French menus can be wonderful — and occasionally bewildering. This page covers the food and drink vocabulary you're most likely to encounter, from the basics on any café table to the words repeated across menus throughout the country. Knowing these terms means you can scan a menu with confidence, understand what you're ordering, and make choices that suit your taste.

Drinks

The word for water — you'll need this at almost every meal

Still water — no bubbles

Sparkling water — with bubbles

Coffee — in France this always means a short espresso unless you specify otherwise

Note: 'Un café' = espresso. For a longer coffee, ask for 'un café allongé'. For a white coffee, try 'un grand crème'.

Red wine — France's most celebrated drink, on nearly every menu

White wine — crisp and dry in Alsace, rich and buttery in Burgundy

Beer — widely available, though wine is more culturally central in France

Food Staples

Bread — central to every French meal, usually served automatically with food

Butter — is there anything more french?

Cheese — France produces over 1,200 varieties; this word unlocks an entire world

Meat — a general term; the specific cut or animal will be listed separately

Fish — you'll see this on menus at coastal restaurants and throughout the country

Vegetarian — useful to flag your dietary preference when ordering or asking about dishes

Salad — often listed as a starter or side, and usually well-dressed in France

Dessert — the sweet course, often a highlight on a French set menu

Ice cream — sold in 'glaciers' (ice cream shops), especially popular in summer

Meal Times

Breakfast — typically light in France: coffee, bread, and perhaps a pastry

Lunch — the main meal of the day in France, often a longer, more relaxed affair

Dinner — typically eaten later than in English-speaking countries, often from 7:30–8pm