Paris

Croissant

A flaky, buttery, crescent-shaped pastry perfected in Parisian bakeries and eaten across France every morning with coffee. Look for the AOP butter label on a boulangerie window for the richest, most authentic version.

◆Go early; the best neighbourhood bakeries often sell out of the morning batch by mid-morning.

Macaron

A delicate almond-meringue sandwich cookie in bright colours and flavours, filled with ganache, buttercream or jam. Parisian houses like Ladurée helped turn it into one of the city's most iconic edible souvenirs.

◆A good macaron shell should be crisp and slightly chewy, never dry or crumbly.

Steak frites

A simple, classic bistro plate of grilled steak with a pile of thin, crisp fries, usually finished with a pat of herb butter or a peppercorn sauce. It is the everyday backbone of Parisian bistro menus.

Foie gras

Rich, buttery fattened duck or goose liver, served as a smooth pâté or pan-seared, traditionally opening a French festive meal. It is a genuine delicacy, though its production is controversial and banned in some countries, so some travellers choose to skip it.