anne5o57

We are heading to Europe in 7 weeks and while we have been to Paris many years ago we were the "country mice" and did not have the confidence to sit at the outdoor cafes and bakeries - we ordered inside at the counter and sat inside. What I wonder is how do we choose our food etc when we want to be eating outside - do we go inside and order then hope there is a vacant table outside or if we just sit at the table as we do not speak French then we can't point (nicely!) at the cake etc we would like.

StCirq

I'm a little confused at your question because I can't think of many bakeries in Paris that have seating - salons de thé, maybe but not bakeries.

At cafés, you grab a seat and wait for the waiter to come and give you a menu, then you wait again until he comes to take your order. The menu should be posted outside the café, so you can get a handle on what you want from the start.

If there IS a boulangerie or patisserie that has no menu but does have seating, go browse the offerings, then sit down and wait for someone to take your order.

But no, you don't go inside and order and then take your food to the seating area - least, I can't think of a single place in Paris where this would be done.

slangevar

I've heard that some places actually get mad if you order inside and try to take a table outside, as the prices may be different depending on where you sit.

I was similarly shy about entering places like this, but most of the places with outdoor seating are VERY accustomed to English-speaking customers, and most have English menus.

Like the previous poster said, just take an available table and when the waiter comes, say "Bon jour, monsieur (or madam), desole, je ne parle pas francais, avez-vous un menu anglais?" If you can't remember all of that, just use the "Bon jour, monsieur," and the standard "parlez-vous francais?"

StCirq

slangevar:

I think it's a given that the waiter will speak French. I think what you want to ask is "Parlez-vous anglais?"

And yes, there are different price tiers for ordering at the bar/counter and sitting at a table. It's more expensive if you take a table.

But I'm still wracking my brain to think of a boulangerie or patisserie in Paris where there are tables. I guess maybe some place like Paul, but the one I've frequented is more like a cafeteria, anyway. You grab what you want on a tray, then find yourself a table. And it's more than a bakery...more of a sandwich shop.

nytraveler

I think you may be confusing this with the Italian habit in casual cafes of looking for what you want, paying for it, then going to get it and tae to a table.

This is NOT how it;s done in Paris at all. simply sit down and order. All will have a menu outside so you can see what's available and prices.

anne5o57

Thank you all for your replies - I am used to bakeries and cafes here in Australia but it seems as if the bakeries in Paris are different in that they do not have places to sit - it appears it would be just the procedure in the cafes I am worried about. I am looking forward to eating all kinds of great pastries and do not want to miss out by not understanding the menu etc!

Felschurch

http://breadandroses.fr/en/index.html

superheterodyne

>>
But no, you don't go inside and order and then take your food to the seating area - least, I can't think of a single place in Paris where this would be done. <<

Starbucks ?

cigalechanta

The only one I have seen was in Cavaillon at the bakery Peter Mayle wrote about.

NeoPatrick

StCirq, as a matter of fact I was thinking of Paul -- the one at Buci and Rue Seine. If you sit at an outdoor table there, you do sit first and they take your order. The cafeteria line is for takeaway. But you may want to get up and go show her what pastry you want.

slangevar

Ha! Thanks StCirq... I need to not post at 3 in the morning when I can't sleep. I'm probably lucky I didn't post the bloody thing in Spanish.

Beatchick

StCirq & NeoPatrick, I was thinking Paul, too, for a few places to sit inside. One of my favorite boulangeries/pâtisseries is Miss Manon in the Marais, there are also a few seats in there (3 or 4 at a counter up by the register). However, I don't think I've ever seen any tables on a terrasse of a bakery but, of course, I haven't been everywhere.

Paul on rue de Buci has tables outside? I never noticed. I'll have to check that out next time I'm in Paris.

slangevar

I think anne5o57 meant something like a salon de the when she said "bakeries"... it's a totally easy mistake to make if you're not familiar with the types of French eateries. Go easy on her!

kerouac

In cafés, you sit down and wait for the waiter. Often, he will come up and ask you what you want, because 95% of the customers know what they want and how much it costs without consulting a price list. However, the waiter will not at all be offended it you ask to look at the 'carte' -- he will bring it to you and give you time to check it out.

Regarding places like 'Paul' which sell sandwiches and baked good, when there are tables outside, it is generally obvious whether people are being served or not or whether you just go in and buy what you want and sit down. If in doubt, just observe the place for about 1 minute and you will see if there is any sort of table service or not.

Christina

There are often a few tables at places that combine a bakery with prepared foods -- mostly chains like Paul's, Brioche Doree, etc., but any small place may do that which also sells sandiches or something. I don't think I've ever seen a major bakery do that.

Bakeries sure don't have seating where I live, either, that's a new one to me. You order the same as anywhere else, by looking at the menu and choosing. It sounds like you are expecting food to be on display to choose from -- they do that in Greece, but not in cafes (some may have a croissant on display in a domed dish, but you don't need a display for that).

Michel_Paris

One bit I might add...I don't walk up to an outdoor cafe and sit down. I catch the waiter's eye, and let him either guide (directly or by hand motions) to a particular table, or indicate to me to sit whereever. MY take, and I'd like input, is there is a subtle formality about seating in outdoor cafes. This seems to apply at some of the larger establishments where there are many tables outside.

That being said, a couple of restaurants (Brasserie Ile St Louis and Cafe Hugo at Place des Vosges) there are just a few tables outside, I simply sat at an empty one.

kerouac

When I go to a place like the Père Tranquille on rue Pierre Lescot at Les Halles, it has about 70 tables outside and I wouldn't dream of eyeing a waiter to get approval for a table. The tables are divided into about 4 sections, and the waiter for each section takes care of whoever sits down there.

goldwynn

StCirq: You`ve just forgotten. Eric Kayser`s Boulangerie Patisserie at the foot of Rue Monge. Tables outside and one just walks in, pick out what appeals to you and sit outside.

StCirq

Aha! I knew someone would know of a place like that. All I could think of were salons de thé, which is a different breed of food establishment.

Thanks!

kerouac

Not to mention all such places on the Champs Elysées -- Paul, Brioche Dorée, Pomme de Pain, etc. -- they all sell self-service baked goods & sandwiches and have tables out on the sidewalk -- until November 1st.