The City of Light boasts a plethora of restaurants and cafes, with the ultraexpensive gastronomy venues including Alain Ducasse, L'Astor, Pierre Gagnaire, Lasserre, Jacques Cagna, and Le Grand Véfour. Paris also provides an array of other choices, from simple restaurants serving cuisines from all French provinces to places offering dishes from former colonies, such as Morocco and Algeria, and reflecting the changing complexion of Paris itself. The city's increasing appreciation for international food is best mirrored in the Vietnamese or West African eat-outs.

The term 'French cuisine' covers a large scope of chefs’ offerings. It could include regional specialties, classic dishes, and even modern cuisine, but chefs might prefer a more narrow focus on the cuisine a single region or style. Regional cuisine encompasses the diversity of the French provinces, from Alsace to the Basque country at the Spanish border. While Provence offers olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes, southern Brittany specializes in oysters and saltwater fish. Burgundy is known for its escargots plucked off the grapevines, and Périgord is reputed for its truffles and foie gras. Normandy is known for its rich cheeses and cream sauces, and Alsace is renown for the sauerkraut and wines. You can indulge in a complete culinary tour into the whole of France without even leaving the city.

The rituals of dining in Paris require the observing of few principles, definitely increasing your chances of getting good service. First, you should reserve. Restaurant staff normally greets with the phrase “Avez-vous réservé?”, or Have you reserved? You should also exercise discretion, as the proximity of bistro tables means you are to learn to keep your voices down. Loud talk and laughing is frowned upon, but waving your cigarette in your neighbor's face is quite acceptable.