French Restaurant Vocabulary: Essential Words, Phrases, and Ordering Expressions

Key takeaways

• French restaurants are organized around a fixed structure: the entrée (starter), plat principal (main course), fromage (cheese course, optional), and dessert; the word entrée in French means starter, not main course as in American English
• Addressing your server as Monsieur or Madame is standard politeness in French restaurants: Monsieur, s’il vous plaît to get attention is more natural than calling out to them
• La carte is the regular menu you choose from; le menu is a fixed-price set menu with limited choices at each course. Asking for le menu when you want la carte is a common confusion for English speakers
• French dining culture values pace: meals are expected to be unhurried, service will not rush you, and asking for the bill (l’addition) is always the diner’s responsibility

Knowing the mechanics of French restaurant culture prepares you for the experience before you walk through the door. The vocabulary, the sequencing of courses, the etiquette around service: these are all distinct from what English speakers expect from a restaurant.

italki connects learners with French teachers who can role-play restaurant scenarios with you and help you sound natural when ordering in France.

This guide covers types of French dining establishments, menu structure, ordering and service vocabulary, dietary restriction phrases, wine and drink vocabulary, and paying the bill.

Types of French dining establishments

French	English	Notes
le restaurant	restaurant	Full service; formal to casual depending on category
la brasserie	brasserie	Informal, lively; often open all day; hearty classic dishes
le bistrot / bistro	bistro	Small, neighborhood restaurant; affordable; classic French fare
le café	café	Primarily drinks; light food available (croque-monsieur, salads)
la boulangerie	bakery	Bread, pastries, sandwiches; often has a seating area
la pâtisserie	pastry shop	Cakes, tarts, fine pastries; not a full restaurant
le salon de thé	tea room	Light lunches, pastries, tea; a quieter setting
le self-service	self-service restaurant	Cafeteria style; common in department stores and museums
la crêperie	crêperie	Specializes in crêpes (sweet) and galettes (savory, buckwheat)
le bar à vin	wine bar	Wine focused; light food plates (charcuterie, cheese)

Note: A brasserie is historically connected to beer (bière) brewing, and many serve a wider variety of drinks than a bistrot. Today the distinction is largely one of style and price rather than strict category.

Making a reservation

French	English
Je voudrais réserver une table, s’il vous plaît.	I would like to reserve a table, please.
Pour combien de personnes ?	For how many people?
Pour deux personnes.	For two people.
Pour ce soir à vingt heures.	For tonight at 8 p.m.
Au nom de…	In the name of…
Pouvez-vous confirmer ma réservation ?	Can you confirm my reservation?
J’ai une réservation au nom de…	I have a reservation in the name of…
Avez-vous une table de libre ?	Do you have a free table?
Nous n’avons pas de réservation.	We don’t have a reservation.
Combien de temps d’attente ?	How long is the wait?

Menu structure and terms

French	English	Notes
la carte	the menu	The full menu with all items and prices
le menu	set menu	Fixed-price meal: starter, main, dessert (sometimes with wine)
la formule	set formula / deal	Like le menu, often offered at lunch
l’entrée	starter / first course	NOT the main course (common English false friend)
le plat du jour	dish of the day	Changes daily; usually good value
le plat principal	main course
la garniture	side dishes	Vegetables or starches served with the main
le plateau de fromages	cheese platter	Often a separate course before or instead of dessert
le dessert	dessert
la carte des vins	wine list
hors-d’oeuvre	appetizer	Small bites before the meal; plural: des hors-d’oeuvres
l’amuse-bouche	amuse-bouche	A complimentary single bite from the chef

La carte vs le menu: This distinction trips up English speakers constantly. When you want to see all the options and order freely, ask for la carte (or la carte des menus). When you want the fixed-price set meal, ask for le menu. In France, une carte handed to you at a restaurant is the menu in the English sense.

Ordering food and drink

French	English
Nous sommes prêts à commander.	We are ready to order.
Je vais prendre…	I will have… (most common way to order)
Je voudrais…	I would like…
Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez ?	What do you recommend?
C’est quoi exactement, ce plat ?	What exactly is in this dish?
C’est inclus avec le menu ?	Is that included with the set menu?
Quelle est la spécialité de la maison ?	What is the house specialty?
Pour moi, ce sera le steak.	For me, it will be the steak.
Et pour vous ? / Et pour lui/elle ?	And for you? / And for him/her?
Comment voulez-vous votre viande ?	How would you like your meat cooked?
Saignant / à point / bien cuit	Rare / medium / well done
Avec ou sans glace ?	With or without ice?
Pétillant ou plat ?	Sparkling or still (water)?

A French tutor can run realistic ordering role-plays with you, correcting your pronunciation of French food words and helping you respond naturally to server questions.

Addressing the server

French	English	Notes
Monsieur ! / Madame !	Excuse me (to a waiter / waitress)	The polite standard; preferred over Garçon! (now considered rude)
S’il vous plaît !	Please!	Used alone to attract attention
Excusez-moi !	Excuse me!	Universal attention-getter
Pouvez-vous nous apporter… ?	Could you bring us…?	Polite request
C’est excellent !	This is excellent!	Complimenting the food
C’était délicieux.	It was delicious.	After the meal
Il y a un problème avec…	There is a problem with…	Raising an issue diplomatically
Ce n’est pas ce que j’ai commandé.	This is not what I ordered.
Pouvez-vous réchauffer ça ?	Could you warm this up?

Wine and drink vocabulary

French	English
la carte des vins	wine list
un verre de vin rouge	a glass of red wine
un verre de vin blanc	a glass of white wine
un verre de rosé	a glass of rosé
une bouteille de…	a bottle of…
une carafe d’eau	a carafe of water (still, tap water; free in French restaurants by law)
l’eau minérale	mineral water (sparkling or still, both cost money)
une bière pression	draught beer
un apéritif	pre-dinner drink (kir, pastis, champagne)
un digestif	after-dinner drink (cognac, armagnac, liqueur)
sec / demi-sec / doux	dry / semi-dry / sweet (for wine)
léger / corsé	light / full-bodied
un café	espresso
un café allongé	long black (espresso lengthened with water)
un café crème	espresso with steamed milk
une infusion	herbal tea

Note: In France, asking for un café will get you a small, strong espresso. If you want a larger American-style coffee, ask for un café allongé or un grand café. Un café au lait is usually a breakfast drink and ordering it after dinner may surprise your server.

Dietary restrictions and preferences

French	English
Je suis végétarien(ne).	I am vegetarian.
Je suis végétalien(ne).	I am vegan.
Je suis allergique à…	I am allergic to…
Je ne mange pas de…	I don’t eat…
Sans gluten, s’il vous plaît.	Gluten-free, please.
Sans noix, s’il vous plaît.	Without nuts, please.
Sans lactose.	Lactose-free.
C’est halal / casher ?	Is this halal / kosher?
Je suis intolérant(e) au lactose.	I am lactose intolerant.
Il y a des fruits de mer dans ce plat ?	Are there any shellfish in this dish?

Note: France has become more accommodating of dietary restrictions over time, particularly in large cities, but vegetarian options may be limited in traditional restaurants. Explicitly stating your restriction and asking about specific dishes is better than assuming the menu will accommodate you automatically.

Describing food

French	English
délicieux / délicieuse	delicious
savoureux / savoureuse	flavorful, tasty
épicé(e)	spicy
salé(e)	salty / savory
sucré(e)	sweet
acide	sour / acidic
amer / amère	bitter
trop cuit(e)	overcooked
pas assez cuit(e)	undercooked
frais / fraîche	fresh
croustillant(e)	crispy
moelleux / moelleuse	soft, moist (cakes), tender (meat)
bien assaisonné(e)	well-seasoned

Paying the bill

French	English	Notes
L’addition, s’il vous plaît.	The bill, please.	The standard phrase; never ask for la facture in a restaurant
Vous acceptez les cartes bancaires ?	Do you accept credit cards?
Je paye par carte.	I am paying by card.
Je paye en espèces.	I am paying cash.
On peut avoir des reçus séparés ?	Can we have separate receipts?	Splitting bills is less common in France
On va se partager l’addition.	We are going to split the bill.
C’est ma tournée. / C’est moi qui régale.	It is my treat.
Gardez la monnaie.	Keep the change.
Le service est compris ?	Is service included?	Usually yes in France (15% is standard)

Note: In France, le service est compris (service is included) in almost all restaurants by law. Tipping beyond the included service is entirely optional and usually in cash. Leaving a few euros on the table to express appreciation is common but not expected.

Common French dishes to know

French	English
le steak-frites	steak with French fries
le coq au vin	chicken braised in wine
le boeuf bourguignon	beef braised in Burgundy wine
la soupe à l’oignon	French onion soup
la quiche lorraine	egg-and-cream tart with bacon
la ratatouille	Provençal vegetable stew
les escargots de Bourgogne	snails in garlic butter
le magret de canard	duck breast
le croque-monsieur	grilled ham and cheese sandwich
le croque-madame	croque-monsieur topped with a fried egg
la tarte tatin	upside-down apple tart
la crème brûlée	custard with caramelized sugar topping
la mousse au chocolat	chocolate mousse

Kitchen items in French are useful when restaurant vocabulary expands into cooking and food preparation, while most common French words help you recognize everyday words that appear on menus and signs.

Practice French with a tutor

Reading a French menu is one thing. Speaking fluently to a server who is moving quickly, speaking normally fast, and expecting a natural response is another level of skill. The only way to build that is through practice that simulates real conditions. italki has 30,000+ expert tutors trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide, including French tutors who can role-play restaurant scenarios, help you with French pronunciation of food words, and correct your ordering phrases before you use them in France. Book a trial lesson and prepare for dining in French with confidence.

FAQ

Why is entrée confusing for American English speakers?

In American English, entrée has come to mean the main course. In French and most of the world, une entrée is the first course or starter, equivalent to what British English calls a starter and what Australians and others call an entree in the original French sense. This is one of the most common false friends between French and American English. When you see entrées on a French menu, you are looking at starters: soups, salads, charcuterie, and small plates served before the plat principal.

Is it rude to ask for the bill in a French restaurant?

It is not rude to ask for the bill, but you do need to ask: in France, it is considered impolite for the server to bring the check without being asked, as this would imply the restaurant is rushing you out. The appropriate moment to ask is when you are ready to leave. Catch the server’s eye, raise a hand slightly, and say l’addition, s’il vous plaît. Some people also mime signing with their hand to indicate they are ready to pay.

What should I order if I want to eat like a local?

Order the plat du jour (dish of the day) and le menu (the set-price meal) rather than picking items individually from la carte. French restaurants often save their freshest ingredients and most representative cooking for the daily special. A set menu for lunch typically offers two or three courses for a fixed price that is considerably lower than ordering the same dishes individually. At dinner, a classic entrée-plat-dessert combination gives you the full French dining structure and is often what the kitchen does best.