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French menu guide · Free

How to read a French menu

French menus have a different internal logic from most other cuisines: "entrée" does not mean main course (it means starter), "menu" means a fixed-price set rather than the full list of dishes, and the type of establishment — bistro, brasserie, or restaurant gastronomique — tells you as much about the food as anything on the page. This guide explains the structure, the vocabulary, and the key dishes.

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French menu vocabulary

These are the terms that trip people up most often on a French menu:

  • Entrée — starter or first course (not the main course — that is "plat")
  • Plat / Plat principal — main course
  • Dessert — dessert
  • Menu — a fixed-price set of courses (the full list of available dishes is called "la carte")
  • A la carte — ordering individual dishes from the full list
  • Du jour — of the day: "plat du jour" is today's main, "soupe du jour" is today's soup
  • Formule — a simplified set, often just two courses
  • Carte — the full menu (the list of all dishes available)

French restaurant types

Bistro (bistrot)

The heart of French casual dining. Small, informal, focused on classic dishes cooked well. Steak frites, roast chicken, onion soup, croque monsieur. Usually a chalkboard with a short daily menu. The neighborhood bistro is where most French people actually eat.

Brasserie

Larger, louder, and open all day (a brasserie will serve at 3pm when a bistro is closed). Historically Alsatian in origin, so choucroute garnie (sauerkraut with pork), beer, and seafood platters are signatures. The menu is broader and more consistent than a bistro's daily board.

Restaurant gastronomique

Formal dining, often with a tasting menu of many small courses. The experience is structured and unhurried. Ordering is typically from a fixed menu rather than a la carte. These restaurants are where French haute cuisine lives.

Auberge and restaurant de campagne

Rural restaurants often serving the cuisine of the surrounding region. Cassoulet in the southwest, choucroute in Alsace, bouillabaisse in Marseille — these dishes appear most authentically in their home region's auberge.

Classic French dishes explained

  • Cassoulet — slow-cooked white bean casserole with duck confit, pork sausage, and preserved meats from the Languedoc. A winter dish and a labor of love. See the cassoulet guide.
  • Coq au vin — chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms, pearl onions, and lardons. A Burgundy classic. See the coq au vin guide.
  • Bouillabaisse — Marseille's famous saffron fish stew, traditionally made with Provencal fish and served with rouille (garlic saffron mayonnaise) on toast.
  • Steak frites — a simple bistro staple: grilled steak with french fries and a sauce (au poivre, bearnaise, or bordelaise). The cut matters: entrecote (rib-eye), filet (tenderloin), bavette (flank).
  • Soupe a l'oignon — French onion soup, topped with a crouton and melted Gruyere. A bistro standard.
  • Blanquette de veau — veal in a white cream sauce with mushrooms and pearl onions. A classic of French home cooking.

How to order at a French restaurant

At a formal French restaurant, the server will ask if you would like to order "le menu" (the fixed price set) or "a la carte" (individual dishes). The menu is usually better value. At a bistro, the daily specials are often on a chalkboard and change daily — these are worth ordering.

Wine is integral to French dining. The carafe (quarter, half, or full liter of house wine) is a reasonable and affordable choice at any bistro. Cheese is often a separate course between the main and dessert, ordered from a cheese board. Coffee is ordered at the very end, after dessert, and is an espresso.

Bread is on the table from the start and is free. Butter is not automatically provided in France; you use the bread to wipe your plate.

Use ChefBear to get dish recommendations based on your preferences, or browse more guides at what to order.

FAQ

What does 'entrée' mean on a French menu?

In French, entrée means starter or first course — the entry into the meal. This is opposite to American English where "entree" means main course. On a French menu: entrée = starter, plat = main course.

What is the difference between a bistro, brasserie, and gastronomique restaurant?

A bistro is small, informal, and focused on classic French comfort cooking. A brasserie is larger, open all day, with Alsatian influences and a broader menu. A restaurant gastronomique is formal and usually follows a tasting menu format.

What is cassoulet?

Cassoulet is a slow-cooked casserole from Southern France with white beans and preserved meats — duck confit, pork sausage, and lamb or pork. It is one of the most time-intensive dishes in French cooking.

What is coq au vin?

Coq au vin is chicken braised in red wine with mushrooms, pearl onions, and lardons. A Burgundy classic and one of the most representative French braises.

What is a prix fixe or menu at a French restaurant?

In French, "menu" means a fixed-price set of courses (entrée + plat + dessert). The full list of dishes is called "la carte." Ordering "le menu" is typically better value than ordering a la carte.

Navigate any French menu with ease.

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Related: Cassoulet · Coq au vin · What to order · Dish dictionary