A French menu may separate entrées, plats and desserts, while a formule combines selected courses. In France, entrée generally means starter, and bistro-style dishes often change daily[1]; check the included courses before choosing a set meal.
Typical menu
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Examples vary by restaurant. Confirm ingredients, portions and dietary needs with staff.
Entrées and bistro plates
- Soupe à l’oignon — Slow-cooked onions in broth, usually beef-based, topped with toasted bread and melted cheese; very hot, rich and filling, close to a light meal on its own.
- Salade niçoise — A composed salad from Nice that may include tuna, egg, olives, tomato and anchovies; fresh and salty, often large enough for lunch.
- Steak frites — Pan-fried steak with fries, a Paris bistro staple[1]; choose doneness (saignant is rare, à point medium) and ask whether a pepper or béarnaise sauce costs extra.
- Croque-monsieur — A toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich[1], often with béchamel on top; hot and rich, usually with a small salad or fries. A croque-madame adds a fried egg.
Slow-cooked dishes and desserts
- Confit de canard — Duck leg slow-cooked in its own fat, then crisped; tender, salty and rich, often served with potatoes cooked in the duck fat.
- Coq au vin — Chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms, onions and lardons (bacon pieces); deep and savory, usually with potatoes or bread for the sauce.
- Crème brûlée — Cold vanilla custard under a thin caramel crust that cracks under the spoon; creamy and moderately sweet.
- Tarte Tatin — An upside-down tart of apples caramelized in butter and sugar on a pastry base; often served warm, sometimes with crème fraîche or ice cream.
How to order on your first visit
For two, choose a main each and share a starter if the portions suit you. Compare the formule with à la carte, ask what the plat du jour includes, and specify steak doneness.
Different menu styles
A brasserie may have a broader list than a small bistro. A French-language menu outside France may use entrée differently, so confirm the course rather than relying only on the word. A French café menu is usually short and served through the day — croque-monsieur, quiche, salads, an omelette and coffee; a brasserie or French-style pub adds beer and fuller plates such as steak frites, so check the hours each part of the menu is served.
What to order
- Steak frites — pan-seared steak with fries, usually with a pat of herb butter
- Coq au vin — chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms and lardons
- Duck confit — duck leg cured and slow-cooked in its own fat until crisp
- French onion soup — beef stock, caramelized onions, and a gratinéed cheese crust
- Crème brûlée — vanilla custard under a cracked caramel shell
11 menus
Balthazar- Onion Soup Gratinée23.00
- Balthazar Salad24.00
French
Bistro Campagne- Pain et Beurre
- French onion soup
French
Brasserie Mon Chou Chou- CLASSIQUE BAGUETTE$ 9
- SANDWICH AU FROMAGE RACLETTE$ 24
French
Chez Billy Sud- Salade Verte14
- Caesar16
French
Le Bouchon- Pommes Paillasson14
- Gougère de Poisson Fumé7
French
Le Diplomate- Monday — Dorade Royale en Papillote$41
- Tuesday — Lobster Risotto$47
French
Obélix- 6 Oysters25
- Shrimp Cocktail25
French- Parc
- Monday — Daurade Royale en Papillote$38
- Tuesday — Beef Stroganoff$31
French 
Pastis Miami- Petit Plateau$125
- Petit Plateau$125
French
Pastis New York- Monday: Chicken Cordon Bleu$38
- Tuesday: Black Bass Grenobloise$35
French
Pastis Washington- Monday - Wiener Schnitzel$41
- Tuesday - Beef Stroganoff$27
French
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a bistro and a brasserie?
A bistro is a small neighborhood restaurant with a short, homestyle menu; a brasserie is larger, open longer hours, and serves a broad classic menu — historically with beer, as the name ("brewery") suggests.
Is French food always heavy?
No. Butter and cream anchor the classics, but much of the repertoire is light: steamed fish with beurre blanc, salade niçoise, ratatouille, and consommés balance the richer braises.
What should I order at a French restaurant if I can’t read the menu?
Start with the plat du jour (dish of the day) or the formule and ask the server to explain them; bistro dishes often change daily[1]. In France an entrée is the starter, so check what comes with each main before adding sides.
What background helps when reading a French menu?
French cuisine is the codified foundation of Western fine dining: mother sauces (béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, tomate), precise knife work, and slow techniques like braising and confit. It spans rustic bistro cooking — steak frites, coq au vin, cassoulet — and haute cuisine, with butter, wine, and stock doing much of the work. UNESCO inscribed the gastronomic meal of the French as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010, among the first food traditions in the world so recognized.[2]
Related guides
Sources
- Atout France. Paris Ile-de-France local food specialities. Accessed
- UNESCO. Gastronomic meal of the French. Accessed