Ah, French cuisine! French food is revered around the world for its quality, and if you’re planning on visiting France sometime soon, you're probably planning on spending lots of time eating out in as many cafes, bistros, and restaurants as possible.
When heading to a tiny French bistro, though, it’s helpful to have some key phrases down in order to make the experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. We've made a list of some of the most useful French phrases for eating out at restaurants.
Which French Food Vocabulary Phrases Should You Know for Eating Out?
Ordering and Etiquette
When you are ordering and interacting with the staff at restaurants in France, manners and proper dining etiquette will go a long way toward getting you on their good side. These are some essential phrases you will need to use with your waiter and other staff. (A select few are phrases you may need to respond to.)
- Bonjour. J’ai une réservation pour deux (trois/quatre) sous le nom de … : "Hello. I have a reservation for two (three/ four) under the name of…"
- Avez-vous une table pour deux (trois/quatre)?: "Do you have a table for two (three/four)?" If you don’t have a reservation, this is how to ask if you can be seated.
- La carte, s’il vous plaît.: "The menu, please."
- La carte des vins, s’il vous plaît.: "The wine list, please."
- Qu’est-ce que vous voulez commander?: "What would you like to order?" Just so you know, if the waiter says this to you, they're asking for your order!
- Que voulez-vous?: "What would you like?" The waiter will ask this as either an alternative way of taking your order, or as a general way of seeing if there’s something else (a napkin, some water) you’d like.
- Qu’est-ce que la recommandation du chef?: "What is the chef’s recommendation?" If you don’t know what to order, this is a great way to find out what the best or most famous dishes at the restaurant are.
- Quel est le plat du jour?: "What’s today’s special?"
- Je prendrai/ Je voudrais/ J’aimerais…: "I would like to order…" All three are acceptable.
- Un moment, s’il vous plaît.: "One moment, please." This is something to say if you are still deciding what to get.
- L’addition, s’il vous plaît.: "The check, please." Usually, you won’t get the check until you ask for it. This is a polite way to let the waiter know you are ready to leave.
Food and Drink
The highlight of the experience: the food and drink. Make sure to know some basic food words for things you would like to try (or anything you know you don’t want to try!). Don’t be afraid to get something new, though.
- Vin rouge/ blanc/ mousseux: "Red wine/ white wine/ sparkling wine"
- J’aimerais de l’eau.: "I would like some water."
- le pain: "bread"
- le fromage: "cheese"
- une salade: "a salad". Strictly speaking, this is also the word for lettuce, so if it is listed on the side of something like a hamburger, it may just mean that the dish comes with lettuce. Be aware of the context.
- les pommes de terre: "potatoes"
- le porc: "pork"
- le poulet: "chicken"
- le bœuf: "beef"
- J’aime mon steak saignant/ à point/ bien cuit.: "I like my steak rare/ medium(-rare)/ well-cooked."
- Puis-je avoir du sel/ poivre?: "May I have some salt/ pepper?"
- Un café avec le dessert, s’il vous plaît.: "A coffee with dessert, please."
What Other Phrases Might You Need?
These French phrases for eating out are a solid starting point, and they can get you through most restaurant situations without too much trouble. But if you want to feel more relaxed, understand menus more easily, and actually enjoy conversations around the table, it helps to build a broader food and dining vocabulary.
One simple way to do that is by using digital flashcard apps such as Anki or Brainscape to study common food terms, menu language, and everyday expressions related to eating out. Short, regular review sessions make it much easier to remember what you’ve learned and recall it when you need it in a real restaurant.
As you keep building your French, you’ll notice that even a modest increase in vocabulary goes a long way. Understanding what you’re ordering, asking questions with confidence, and catching small details in conversation all make dining in French more enjoyable. With a bit of consistent practice, food becomes one of the most rewarding and motivating ways to use the language in real life.