Eat & Drink

From sweet to savory, here are the Parisian specialties not to be missed.

Escargot

Snails doused in a butter and garlic sauce.

This small meat has a soft texture and unobtrusive flavor. Each shell is filled with garlic and parsley butter that is melted in the oven and then removed hot. Dressed with a tantalizing marinade sauce, escargot is eaten straight from the shell as an appetizer (with special tongs and forks usually provided).

Beef bourguignon

A slow-cooked tender beef bourguignon like no other.

Thick slices of tender beef are simmered in broth over low heat and enhanced with a generous amount of Burgundy wine. This casserole dish is slow-cooked with a variety of aromatic herbs, carrots, salted bacon, potatoes, onions and garlic, bringing out the tangy flavors and aromas that are guaranteed to make your stomach rumble. To be authentic, this dish must use tender Charolais beef from the Burgundy region.

Croissants

Perhaps France's best classic cafe food

This easy-to-split, buttery pastry is named after its distinctive crescent shape. Crispy and golden on the outside but soft on the inside, croissants are enjoyed with a variety of sweet and savory fillings, sometimes with butter and jam, or melted cheese and ham to make them more filling, or eaten plain (to let the texture and flavor take center stage). Or for a more indulgent treat, you can opt for its 'cousin', the pain au chocolat (a buttery pastry rolled with melted dark chocolate in the center). www.352walls.org

Croque monsieur

Comfort food that's delicious and filling

If you're not familiar with croque monsieur, imagine slices of succulent ham enveloped in melted gruyère cheese between two slices of crispy, hot toast. Dipped in egg and fried in butter, this toast is also served with a rich béchamel sauce. You can also add a sunny-side up egg on top, which is called 'croque madame', while the vegetarian version is 'mademoiselle'. Either variation would be a very filling comfort food option.

Steak tartare

A great steak eaten raw

This raw steak dish usually combines high-quality beef with onions and pickled capers, but the ideal ingredients can sometimes vary greatly. Once finely cut, the meat is served neatly in the center of the plate with a single raw egg yolk on top (the egg's fat complements the lean beef). The accompaniment is generally frites (fried potatoes) or salad, with sauces and condiments such as Worcestershire and mustard. The final touch is usually a garnish of watercress or a drizzle of olive oil, and then you can stir it all up (including the yolk) and devour.

Macarons

A colorful sweet with a variety of flavors

These pretty, meringue-like pastries are neatly arranged in rows at the pâtisserie counter. Perfectly round and smooth, each tiny pastry is crispy on the outside and sweet in the center, chewy and melting in your mouth. Originally, macarons came in almond flavor only. La Maison Ladurée was the first to experiment and eventually inspired a variety of flavors that are now loved by many.

Local tip: many pâtisseries will let you pick and mix flavors, and may even sell you individual ones to sample.

Paris-Brest

A sweet treat that celebrates France's cycling history

This wheel-shaped cake was first created in 1910 to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race. The outside is coated in toasted almonds and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and the inside is filled with praline cream until it spills out of the center. Although a favorite of racers and cycling enthusiasts, it can be found in most pâtisseries, no longer just at racing events.

Crêpe

Golden brown, light, fluffy, best served hot and sprinkled with lemon and sugar.

These hot, buttery pancakes cooked until browned are usually served wide and thin, like a versatile blank canvas, waiting to be poured over and filled with a variety of toppings. Favorites include strawberries and cream, a thick spread of Nutella, or simply a sprinkle of sugar. While seafood, meat, vegetables, and melted cheese are often chosen for savory creations.

Quiche

A thick, delicious slice of savory tart

A savory egg custard is poured into a crispy pastry crust and baked until golden brown. Usually bacon, cheese, onions, spinach or tomatoes are also added to the custard mixture. The result is a deliciously soft quiche, cut into thick slices and eaten hot or cold.

Ratatouille

A vegetable dish rich in flavor and color

Healthy and filling, Prove's classic dish