Know Before You Go

Food and Dining

Leave your diet at home, because the food in France is some of the most decadent, flavorful, and delicious in the world. Along with these gastronomic wonders come a few rules and expectations that differ from what we're used to in the US. They're easy to adapt to if you choose, and just as easy to circumvent if they're not to your liking.

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Dining Out

There are an insane amount of stellar restaurants in Beaune, and 10x as many up the road in Dijon.

They range from fine French dining, to rustic brassieres overflowing with charm, all the way to

conveyor belt sushi joints and pizza parlors. Listed here are some of our favorites,

but certainly not a comprehensive list.

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Breakfast is typically a light, sweet affair. Inexpensive coffee, croissant, or pastry is on offer to-go

from any boulangerie starting at 6:30am. 

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Lunch is slightly more regimented, starting promptly at 11:30-12pm with most restaurants closing

their doors around 2. Reservations at nearly all lunch spots in Beaune are mandatory. Many will

accept reservations online or via email up to the day before your desired date.

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Dinner is a far more slow paced and laid back meal. Dinner service begins around 7-7:30pm

and stretches well into the later evening hours. Again, reservations are mandatory.

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Dining out in France is an event, meant to be savored. Service is efficient and polite, but don't

expect to be fawned over, interrupted, or asked multiple times if your meal is to your liking. If

there is a problem, the wait staff expects you to wave them down and let them know. However,

in the decade plus I've dined in France, the only real issue I've ever encountered is not having

enough room for dessert.

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Some people advise that the portions in France are smaller than those in the US, but this has rarely been the case in my experience. We've never left a meal hungry. Quite the opposite in fact.

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Additional Helpful Tips for Dining in France:

• Bistros- small, casual, intimate and low key

• Brasseries- large, noisy, with big menus

• Bar Comptoirs- think pubs

• Cafe- simple food and typically open until dinner

• Restaurants- more upscale, white table clothes, extensive wine list

• You may be asked at the start of your meal if you want an Aperitif. There is usually a menu

• specifically for these drink, but the most common aperitifs in Beaune include:

  • Crémant- local sparkling white wine. When mixed with cassis liqueur it is a Kir
    or Kir Royale

  • Pastis- anise flavored spirit mixed with cold water

  • A gin and tonic

  • A red or white Porto cocktail of sweet port wine

  • A bière or beer. Stick to Belgium or German. French bier is...not great.

• Red, White or Rosé wine is usually reserved as a complement to your main meal, but
  order some whenever you want.

• In France, the Entrée is actually the starter or appetizer. 

• Your main course is called the Plat. 

• Dessert can be a sweet treat or a cheese platter- sometimes both

• Many restaurants will have a set menu featuring a mixture of entrée, plat, and dessert,
  all for a discounted rate- especially at lunch.

• Wine lists in Beaune can be intimidating. There is a massive selection of reds, whites, rosés and some sparkling wines. They range from quite affordable to astronomically expensive. If a full bottle is too much vin for your taste, there will be a small selection of wines by the glass or verre.

• Google Translate photo feature will be your new BFF when it comes to translating the menus 

• If you're feeling adventurous and want to try your hand at deciphering French handwriting- look for specials on handwritten chalk boards for some off the menu delights.

• Some local favorite dishes include:

  • ​Bœuf Bourguignon- hearty, slow cooked beef stew with red wine and veggies

  • Froie Gras- decedent goose liver pate with some ethical implications

  • Oeufs Meurette- poached eggs swimming in Bœuf Bourguignon sauce

  • Filet de Turbot- a light and flavorful white fish

  • Escargot- 90% butter and garlic, 10% snail

  • Cœur de Ris de Veau- veal sweet breads

  • Cassis flavored deserts- made with local sweet black currant

• When it is time to pay: Credit Cards are ubiquitous and your US card will work, if it
  as a chip. You may be charged an international transaction fee by your credit card,
  unless your card offers free international transactions. A card reader will be
  brought to you at a restaurant, but some bistros may ask you to pay at the front
  counter. Cash is always welcome.

• You will not be asked for nor expected to leave much of a tip unless your service was
  truly exceptional (which it often is in Beaune). In that case, a few euro coins will
  show your waiter how much you appreciated their service. Waiters earn a living wage,
  so tipping 20% is not a thing in France. Stick to 5-10% in a fine dining restaurant

• If it's too hot to sit outside on a terrace or sidewalk, look for a restaurant
  advertising Climatisé- it will have air conditioning.

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Dining out in Beaune will typically run you €20-40 per person for lunch, and €35-55 for

dinner. Expensive bottles of wine can, of course, increase this number.

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Grocery Shopping

If you're here for an extended stay, don't want to be told what time you can and cannot eat, or just prefer to spend your money on activities other than dining out, the French grocery store will be your best friend. There are three very nice, walkable options near the Apartment:

• Lidl- small but well appointed German grocery chain

• Casino- also small but with a larger variety of French foods. Best of all, they have self check out in English!

• Carrefour- a bigger grocery store with a very large selection of not only food and wine, but home goods as well. They also have self check out in English!

• BONUS: For snack food and soft drink, pop into the Action store downstairs from the apartment.

 

Consider purchasing items ahead of your visit and have them picked up by our caretaker and stocked in the fridge and pantry. Anything from sweets, salty snacks, frozen pizzas, bread, cereal, fruits, veggies, meat, cheese, or prepared meals.

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Best of all- you'll get the hands down cheapest prices on wine in town. That's right- the same bottles selling for €20 in the beautiful wine stores and cellars downtown, will be €8 at the grocery store. The dairy and wine sections are like nothing you've seen in an American grocery store. This is the perfect opportunity to try new chesses and pair them with as many different wines as you like, without breaking the bank. Enjoy them on the private terrace and you're living La Vie en Rose.