100 French Food/Drink Words And Phrases
Whether you are eating your way through the culinary pleasures of France, or just dining at one of your local French restaurants, knowing some choice words and phrases is always a good idea. And "oui oui" of course we're here to help.
If only your 10th-grade French teacher had taught you what you really need to know: impressing that special someone at the restaurant. France is a haven for food and wine enthusiasts of all levels, and French cuisine is a palate-expanding experience. But just in case you want to avoid snails, raw beef, and frogs' legs — or you're looking to hone the basics for ordering specific meat and, say, asking for the wine list — try out these words and phrases. Bon appétit.
Avec des glaçons: On the rocks
La bière: Beer
Une bouteille: A bottle
Le café: Coffee (typically espresso)
Une carafe: A glass bottle (usually of wine)
La carte de vins: The wine list
Le cidre: Cider
Le jus: Juice
Le Kir: White wine with cassis or blackberry syrup
Un pichet: A small pitcher (usually of wine)
Les cuisses de grenouille: Frogs' legs
Les escargots: Snails served in-shell with garlic-parsley butter
Le foie: Liver
Le pâté: Liver mousse
Le steak tartare: Seasoned, finely chopped raw beef
Les rognons de veaux: Veal kidneys
La tête de veau: Veal head
À point: Medium rare
Bien cuit: Well done
Bleu, saignant: Rare ("blue" or "bleeding")
Le bifteck: Steak
À la broche: Cooked on a skewer
Carbonnisée: Burned to a crisp
La charcuterie: An assortment of cured and dried meats
Le porc: Pork
Une saucisse/Saucisson: Sausage
Une tranche: A slice
Le veau: Veal
La viande: Meat
Les ailes de poulet: Chicken wings
Le blanc de poulet: Chicken breast
Le consommé du volaille: Chicken broth
Le coquelet: Young male chicken
La cuisse: Dark meat
La poulard: Young female chicken
Le poulet/poule: Chicken
Le poulet rôti: Roast chicken
La volaille: White meat
Aïoli: Garlic mayonnaise *try it on fries
Aligot: Fondue-like mix of mashed potatoes and sharp cheese
Le cassoulet: Rich meat and bean casserole
La choucroute: Sauerkraut (expect various kinds of pork)
Le coq au vin: Chicken in red wine sauce
La crêpe: A very thin pancake, sweet or savory
La galette: A savory crepe
Les huitres: Oysters
Le parmentier: Like shephard's pie, ground meat covered with mashed potatoes
Les moules: Mussels
Le vol-au-vent: A small, light, savory pastry
L'amuse-bouche: A bite-sized hors d'oeuvre, compliments of the chef
Le beurre: Butter
Les coquilles Saint-Jacques: Scallops
Les oeufs: Eggs
Le pain: Bread
Les pâtes: Pasta
Au gratin: Baked with cheese and breadcrumbs
À votre goût: To your liking
En cocotte: Cooked in a covered baking dish
Confit: Cooked in fat (either its own or the fat of something else)
En croute: Wrapped in pastry
Farci: Stuffed
Frit(e): Fried
Fumé: Smoked
Haché: Ground (meat)
Un méli-mélo: An assortment
Un morceau: A piece
Piquant: Spicy
Au pistou: With basil
Provençal: Cooked with tomatoes, anchovies and olives
Rôti: Roasted
À la vapeur: Steamed
L'addition: The check (must be requested)
Allérgique à: Allergic to
And for the Mrs./Miss: Et pour la madame/mademoiselle...
L'assiette: Plate
La carte/le ménu: The menu
Les champignons: Mushrooms
Compris/Inclus: Included
Le cornichon: The tiniest pickle you've ever seen, accompanies charcuterie
La cuisine: The kitchen
La dégustation: Tasting menu
Le déjeuner: Lunch
Délicieux: Delicious
Le dîner: Dinner
Du jour: Of the day
Le fromage: Cheese
Garçon: What NOT to call the waiter, no matter how many times you've seen it in movies. Instead, signal the waiter with "Monsieur/Madame/Mademoiselle, s'il vous plait."
Je voudrais: I would like ...
Le petit déjeuner: Breakfast
Le poisson: Fish
Les pommes de terre: Potatoes
Le pourboire: Tip (basic gratuity is almost always included in French restaurants, listed as servis compris)
Le serveur/la serveuse: Waiter/waitress
Végétarien: Vegetarian
Végétalien: Vegan