What to try in Paris from food and drinks, what places to visit, where you can eat tasty and inexpensive food? We will talk about street fast food and restaurants for an evening dinner. We will find out the prices for food and alcohol, we will make a rating of dishes that you should definitely order on vacation.
A trip to the capital of France will bring pleasure and happiness to people. But first you need to find out what to try in Paris, where to look for delicious food, and what to look for when ordering, where to go for groceries.
What to try in Paris from food?
French cuisine is one of the most advanced and original on the planet. But it is all the more important to know which dishes should be tried in Paris in the first place and what their name is. An accurate understanding of this moment allows you to confidently get acquainted with delicious delicacies and dishes.
- Baguette... It is not known who, when, for what purpose created this dish. He is credited with both Napoleonic soldiers and the builders of the first Parisian metro. Since its inception, the properties of bread have remained unchanged - crisp crust and airy pulp inside. A classic baguette roll weighs 0.2 kg and has a length of 0.65 m. Every day Parisians buy over 500 thousand baguettes.
- Butter... Such a product is logically combined with bakery products. At Jean-Yves Bordier you can buy hand-packaged butter. The assortment of the product is being replenished systematically. In 2021, the company's assortment included a delicate oil containing a mixture of spices - cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg leaf, anise, cardamom, coriander seeds. Judging by the reviews of tourists about food in Paris, it turns out to be a really tasty and pleasant dish.
- Roasted chestnuts... They feel like potatoes baked on a fire. Chestnuts are offered at any tourist point of the city of the five revolutions. The hearty, affordable treat will satisfy even the fastidious gourmets who usually avoid street food. A more sophisticated type of roasted chestnuts is sold at the chocolatier Pierre Herme, where they are covered with chocolate. For a box of 6 sweets, they charge 22 euros, and if there are 12 of them, the payment will already be 43 euros.
- Confit... A dish made from duck legs is another answer to what to eat in Paris according to tourists' reviews. The aforementioned dish has long been recognized as a classic option from the standpoint of the French chefs themselves. And those people are incredibly strict and scrupulous about the prepared delicacies. Spicy duck, flavored with a side dish of vegetables, is also popular with travelers. Confit is sold in dozens and hundreds of Parisian establishments, including those located in places visited by millions of tourists. You don't have to go far!
- Croissants... The light layered croissant is definitely worth a try when visiting the Parisian streets. Buns with a ruddy surface and delighting the most zealous gourmets are prepared here according to scrupulous rules. Good quality butter is used in cooking.
- Chocolate... Although Russian factories know how to prepare excellent chocolate and products from it, "the French have their own pride." Voltaire's compatriots' chocolatiers are firmly convinced that you can't make decent chocolate out of bad cocoa beans. Local craftsmen carefully check that there is no trace of vegetable and animal fat. The only assumption is cocoa butter.
- Oysters and others shellfish... In the Middle Ages, aristocrats rewarded such a dish with unimaginable contempt and considered it "the food of an insignificant rabble." But times have changed, and tastes too - today they are readily consumed by visitors to the most advanced restaurants. Yes, such a dish is not cheap, but paying money will not be a waste. In addition to live shellfish, there are other options - served in soup, in the form of grilled seafood and after pickling.
- Macaroons... This is closer to the cherished goal of having an inexpensive meal in Paris. Just don't confuse them with ordinary pasta or with what is commonly called "pasta" in Italian cuisine. In fact, macarons are called atypical French cakes, collected from a pair of cakes. There is cream or jam between them. They try to give macaroons an extremely bright color, but only with the use of completely safe dyes. Tastes are varied, and the sale of macaroons was launched by 100% of Parisian pastry shops.
- Cheese platter... A trip to France on your own without tasting the national cheeses is a real crime against good taste. The cheese plateau is offered in original French establishments like fromagerie. It is enough to see such an exhibition - and you can safely enter. But you don't need to take cheeses in frequently visited supermarkets.
- Croque-monsieur and Сroque-madame... The word croque literally translated from French means "crunch". This is the designation of hot sandwiches that are especially popular among Parisians, excellent for brunch or lunch. They are usually eaten with green salads.
- Steak tartare... It is not necessary to go to restaurants in the center of Paris in search of new gastronomic addictions in France - such a dish is sold at every point of the capital's public catering, it will simply be decorated a little easier. To prepare raw veal, it is finely chopped, after assessing the freshness of the fillet, it is usually served with egg yolk.
- Steak-frites-salade... Alternatively, a combination of a juicy steak and crispy potatoes, complemented by a refreshing salad. Zero complexity and pretentiousness, but satiety and amazing taste.
- Cock o veins (cock in wine). Basic knowledge of French is enough to understand - cockerel with the addition of wine. According to the classic recipe, meat is supposed to be stewed. There are also variants with cognac.
- Profiteroles... Literally translated - a trifle. According to French culinary terminology, cakes are no larger than 40 millimeters in circumference, made from choux pastry. Cream, various sweet and salty fillings are put inside.
- Complex salad Salade composee... An atypical assortment of processed and fresh vegetables, chicken meat and fish.
There are many other proposals. In the Parisian catering, you should try onion soup, truffle dishes, camembert, brie and roquefort cheeses, petit fours, soufflé, crème brulee, toten cake. To be honest, the topic of cheeses should be considered separately, within the framework of this material it is impossible to describe all the charm of cheese making, their tastes and tastes for tasting.
Where to eat in Paris tasty and inexpensive?
- You don't have to go to a restaurant on the Champs Elysees in Paris, as many tourists do in search of the perfect drinking establishment. A pleasant replacement for him can be La Tour Argent.
The institution stands out for its solid work experience even by European standards. The Silver Tower is located at 15 Quai de la Tournelle. The main signature dish is stuffed duck. It has been being prepared since the 19th century, and in 2003 the millionth order was received. Also worth trying is tortellini stuffed with chestnuts, milk chocolate mousse and caramel. Average check rate from 150 to 200 euros. You can book a table by phone. +976 8869 5454.
- Often looking for a restaurant in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower. But we recommend a better option - an institution on the tower itself - Jules verne.
The notorious frog legs and other dishes from amphibians are prepared here. At the same time, the delicacies are quite different from those familiar to Parisians, and to tourists, an option - experienced creative chefs have worked on them. The tasting set menu costs 210 euros. But you can also order a less luxurious lunch for 90 euros. Table reservation +33 1 45 55 61 44.
- But intending to find out where to eat in Paris tasty and inexpensive in the center, it is worth recommending Les fables de la Fontaine.
The restaurant cannot boast of a long history - it was opened only in 2005. But the location is brilliant - a block from the Eiffel Tower. Visitors will be offered oysters in jelly with the addition of kiwi tartare, salmon-curd carpaccio, sea bass according to the recipe of Provence. For lunch, they charge an average of 50 euros. Address: 131 rue Saint Dominique. Table reservation +33 1 44 18 37 55.
- Another place to eat deliciously in Paris is the cafe Le Procopeon the Rue de Ancienne Comedie.
The institution has been operating since 1686. Philosophers and politicians once sat at his tables, who predetermined the course of thought in France in the late 18th and 19th centuries. The average bill for a dinner for two will be 140 Euro. The establishment is located at: 13 rue de l'Ancienne Comédie. We advise you to book a table in advance by phone +33 1 40 46 79 00.
- Another cafe in the central part of the capital - Au Vieux Pariswhich is 24 rue Chanoinesse. Look for him near Notre Dame. If you walk along 49 Rue de Turenne, then take a look at Cafe des Musees... The institution can hardly be called cheap, but the cuisine is very tasty.
From fast food we recommend to visit creperie (literally translated) - pancakes... Any tourist can eat tasty and inexpensively, the average check in such establishments does not exceed 15 euros.
- The establishments are located anywhere in the city. Close to the Galeries Lafayette you can find Midi 12, the exact address is 12 rue la Fayette.
- It is worth looking into Breizh cafe — it is a whole chain of pancakes, one of the branches of which is located at 109 Rue Vieille du Temple (300 meters from the Marais quarter).
- Also deserves attention boulangeriewhich are a true Parisian phenomenon with their traditional baking recipes. Located at 28 rue Monge.
- Tourists consider the best options for lunch in reviews Chambelland boulangerie, the establishment even sells gluten-free meals. The cafe is located 700 meters from the Canal Saint-Martin, at 14 rue Ternaux.
Restaurants in Paris on the map
Food prices in Paris
The cost of food in markets and stores
You can buy yoghurts in the form of 4 jars of 125 grams for 1 euro 60 cents. A kilogram of cheese is sold for 10 - 30 euros, and buying a liter of milk is possible for 1 euro. For a baguette, on average, they take 70 euro cents, for a croissant 80 cents, for a regular loaf of bread they charge 1 - 3 EUR, for 10 miniature croissants in a set of 3 euros 90 cents. For a kilogram of fresh beef they pay from 20 to 25 euros, and for pork from 10 to 13 euros, the same for smoked sausage.
Sausages are cheaper (from 7 to 9 EUR), salami is more expensive (14 euros), tomatoes from 3 to 5 euros, cauliflower 1.8, onion 1.7, lettuce in a bunch 1 - 1.5. For tangerines they take 2.5 - 4, kiwi can be bought for 1 euro 2 pieces, pineapple only half. For 10 EUR you can buy 1 kg of coffee, or 1.5 liters of olive oil, or 5 liters of juice in a tetrapak package, or 5 liters of still water.
Alcohol prices
You can buy 0.7 liters of Red label whiskey for 14 euros, the same volume of a bottle of Napoleon cognac will cost 11 euros 50 cents. Regular 0.75 l wine is charged for 4 - 8.5 EUR, depending on the brand. Jack Daniels whiskey is sold for 31 euro a liter. And lovers of the Jameson brand will have to pay 19 euros for 700 milliliters. A liter of Gordon gin is 2 EUR more expensive. Calvados Père Magloire and martinis are also around € 20 or less.
Cognacs are expensive - Courvoisier for 25, Meukov for 22, Martel for 110, Remy Martin for 35, and Hennessy for 197 euros. The cost of 6 cans of French beer ranges from 2 euros 50 to 2 euros 80 cents. The famous Veuve Clicquot is sold for 40 - 55 EUR, Moet champagne - for 55 - 60, regular champagne without big names for 3 - 9, Jose Cuervo tequila for 21 euros.
How to fly to Paris inexpensively?
We recommend using proven tips on yourself many times:
- We advise you to install the RumGuru application on your smartphone, so you can choose any living space even upon arrival in the city, it is very convenient on a business trip or during an unplanned vacation in real time to find a free apartment, hotel or hostel.
- We advise you to economically insure your health and life while traveling through Tripinsurance, the service works only with trusted large insurance companies, which already inspires confidence. You just have to choose the most profitable option, but it's better not to save on health.
- Flights? We advise you to use Aviasales empirically.
- You may also find our selection of useful tourist apps useful.
