How to Eat in Paris Without Looking Like a Tourist

1. Breakfast Is a Ritual, Not a Meal

If you walk into a café at 8 a.m. and order an omelet with bacon, you’ve just given yourself away.

Parisians keep breakfast simple:

• espresso or café crème
• a croissant or tartine with butter and jam

Nothing more. Nothing “fit.” Breakfast isn’t photographed, discussed, or stretched into a one-hour event.

If you want to appear knowledgeable, stand at the counter, drink your coffee, and leave.

2. Lunch Has a Set Time (and a Purpose)

Lunch in Paris starts around 12:30 p.m. and ends before 2:30 p.m. After that, the kitchens close. No negotiations.

If you see formule déjeuner, you’re in the right place:

• starter + main

or

• main + dessert

at a reasonable price.

Parisians rarely order “everything.” One dish is enough. You don’t eat until you burst, only until you’re satisfied.

3. Water Is Free, If You Know How to Ask

A classic tourist mistake.

If you say: Can I have water?

You’ll get bottled water, and you’ll pay for it.

If you say: Une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plaît

You’ll get tap water for free, and the waiter will know you didn’t arrive the day before.

4. Don’t Modify the Dish. Ever.

In Paris, there is no:

• “without this”
• “a bit more of that”
• “Can I get a different sauce?”

A dish is conceived as a whole. If it doesn’t suit you, choose another one. Altering the menu is the fastest way to lose the kitchen’s goodwill.

5. Wine Is Not Chosen by Price

If you ask for “the cheapest wine,” that’s exactly what you’ll get, and nothing more.

A better question is:

Quel vin vous recommandez avec ça? (Which wine would you recommend with this?)

A glass of wine at lunch is normal. Drinking wine doesn’t mean drinking a lot; it means knowing why you’re drinking it.

6. Dinner Is Late, and Slow

If you dine at 6 p.m., the restaurant is full of tourists.

Parisians arrive:

• after 8:00 p.m.
• stay a long time
• don’t rush
• Don’t ask for the bill immediately

Dinner is a social event, not a technical break between two obligations.

7. The Bill Isn’t Split to the Last Cent

This isn’t New York.

If you’re at the table together, one person often pays, and the other pays next time. Precise bill-splitting is considered impolite.

8. The Waiter Is Not Your Friend, But Not Your Enemy Either

In Paris, the waiter isn’t there to smile nonstop, explain everything, and chat for half an hour. He’s a professional.

If you are:

• polite
• brief
• clear

You’ll get excellent service. If you expect constant attention and small talk, you’ll be disappointed.

9. Brasserie Beats Instagram Restaurants

The best places aren’t the ones with lines outside and neon signs.

Look for:

• brasseries with old mirrors
• small tables
• menus without pictures
• locals standing at the counter

If people are reading newspapers and eating without rushing, that’s where you should sit.

10. The Most Important Rule: Don’t Try to Impress

Paris doesn’t like effort. It likes relaxed confidence.

Eat simply. Drink slowly. Don’t ask too many questions. Don’t photograph every plate. And remember - if you’ve lost yourself in the taste and the conversation, you’re already doing everything right.