August 30, 2018The City of Paris is esteemed to be the paradigmatic destination brimming with culture and culinary traditions that has allured globe trotters from all over the world. It is a city adored with centuries-old architecture, beautiful people and exquisite gastronomic selections.
The French has managed to somehow elevate otherwise common delectable into the extraordinary. If it is your first time in Paris, here is a list of 29 culinary delights you have to experience.
Croissant
Du Pain et des Idées
34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France
Perfectly flaky on the outside, fresh, delectable and buttery on the inside. That gorgeous smell hits you as you walk past French Brasseries with their freshly baked croissants. Coupled with a cup of freshly brewed expresso, delicious!
Caramels
Chocolaterie Jacques Genin
133 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris, France
French salted caramels are to die for. Made with pure Charentes-Poitou French Butter, sea salt and French Fleur de Sel, these little French delights are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Mango-Passion, raspberry, blackcurrant, rhubarb, pistachio, walnut and macadamia are some of their flavor combinations guaranteed to satisfy your addiction.
French Chocolates
La Maison du Chocolat
99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
This world renown maker of artisanal chocolates is known for its fine gourmet chocolates made with pure cocoa and several flavor infusions.
Cheese Platter or Plateau de Fromage
L’ Affineur’ Affine
51 Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, 75009 Paris, France
The French’s love for their cheese is evidenced by their extensive selection of cheeses to choose from. With over 300 varieties ranging from mild and delicate, to the strong and quite pungent, trying them out would be an adventure in itself.
A Cheese Platter is a great way to indulge in the diverse selection of Parisian cheeses. An ideal one should have a soft cheese such as Brie, a hard cheese such as a Gruyere, Goat cheese such as a Crottin de Chavignol, paired with some bread and something sweet like fruit jams.
Wine
Lavinia Paris
3-5 Boulevard de la Madeleine, 75001 Paris, France
With over 6000 varieties of wine to choose from, Lavinia in Paris is the most colossal wine store in Paris. It stretches three floors with an impressive wine cellar located in its basement. An impressive sight sure to impress wine connoisseurs from all over the world.
French Macarons
Pierre Hermé
72 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France
Strolling down busy Parisian streets, these colorful bite-sized treats will surely catch your eye. These meringue-based desserts are light as air with a slightly crunchy exterior. Sandwiched within is a delicious filling with flavors ranging from chocolate, espresso, nutella to a more fruity delectable selection like strawberry, blueberries and a whole lot more.
Pies
Le Loir dans la Théière
3 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris, France
Being masters in the art of baking, adding the French touch to this exceedingly delightful dessert just brings it to a whole new level. Perfectly baked crust and savory filling skillfully brought together in perfect symphony.
Crepes
Breizh Café
109 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris, France
These thin Parisian pastries are simple yet exquisitely flavorful. They’re usually served either sweet or savory and topped with a variety of toppings like fruits, nuts, cream, etc.
Lemon Tarts
La Pâtisserie Cyril Lignac
24 Rue Paul Bert, 75011 Paris, France
These bite-sized pastries are made with hazelnut shortbread, cream and lemon curd, topped with a layer of white chocolate and coated in lemon vanilla glaze. Perfect snack with a refreshing splash of citrus.
Steak Tartare
Au Bourguignon du Marais
52 Rue François Miron, 75004 Paris, France
Originally called “à la tartare” which literally means served with tartar sauce. This traditional French bistro entree is skillfully made with premium raw beef chopped and served with onion, Dijon mustard, capers, and egg yolk. A must-try for the more adventurous eaters.
Gelato
Il Gelato del Marchese
3 Rue des Quatre Vents, 75006 Paris, France
One of the thrills of wandering is to discover a new chapter in your culinary journey with decadent indulgences you’ve experienced before. Parisian ice cream shoppes usually make their own ice cream, freshly churned and infused with an array of flavors to satisfy your palate.
Hot Chocolate
Chocolaterie Jacques Genin
133 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris, France
Jacques Genin is a master in his trade of making exquisite chocolate. Without a doubt, his hot chocolate is far from ordinary. Rich, chocolatey, savory and simply decadent mildly sweet treat is what you’d expect. Perfect treat while people-watching on the busy streets of Paris.
Pralines
François Pralus Praluline
9 Rue de Bachaumont, 75002 Paris
Immerse yourself to a rich brioche flavored with bits of house-made pralines: Valencia almonds and Piedmont hazelnuts coated in rose sugar and then cracked.
French Onion Soup or Soupe à l’oignon
La Jacobine
59-61 Rue Saint-André des Arts, 75006 Paris, France
This highly aromatic soup of perfectly caramelized onions is usually made with a base of meat stock and often gratinéed with croutons and cheese on top or slices of toasted bread. The deep flavor of the base stock compliments really well with the hint of sweetness from the caramelized onions, making it the perfect starter dish in any French Bistro.
Foie Gras
Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie
34 Rue Montmartre, 75001 Paris, France
Foie gras or “Fatty Liver”, is a popular delicacy in French cuisine made from duck or goose liver, usually sautéed or seared. This rich and decadent treat is also served as a pâté or with truffles. It has a melt-in-your-mouth texture that is quite different from your traditional liver.
Frog Legs or Grenouille
Roger La Grenouille
28 Rue des Grands Augustins, 75006 Paris, France
Frog legs or cuisses de grenouille, is considered to be a traditional French delicacy popularly cooked in a sauce infused with garlic and parsley butter. It is also served fried as a starter with an aioli dip.
Escargot
L’Escargot Montorgueil
38 Rue Montorgueil, 75001 Paris, France
Escargot, which is French for “snails”, is a French delicacy usually served as a starter in many French restaurants. Texturally, they are almost identical to cooked squid to give you an idea. They are popularly cooked in garlic butter sauce with herbs, or in a wine reduction sauce.
Steak Frites
Le Relais de l’Entrecote
101 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris, France
Steak Frites or translated as “Steak and Fries”, is a common yet popular French dish often served in brasseries throughout Paris. The Relais de l’Entrecote has built a good reputation serving their sole specialty menu item: Walnut salad followed by a tender, juicy and decadent sirloin steak, with its famous secret sauce and house-made fries.
French Coffee
Café de la Paix
5 Place de l’Opéra, 75009 Paris, France
Parisian cafes are a ubiquitous sight around Parisian streets with patrons sitting for hours undisturbed, watching life go by. Enjoy your cup of French coffee while immersing yourself in the social atmosphere where people meet up to relax and destress from the challenges of everyday life.
Duck Confit
Restaurant Joséphine Chez Dumonet
117 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris, France
Historically, Duck Confit is a French delicacy that originated in Medieval France before refrigeration was an option. This dish generally uses an entire duck, salt-cured, marinated with herbs, and cooked in its own fat. This century-old recipe has that enduring perennial appeal that will surely satiate your appetite.
Crème brûlée
La Fontaine de Mars
129 Rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris, France
This scrumptious French dessert is the embodiment of simplicity and finesse of the French culinary artistry. Otherwise known as “burnt cream”, it consists of a rich custard base topped with a hardened layer of caramelized sugar.
Eclaires
L’Atelier de l’Eclair
9 Rue Bachaumont – 75002 Paris
Traditional French Eclair or Eclairs au chocolat, is a pastry item made with choux dough, filled with cream and topped with chocolate icing. This French favorite has a crisp exterior with a beautiful chocolate glaze. On the inside, it is nice and soft, with the lovely creamy center usually vanilla, chocolate or coffee.
Oysters
Huitrerie Régis
3 Rue de Montfaucon, 75006 Paris, France
Typically in season around October, these Parisian delights are sought after for their level of freshness and natural brininess in their flavor. Perfectly delectable with a squeeze of lemon on top to compliment its subtle appeal.
Falafel
L’As du Fallafel
32-34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris, France
Undoubtedly, these mouth-watering Parisian Israrli-style falafels, especially those along the Rue des Rosiers in the Marais district, have been under the radar of both locals and tourists alike. These deep fried balls of chickpeas or fava beans are a traditional Middle Eastern food that are usually enjoyed over a bed of salads, picked vegetables, hot sauce and drizzled with a tahini-based sauce, and then wrapped in a pita.
Roasted Chicken and Fries
Le Coq Rico
98 Rue Lepic, 75018 Paris, France
Paris is home to this highly-coveted rustic French specialty of perfectly roasted Bresse chicken with a touch of rosemary, garlic and oregano, served with some of the best fries you’ll ever have. Pair it with a glass of red wine for a more complete culinary decadence.
Baguette
Le Grenier à Pain
52, Avenue d’Italie – Paris – 75013 Paris, France
Honed with years of French culinary expertise, the humble baguette has been the quintessential Parisian staple skillfully made with unremarkable ingredients of wheat flour, water, yeast and salt. Truly a gastronomic item that reflects the culmination of time-tested French heritage with every bite.
Artisanal Butter
La Buerre Bordier
French butter transcends above its competition with its distinct quality and taste. The distinct tanginess and nuttiness in its appeal can be attributed to age-long artisanal techniques of slightly souring or culturing the cream. In addition, high quality French butter is only made from milk derived from grass-fed cows.
Coq Au Vin
La Jacobine
59-61 Rue Saint-André des Arts, 75006 Paris, France
Coq Au Vin is another French classic you have to experience in Paris. It is essentially chicken artistically braised in red wine with lardons, mushrooms and garlic until fork-tender and oozing with superlative deliciousness.
Local Beer
Société Parisienne de Bière
5 Rue des Moines, 75017 Paris, France
In pale contrast to the French’s unequivocal love for their wine, there is also a collection of specialty beer of the Parisian variety worth sampling. Although the technique is borrowed from neighboring European countries, it never fails to attract beer enthusiasts from all over to indulge into this brewed beverage.
Conclusion:
While the culinary offerings of Paris are beyond exemplary, take time to overwhelm your senses with the sights and sounds of Paris. Sit back, relax, have yourself a delicious cup of Parisian coffee and that oh-so-good croissant, and people-watch as the locals do. I am inviting you to plan your trip to Paris, pack up your bags, and come deliciously indulge in Paris’ palatable chows and relish in its enchanting landscapes.
