Cafes - what do you eat for a snack?
 

I'm not that familar with the cafes in Paris or Rome, and I'm sure we will be stopping to get something to drink during the afternoon.

If we wanted more than just a drink, what kinds of snacks do you usually order? I don't think I'll want something like a croque monsiuer/madame...do some order fries(frites), salads, etc? Are fruit plates something that they would have in cafes?

Anna: As a general rule, the French don't "snack." They rightly think that that leads to weight problems. I've never had a French friend or acquaintance who ate anything between meals.
SOMETIMES at cafés, you will be given, gratis, a small bowl of olives or small crackers along with a drink when you order one. Ionce was given a small dish of puffed-up shrimp crackers (but when they do this you pay LOADS for the drink). I'd say my experience has been that I get one of those about 1 out of 5 times. Otherwise, you can ask if they have something, but I'm not even sure what you'd ask for. I sat next to a Dutch mother and her son at the Café Mabillon in October, and the mother kept asking the waiter for "a bag of crisps" for her son, and the waiter kept looking very confused - I think between the word "crisps" and the fact that she would be asking for anything other than a drink - but he finally produced a bag of potato chips.
Though things are changing in France, generally there are three meals a day and you don't feed in between.

Anna, the Italians don't really snack either but however saying that it is not unusual to be served a small bowl of olives or perhaps potato chips to snack on. And some places have small sandwiches you can choose from, or perhaps a pastry. I have never seen fries, salads, fruit being served but than again I don't snack much (unless there are potato chips) so maybe I just have never noticed.

I carry some chocolate and maybe cashews in my day bag. Gives me the energy to carry on. For a sit down break I'll order an espresso or a beer.

I don't really snack very much, either, so don't usually eat food in-between meals. I'm not familiar with Rome cafes, but in Paris, cafes will have menus that you can order whatever you want most of the day, as you wish. Anything in the section for appetizers or "entrees" or "starters" should be suitable, as well as the side dishes if you want potatoes or something like that. Often they won't serve breakfast food after a certain hour. Sometimes they do put a very small little dish of crackers or nuts on the table with a drink. I don't eat that kind of thing, though, so never eat it.

Sometimes I have a snack in mid to later afternoon if I have not eaten lunch and won't be having dinner until relatively late. Sometimes I order a small cheese plate, that's the usual, I guess, or perhaps a small vegetable plate such as fresh French green beans (haricots verts), because I love them. Once at Deux Magots I had a leek tarte which sounds weird but was rather good.

Occasionally, I'll have dessert at that time, such as a couple scoops of ice cream or even a "sundae" of some kind. This is because I don't usually like to eat dessert after dinner as I am too full, so that's one way of indulging my desire to have ice cream.

I would never order French fries as a snack, but you probably could if you wanted, in a cafe. I've never seen a fruit plate, but haven't really searched for one.

In Rome, the best snack you can get is a gelato. They are not typically in cafes, but you can grab one from a gelateria and have a seat near a fountain. Ahhhhhh.....

As other have mentioned, a midafternoon snack is not a usual thing in a cafe. If early in the afternoon places may still offer their lunch menu? You might want to think of something like a crepe from a stand or small prepared sandwich from a bakery if you are hungry.

StCirq-
You are so well traveled and provide great info to your fellow board members. Why have you recently become snide & condescending in some of your posting. I used to always look forward to your input, but now fear getting bitten.
I hope you are well.

Most Paris cafe (but not all) will offer sandwiches at any time of the day. Many can also serve fried eggs (or croque-monsieur/madame, but you don't seem to be interested) or hard boiled eggs. Some will serve salads, a few will serve hot dishes (say a steak) at any time.

janeg: StCirq certainly doesn't need my defense -- BUT what on Earth are you talking about???? There was not a snide, unkind or condescending word in her post.

I agree with Janis. StCirq is a saint; especially when compared to some of the crazt loons who have descended on the forum over the past week.

yes, europeans in general do not "snack" as americans do. however, in most cafes, it is no problem to get only an entree (appetiser) with your drink.

janeg, i agree.

st cirq, why the need to put the poster "in her place" before answering the question? i have seen many times where french people get a drink and appetiser. another example of an american desparately trying to protect their idea of the european "code". this protectionism of the romantic europe belies a misunderstanding of the continent in my opinion.

We often would have only breakfast and dinner in France. If we got hungry in the mid-afternoon, we would stop at a cafe and order an "asiette du fromage" (sp)--a plate of assorted cheeses w/baguette, and a glass of wine. It was a wonderful way to enjoy the French cheeses at a time when we were really hungry and could appreciate them.

janeg: Re-reading my post, I see how you might have thought I was being rude. Í was trying to convey how the French feel about snacking, and one waiter in particular, not what I myself might think about it. I guess it got lost in translation. Maybe it was that horrible head cold I had last night, too (which, by the way Zicam miraculously cleared up overnight), or maybe it was my reaction to the nellyannes and travelwomen who've been populating this site in recent days. At any rate, my apologies.

StCirq, I read your post, and I didn't think you were the least bit rude -- I don't think you should apologize at all. ((b))

Thanks everyone for there input! I didn't mean to cause such a debate :)

The reason I posted this question is that myself, and the rest of our group, aren't really into drinking soda/alcohol when we might want to have a afternoon break, and just sit in a cafe.

We're more water drinkers, but it would be totally rude, I believe, to just order water(no real beverages like a coffee or beer). That's why I felt if we at least got a small snack, we could still order our water.

So we either just have to stop by a creperie/boulangerie for a snack, or have someone at least order a coffee at a cafe.

Don't forget the patisserie as well. Coffee and cake is most acceptable in the afternoons from one of these. There are plenty of them in Paris which have somewhere to sit down.

> but it would be totally rude, I believe, to just order water(no real beverages like a coffee or beer).

I'm sorry but that's totally wrong. It is absolutely an ordinary thing to order a bottle of mineral water instead of coffee or tea. People certainly don't feel obliged to order "real beverages". And a bottel of meneral water is usually more expensive than a cafe noir.
Don't feel obliged to

Sorry, please disregard the last "Don't feel obliged to ". I forgot to edit.

Kappa,

I never knew it wasn't "bad form" to just order water. I just assumed that it would be like entering a restaurant and just ordering 4 waters.

Shandy,

About the patisseries - is coffee available in most patisseries? I had heard from others on the board that most of them only sell baked goods, and you would need to get coffee from a cafe?