How a French dinner is paced
A French dinner is as much about pace as about food. A typical sequence is:
- Apero: drinks and small bites while guests arrive.
- Entree (starter): a salad, soup, terrine or tart.
- Plat principal (main): often one dish with a vegetable or starch side.
- Fromage (cheese): a small board, with bread.
- Dessert: a tart, mousse, cake or fruit.
- Cafe and digestif: coffee, perhaps with chocolate, and a small after-dinner drink.
You do not need to serve every course. Skipping the cheese or having a simple starter keeps things manageable. Some party menus found online lean on luxury ingredients such as caviar, foie gras and truffle, but a home-cooked bistro menu is more realistic and often more welcome. If you do want a touch of luxury, blini with red caviar are an easier and cheaper way to get it.
Choosing a menu
Classic bistro menu
- Starter: French onion soup or a frisee salad with bacon and a soft egg
- Main: coq au vin or boeuf bourguignon with potatoes or buttered noodles
- Dessert: creme brulee or chocolate mousse
Both braises can be cooked a day ahead, and many cooks find the flavour improves overnight.
Regional menu
- Starter: tarte flambee (see our Alsace specialty foods guide)
- Main: tartiflette, with a green salad (see recipes with Reblochon)
- Dessert: apple tart or kougelhopf
Light summer menu
- Starter: tomato salad or salade nicoise
- Main: grilled fish or chicken with ratatouille
- Dessert: fruit tart or sorbet
See our French summer dinner page for more dishes and sauces.
Apero and starters
Keep the apero easy: baguette with tapenade, olives, radishes with butter, gougeres, saucisson and a pate or rillettes. Starters that work for groups include soups, terrines, leek vinaigrette, and quiche squares. Choose one starter that can be served cold or made ahead.
Main courses
Pick a main that does not require last-minute attention:
- boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin or blanquette de veau
- cassoulet, for a larger winter table
- roast chicken with herbs and potatoes
- baked fish with white wine and herbs
- a vegetarian option such as a gratin dauphinois, a mushroom tart or a ratatouille with polenta
If any guests are vegetarian, a savoury tart or vegetable gratin can serve as the main for everyone.
The cheese course
A simple board of three cheeses is enough: a soft cheese (such as Brie or Camembert), a hard cheese (such as Comte) and a blue or goat’s cheese. Serve at room temperature, with bread, nuts and fruit. Allow roughly 30 to 50 g (1 to 2 oz) per person, and consider pregnant guests, who are often advised to avoid soft raw-milk cheeses.
Desserts
Make-ahead French desserts make hosting easier:
- creme brulee or chocolate mousse
- tarte Tatin or a fruit tart
- clafoutis
- profiteroles
- poached pears
- a simple platter of petits fours or chocolates with coffee
Drinks
Wine is typical, but it does not need to be expensive or perfectly matched. Start with a sparkling wine or a spritz, serve a white or red with the main depending on the dish, and consider a sweeter wine or a digestif with dessert. Offer alcohol-free options too, such as sparkling water with citrus, elderflower pressé or good coffee.
Setting the mood
- Use simple linen, candles and fresh flowers or herbs on the table.
- Play French jazz, chanson or acoustic pop at a low volume.
- Write menus by hand in French and English.
- Put bread directly on the table, which is how it is commonly served.
- Keep the lighting soft and the table conversation-friendly.
Make-ahead plan and timeline
- Two days before: shop, choose wines, make dessert components or stock.
- One day before: cook braises, make tarts and sauces, set the table.
- Morning: prepare vegetables and cheese board materials.
- One hour before: reheat main, set out apero.
- During dinner: serve in courses, clear lightly between them, and keep one task at a time.
Making the party more interesting
A little structure can lift an evening: a regional theme, a guessing game with cheeses, a wine tasting card, a “cheese and fruit” round at the end, or asking each guest to bring a favourite French song or dish. You can draw on our overview of favourite foods in France or the guide to popular food in Paris to pick a theme.
Frequently asked questions
What are some typical French dinners? Roast chicken, steak frites, gratins, tarts, soups and braises are all common.
What is a good theme for a dinner party? A French bistro night, a regional theme (such as Alsace or Provence) or a summer garden meal.
How can I make the dinner easier to host? Choose make-ahead dishes, limit the number of courses and prepare dessert in advance.