A French restaurant menu becomes much easier once you stop translating it word by word and start reading its structure. You do not need perfect French; you need a small set of words that change what arrives and what you pay.
First, understand the structure
- Entrée
- The starter or first course in France—not the main course.
- Plat / plat principal
- The main dish.
- Dessert
- The sweet final course; cheese may be listed separately.
- Menu / formule
- A fixed-price combination of courses, often with limited choices.
- À la carte
- Ordering individual dishes separately at their listed prices.
- Plat du jour
- The dish of the day.
A formule might be entrée + plat, plat + dessert, or all three. Read the small print: some offers are lunch-only, weekday-only or limited to particular dishes.
Menu does not simply mean the piece of paper
English speakers often use “menu” for the full list of food. In a French restaurant, la carte is commonly the full selection, while un menu can mean a set sequence at one price. If the server asks “à la carte ou le menu?”, they are asking whether you want individual dishes or the fixed-price offer.
Words that describe cooking
| French | Useful meaning |
|---|---|
| cru | raw |
| cuit | cooked |
| grillé | grilled |
| rôti | roasted |
| poêlé | pan-cooked |
| braisé | braised |
| fumé | smoked |
| confit | slow-cooked or preserved in fat/sugar, depending on the ingredient |
| mariné | marinated |
| vapeur | steamed |
Menu language can be compact or poetic. The main ingredient may be followed by the cooking method, sauce and garnish rather than a complete sentence.
How beef cuisson works
| Term | Approximate result |
|---|---|
| bleu | very quickly seared; very red and cool inside |
| saignant | rare |
| à point | medium to medium-rare depending on the kitchen and cut |
| bien cuit | well done |
Cooking standards vary by chef, cut and country. If the exact result matters to you, describe what you want rather than relying only on a translation.
What formule, supplément and compris tell you
- Formule: a course combination at a stated price.
- Supplément: an extra charge for a particular choice or addition.
- Compris: included.
- Non compris: not included.
- À volonté: offered without a fixed portion limit under the restaurant’s stated conditions.
- Prix net / service compris: the displayed price includes taxes and service.
Check whether coffee, wine or water is included; never assume that a drink shown beside a formule is part of the price unless the menu says so.
Service compris, water and tipping
In a French restaurant with table service, displayed prices include taxes and service. This is not the same as saying the waiter personally receives a separate percentage from your table. An additional tip is optional.
A carafe of ordinary tap water served with a meal is free when requested. Ask for “une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plaît.” If you request eau plate or eau gazeuse by brand or bottle, expect to pay for bottled water.
What fait maison really means
Fait maison is a defined consumer-information term. It indicates a dish cooked or transformed on the premises from raw ingredients, with certain permitted exceptions. A restaurant may use the words or official symbol for qualifying dishes.
It is useful evidence about preparation, not a promise that the dish is seasonal, local, inexpensive or to your taste. Treat it as one piece of information.
Origin and quality labels
- AOP: protected designation tied closely to a defined geographic origin and production method.
- IGP: protected geographical indication with a link to a region.
- Bio / AB: organic certification under applicable rules.
- Maison: can describe an in-house preparation, but look for the regulated fait maison indication when that specific claim matters.
Allergies and dietary requirements
Do not infer that a dish is safe because its title does not name an allergen. Sauces, stocks, garnishes and cross-contact may not be obvious. State the allergy clearly and ask the server to confirm with the kitchen.
- Je suis allergique à… — I am allergic to…
- Est-ce qu’il y a… dedans ? — Is there … in it?
- Pouvez-vous vérifier avec la cuisine ? — Can you check with the kitchen?
- Je ne mange pas de… — I do not eat…
Five questions worth asking
- Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez aujourd’hui ? — What do you recommend today?
- La formule comprend quoi ? — What does the set menu include?
- Ce plat est servi avec quoi ? — What comes with this dish?
- C’est plutôt léger ou copieux ? — Is it relatively light or filling?
- Est-ce que le supplément est inclus dans ce prix ? — Is the extra charge included in this price?
A quick example
“Formule déjeuner: entrée + plat ou plat + dessert, 24 €; entrée + plat + dessert, 29 €; supplément fromage 4 €” means the lunch offer costs €24 for two courses or €29 for three, with cheese costing an additional €4.
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The best rule: ask without embarrassment
Restaurant staff explain dishes every day. Asking what a word means, how something is cooked or whether a course is included is normal. A menu is an invitation to understand the restaurant—not a language exam.