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French food isn't all about haute cuisine and fine dining - some of the best food to be enjoyed in Paris can be bought for a couple of euros from a humble boulangerie. Here's our pick of the gastronomic highlights.

Don't leave Paris without trying...

1. Steak frites

For the quintessential bistrot dish, steak frites, head to one of Paris' atmospheric French brasseries, complete with brass fittings, linen tablecloths (red gingham optional) and smart, aproned waiting staff. These restaurants are so integral to the city's dining scene, even multi-Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse has opened one: Champeaux in Les Halles.

The simple pairing of a grilled steak with various optional sauces and chips is elevated to serious heights when the meat is well selected and carefully matured, and the potatoes are fresh, hand-cut and double-fried. Choose your cut of beef, your 'cuisson' (order 'à point' for medium-rare) and a sauce, be it Béarnaise or peppercorn, and crunch those crispy frites with a side order of squeaky haricots verts.

Try making your own classic French steak with pommes frites with our easy recipe.

2. A cocktail at the Bar Hemingway

The city's most famous bar is tucked away inside The Ritz and celebrates the life and work of its most famous barfly, Ernest Hemingway. Try a sublime cocktail mixed by legendary British barman Colin Field, who has run the bar since 1994.

His two signature cocktails are the Serendipity, which mixes calvados with fresh mint, sugar, ice and champagne, and the Clean Dirty Martini, which features a frozen cube of olive juice at its centre. You'll have to guess the other ingredients - Field says he is taking the recipe to his grave.

3. Macarons

Until supreme patissier Pierre Hermé reinvented these small, smooth meringues filled with ganache, they were a fairly unassuming item in the extensive range of French patisserie, coming in just four flavours: vanilla, chocolate, coffee and raspberry. This delicate pastry has taken the world by storm but its birthplace is resolutely Paris.

Hermé took these colourful treats to another level with flavours such as lemon, orange blossom and Corsican honey (this is called the Jardin de l'Atlas) and rose, lychee and raspberry (the Ispahan). For those who like one flavour only, his 'Infiniment' range takes one ingredient - lemon, chocolate, coffee and many others - and uses it to create different layers of flavour in one macaron. Macarons are two-bite delights, but it is worth seeking them out from reputable pastry shops that actually make their own - many just hop on the bandwagon and sell factory-made ones that aren't worth your time or dime - and go easy on the rainbow-style food colourings.

4. Israeli food

The French aren't known for embracing the cuisine of other cultures, but Paris is currenlty undergoing a gastronomic revolution and the focus of many chefs is Israeli food. One of the hottest tables in town is at Balagan where chefs Assaf Granit and Dan Yosha and their team are serving fresh, vibrant vegetable, fish and meat dishes lifted with perfectly pitched spices, tahini and citrus.

For the best seat in the house, grab a stool at the kitchen counter and enjoy the chefs' theatrics as they serve dishes, sing and knock back shots of cucumber and mint-enhanced absinthe.

5. Choucroute

This brasserie staple originally hails from Alsace, the border region in eastern France, but it came to the French capital at the end of the 19th century when the region was annexed by Germany and refugees fled to Paris. Choucroute is the French word for sauerkraut, a huge serving of white cabbage cooked in riesling, duck or pork fat, with herbs and garlic and topped with sausages and pork knuckle.

It's the perfect dish to share between two, and at Bofinger (which boasts stunning art nouveau décor and a glorious stained glass atrium) it's served on a heated stove so it stays warm as you work your way through it.

6. Cédric Grolet's Patisserie

Is it really an orange? As you slice into its shell, you soon realise patissier Cédric Grolet's extraordinary desserts are something very special - this is actually mousse filled with mandarin and timut pepper compote. At just 32 years old, Grolet has established a worldwide following (mostly thanks to his Instagram account) for his fruit desserts, which look every bit like the real thing.

Each one takes around a week to complete, from the outer shell made with cocoa butter, to the mousse and compote inside. Grolet and his team make around 200 a day, serving only the best to teatime guests at Le Meurice, a luxury hotel on the Rue de Rivoli.

7. A baguette

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for the French baguette to be given UNESCO recognition, but many Parisian bakers have already ordained their baguettes with a superior status. An annual competition to find Paris' best baguette (official title: Grand Prix de la Baguette Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris) has been running since 1994, and each year the baker of the best loaf wins a medal, €4,000 and the chance to supply the Elysée Palace for a year. Don't forget to tear off the crusty, still-warm tip and nibble on it as you walk away, as any self-respecting Parisian does.

8. Jacques Genin chocolates

While the internationally-famous Ladurée and Pierre Hermé carve out their global operations, the chocolatier of choice for discerning Parisians is Jacques Genin. Head up to his elegant boutique and salon de thé (133 Rue de Turenne) not far from Place de la République to indulge in his exquisite and unusual flavours such as caper and basil, to sublime effect.

9. Coffee (or tea)

'Un café' used to mean just one thing, a bitter espresso consumed alongside a Gauloise cigarette (possibly while contemplating existentialism) but over the last few years Parisians have embraced a new generation of good coffee, where beans are carefully chosen, roasted and brewed. Taste it in the surrounds of one of Paris' trendy coffee shops, many of which have sprung up near the hip districts of Canal Saint-Martin or The Marais.

It's not all about the flat whites and latte art, however. Tea (or thé) predates the coffee trend, with elegant salons de thé attracting a well-heeled clientele to try such brands as Mariage Frères or Dammann Frères - but before you come over all English, these are consumed without milk. One of the most elegant and popular salons de thé is Angelina on the Rue de Rivoli, where tea and coffee should come with their signature patisserie, Le Mont Blanc.

10. Rhum baba

This dense cake with rum and vanilla cream dates from the 18th century and owes its place in French culinary history to King Stanislaus of Poland, who was exiled in Lorraine. The king had fond memories of raisin brioches served with Tokaji wine and so charged his chef, Nicolas Stohrer, with the task of recreating the dish, which he named rhum baba in keeping with his passion for the Arabian Nights stories.

When Stanislaus' daughter Marie married King Louis XV, Stohrer relocated to Paris and opened his own bakery, and the rhum baba's Parisian future was sealed. Chef Alain Ducasse adores the dessert and it's a signature dish in many of his Parisian restaurants.

11. Croque-monsieur

Most brasseries and cafés in Paris offer non-stop service, and a staple of their menu is the croque-monsieur, an oozy and crisp grilled ham and cheese sandwich usually moistened by a touch of béchamel sauce. If you're extra hungry, get the croque-madame, which adds a fried egg on top.

Try making your own... croque-monsieur

12. Duck confit

Originally devised to preserve fresh duck meat for future consumption, the confit method consists of cooking duck thighs in their own fat, until the meat is spectacularly moist and fork-tender. Few Parisian bistros make their own, but they pride themselves in selecting the best producer, typically from the southwest of France, and serve them seared until the skin turns golden and crisp. The classic side is pommes sarladaises, heavenly garlicky potatoes sautéed in duck fat. (And duck fat is good for you, right?)

Try making your own... confit duck

13. Jambon-beurre

Like all city dwellers, Parisians often need to eat on the go, and the jambon-beurre is the most Parisian of sandwiches. You can buy it from corner bakeries or order it from the counter at most cafés; in both cases it will come as a fresh half-baguette, its insides smeared with cool butter and garnished with 'jambon de Paris', a pink-hued cooked ham, with optional cornichons.

14. Raw-milk artisanal cheeses

Paris is truly the gastronomic hub of France, and nowhere is it more apparent than in cheese shops, where you can buy the makings of a cheesy Tour de France and taste your way through each region's stars, from the mildest to the sharpest. Always favour raw-milk cheeses (unless you have a compromised immunity) and ask the vendor what's best right now, as the production of artisanal cheeses is a seasonal affair.

15. Croissants

Walk past any bakery in the wee hours of the morning and you'll be instantly spellbound by the warm buttery smell of fresh croissants escaping from the air vents at pavement level. This is your cue to step in and get your golden prize, which you can tuck into and savour on your morning walk as the city awakens. Sadly, fewer and fewer French bakeries make their croissants from scratch - they buy them frozen instead - so it's worth asking to make sure your boulanger still engages in that noble, delicious craft.

Try making your own... croissants

16. Paris-Brest

Named after a long-established bicycle race that sees competitors cycle from Paris to the tip of Brittany, this is among the best-sellers in Parisian pastry shops. The wheel-shaped choux pastry shell garnished with praline buttercream and sprinkled with caramelized almonds is guaranteed bliss for sweet lovers.

Try making your own... mini white chocolate Paris-Brest

17. Street-stand crêpes

Walking around Paris, you'll see street stands selling crêpes everywhere. One of the few truly native street foods, the crêpe is indeed a lovely treat to indulge in when it's time for an afternoon snack. Be sure to pick a stand that cooks crêpes to order (rather than reheating them from a pile cooked earlier), makes them thin (nothing worse than a gummy, undercooked crêpe) and is kept spotlessly clean. Though you may be tempted to try all kinds of stuffings, serious aficionados stick to the beurre-sucre (butter and sugar) for the true, unadulterated crêpe experience.

Try making your own... crêpes

Clotilde Dusoulier is the French food writer behind Chocolate & Zucchini, a blog that's all about the fresh, simple, and seasonal foods she cooks in her Paris kitchen.

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French food isn't all about haute cuisine and fine dining - some of the best food to be enjoyed in Paris can be bought for a couple of euros from a humble boulangerie. Here's our pick of the gastronomic highlights.

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Paris and the Ile-de-France region boast a vast number of gourmet products and local specialities.

City dining

With 70 Michelin-starred restaurants and a vast number of prestigious establishments, the French capital is a hotbed of culinary trendsetters and a beacon of gastronomic excellence throughout the World.

Typical local brasseries serve French classics such as steak-frites and pommes parisiennes (Parisian potatoes), or the infamous Croque-Monsieur (toasted cheese and ham sandwich) as well as more elaborate 'bistro' style dishes that will often change on a daily basis.

If you want to grab some food on the go, opt for a traditional simple baguette sandwich with Jambon Blanc de Paris (traditional cooked ham) and butter from any boulangerie, and enjoy a picnic on a bench in one of the city's many parks and outdoor spaces.

Local Produce and Specialities

The Ile-de-France region itself produces a vast number of local specialities; Houdan poultry, lamb from Ile-de-France, as well as Parisian mushrooms and cress from Méréville.

The local cheeses (Brie from Meaux, Melun or Coulommiers) rival the fantastic regional desserts like the Paris-Brest praline pastry, mille-feuille, chouquettes and colourful macarons. Many local recipes also include peppermint from Milly or cherries from Montmorency.

Indeed, some of France's most famous exports are also said to have originated in Paris (although the recipes are so old that verifying provenance is almost impossible) from the small Financier sponge cakes, to Brioche and Croissants; from Saint-Honoré and Opéra to the nun-shaped Religieuse.

Foodie fairs

The Paris International Agricultural Show brings all of these specialities together under one roof, alongside others from all of the French regions. Held at the Porte de Versailles exhibition space, the show includes live animals and farming demonstrations, as well as a whole host of regional produce and crafts. The 2017 edition will be held from 25 February to 5 March.

Local specialities are also on display at the International Cheese and Wine Fair in Coulommiers (held every year on the weekend before Easter), and at the Chatou Fair - which brings together Antiques, Art Galleries, Ham (which is an honoured local tradition) and other gourmet specialities from across France and its overseas territories.

Read more at:

https://en.salon-agriculture.com/ (External link)

http://foire-fromages-et-vins.com/ (External link) (French)

http://www.foiredechatou.com/en/ (External link)

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Paris Ile-de-France local food specialities

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Paris and the Ile-de-France region boast a vast number of gourmet products and local specialities. With 70 Michelin-starred restaurants and a vast number of prestigious establishments, the French capital is a hotbed of culinary trendsetters and a beacon of gastronomic excellence throughout the World.

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- Literally just steak and chips (fries)
- Fries are hand-cut and fresh
- Served with a side of green beans
- Can be found at any one of Paris's brasseries

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- Birthplace is in Paris
- meringues filled with ganache
- first four flavors were vanilla, chocolate, coffee, raspberry
- about two bites each

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- a baguette sandwich with ham and cheese
- and it's toasted

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- just a bunch of cabbage in duck or pork fat
- that's it
- enjoy

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- cooked ham
- with butter
- with baguette

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- long loaf of french bread
- served a variety of ways
- competition to find best baguette in france

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Le Paris-Brest

The iconic ring shape of Le Paris-Brest immediately conjures up its secret past, hinting at the famous cycling race that inspired its creation. These delights can reach epic dimensions of 30 or 50 centimetres (10 to 20 inches) in diametre.

This wheel-shaped wonder was created in 1910 by Louis Durand, pâtissier of Maisons-Laffitte, located 18.2 kilometres (11.3 miles) from the centre of Paris, in order to commemorate the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race that he launched in 1891.

Its high calorie content easily secured popularity among the Paris-Brest cycle race's two-wheeled participants in need of a quick energy boost. The delicious pastry is stuffed with praline cream, then garnished with flaked almonds to produce one of the most iconic Parisian desserts.

Le Hachis Parmentier

Anyone who has ever wandered a little astray in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, perhaps losing their way from République Square, is likely to have come across Parmentier, a station on the Metro's Line 3. This station is named after Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, a French pharmacist and nutritionist of the late 18th century, who pioneered the groundbreaking idea that potato could be an edible crop and solve famine. Surprisingly, it wasn't until after the reign of Louis XVI that the potato stopped being considered a vulgar food intended only for animals.

It's this very dish, Le Hachis Parmentier, consisting of delicately mashed ( hachis) or baked potato, diced meat and a delicious lyonnaise sauce, all served cosy in the potato shells, that helped convince people of its power. It's somewhat similar to English cottage pie, but slow-cooked à la Parisienne.

Le Flan Parisien

There is only one place to eat Le Flan Parisien if you want to get it right, and that is in Paris itself. It's distinguishable from all other flans by its crumpled bed of broken dough, supporting a thick, light yellow layer covered with a wrinkled top, before lightly browned by cooking.

Its elasticity and freshness to the palate mingle with a sharp and surprising taste of vanilla to concoct a delightful and unique dessert. While the flan has its roots in many other French regions, it is only Paris that has mastered the proven recipe for Le Flan Parisien. Sometimes, you'll find the wrinkled, browned top covered in a layer of chocolate.

Le Croque Monsieur

It was originally in Paris that this strange, double-sided, toasted sandwich was born, in a café on the Boulevard des Capucines in 1910. It looks like the inside has oozed its way out by accident, but it's actually the sandwich's iconic design. The origin of its curious name, where 'monsieur' refers to man, gives rise to a legend that the bistrotier, when serving the croque monsieur to his customers, would laugh and insist his secret ingredient was 'man meat.' Thankfully, this wasn't true.

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Parisian Cuisine: Delicious Foods You Can Only Eat in Paris

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Le Paris-Brest The iconic ring shape of Le Paris-Brest immediately conjures up its secret past, hinting at the famous cycling race that inspired its creation. These delights can reach epic dimensions of 30 or 50 centimetres (10 to 20 inches) in diametre.

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- pastry filled with praline cream
- 30-50 cm diameter
- flaked almonds

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- flaky bread
- just bread dough and butter folded a bunch of times
- delicious

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- baked potato
- diced meat
- lyonnaise (?) sauce

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- this looks hecka good
- yellow layer of dough
- then it turns brown when cooked
- covered in chocolate
- tastes like vanilla

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Means: "to serve"
Usage: "Servez avec..." (serve with)

# data[].attributes.body
Means: "guide" (tourism)
Usage: "Un guide de nourriture á île-de-France"

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Means: "flaky"
Usage: "Des croissants friables"

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Means: "crisp"
Usage: "Des croissants friables et croquants"

# data[].attributes.body
Means: "can" (be able to)
Usage: "Tu peux..."

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Means: "treat"
Usage: "Un cadeau..."

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Means: "enjoy!"

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Means: "everywhere"
Usage: "...ils sont populaire partout."

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Means: "almond"
Usage: "...avec amandes..."