The range and variety of food, as well as the types of restaurants, will delight the visitor to France - especially if you are able to experience the various regional cuisines. Quality of fare is not necessarily reflected in the appearance or prices of the establishment. A good French meal can be enjoyed by one and all.
Restaurants, auberges, relais, cafés and brasseries are all eating establishments. The quality of fare and the price range is individual and not indicated in any way by the category; it's not difficult to eat good food in France!
Most restaurants, with the exception of brasseries, tend to serve at traditional meal times, from noon-2 pm and from 7:30-10:00 pm.
Brasseries were originally establishments that specialized in the service of beer. They promote mostly the gastronomy of the Alsace-Lorraine region and serve at most hours of the day and night.
Cafés serve hot and cold beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, as well as snacks or simple fare.
A bar-tabac is a bar with a counter where you can purchase phone cards, stamps and cigarettes.
Restaurants will generally offer a daily special (plat du jour) along with the set-price menu (menu prix-fixe). It is more expensive to order single dishes (á la carte) from the menu. At cafés, you can save money by standing at the bar (au comptoir) to have a drink; this is almost always cheaper than table seating (en salle) or outside (en terrasse).
French law dictates that every bar or café must display its full price list. Whether the price list is shown with or without the tip, the bill will always include gratuities. Therefore, service charges are always included anywhere in France. However, good service may always be worth a little extra reward.
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