7 Street Foods to Try in Paris France

The French are often referenced as being culinary masters, offering delightfully tasty cuisine. Although the rest of the world might argue that the portions are a bit on the petite side, forcing us to ask “Please sir, can I ‘ave some more?” in a true Oliver Twist style. But unlike the picture you likely hold in your mind, not everything food-wise in France comes from fancy restaurants with small-portioned haute cuisine. No, no mon frère, this chic nation has its share of fantastic street food stands. For those of you travelling to this fashion mecca, keep an eye out for these 7 street foods to try in Paris, which will be as filling when eat, as they are beautiful to behold.

A look at a cafe in France by Fiona Cullinan

1. Crêpes

Crêpes are rather like pancakes, except they have the thickness of a piece of paper, and are filled with savoury or sweet ingredients, depending on your preference. In France, you’ll find a variety of vendors selling crepes, especially around the Montparnasse station in Paris. The savvy readers will already know that it is best to buy those which are made from scratch in front of you, rather than tempt the disappointment of biting into a mediocre pre-made one.

2. Merguez Frites sandwich

The simplistic, yet flavorful merguez frites is a delight not to be missed while wandering the streets of Paris. Simply put, it’s a baguette that’s hollowed out and filled with a mixture of spicy merguez sausage, french-fries, and a sauces such as mustard, mayonnaise, and tomato sauce. Grab one from any of the vendors who’ve set up a stand in Northern Paris.

3. Jambon-beurre

The name jambon-beurre is a nice way to dress-up the humble buttered ham baguette. Though don’t be fooled by its simplistic ingredients, as this side-street treat is incredibly popular. You can find a variety of bistros and street stands that sell it, and it is recommended that you try one made at the Le Petit Vendôme bistro.

4. Falafel

Though this is strictly not a French food, falafels have become very popular with the French in recent years. What is it, you wonder? It is a deep fried paste made of either chickpeas or fava beans rolled into a ball, which are then stuffed into fresh pita bread, and topped with salad, hummus, and sauce. One of the best places to order from is Mi Va Mi in the Marais district.

A perfect falafel pita roll by Lara604

5. Man’Ouche

When you’re in the mood for a pizza, the man’ouche will fulfill your need. It is made from flattened and rounded dough, which is baked and topped with a soft cheese and olive-oil mixture, along with some sesame seeds and thyme. It’s similar to a focaccia pizza, minus the garlic, and is a traditional Lebanese dish. The restaurant Man’ouChe in the Beaubourg district, next to the George Pompidou centre, serves this as well as a variety of other Lebanese foods, and they’re all available for take-away.

6. Croque-monsieur

If you enjoy jabon-beurre in summer, then your winter friend will definitely be the croquet-monsieur – literally translated to crunchy mister. This grilled ham and Swiss cheese sandwich is given infinite more life by being smothered in a rich béchamel sauce. The best one in town is rumored to be available at Le Petit Cler, on rue Cler in the 7th Arrondissement.

7. Macaroons

Considered to be one of the main desserts in France, macaroons come in a variety of colors and flavors. They’re small creations that have a creamy ganache middle framed by two harder halves, and common flavors include chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, and coffee. The most raved about macaroons come from a little shop called Pierre Hermé, at 72, rue Bonaparte.

A variety of macaroons by Carrie-Jean Walker

Author Bio: Roseanna McBain is a write for TravelGround, a South African accommodation and booking website. She enjoys reading up on cultures around the world, and attempting to make cuisine from around the globe.

Tags: baguette, bistros, crepes, croquet-monsieur, culinary masters, falafel, falafels, fancy restaurants, french food, french fries, French street foods, haute cuisine, jambon-beurre, macaroons, man'ouche, merguez frites, merguez sausage, montparnasse station, northern paris, oliver twist, petite side, savvy readers, street food, streets of paris, tasty cuisine, thickness of a piece of paper, tomato sauce

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