Food is a huge part of French culture, and the French are very proud of it! In fact, the French way of sharing a meal is on a special United Nations list of traditions that are important to the whole world. When you go out to eat, people are rarely in a hurry. Lunch or dinner can last two hours, and you are never rushed out of a restaurant (sometimes it’s even hard to get your server’s attention so you can pay!).
Parisians also love to eat and drink at a terrasse (pronounced: teh-RASS), the tables and chairs that cafés set up outside on the sidewalk. The chairs usually face the street instead of each other, so people can watch everyone walk by while they eat. People sit there for hours, chatting and watching people walk by, even when it’s chilly outside. They just keep their coats on!
I love classic French food, but in the U.S., French restaurants are often very expensive, and the ingredients aren’t always fresh. Living in Paris, I finally get to eat French food the way it is meant to be eaten: made with fresh, local ingredients, and for much less money. Paris is also full of food from all over the world, brought here by people who moved to France from countries like Vietnam, Morocco and more.
