Best French Food – Top 15 Dishes to try in France
February 2025
Never mind the chateaux, food is the main reason why many travelers visit France, and this guide to the best French food is here to help you work up an appetite before your next trip to this beautiful country.
Popularized internationally by Julia Child and the late Antony Bourdain, French cuisine is legendary. The Paris-founded Le Cordon Bleu produces the most prestigious chefs, while Michelin still sets the standard for food excellence.
The best French food blends bold flavors, seasonal ingredients, and artistic presentation. France’s food landscape has evolved with the times. Marie-Antoine Careme systemized Haute Cuisine in the 19th century before passing the baton to Georges Auguste Escoffier.
Nouvelle Cuisine emerged during the 1960s to simplify French gastronomy without losing its sophistication or quality. Contemporary French fusion cooking flits between the two styles with dishes to suit every palate, every traveler.
Behind every dish, there’s a story. For such a refined, precise cuisine, the histories behind France’s famous dishes are somewhat contested and often contradicted. If chit-chat wanes, dipping into the origins of the Plat du Jour is guaranteed to rouse good-natured debate.
Food tours are among the best food experiences in France for tasting local specialties and separating yarn from fact. Ask your holiday home host to recommend their local markets and the best restaurants in the area to taste the authentic French food for yourself!
Navigating French gastronomy can be overwhelming even for seasoned travelers and gastro gurus – there’s just so much choice. We’ve rounded up the top 15 French dishes you should eat on vacation. Bon appetite!
1. Soupe a l’Oignon
Soupe à l’Oignon (onion soup) is a classic French appetizer, commonly found in Parisian cafés, medieval villages, and mountain-side taverns. Though its origins trace back to Ancient Rome, it became widely popular in the 18th century.
Today’s version of French onion soup blends beef stock, yellow onions, and a splash of wine, all topped with toasted bread and melted Gruyère cheese. The onions are carefully caramelized in butter over low heat in a Dutch oven before the stock is incorporated.
Both red and white wines can be used in Soupe à l’Oignon. A robust red wine pairs particularly well, balancing the sweetness of the onions. Typical dry wines include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Slices of crispy baguette, topped with freshly grated Gruyère, are added to the simmering soup mixture.
2. Chateaubriand
Chateaubriand refers to both the cut of meat and the method of preparation for this classic French steak dish. Sourced from the tenderloin, a muscle that runs through the short loin and sirloin, it’s known for being the most tender part of the cow, offering a luxurious bite with each mouthful.
Traditionally, Chateaubriand is first pan-seared and then roasted in the oven, creating a rare (or medium-rare) center with a perfectly charred outer layer. The dish is typically served on a cutting board, accompanied by Pommes Château, seasonal vegetables, and a wine-based sauce for drizzling.
This elegant steak dish is always served for at least two people, making it a perfect choice for a romantic dinner in Paris or elsewhere. It’s best paired with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot – just be sure to split it fairly!
3. Souffle
A notoriously difficult dish to perfect, Soufflé derives from the French verb souffler, meaning “to puff” or “to inflate.”
Vincent La Chapelle perfected the French Soufflé while working as a chef in royal and aristocratic households. Later, Marie-Antoine Carême solidified it as a key element of Haute Cuisine.
Whether served as a savory appetizer or a sweet dessert, making a soufflé begins with carefully separating the egg yolks from the whites. Even the slightest trace of yolk can prevent the soufflé from rising properly. For Soufflé au Fromage, Gruyère or Comté cheese is essential, though variations with mushrooms or spinach are also delicious.
As a dessert, Soufflé au Chocolat is a showstopper, while lemon and vanilla offer lighter, yet equally delightful, options.
Soufflé should always be served immediately from the oven before it has a chance to deflate.
4. Escargots
Escargots (edible land snails) are a French delicacy that should not be missed. Snails are commonly found on menus across both cities and rural areas, typically served as hors d’oeuvres. Most of the escargots in France come from the Burgundy region, where they are farmed.
The traditional preparation involves cooking the snails in a flavorful sauce made of butter, garlic, and parsley. With a texture similar to mussels, it’s no surprise since they belong to the same mollusk family.
Before cooking, the snails are carefully removed from their shells and cleaned thoroughly. After being sautéed, the meat is placed back into the shell and served on a shared platter. Tongs are provided to hold the shell while a two-pronged snail fork is used to extract the meat.
Another delicious snail appetizer to try in France is Escargot Vol-Au-Vent. In this version, the snails are served without their shells, nestled on a puff pastry base with a garlicky mushroom sauce.
5. Coq au Vin
Coq au Vin is the epitome of traditional French country cooking and remains one of the most beloved dishes to try in France. The dish features chicken and wine as the main stars, complemented by mushrooms, onions, and bacon lardons for added depth of flavor. It’s most commonly associated with the Burgundy region, where chefs traditionally choose a Burgundy red wine to bring out the dish’s best flavors.
Originally, Coq au Vin was created as a way to cook tougher rooster meat. The slow braising method helped tenderize the meat, providing a hearty meal for farmers and laborers. Today, chicken is more commonly used, though roosters are still a popular choice in rustic kitchens.
Regional variations of Coq au Vin can be found throughout France, where the Burgundy red wine is swapped for local wines. Some even use sparkling or sweet white wines to make dishes like Coq au Champagne or Coq au Riesling.
Coq au Vin shares similarities with another famous French dish from Burgundy: Boeuf à la Bourguignonne, which uses beef instead of chicken.
6. Steak au Poivre
Steak au Poivre (pepper steak) is another quintessential French dish, featuring filet mignon as the star ingredient. This premium cut, sourced from the tenderloin’s corner, shares a similar texture and prestige with Chateaubriand.
To prepare Steak au Poivre, the steak is pan-seared at a high heat to achieve a crispy crust while keeping the interior rare or medium-rare. Unlike Chateaubriand, the entire cooking process happens in the skillet, without the need for roasting.
The dish gets its name from the rich, buttery peppercorn sauce that accompanies the steak, often enhanced with a generous splash of cognac.
Steak au Poivre is closely related to Steak Frites, which, as the name suggests, pairs steak with crispy fries. While Pommes Frites are enjoyed worldwide, skipping the authentic French fries in a Parisian brasserie would be a missed opportunity.
7. Ratatouille
Originating from the Cote d’Azur, Ratatouille embodies the charm of the French Mediterranean. This Provençal vegetable stew is made with ripe tomatoes and seasonal vegetables, and in summer, staples like eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers are used.
The vegetables are carefully diced and sautéed with crushed garlic and onions, then simmered with fresh herbs to bring out their flavors. The key to perfect Ratatouille is timing—it should be served warm, not too hot, and certainly not too cold. The ideal temperature is just right, like Goldilocks would approve.
Once ready, Ratatouille is often served with a slice of crusty French baguette, either buttered or drizzled with extra olive oil. It can stand as a main dish for vegetarians or as a shared side, complementing poultry, game, or fish.
8. Moules Marinieres
Mussels are a signature dish of France’s coastal resorts, but they can also be enjoyed at brasseries in Paris. Prepared with just a few ingredients and served with a slice of crusty baguette, mussels make for a tasty starter or main course.
Moules Marinières (sailor-style mussels) features a rich, creamy broth made from white wine, garlic, shallots, thyme, parsley, lemon, and bay leaves. Butter adds extra depth to the sauce, and it’s customary to use the bread to soak up every drop of it.
Muscadet is the classic wine choice for marinating Moules Marinières and should ideally be served with the dish. If a different wine is used, the server or sommelier will suggest a suitable pairing.
Regional variations of Moules Marinières can be found across France. In Normandy, for example, chefs add crème fraîche to the broth and substitute cider for wine to create Moules à la Crème Normande.
9. Cassoulet
Not all French cuisine is haute. Some of the most delicious dishes come from surprisingly humble beginnings, though they certainly shine in fine dining settings.
Cassoulet, a slow-cooked stew, is often hailed as a quintessential example of the best French comfort food. This hearty dish, a mix of meat and white beans, hails from southwest France, though its origins are a bit murky.
According to legend, Cassoulet was created in Castelnaudary during the Hundred Years’ War. With ingredients in short supply, the townspeople threw together whatever meats and beans they had on hand to survive the English siege. While historians may question the story, the dish, in its many variations, remains a beloved classic.
In Castelnaudary, the traditional recipe includes pork loin, sausages, and lardons. Both Carcassonne and Toulouse also claim to be the birthplace of the original Cassoulet. In Carcassonne, mutton is the meat of choice, while in Toulouse, duck confit takes center stage.
10. Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse is another iconic French dish with humble origins. This fish stew was born in Marseille, France’s oldest city, founded by the Greeks around 600 BC. Over time, it grew into a thriving seaport and fishing hub.
Provençal fishermen, looking for a way to use the bony rockfish and leftover scraps rejected by local markets, came up with this flavorful stew.
Fish like rascasse, along with other remnants, were simmered in a broth made from olive oil, garlic, onions, fennel, and tomatoes. Authentic Bouillabaisse is characterized by the distinctive blend of Provencal spices—thyme, saffron, parsley—and a touch of orange peel.
The name Bouillabaisse comes from the combination of two Provencal verbs: bolhir (to boil) and abaissar (to simmer). This reflects the fishermen’s method of preparing the dish—first bringing the ingredients to a boil, then lowering the heat to infuse the flavors.
Bouillabaisse is traditionally served with Rouille, a garlic and saffron-based sauce with a creamy, mayonnaise-like consistency.
11. Tartiflette
Tartiflette is the epitome of alpine comfort food. This hearty après-ski dish is often enjoyed alongside Fondue, Raclette, and a glass of Pinot Noir after a day on the slopes. It hails from Savoie in the French Alps and has made its way across the border into Italy’s Aosta Valley.
Similar to the beloved Gratin Dauphinois, Tartiflette is a rich combination of sliced potatoes smothered in cream, white wine, lardons, and onions. The key ingredient that makes it special is the generous layer of Reblochon cheese from the Haute-Savoie region.
This unpasteurized cheese is aged for at least three weeks to develop its nutty, earthy flavor. Slices of creamy Reblochon, including its rind, form the perfect topping for this indulgent dish, which can be served as either a side or a main course.
Croziflette is a variation of Tartiflette, where square-shaped pasta replaces the potatoes.
12. Salade Nicoise
Salade Niçoise is a refined salad that dates back to the 19th century in the picturesque city of Nice on the French Riviera. Some say this iconic Provençal salad may have originally been a sandwich, known as the Pan Bagnat.
The dish began simply, with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and anchovies. Over time, bell peppers and olives were added, followed by crisp lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, and tuna as later additions.
Recipes can differ from one cook to another, with some versions incorporating green beans, boiled baby potatoes, and capers. While fresh tuna steak is sometimes used, canned tuna packed in olive oil remains the traditional choice.
Salade Niçoise is an ideal dish for a light lunch or supper, especially during the warm Mediterranean summer.
13. Crepes & Galettes
One of France’s most famous food exports has an intriguing and somewhat uncertain history. Pancakes are believed to have originated in Ancient Greece before becoming a staple of Roman cuisine. La Fête de la Chandeleur, held every February in France, celebrates crepes and may have ties to an ancient Roman festival.
French crepes are delicate, wafer-thin pancakes made from a smooth batter of wheat flour, eggs, milk, butter, and sugar. They can be rolled or folded around both sweet and savory fillings.
Crepes are commonly found in restaurants, kiosks, and creperies, serving as snacks, desserts, or quick meals. Their versatility allows them to be enjoyed with a wide range of fillings, including preserves, chocolate sauce, fruit, cheese, vegetables, and cured meats.
Brittany, the birthplace of the modern French crepe, is the perfect place to try galettes. Breton galettes are crispy pancakes made with buckwheat flour, typically topped with cheese and a runny egg. In southern France, Crepes Suzette are a local favorite, made with caramelized sugar, citrus zest, and orange liqueur.
14. Creme Brulee
No list of the best French foods would be complete without including a dessert or two. France offers just as many must-try sweet dishes as it does starters and main courses. A classic choice is Crème Brûlée, a quintessentially French dessert—though England and Spain might argue otherwise.
The key to a perfect Crème Brûlée is achieving the ideal balance between its smooth, creamy custard and the crisp, caramelized sugar topping.
Like Soufflé, Crème Brûlée is a tricky dish to master, requiring both patience and precision. A blowtorch is essential to achieve the perfect hardened top, which should crack satisfyingly when tapped. This light, delicate dessert is the perfect way to balance out rich main courses or a multi-course meal.
15. Tarte Tatin
Tarte Tatin was created by sisters Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin at their hotel in the Loire Valley in the late 19th century. This sweet pastry, with its unique cooking technique, became an accidental signature dish.
Also known as the Upside-Down Tart, Tarte Tatin features apples that are caramelized on the stove before being topped with pastry and baked in the oven. Once done, the tart is flipped so the apples are on top when served.
There’s a popular rumor that Tarte Tatin was born from a kitchen mishap, but this is likely untrue. It’s more probable that the enterprising sisters intentionally crafted the recipe.
While apples are the traditional choice, variations with peach, plum, pineapple, or quince are also common, and the same technique is often used for savory tarts.
By now, we’re sure this list of the most iconic French dishes has you longing for a trip to beautiful France. Whether you’re planning a week in the City of Light or a two-week adventure through the best of France, Holiday Homes in France has the perfect accommodations for you. Take a look at some of our beautiful properties and start planning your trip!
The Holiday Homes in France Team
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