the Louvre to La Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower, for those of you who do not speak French), Paris is brimming with activities.
If you are planning to travel to Paris and want to know what to eat in Paris, you will be excited to hear all the options. Keep reading to find out more about Paris cuisine.
If you have ever dreamed of sitting at a cafe with a croissant and café au lait with a view of La Tour Eiffel, Paris is the place for you! Whether you take a food tour or pop in and out of the many Paris restaurants and shops, these are the French foods you should try.
Contents
Croissants
Croissants always taste better in Paris. You can buy a croissant anywhere, but you cannot buy the experience of Paris with the croissant everywhere.
Not only are croissants flaky and buttery in Paris, but there is an authenticity to them.
Baguette
You may have heard the word baguette before as you have strolled your local supermarket. However, in Paris, it is all about finding a local Boulangerie.
A warm baguette that is not cut but torn as the French do, will hit the spot.
Street-Stand Crêpes
If you think you have had Crêpes before, just wait until you try them in Paris. These yummy delights can be purchased either savory or sweet, depending on your mood.
In Paris, there will be street stands selling crêpes in many places. This is native street food in Paris. However, you do want to be sure you pick a stand that cooks to order.
The crêpe you must try is one with beurre-sucre (butter and sugar).
Escargot
If you are up for something new and unique consider trying Escargot. While the idea of eating snails gives many the heebie-jeebies, it is a delicacy in France.
Escargot is prepared with garlic and parsley butter and served in the shell. Interesting fact, Greece and Italy also use snails in many foods.
Fromage
Fromage or cheese for the non-French speaking is another thing you should eat plenty of while in Paris. All 22 regions in France produce some type of cheese.
Cheese in France is produced from goats, cows, and sheep. Fromage is part of the culinary culture and lifestyle for the French. In France, cheese is all about quality over quantity. Every cheese in France tastes different depending on where it was made.
Jambon-Beurre
This is a great food to try when you have a busy day and need a quick meal. Jambon in English translates to ham and beurre is butter.
This is quite simply a ham and butter sandwich. This sandwich is going to come on a fresh baguette that is smeared with butter. You can order it at many cafes or corner bakeries.
Macarons
Macarons are different from macaroons. Macarons get made with meringue, egg white, almond powder, and sugar. That makes this a tasty treat that even people who are gluten-free can enjoy.
These French bakery confections look like a little sandwich. They are perfectly rounded cookies that have a sweet filling in between.
Paris-Brest
This sweet delight is actually named for a bike race that goes from Paris to Brittany. It is a wheel-shaped choux pastry shell with a garnishment of praline buttercream. It also gets sprinkled with caramelized almonds.
Rhum baba
The origins of this dessert are actually in Poland. However, in the 18th century, when King Stanislaus was exiled to Lorraine he had his chef recreate this dish.
He named this cake with rum and vanilla cream dates Rhum Baba because of his love for the Arabian Night stories. The chef eventually moved to Paris and opened his own boulangerie (bakery).
Steak Frites
Steak Frites is French steak and fries. This simple dish is very popular there and you can get it in many places, from casual restaurants to fine dining establishments.
There is a lot of debate about whether this dish originated in Belgium or France. However, no matter what country gets the claim to fame, you must try it, if you are in Paris.
Croque-Monsieur
Simply put this is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. However, it is so much more.
In a Croque-Monsieur you will find ham and gruyere between two slices of white bread. This sandwich is topped with béchamel sauce and broiled.
If you are wanting a little more you can grab a Croque-Madam. The Croque-madam has everything a Croque-monsieur does but with a fried egg on top.
Confit de Canard
Confit de canard is better known in English as duck confit. In Paris, eating this dish is going to be all about finding the right restaurant. While not all Paris bistros make their own, they do their best to find superior producers. However, keep in mind that confit de canard cooked improperly will ruin the experience.
Duck confit gets made by cooking duck thighs in their own fat. They are cooked until the meat is fork-tender and moist. Duck confit is often served with pommes sarladaises or in English, garlicky potatoes sauteed in duck fat.
Choucroute
This dish actually started out in eastern France however, it made its way to Paris at the end of the 19th century. At this time, Alsace was annexed by Germany and refugees fled to Paris.
Choucroute is the French word for sauerkraut. This dish is white cabbage that gets cooked in duck or pork fat, riesling, and with herbs and garlic. It is then served with sausage and pork knuckle on top.