The short version: Paris eats in three registers — the bistro (steak frites, confit de canard, soupe à l’oignon), the boulangerie and pâtisserie (baguette, croissant, macaron, éclair), and the fromagerie and charcuterie (cheese, pâté, jambon). Add oysters and a glass of wine, and you have the city. Here is what to order.
At a glance
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Steak frites | Seared steak with crisp fries — the bistro default |
| Confit de canard | Duck leg slow-cooked in its own fat, crisp-skinned |
| Soupe à l’oignon | Onion soup under melted gruyère and toast |
| Croissant & baguette | The boulangerie basics, done seriously |
| Macaron & éclair | The pâtisserie’s jewels |
The bistro classics
Paris’s everyday greatness is the bistro. Order steak frites, confit de canard (crisp-skinned duck leg), bœuf bourguignon or blanquette de veau (creamy veal stew), and start with soupe à l’oignon or half a dozen escargots in garlic butter. Look for œufs mayo and pâté en croûte among the starters, and steak tartare for the brave. Our French bistro dishes explained guide runs through the whole menu.
The bakery and the cheese counter
Half of eating in Paris happens standing up. The boulangerie gives you the baguette (ask for one tradition) and the croissant — and the eternal question of croissant vs pain au chocolat. The pâtisserie adds macarons, éclairs, tarte au citron and the Paris-Brest. And the fromagerie and charcuterie are a meal in themselves: Comté, Brie, Roquefort and chèvre; saucisson, rillettes and jambon. A Paris food tour is the easiest way to taste across all three in an afternoon.
What to drink, and where to eat it
Drink French wine by region — a Burgundy or Bordeaux red, a Sancerre or Chablis white — and, whenever you can, Champagne. A carafe of house wine (un pichet) is the honest bistro move. Eat where Parisians do: the bistros and wine bars of Le Marais, Saint-Germain, Canal Saint-Martin and the 11th, and the market streets like Rue Montorgueil. To go deeper, shop a market and cook a French lunch on a market visit and cooking class in Paris, learn the dishes in a cooking class, or plan from the Paris hub.
Frequently asked questions
What food is Paris known for?
Bistro classics like steak frites, confit de canard and soupe à l’oignon; boulangerie and pâtisserie staples such as the baguette, croissant, macaron and éclair; and the cheese and charcuterie counter — all with French wine and Champagne.
What should I order in a Paris bistro?
Steak frites or confit de canard for a main, soupe à l’oignon or escargots to start, and something from the cheese board or a crème brûlée to finish, with a carafe of house wine.
Where do locals eat in Paris?
In the bistros and wine bars of Le Marais, Saint-Germain, Canal Saint-Martin and the 11th, and along market streets like Rue Montorgueil and the Marché d’Aligre — away from the big tourist sights.
Taste Paris
Book a Paris food tour or a cooking class, or plan the wider trip from the Paris hub.
Recommended experiences to book
More guides
- 3 Days in Paris for Food & Wine: A Flexible Itinerary
- Champagne vs Crémant: What’s the Difference?
- Prosecco vs Franciacorta vs Champagne: How They Differ and Which to Visit
- French Bistro Dishes Explained: What to Order
- Paris Food Tours: Which Neighbourhood? Le Marais, Montmartre, the Left Bank or the 11th
