15 French Dishes Every Paris Visitor Should Taste, Local Approve

Lucile, a Paris local and popular creator among Travel Vlogs on YouTube, takes viewers through a very down‑to‑earth food day in her city, and through her lens as one of the trusted YouTube Travel Vloggers, she shares 15 French dishes she loves and thinks every visitor should try at least once. This article walks through each of those 15 foods and what she likes about them, so you can plan what to eat on your own trip to Paris.

Leeks Vinaigrette

Lucile starts with Leeks vinaigrette, a simple plate of soft-boiled leeks with a sharp mustard dressing. She likes how clean and fresh it tastes, and how that tangy sauce wakes up your taste buds at the start of a meal. However, she notes its sharpness may be a little intense for everyday consumption but perfect as an introductory bite.​

Beef Tartare

Next, she orders beef tartare, finely chopped raw beef mixed with herbs and seasoning. What she enjoys here is the silky texture and how you can really taste the quality of the meat instead of just the sauce. She points out that it feels French and very “bistrot,” and while she personally loves it, she’s honest that the raw aspect will put some people off.

Paupiette de Veau

Paupiette de veau brings her straight back to family lunches. It’s veal rolled around a soft filling, cooked slowly in sauce and served with ratatouille on the side. She appreciates how tender the meat is and how the vegetables on the side keep the whole plate from feeling too heavy. For her, this is the kind of dish that makes you feel like you’re eating at a French grandma’s table.

Escargots

When the escargots arrive, she admits this was not always “her thing.” The snails are baked in garlic and parsley butter, and she now really enjoys the taste of that rich, herby butter on bread. The only part she still struggles with a bit is the texture, which can feel slightly chewy or a bit odd, so it’s something she prefers to share rather than order just for herself.

Ratatouille

With the ratatouille, she spoke out that the real version is a chunky mix of zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, not the perfectly stacked slices people know from the movie. She likes that each vegetable has some bite, and that the whole plate tastes like late summer in the south of France. It’s the kind of side she’s happy to eat with meat, or even on its own with some good bread.

Paris-Brest Cake

Paris-Brest is one of the desserts she gets most excited about. It’s a ring of choux pastry filled with a smooth hazelnut cream, and she loves how the different textures play with together: light pastry, creamy filling, and a bit of crunch on top. For anyone who likes nutty flavours, she sees this as a no‑brainer choice in a Paris pastry shop.

Goûter and Pastries

Later in the afternoon, she moves on to goûter, the French habit of having a small sweet break around 4 p.m. She picks up a soft brioche scented with orange blossom, a rich chocolate‑hazelnut babka, and a huge pistachio pastry filled with cream. According to her, the brioche was about softness, the babka was dense, chocolatey, and perfect with coffee, while the pistachio one was her current favourite, thanks to the amount of cream and strong pistachio taste.

Oeuf Cocotte

In the evening, she orders oeuf cocotte, eggs baked in a small dish with cream and herbs. What she enjoys here is the mix of runny yolk and warm cream, which feels simple but very satisfying. It’s the kind of starter you can imagine making at home, but in Paris bistros it comes with that extra care and just-right seasoning.

Pâté and Pickles

The pâté arrives with a jar of small pickles, and she explains the importance of its contrast. On its own, pâté is rich and full-on, but when you add a crunchy, acidic pickle, it all clicks into place. She likes that this kind of plate feels very everyday French, something people would happily share with bread before a main course.

Duck Confit

Duck confit is one of the clear stars of the video for her. The duck leg is cooked slowly until the meat is soft and comes off the bone with barely any effort, while the skin stays crisp. She also points out that the potatoes cooked in duck fat are almost as good as the duck itself, and she sees this dish as one of the most satisfying things you can order if you want to understand how people eat in the south of France.

Saucisse Aligot and Saucisse de Toulouse

To finish, she selects a plate that can only be found in her home region, i.e., saucisse with aligot and saucisse de Toulouse. Aligot is mashed potatoes mixed with cheese until it turns smooth, and she loves how comforting and filling it is on a cool evening. The saucisse served with aligot is perfectly salted in, while the saucisse de Toulouse keeps things simple with just pork, salt, and pepper, which is exactly what she likes about it.

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As one of the better‑known YouTube Travel Vloggers covering Paris food, Lucile’s videos stand out in Travel Vlogs on YouTube because she sticks to places she visits in her life and dishes she orders. Her picks in this guide come from local insight and are a mix of personal favourites (like duck confit, Paris‑Brest, and that pistachio pastry).

For straightforward food advice, smart tips on what to order, and more easygoing Paris stories, subscribe to Lucile’s channel and use her videos as a starting point for your own YouTube travel adventure!