Lunch is usually between midday and 2 pm, when the kitchen will go off duty. Watch out, as during these times, service can be rather slow if you find yourself in a business area. Parisians don’t dine until at least 8.30 pm as prior to that, time is set aside for “l’apéritif”. If you’re used to eating earlier, restaurants in the more-frequented tourist areas are open from 7 pm onwards, although you won’t see too many Parisians at that time! Alternatively, you can go for a lighter fare (salads, sandwiches or pizza for example). You can eat late in the busier districts and many restaurants stay open until after midnight, in particular the brasseries who serve food non-stop. It’s a good idea to check opening times in our information pages and to book a table in advance in order to avoid a long wait at the more popular spots, especially at the weekend. The majority of bars and cafés open early, around 7 or 8 am and close late, sometimes not until 2 am, or even later if the establishment has a special dispensation.

Restaurants everywhere take all the major credit cards: Visa, EuroCard, MasterCard, American Express. At each transaction, the restaurant must give you a receipt which you should keep safely. Only cheques drawn on French banks will be accepted and generally proof of identity is requested. You can also pay in euros of course, although it is best to avoid the larger denomination banknotes.

A custom imported from English-speaking lands, it has been “happily” adopted by the French and is rife at the time of “l’apéritif” (from 6 to 8 pm) when certain cafés and bistros offer their best cocktails or wine by the glass at a reduced price or sometimes “2 for the price of 1”.

In busy tourist areas and in the top restaurants, waiting staff will speak one foreign language or more. English is the most common, but you’ll come across German, Spanish and Italian too. Menus are translated into English and other languages if the area is visited by tourists.