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Keto TuxedoBlack-tie low carb

Dining out / French

Keto at a French Restaurant

Easy for keto4 to order2 to ask about2 to skip

Classic French cooking runs on butter, cream, eggs and wine, which suits keto beautifully. Watch for roux-thickened sauces, the bread and the potatoes that come with almost everything.

Order this

Steak with béarnaise, roast chicken, duck confit, mussels, salade niçoise, a cheese course. Swap frites for green beans.

Skip this

Bread, crêpes, flour-thickened sauces, dessert menu.

Say this

“Could I have haricots verts instead of the frites?”

The menu, dish by dish

Steak au poivre or béarnaiseAsk firstCheck for flour in the sauce.
Duck confitOrderNaturally carb-free; skip the potatoes.
Moules (mussels)OrderIn white wine and garlic; skip the frites.
Salade niçoiseOrderAsk for no potatoes.
French onion soupSkipOnions, a crouton and often flour.
FritesSkipAsk for haricots verts.
Cheese courseOrderSkip the bread and fruit paste.
Crème brûléeAsk firstEat only the custard; leave the caramelized sugar.

Where the carbs hide

  • Roux (flour and butter) behind many sauces, soups and gratins
  • Sugar in gastriques and fruit sauces served with duck
  • Bread in French onion soup and croque dishes
  • Potatoes dauphinoise and frites served by default
At the bar

What to drink

Brut Champagne, a dry white Burgundy (Chardonnay) or a red Bordeaux.

Carbs in every drink

Five rules that work almost anywhere

  1. Protein first.
  2. Swap the starch for vegetables or a salad.
  3. Sauces on the side.
  4. Send the bread basket away.
  5. Drink dry.

Menus and recipes vary by restaurant, so ask when you are unsure. Not medical advice; see our health disclaimer.

Cook it at home

The same flavors, keto by design

Filet Mignon with Easy Blender Béarnaise
Mains

Filet Mignon with Easy Blender Béarnaise

3.7g net carbs30 min
Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Blackberry-Thyme Sauce
Mains

Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Blackberry-Thyme Sauce

5g net carbs30 min
Whipped Cauliflower Purée with Brown Butter
Sides

Whipped Cauliflower Purée with Brown Butter

7g net carbs30 min
Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème
Desserts

Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème

3.4g net carbs4 hr 20 min

Quick answers

Is french food keto-friendly?

Yes, it is one of the easier cuisines. Classic French cooking runs on butter, cream, eggs and wine, which suits keto beautifully. Watch for roux-thickened sauces, the bread and the potatoes that come with almost everything.

What can I order at a french restaurant on keto?

Steak with béarnaise, roast chicken, duck confit, mussels, salade niçoise, a cheese course. Swap frites for green beans.

What should I avoid?

Bread, crêpes, flour-thickened sauces, dessert menu. Hidden carbs to watch for: roux (flour and butter) behind many sauces, soups and gratins; sugar in gastriques and fruit sauces served with duck; bread in French onion soup and croque dishes; potatoes dauphinoise and frites served by default.

What should I ask my server?

Try: “Could I have haricots verts instead of the frites?” Keep requests short and friendly; kitchens handle substitutions all the time.

What should I drink?

Brut Champagne, a dry white Burgundy (Chardonnay) or a red Bordeaux.

Going somewhere else?

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