A Weekend in Paris: A Foodie Diary
An honest opinion about the city of love, French food, and a quick weekend in one of Europe's most popular destinations.
That first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower up close—glorious in the morning light, towering before your eyes—is unforgettable.
And so is your first bite of Paris. Whether it’s steak frites, a banana nutella crepe, a vanilla eclair, or a flaky, buttery croissant, it’s a bite you will not forget.
Walking around, hearing live music wafting through the air from the street musicians around the city, it’s magical. You feel like you’re in a movie. And you might be! (Or at least, where a movie was filmed.)
So many stories were crafted, shot, and dreamt up in Paris. You’ll walk the street where they were pieced together. And suddenly, you’ll realize that yours is being written, right now, in the city of love, art, and food.
This is what awaits you in Paris.
An Honest Opinion About Paris
I arrived in Paris late on a Thursday night in the beginning of May. Seeing the Eiffel Tower from the plane window made my heart leap for joy.
This weekend trip was an early birthday present (from myself to myself). Though I only spent two magical days in Paris, I enjoyed every second.
Honestly, I didn’t think I would love Paris that much. But I did. And I especially loved:
The colorful, beautiful, woven Rattan chairs! The ones outside every single restaurant. I took pictures of all of them. They’re lovely. I aspire to decorate my backyard dining area with them (someday, when I acquire a backyard dining area).
Eating outside (in the lovely chairs)! There’s just something magical about eating outside in Paris. Maybe it’s the aforementioned adorable woven chairs. Maybe it’s the vibes of this stunning city. Maybe it’s the fantastic food. Oh wait, it’s most definitely the food—the setting is just the cherry on top.
The food! Of course, French food is marvelous. Though I could only try a small sampling during my weekend in Paris, everything I tried was fantastic. Paris is a culinary experience.
Paris is chic, girly! romantic, magical. You walk around and feel like you’re in a movie—and that you’re the main character.
Live music plays as you walk across the bridges that curl over the Seine river. People call you mademoiselle (which, I know, makes you immediately want to buy a plane ticket). Everything is artsy—from the ivy that grows perfectly up the buildings to the terrace seating, to the croissants themselves!
Paris is a work of art. And love itself is her muse.
A Short Aside About Why I Ended Up Traveling Solo In The City of Love
Unfortunately, I ended up traveling alone to the city of love.
Obviously, before buying two plane tickets—one for myself, and one for my dear husband, Pedro—I confirmed, with said husband, the date of the trip. Which he forgot and proceeded to book a wedding (he’s a professional saxophone player) that very Saturday.
So, while he was working, I was walking around Paris with my lonesome. Don’t shed any tears for me, it was wonderful.
Of course, I would have loved to go to Paris with Pedro. But as a very introverted, independent woman, I also love being alone—and traveling alone. You get to do whatever you want, eat whatever you want, walk for however long you want (and no one complains!)
So, if you’re travelling alone to the city of love, don’t worry. You don’t need a significant other, a French sneaky link, or even a peor es nada to enjoy this beautiful city. Remember, in Paris, you’re the main character.
Paris herself will shower you with amour.
My Top 3 Paris Best Eats
I ate a lot of food in Paris. Of course, that was the goal of my trip—to try as much French food as possible and enjoy every bite. It was borderline gluttony. (I actually ate so much I had to cancel my dinner reservation the last night.) So yes, you can say I achieved my goal.
Out of everything I ate, these were my top three:
#1 Steak Frites
The Eiffel Tower was cool but the steak frites? Absolutely stunning. This was the meal that made the whole trip worth it.
I savored every single bite. Leave it to the French to take something so simple—medium-rare steak and french fries—and turn it into something intensely elegant and gourmet.
What really sealed the deal was the tangy tarragon sauce that I doused everything in. I’m a sauce girlie, and this sauce was it. Thank you Paris for steak frites. I will never forget them.
#2 Nutella-Banana Crepe
I had eaten crepes before, good crepes. But when I took that first bite of a nutella-banana crepe, I was floored.
This was no normal crepe—it was spectacular. I couldn’t quite figure out if it was the French butter, the hint of saltiness, or the perfect texture of the crepe that made it so unbelievably good, but I loved every ounce of it.
And surprisingly, though it was loaded with bananas, nutella, and powdered sugar, it wasn’t overly sweet. I’ll say it: it was absolutely perfect.
#3 Croque Monsieur
“Croque Monsieur” is just a very fancy way to say ham and cheese sandwich. Of course, it’s not just any ham and cheese sandwich—it’s the best one you’ll ever have.
That’s what happens when high-quality ingredients meet French cooking. You get nostalgic favorites crafted to perfection.
I loved the croque monsieur because it’s intensely cheesy, yet the cheese doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. Each bite is a perfect balance of gooey cheese, savory ham, bread, and that cheesy broiled crust. It’s marvellous.
After weeks and weeks of intense research, I found 3 incredible restaurants to eat each of these delicious French dishes. See the restaurants and get my exact foodie itinerary in my Paris, France Foodie Guide.
The Food That Surprised Me
I was not a fan of the first macaroon I tried from the famous Pierre Hermé macaroon shop. I thought my flavor choice was solid: salted butter caramel. But when I took that first bite, I was… unimpressed. I guess the “deliciously regressive notes” (as Pierre describes the flavor on his website) just didn’t vibe with me.
Thankfully, I had bought four more—in an adorable Eiffel Tower tin souvenir can—to bring home to Pedro. When we tried them (because of course they weren’t just for him), they were fantastic. Nothing like the first one.
In fact, I’d say they were surprisingly fantastic. It was almost as if they had a delayed flavor effect—the first bite was a bright pop of flavor, then as you kept enjoying it, the underlying flavors came out, transforming the initial bite into something more.
So, my final verdict on macaroons is—flavor matters. Every macaroon shop has quite a few options to choose from, so make sure you try at least five. Or ten. Or all of them.
Am I The Only One?
The French might guillotine me for this one. And I might lose all credibility as a foodie… But I’ll say it anyway: Croissants actually taste better after being smushed in a backpack all day long.
Like, that soft, buttery taste gets all compact, the squishing brings out their essence, and at the end of a long day walking around the city, they just taste even more satisfying.
Just me? Alright, no biggie.
Things to Do In Paris
There is so much to do in Paris. With seemingly endless many museums, parks, and places to choose from, it can be hard to plan a trip. This is what I did during my quick weekend in Paris and highly recommend:
Do a bike tour around Paris! If there’s one thing I 100% recommend doing, it’s this! I learned so much about Paris and all the most notable spots in this short, 2-hour bike tour. Our guide was great and biking around Paris was a blast.
See the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night! At the hour (for five minutes), the Eiffel Tower sparkles and lights up the Paris sky in the most spectacular lights show. You must stay up late to see this.
Visit the Orsay Museum. I love impressionist art, so visiting the Orsay Museum and seeing famous paintings from Monet and Renoir was incredible. Get your entry ticket here.
Do a 1-hour Seine River cruise. See Paris from the water on this hour-long river cruise. Plus, incredible shots (and selfies) of the Eiffel Tower from the boat!
The Reality of a Weekend Trip
One of my favorite things about living in Spain is having incredible European destinations so close. Places like Paris, Rome, and London are just a cheap flight away.
But as much as I love weekend trips, they don’t let you truly explore a place in a soft, slower, and deeper way.
I tried to see all of Paris that I could. I woke up at 6am, was literally only in my airbnb to sleep and shower, and walked more than 13 miles (21 km) every day. It was (quite literally) a marathon of a trip.
And I caught myself rushing through a city that just can’t be rushed through.
Something about Paris makes you stop, take in the live music, sit by the Seine, lie down on a park bench, and just be.
It’s better to experience Paris’s beauty slowly—to breathe it in until it becomes a part of you, to enjoy every moment, every bite, every flavor.
And while you can see Paris in a weekend, I recommend you don’t.
You’ll want to stay a bit longer. To linger on the woven rattan chairs on the terrace. To gaze up at the Eiffel Tower for a few seconds more. To have stomach space for one more crepe. To walk slowly along the Seine, with nowhere to go.
And you’ll reminisce, before it’s even over. You’ll tear up as you say goodbye to the sparkling Eiffel Tower, knowing you’ll be back, but not knowing when.
That’s what Paris will do to you. At least, that’s what it did to me.
Merci Paris… je t’aime.
Planning a trip to Paris is exhausting. Luckily for you, I did all the research, restaurant planning, and pre-approving for you. So you can skip the stress and jump to the good part: enjoying the best pastries, desserts, and typical French food in this magical city.
In the Paris, France: 2-Day Foodie Itinerary, you’ll get:
A day-by-day eating plan (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert),
What I ordered at each restaurant—plus prices and honest reviews,
An organized and easy-to-follow Google Map with all the recommended restaurants (plus things to see and do in-between meals),
Where to eat famous french dishes like steak frites, beef bourguignon, crepes, and croque monsieur.