Regional specialties
Aligot
Mashed potatoes worked with fresh cheese into a smooth, stretchy mixture.
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The French food dictionary
Explore 79 French dishes, breads and pastries. Discover what’s on the menu, how to say it, and where to try it in the US.
Explore France’s regional food →Regional specialties
Regional specialties
Andouillette
A sausage made with offal, with a distinctive flavor and coarse texture.
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Regional specialties
Axoa
Finely cut meat simmered with peppers, onions and Espelette seasoning.
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Regional specialties
Baeckeoffe
An Alsatian casserole of meats, potatoes and aromatic vegetables.
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Regional specialties
Bouillabaisse
A Marseille fish dish with an aromatic broth and Mediterranean seasoning.
14 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Buckwheat galette
A savory Breton buckwheat crêpe folded around fillings such as ham, egg and cheese (Galette de sarrasin).
2 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Carbonnade flamande
Beef slowly cooked in beer, often with a gently sweetened sauce.
1 US place with menu matches
Regional specialties
Cassoulet
A slow-cooked white-bean dish with a selection of meats.
12 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Choucroute garnie
An Alsatian dish of sauerkraut, typically served with pork, sausages and potatoes.
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Regional specialties
Civet de sanglier
Wild boar slowly braised with wine and aromatics.
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Regional specialties
Confit de canard
Duck cooked slowly in fat until tender, often served with crisp skin.
19 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Crêpe
A thin French pancake served with sweet or savory fillings and toppings.
138 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Crozets
Small square pasta from Savoie, often served in a cheese gratin.
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Regional specialties
Daube provençale
Meat slowly braised in wine with vegetables and aromatic herbs.
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Regional specialties
Far breton
A Breton baked custard cake, often made with prunes.
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Regional specialties
Flamiche au maroilles
A savory raised-dough tart featuring Maroilles cheese.
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Regional specialties
Flammekueche
A thin Alsatian tart traditionally topped with cream, onions and bacon (Tarte flambée).
7 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Fondue savoyarde
A warm Alpine cheese mixture eaten by dipping pieces of bread.
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Regional specialties
Gougères
Light choux puffs flavored with grated cheese.
6 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Gratin dauphinois
Thinly sliced potatoes baked with dairy and garlic until tender.
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Regional specialties
Kouign-amann
A Breton pastry made with layers of dough, butter and caramelized sugar.
10 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Magret de canard
A duck breast typically cooked with its skin to develop a browned exterior.
12 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Mont d’Or
A soft cow’s-milk cheese that becomes spoonable when baked in its wooden box.
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Regional specialties
Œufs en meurette
Poached eggs served with a savory Burgundian wine sauce.
1 US place with menu matches
Regional specialties
Piperade
Slow-cooked tomatoes, sweet peppers and onions with Basque seasoning.
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Regional specialties
Pissaladière
A savory bread-based tart topped with slow-cooked onions, anchovies and olives.
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Regional specialties
Potjevleesch
A cold preparation of mixed meats set in a savory jelly.
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Regional specialties
Poulet basquaise
Chicken cooked with a tomato, pepper and onion preparation.
1 US place with menu matches
Regional specialties
Pulenda
Chestnut flour cooked with water into a substantial Corsican accompaniment.
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Regional specialties
Quenelles lyonnaises
Soft dumplings often baked with a sauce, plain or flavored with fish.
1 US place with menu matches
Regional specialties
Raclette
Melted raclette cheese served with potatoes and assorted accompaniments.
3 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Ratatouille
A cooked mixture of Mediterranean vegetables with olive oil and herbs.
7 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Rillettes
A spread made from meat cooked until tender and pulled into fibers.
1 US place with menu matches
Regional specialties
Salade niçoise
A Nice-style salad combining vegetables with eggs, olives and fish.
11 US places with menu matches
Regional specialties
Saucisse de Morteau aux lentilles
Smoked pork sausage from Franche-Comté served with tender lentils and vegetables.
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Regional specialties
Socca
A thin chickpea-flour preparation baked with olive oil and served in pieces.
1 US place with menu matches
Regional specialties
Tartiflette
A baked potato dish with Reblochon cheese, onions and bacon.
1 US place with menu matches
Regional specialties
Truffade
Cooked potato pieces combined with fresh cheese in a hearty mountain dish.
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Bread & viennoiserie
Bread & viennoiserie
Baguette
A long French loaf with a crisp crust and light interior.
39 US places with menu matches
Bread & viennoiserie
Brioche
A soft bread enriched with butter and eggs.
8 US places with menu matches
Bread & viennoiserie
Croissant
A flaky pastry made from layers of buttery yeast dough.
170 US places with menu matches
Bread & viennoiserie
Pain au chocolat
A buttery layered pastry filled with chocolate.
63 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Bistro dishes
Bœuf bourguignon
A Burgundy-style beef stew braised in red wine with onions, mushrooms and often bacon.
53 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Bouchée à la reine
A puff-pastry shell filled with a creamy mixture, often chicken and mushrooms.
1 US place with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Coq au vin
Poultry braised in wine with aromatics, often accompanied by mushrooms and bacon.
21 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Coquilles Saint-Jacques
Scallops prepared in different ways, including a creamy, breadcrumb-topped gratin.
1 US place with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Croque-monsieur
A hot ham and cheese sandwich, often finished with béchamel.
70 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Escargots
Snails commonly served with garlic and parsley butter.
168 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
French onion soup
A savory onion soup topped with bread and melted cheese (Soupe à l’oignon).
167 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Jambon-beurre
A baguette sandwich built around ham and butter.
9 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Moules marinières
Mussels cooked in a fragrant white-wine broth with aromatics.
17 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Pot-au-feu
Beef and vegetables gently cooked in an aromatic broth.
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Bistro dishes
Quiche Lorraine
A savory Lorraine tart with an egg-and-cream filling and bacon.
35 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Salade lyonnaise
A green salad with bacon, egg, croutons and a savory dressing.
1 US place with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Sole meunière
Sole lightly coated in flour, pan-cooked and finished with butter and lemon.
2 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Steak frites
Steak served with French fries, often accompanied by butter or sauce.
83 US places with menu matches
Bistro dishes
Steak tartare
Finely cut raw beef combined with condiments and seasoning.
32 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Pastries & desserts
Canelé
A small Bordeaux cake with a dark caramelized crust and a soft center.
8 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Clafoutis
Fruit baked in a soft, lightly sweetened egg-and-milk batter.
1 US place with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Crème brûlée
A smooth custard topped with a crisp layer of caramelized sugar.
63 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Éclair
A long choux pastry filled with cream and topped with icing.
14 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Fiadone
A baked Corsican dessert combining fresh brocciu, eggs and lemon.
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Pastries & desserts
Financier
A small almond cake with a tender center and browned-butter flavor.
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Pastries & desserts
Galette des rois
An almond-filled puff pastry associated with the French Epiphany season.
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Pastries & desserts
Gâteau basque
A Basque cake with a pastry-like exterior and cream or cherry filling.
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Pastries & desserts
Île flottante
A soft meringue served on a pool of vanilla custard sauce.
1 US place with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Kougelhopf
An enriched Alsatian bake recognizable by its tall fluted ring shape.
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Pastries & desserts
Macaron
Two almond meringue shells sandwiched around a sweet filling.
51 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Madeleine
A small, buttery cake baked in a shell-shaped mold.
9 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Mille-feuille
A layered dessert of crisp puff pastry and smooth pastry cream.
5 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Mousse au chocolat
A chilled chocolate dessert with a light, aerated texture.
12 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Opéra
A thin-layered almond cake with coffee cream and chocolate ganache.
4 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Pain perdu
Bread soaked in milk and eggs, then browned until soft inside.
56 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Paris-Brest
A ring of choux pastry filled with a nutty praline cream.
12 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Profiteroles
Small choux pastries filled with cream or ice cream, often served with chocolate sauce.
9 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Saint-Honoré
A layered pastry decorated with cream and caramel-coated choux puffs.
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Pastries & desserts
Tarte au citron meringuée
A crisp pastry tart filled with tangy lemon cream and topped with browned meringue.
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Pastries & desserts
Tarte Tatin
An upside-down apple tart with caramelized fruit and a pastry base.
12 US places with menu matches
Pastries & desserts
Teurgoule
A Normandy rice-and-milk dessert flavored with cinnamon.
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