Ingredients
4 (4 ounce) salmon fillets
1 lemon, juice only
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 12×18-inch pieces of parchment paper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
½ cup green onions, chopped
8 spears fresh asparagus, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
4 teaspoons olive oil
One of the most traditional French foods, Duck Confit or Confit de Canard, is melt in your mouth, slow-cooked duck leg and thigh with crispy skin. Often you’ll find it served with pommes de terre à la Sarladaise (sliced potatoes cooked in duck fat) and a small bed of greens. glass of red wine—even better!
HOME
ABOUT
RECIPES + CUISINES
TIPS
FAVORITES
CONTACT
BACK
ALL
AMERICAN
ASIAN
FRENCH
ITALIAN
MEDITERRANEAN
MEXICAN
TOP 10 PARIS FOODS TO EAT ON VACATION
Paris + food equals the best vacation ever if done right! And this list of Top 10 Paris Foods will help you make that happen! Not only will you have the best foods in Paris, France, to eat, but also some of the best places to eat them, including some excellent hidden gems of Paris you won’t find on any other list. Yup, I’m even sharing my number one secret Paris café with you too, so don’t skip Paris Food #2!
PARIS FOOD SCENE
France undoubtedly has some of the best food in the world. In fact, in 2010, UNESCO declared French cuisine a “world intangible heritage.” And I think Paris has the best of the best!
Unfortunately, when visiting, there is never enough time to try all of the Parisian foods available. The Paris restaurant count exceeds 44,000! Who knows how many Paris menu items that makes? So, without help, it can be a little overwhelming to decide which foods in Paris to eat on vacation, and where to eat them. But do not despair. I know how to eat Paris!
I love French cooking and the City of Lights, and have visited many times. I even lived there for 3 months, and just recently stayed again in an apartment for one month. So, needless to say, I’ve eaten a lot of food in Paris. Let’s say I’ve done my research on the best Paris food and restaurants one meal at a time.
TOP 10 PARIS FOODS
1. CROQUE MONSIEUR OR CROQUE MADAME
This famous French food was born in a not so famous cafe in Paris in the early 1900’s. “Croque” in French means to crunch. So these two classic French ham and cheese sandwiches are toasted in order to melt and brown the cheese, as well as, to make a crispy crunchy crust.
This Parisian snack is no ordinary ham and cheese. Think gooey Béchamel and Gruyere on the inside with even more cheese goodness on the outside! That’s why it one of the most popular French foods!
What’s the difference between Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame? Simply, an egg. The Croque Madame adds a fried egg on top.
Nowadays you’ll find many different presentations of Croques besides the traditional sandwich, like open faced tartan style, stacked sideways, or the addition of mushrooms or tomatoes. I have not found a bad one in Paris, but here are some of my favorites: Buvette Paris, 28 Rue Henry Monnier, 75009; Angelina Paris, 226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001; Le Nemrod, 51 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006.
The quintessential Paris foods: Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame at Le Nemrod
2. DUCK CONFIT AND/OR DUCK MAGRET
One of the most traditional French foods, Duck Confit or Confit de Canard, is melt in your mouth, slow-cooked duck leg and thigh with crispy skin. Often you’ll find it served with pommes de terre à la Sarladaise (sliced potatoes cooked in duck fat) and a small bed of greens. glass of red wine—even better!
And you can enjoy this Paris famous food at my number one secret restaurant! To my surprise, my absolute favorite spot for Duck Confit was also the least expensive! Less than 10 euros (about 12 U.S. dollars), if you could believe, at Bo Man Café, at 33 Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, 75009. This would easily be a $35 meal in the states! Truly one of the best places to eat in Paris!
A more fancy dish in Paris cuisine, Duck Magret is a duck breast and can be prepared many different ways by chefs across the city. You will find Duck Magret on many Paris restaurant menus, but if you want someplace that specializes in duck, try Le Petit Canard, 19 Rue Henry Monnier, 75009. Their lunch and dinner “formules” are a great deal too! Reservations are recommended for this tiny restaurant.
Duck Confit at my #1 Paris hidden gem, Bo Man Café
3. MOULES FRITES
The name of this famous Paris food, Moules Frites or Mussels and French Fries, sounds a little misleading to some. Why would the French put fries in a dish with mussels? They don’t! When your Moules Frites arrive, rest assured that the fries will be on the side.
Steamed with garlic, shallots, white wine, and, of course, butter, the mussels smell divine. Unlike what we get in the states, the portion size is large enough for a meal, and with fries, this becomes a hearty meal. You’ll receive a huge pot large enough for 2 people to share at Le Royal (8 Rue La Fayette, 75009) near Galleries Lafayette. Or try the seafood restaurant Juste at 48 Rue Laffitte, 75009.
The famous Paris food, Moules Frites or Mussels and French Fries
4. CREPE AND/OR GALETTE
You can’t discuss famous foods in Paris without talking about crepes! The first time I travelled to Paris I ate my weight in Nutella and banana crepes! Small stands dot every arrondissement and they make a yummy budget-friendly snack. But what is a galette?
Basically, galettes are the savory cousins of crepes. Galettes are every bit as much a traditional French food as crepes, just not as internationally known.
The French eat sweet crepes as dessert, and galettes as a meal. The pancake part of a galette is made with buckwheat flour so it appears more brown than crepes, with a purple hue.
These days I’m addicted to the Alaska Galette with smoked salmon and avocado at Le Creperie (12 Rue Soufflot, 75005). A stone’s throw from the Pantheon, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a crepe or galette with an awesome view!
If you look the other direction, you can see the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Senate at the Luxembourg Gardens. And if you’re a fan of Emily in Paris, her building and her go-to café are just a couple of blocks away. It’s a very touristy thing to do in Paris, but it’s fun to see, free, and no crowds!
The Alaska Galette at Le Creperie by the Pantheon
5. CHEESE, OR AS THE FRENCH SAY, FROMAGE
Speaking of addictions, cheese is one of mine! And cheese is definitely a Top 10 Best Food in Paris!
Every region of France produces different types of cheeses, and Brie de Meaux is by far the most famous cheese in Île-de-France, the region where Paris is located. However, as the capital of France, Paris has French food products produced from all over the country. Which means you can get almost any French cheese your heart desires here.
Parisian restaurants will offer some sort of cheese option for dessert, and cafés can offer cheese boards. But I prefer going to a neighborhood cheese monger and buying a few different types for lunch or dinner. I cannot tell you how many cheese and charcuterie boards I made in my last month in Paris.
In addition to Brie, some French cheeses I recommend are Morbier, Saint Agur (blue), Brillat Savarin, Camembert, and Mimolette. For more on French cheeses, click here.
Even the small grocery markets sell a decent selection of cheese. But the cheese mongers at the cheese shops can help you choose something to your tastes, and every neighborhood has a few of these shops. As one of the best food streets in Paris, Rue des Martyrs has many to choose from, and all have terrific selections. Try Fromagerie Beillevaire at 48 Rue des Martyrs, 75009.
popular French cheeses in Paris
6. BREADS FROM ARTISAN BOULANGERIES
What pairs better with cheese
The name of this famous Paris food, Moules Frites or Mussels and French Fries, sounds a little misleading to some. Why would the French put fries in a dish with mussels? They don’t! When your Moules Frites arrive, rest assured that the fries will be on the side.
Steamed with garlic, shallots, white wine, and, of course, butter, the mussels smell divine. Unlike what we get in the states, the portion size is large enough for a meal, and with fries, this becomes a hearty meal. You’ll receive a huge pot large enough for 2 people to share at Le Royal (8 Rue La Fayette, 75009) near Galleries Lafayette. Or try the seafood restaurant Juste at 48 Rue Laffitte, 75009.
Princess Ludivico 
Leave a comment