Paris Ile-de-France local food specialities

Reading time: 0 minPublished on 31 October 2016

Paris and the Ile-de-France region boast a vast number of gourmet products and local specialities.

City dining

With 70 Michelin-starred restaurants and a vast number of prestigious establishments, the French capital is a hotbed of culinary trendsetters and a beacon of gastronomic excellence throughout the World.

Typical local brasseries serve French classics such as steak-frites and pommes parisiennes (Parisian potatoes), or the infamous Croque-Monsieur (toasted cheese and ham sandwich) as well as more elaborate ‘bistro’ style dishes that will often change on a daily basis.

If you want to grab some food on the go, opt for a traditional simple baguette sandwich with Jambon Blanc de Paris (traditional cooked ham) and butter from any boulangerie, and enjoy a picnic on a bench in one of the city’s many parks and outdoor spaces.

Local Produce and Specialities

The Ile-de-France region itself produces a vast number of local specialities; Houdan poultry, lamb from Ile-de-France, as well as Parisian mushrooms and cress from Méréville.

The local cheeses (Brie from Meaux, Melun or Coulommiers) rival the fantastic regional desserts like the Paris-Brest praline pastry, mille-feuille, chouquettes and colourful macarons. Many local recipes also include peppermint from Milly or cherries from Montmorency.

Indeed, some of France’s most famous exports are also said to have originated in Paris (although the recipes are so old that verifying provenance is almost impossible) from the small Financier sponge cakes, to Brioche and Croissants; from Saint-Honoré and Opéra to the nun-shaped Religieuse.

Foodie fairs

The Paris International Agricultural Show brings all of these specialities together under one roof, alongside others from all of the French regions. Held at the Porte de Versailles exhibition space, the show includes live animals and farming demonstrations, as well as a whole host of regional produce and crafts. The 2017 edition will be held from 25 February to 5 March.

Local specialities are also on display at the International Cheese and Wine Fair in Coulommiers (held every year on the weekend before Easter), and at the Chatou Fair – which brings together Antiques, Art Galleries, Ham (which is an honoured local tradition) and other gourmet specialities from across France and its overseas territories.