Your French Breakfast

What is a Typical French Breakfast?

While American breakfasts can be sweet, savory, extravagant, eaten at any time of day (or night), or even skipped all together, the French breakfast is more simple, succinct and straightforward. 

So what do people eat for breakfast in the food capital of the world? To start, the majority of French people eat some form of bread for breakfast. This can be in the form of a baguette or any of the viennoiseries, such as croissants, chocolate croissants, raisin bread, and more. Another popular bread is pain tartine—or sliced bread—that is usually eaten with butter, jam or Nutella. 

Bread is certainly not the only item on the French breakfast menu. Yogurts, cereals, fruit, and cookies can also be a part of the French morning routine. 

As for drinks, the vast majority of French people prefer a hot drink such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or chicory. Chicory is a caffeine-free alternative to coffee that is enjoyed all over France and even popular in New Orleans, Louisiana. Many French people prefer a cold drink to accompany their breakfast such as orange juice or milk.

Some classic combos

A coffee and croissant is the quintessential breakfast combo, but cafés offer many breakfast bundles and pairings, often written on the menu as la formule petit dejeuner. French locals love to frequent their corner café and sip espresso, nibble on a pastry and enjoy a pleasant conversation. 

So, it is very common for us to take our breakfast in our favorite neighborhood cafe or next to your job and it is very common as well to meet friends, colleagues for breakfast or even to have a business breakfast in luxury hotel if you want to impress your client for instance. Here is where you will find the best addresses to have a business breakfast. Here are the best breakfast options in paris

So now you’re in France. How do you order food like a local?

Here are some ways to order food in a French café:

Je prendrai la formule cafe,croissant et jus d’orange s’il vous plait I will take the bundle coffee, croissant and orange juice please

Un café et un croissant, s’il vous plaît! A coffee and a croissant please!

Avez-vous un plat du jour? Do you have a daily special?

Je vais prendre un café au lait s’il vous plaît. I’ll take a coffee with milk please.

Still need time to practice your French? Enjoy a typical French breakfast delivered to your home!