France has some pretty amazing gastronomic traditions. Most are absolutely DELICIOUS, but there are a few unexpected and downright weird dishes. However, just because some foods might sound a bit strange, that doesn’t mean they aren’t tasty – actually they might be the best thing you try in France. If you’re a bit of an adventurous eater (even just a tiny bit!), here are some of the most unusual foods in Paris that you might like to give a try. There are even some curious desserts for adventurous sweet-toothed visitors.
*Some of the links in this article will earn a small commission if you click them and then purchase something. Thanks in advance for your support!
Escargots (snails)
The most famous “weird” classic French dish is certainly escargots, or snails. Most people say that the best part about snails is the delicious sauce, made of butter, garlic, and parsley. Although they’re eaten all over France, the most famous are the ones from Burgundy, so you’ll likely see them listed as “escargots de Bourgogne”.
Snails are pretty popular in Paris, and you’ll see them on lots of menus. But if you’d like to try the best, you should go to L’Escargot Montorgueil, a restaurant in the Les Halles district that serves both classic and creative snails. You’ll also find them at most “bouillons”, a type of restaurant serving classic French dishes at really reasonable prices, like Petit Bouillon Pharamond.
Image Courtesy of Bouillon Julien via Instagram
Rillettes
You’ve probably heard of pâté, but you’ve likely never heard of this similar French specialty. With a chunkier texture than pâté, rillettes are made of slowly cooked meat or fish. Served as a starter or apéro snack, it doesn’t look all that appetizing, but it’s actually very tasty.
You’ll find rillettes on menus at some restaurants and wine bars. However, if you’d like to make sure it’s available, go to Bouillon Julien, a stunning restaurant which has sea trout rillettes, or Bulot Bulot, a tiny seafood-focused small plate restaurant in Montmartre that has mackerel rillettes.
Image Courtesy of Comptoir de la Gastronomie via Instagram
Gésiers (gizzards)
What the heck are gizzards? Well, they’re small organs in the stomachs of birds. They might not sound very appealing, but they have a more intense flavor than regular poultry meat and are considered a delicacy in France, especially duck gizzards. You’ll often see these included in a “salade gourmande”, a gourmet salad that’s loaded with different types of decadent duck products, including duck breast and foie gras.
You’ll spot it on the menu at certain brasseries, restaurants specialized in the cuisine from the southwest of France, like Comptoir de la Gastronomie in the Les Halles area.
Image Courtesy of Boullion Chartier via Instagram
Filet de hareng (filets of herring)
Harengs are small Atlantic Ocean fish that are included in one of the favorite “fish” starters of the French. The full name of the dish is “filet de hareng pommes à l’huile”, which consists of pieces of herring (often smoked) served with potatoes, carrots, slices of onion, and olive oil. Potatoes are pommes de terre in French, but on restaurant menus, they’re often shortened to pommes, which is also the word for apples, so it can be a tad confusing.
A little less strange than some of the others on this list, it’s more of a curious dish you might not have heard of before. You’ll see it in the starter section on menus at brasseries, and Bouillon Chartier also serves them.
Oursin (sea urchin)
This spikey sea creature is definitely among the weirdest-looking unusual foods in Paris. Hidden inside those prickles are pieces of soft meat. Sea urchins are often served raw (opened up for you), but they might come with a sauce or be included in a seafood soup. They’re commonly found at seafood-focused restaurants and as part of a mixed seafood platter.
If you’re eager to try them, go to the trendy seafood restaurant Clamato. It usually has sea urchins on the menu, as well as fish rillettes.
Steak tartare
Eating raw beef might seem strange to some, but the French love having it in the form of this specialty. Steak tartare is made of hand-chopped raw beef mixed with a raw egg yolk and a few other ingredients like diced shallots, capers, pickles, and a Dijon-mustard dressing. Some places mix this all up for you, while others provide the items separately and allow you to dress the beef as you please.
Almost all brasseries will serve steak tartare, so you won’t have to look far to find it. If you’d like to get a little creative with your tartare, head to Alix and Mika. This modern restaurant on the north side of Montmartre specializes in tartare, and not only beef tartare. You can actually choose between a few bases (beef, seafood, and quinoa) and then from a range of condiment options and sauces.
Image Courtesy of Comptoir de la Gastronomie
Magret de canard
This duck dish isn’t totally unusual, but since duck isn’t so common abroad, it’s something you might want to try here. Margret de canard is pan-seared duck breast served with a sweet sauce and a side dish, usually potatoes. It’s actually a newer French dish, invented in 1959 by André Daguin, a former French rugby player turned Michelin-starred chef. Since then, it’s become super popular and was even voted the most popular dish of the French.
It’s served at quite a lot of restaurants, especially brasserie-style ones. For one that’s above average, go to Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie (where you can also try gizzards) or the Brasserie Bellanger, where it’s the signature dish and changes a bit each season.
One of our Paris experts Lynn shows you Magret de canard, escargots and other classic French dishes in this Paris food guide.
Image Courtesy of La Ravigote via Facebook
Tête de veau (calf’s head)
Okay, now we’re getting into the very unique stuff, and this specialty is definitely a better fit for more daring eaters. Tête de veau is a calf’s head that’s boiled for a really long time in a flavored broth until the meat becomes very tender. It’s a very traditional dish that comes from Lyon, France’s gastronomic capital.
It’s usually served with potatoes, carrots, and a gribiche sauce, which is made of cold eggs, mustard, oil, and herbs. If this sounds appetizing to you, you can sample it at La Ravigote, a charming old-school bistro in the 15th district.
Image Courtesy of Boullion Chartier via Facebook
Andouillette
This popular French pork sausage is also for those with a strong stomach. Originally from the Champagne region, the sausage is made from pork intestine, onions, wine, and seasonings. If that doesn’t sound appealing, wait for the smell… which is really nasty. Despite this, a lot of French people adore it.
On menus, you’ll often see it with the letters “AAAAA”. This stands for an association of meat professionals that vouches for the quality of the sausage, guaranteeing that it’s been made in the traditional method. Most bouillon restaurants serve it, or it’s more of the specialties of Chez Georges, a lovely classic restaurant near the Palais Royal and the Louvre.
BTW: Chez Georges and plenty of other Paris expert-approved restaurants around the city are featured in my Paris Itinerary, and pinned on the digital map that comes with it. If eating well and where the Parisians go is important to you, grab a Paris Itinerary.
Kouign amann
If you’ve made it this far on our list of unusual foods in Paris, then you’re in for a treat, or rather a really tasty dessert with a wacky name. A specialty of the western region of Brittany, “kouign amann” (pronounced “queen-a-mon”), literally means butter cake in the Breton language. The dense, buttery cake is delicious, and is likely something you’ve never heard of before, nor can get abroad, so it could be fun to try it while you’re in Paris.
You can get it at Georges Larnicol, a pastry and chocolate shop that has a few branches around the city, including in Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, and St-Germain. They sell traditional larger cakes, but also mini versions, called Kouignette®, which Georges Larnicol invented and come in a few different flavors. I suggest you get the caramel one – it’s AMAZING.
Baba aux rhum
This is another French dessert that you might not have heard about before, but which is really tasty. It’s a brioche cake soaked in rum that was invented at Stohrer, the oldest pastry shop in Paris (included in Day 4 of my Paris itinerary). It still sells traditional baba au rhum, but also a version with thick whipped cream. Their shop is really pretty and in the central Montorgueil area, so it’s worth going to, but you’ll also see it on dessert menus around the city.
Ile-flottante
There’s nothing odd tasting about this other classic French dessert, but it has a strange name and a surprising appearance. Meaning “floating island” in French, it consists of a large dollop of soft meringue, which is “floating” in a lake of crème anglaise, or English cream, a popular vanilla custard cream.
You’ll see it on menus at brasseries and bistros, or head to La Coupole, a beautiful Art Deco brasserie in the Montparnasse area. Its Ile-flottante is GIGANTIC, and is topped with salted butter caramel, and roasted almonds – so tasty. La Coupole actually also serves escargots, andouillette, magret de canard, so you can try a number of these unusual foods in Paris in one place.
After reading our list of the most unusual foods to try in Paris, are you looking for other articles on Paris food? Read these next:
Pin this…
