French Restaurants Guide Best Restaurants in France

From cafés, Bistros, Creperies, wine bars, brasseries and five-star restaurants; France is one of the worlds restaurant capitals. With a world-renowned cuisine and a population who loves leisure, it is no surprise that excellent restaurants can be found everywhere you turn in France.



Perhaps the most popular type of French eatery is the café. The very first French café is said to have opened its doors in 1670. Cafés of the seventeenth century served coffee, (exotic at the time), wine, brandy and other beverages. France's oldest café is Café Procope, opened in 1686. Cafés today serve espresso, coffee, wine, yogurt drinks, light meals and snacks. The most popular café foods are simple sandwiches made from baguettes, cheese, ham and butter.



French Bistros are basically small, affordable restaurants. Bistros are generally family-owned, their fare is simple and straight-forward. Bistro is the best choice for those who wish to sample some authentic French cuisine without having to worry about using the correct fork, or bothering with four or five courses. Bistros generally serve local cuisine and often offer small meals of cheese and wine. The word "bistro" itself may be derived from the Russian "bistro", which means "quick"; or from the French "bistrouille", a term used for a drink of coffee with brandy, often served at small, cheap establishments in France.



Brasserie is actually the French word for brewery, though this is not exactly what you will find at a French brasserie. Brasseries are eateries that are larger and slightly fancier than bistros, but are still more casual than a full-fledged restaurant.



Drinking is, of course, a bigger affair at brasseries than eating, but a menu is still available; especially at night. Beer is served along with sauerkraut, sausages and other such German-influenced cuisine. The brasserie is based on the Alsatian tradition, dating back to the late nineteenth century when Alsatians fled their homeland because of German occupation. These establishments are traditionally decorated ornately and exist in a wide price range.



Wine bars are both traditional and trendy in France. While there is an old tradition of a stand-up bar in which workers would enjoy a glass of wine after work in French cities; the growing popularity of wine means that many more elaborate wine bars are popping up all over France. These small establishments often sell wine by the glass or by the bottle, and have a wide selection. Also offered here are light snacks, usually cheeses paired with the wines being consumed or bread and chocolate.



Creperies are cafés which specialize in crepes. Crepes are thin pancakes which are wrapped around savory foods such as Swiss cheese, eggs, spinach and chicken or sweets such as Nutella, ice cream, or fruit compotes. Crepes can hold any combination of foods and are a popular breakfast or light lunch in France. Creperies usually serve accompanying beverages such as espresso and coffee or wine and soft drinks.



There is no lack of good food in France, and there is an eatery for every appetite. French food is so good that popular French restaurants can be found around the world and France, of course, is the culinary epicenter.

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