French Food Culture

Reading the Signs: Restaurant, Bistro, Brasserie or Café?

The first thing to know about eating out in France is that not every eatery is the same kind of place. France has Restau…

Dining in France: The Three Magic Words and How to Order

When you arrive at a restaurant, don't just grab an empty table. Wait at the door until a staff member shows you to your…

The Classic French Multi-Course Meal

They say a proper meal in France takes at least two hours. The French love to take their time, but the real reason is si…

Four Meals a Day in France, Goûter Included

In France, think of it as four meals a day, not three. Between breakfast, lunch and dinner there's a national favorite:…

Inside a French Home Kitchen: Everyday Eating

Do the French eat as elaborately at home as they do in restaurants? Not at all. As in most countries, eating out is a tr…

A Peek Inside the French Market

In many places, most people buy groceries at big-box stores or large supermarkets. France, by contrast, still runs on tr…

The Age of Organic

Forget outdated guidebook information. Let's look at what Parisians and the French are actually eating right now. The fi…

France, Land of Bread (1): The Baguette and the Bakery Lunch

Bread and bakeries are central to how the French eat. When people say "bread," many picture the sweet things sold at bak…

France, Land of Bread (2): A Field Guide to Pâtisserie

If the last chapter covered bread, the salé side, this one is about sucré: pâtisserie. We'll just call it pâtisserie rat…

A French Café Is Not a Coffee Shop

Walk into a place marked "café" in France and you may be in for a surprise. There's no iced Americano, and the staff may…

Reading a Café Menu, and How to Order

That doesn't mean French cafés are all disappointing. If you want to experience French-style coffee, they're certainly w…

The French Table, and the Wine on It

Once you're in France, you'll have plenty of chances to drink wine. Outside France, French wine often has a reputation f…

Where to Eat Traditional French Food in Paris

You can't visit Paris without trying traditional French cooking, and you don't have to go far to find it: good spots are…

Italian Favorites Around Paris

Few people dislike Italian food, and the French are no exception. In the narrator's experience, most of Paris's Italian…

Beyond Jajangmyeon: A Guide to Authentic Chinese Food in Paris

France has a huge number of Chinese restaurants, many serving the real thing rather than localized versions. The easiest…

Japanese Food in Paris and the Rue Sainte-Anne Quarter

If the 15th arrondissement is where many Koreans live, the Japanese community clusters in the 1st, right in the center o…

Vietnamese Food in Paris's 13th Arrondissement

Vietnam was a French colony from the 19th century and only gained independence in the 20th. After the Vietnam War, Franc…

The One Exception to France's Sweet-and-Savory Rule: Brunch in Paris

The French way of eating can be summed up as "salty, then sweet": savory and sweet dishes are kept apart, by unwritten r…

A Quick Guide to France's Best-Known Chains

The French generally avoid big chain restaurants. According to several French friends, that's because chains don't use f…

A Dessert Lover's Pick of Paris Pâtisseries

Let's go through the best pâtisseries one by one, starting with a Korean bakery. Every year in France, regional competit…

World Foods Parisians Love

Here are some international foods that Parisians truly love.

Specialty Coffee Shops in Paris

If you're looking for specialty coffee shops in Paris, a few things to know first. Most of the city's high-end coffee sh…