Brittany, a land of traditions and flavors, is also brimming with culinary specialties that are sure to delight your taste buds. Between crispy crêpes and melt-in-your-mouth galettes, it's already hard to choose. And what about kouign-amann, that divinely caramelized butter cake? For those with a sweet tooth, palets bretons and salted butter caramels are also a must. And let's not forget the artisanal cider, perfect to accompany all these marvels! So, food lovers, get ready for an unforgettable taste journey to the heart of Brittany: discover our top 21 Breton specialties to try.
1. Kouign-amann, the star of Breton specialties
Kouign-amann, a famous Breton pastry, is a cake rich in salted butter and sugar, with a melt-in-the-mouth texture on the inside and a caramelized exterior. Originating in Douarnenez in the 19th century, this delicacy is prepared from a sourdough dough, into which butter and sugar are skilfully incorporated by successive folding. Breton delicacies, often called "lichouseries", are renowned for their distinctive buttery flavor, and kouign-amann is a perfect example, combining richness (caloric!) and sweetness.
2. Galettes / crêpes: a great classic
The crêpe, or "krampouz" in Breton, is the emblematic ambassador of Breton gastronomy, served in thousands of crêperies across France and the world. Prepared on a bilig, a large circular cast-iron griddle, it is a true regional symbol. In Basse-Bretagne, the term "crêpe" refers to both wheat- and buckwheat-based versions, while in Haute-Bretagne it's reserved for sweet crêpes, buckwheat pancakes being called "galettes". In the west, crêpes are thin and crunchy (kraz), while in the east, they are soft and thick. The galette-saucisse, star of festivals and markets, is particularly popular.
Whether sweet or savoury, the crêpe is a simple, convivial dish that can be adapted to any combination. It remains deeply rooted in the daily lives of Bretons, symbolizing conviviality and simplicity.
3. Far breton... yum yum!
Far Breton is a classic Breton pastry, often compared to a flan, but with a unique twist. Traditionally, it's garnished with prunes, and its distinctive taste comes from salted butter and a hint of rum. Not quite tempted? There are also original versions without prunes or with other fruits.
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4. Salted butter caramel: one of Brittany's finest specialties
If there's one product that's emblematic of Breton gastronomy, it's this one! Omnipresent, it can be enjoyed in a thousand ways: with a spoon, on toast, in pancakes, or in the form of sweets and lollipops. Each Breton village has its own recipe, making each tasting unique. However, the unrivalled delicacy and creaminess, enhanced by a touch of salted butter, is always there.
Read more: Discover Brittany: Gastronomy
5. The Breton cake and its gourmet golden crust
There's no mistaking the Breton cake for any other: its golden crust adorned with latticework makes it unique! Made with salted butter, egg yolks, sugar and flour, it has a slightly crumbly texture reminiscent of a Breton palet. Salted butter, which adds a delicious caramelized note, is omnipresent in this cake from Lorient, similar to a large shortbread, sometimes filled with prune cream.
6. Breton cotriade
France's leading maritime region, Brittany, with its twenty ports, is home to a third of the country's sailors and boats. Brittany's fishing industry, essentially coastal and small-scale, offers a wide variety of fish: mackerel, sardines, cod, sea bream, haddock, hake, pout and more. Among them, sea bass, fished in the turbulent waters of the Finistère headland, stands out for its firm, delicate flesh. Typical of southern Brittany, cotriade is a kind of bouillabaisse that sailors used to prepare with their catch. It'sa blend of fish, vegetables and various spices. To enhance its flavor, you can add a variety of shellfish and garlic croutons.
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7. Kig-ha-Farz or Breton pot-au-feu
Also known as "Breton pot-au-feu", Kig-ha-Farz was once the dish of the poor. Originally from the Léon region, this specialty resembles a pot-au-feu, enriched with a buckwheat flour-based stuffing. Literally "meat and far", this dish is rich in flavor and calories. Composed of meat and vegetables, it is prepared with two canvas bags containing wheat flour and buckwheat flour respectively, then simmered for long hours. It is traditionally served with a sauce called "lipig", made with butter and shallots or onions.
8. Andouille de Guéméné, one of Brittany's finest specialties
Brittany, a major agricultural region, is mainly dedicated to livestock breeding and market gardening, offering a multitude of gastronomic resources from its lands. When it comes to meats, the pig plays a key role. A symbol of the Breton countryside, it was traditionally eaten in the form of bacon, and its slaughter was an important ritual. Pork-derived products abound, including andouille de Guémené, prepared with pork chops arranged in concentric circles and smoked over a beechwood fire, giving it a dark exterior color. You'll also find Breton pâté, Molène sausages, smoked with seaweed, and Ouessant sausages.
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9. Strawberries from Plougastel
Brittany, which accounts for 20% of France's agricultural land, is also a major vegetable-producing region, particularly on the northern coast. Organic farming is booming here, and markets abound with market gardeners offering a variety of tasty vegetables. Key products include potatoes, available in several early varieties, and Plougastel strawberries, introduced from Chile in the early 18th century by explorer Amédée-François Frézier. Grown in Brittany's "golden belt", these strawberries are renowned for their exceptional taste and juicy flesh, making them the stars of stalls and Michelin-starred restaurants alike.
10. Oysters, especially in Cancale, the oyster capital!
Oysters, whether fine, special, flat or hollow, are cultivated all along the Breton coast, benefiting fromexceptional water quality. Sea currents constantly stir them up, enriching them with plankton, essential for their growth. There are twelve distinct crus, each with its own characteristics. At the end of 2019, Cancale oysters were inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list!
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11. Moules marinières, of course, one of Brittany's finest specialties
Tasty bouchot mussels, cultivated since the 1950s on the north coast, can be enjoyed from June to October in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, and from July to January in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. Moules de bouchot marinières, prepared with onion, parsley and wine, are a simple, economical treat!
12. Breton lobster
When it comes to shellfish, the Breton lobster is distinguished by its black shell with bluish highlights. Renowned for its finesse, it can be enjoyed grilled, flambéed or in a cream sauce. Langoustines, nicknamed the "Demoiselles de Loctudy", are prized for their delicate flesh and fished off the southern coast.
Brittany is also France's leading producer of seaweed, increasingly used in cooking. The north coast, with its rocky shores, is particularly rich in varieties such as dulse, kelp and bladderwrack.
13. The galette de Pont-Aven
Another popular cookie is the galette de Pont-Aven Traou Mad®, from a small town in southern Finistère. Thinner and crunchier, it's just as delicious as the Breton palet. At the Pont-Aven boutique, you can meet the master pastry-makers in their workshop. It's a must for gourmets, who won't be able to forget the incomparable taste of the famous butter galettes from one of France's most beautiful villages!
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15. The essential tartine de beurre salé
Salted butter, another culinary emblem of Brittany, is a key element of its identity. For Bretons, it's a daily companion, enjoyed raw on bread or to enhance cooked dishes. This particularity is rooted in the richness of the region, which is a major producer of both milk and salt. Formerly exempt from the salt tax, Brittany was able to combine these two resources to preserve butter for longer, in a region not much involved in cheese production.
Salted butter has found its master in Jean-Yves Bordier from Saint-Malo, whose creations (with seaweed, raspberry, etc.) grace the tables of top restaurants. Farmhouse butters are particularly recommended, such as that made from Froment du Léon cows, recognizable by its ochre color and hazelnut taste.
16. Paimpol cocos
Brittany, with 20% of the country's agricultural land, is also a major vegetable-producing region. Cauliflower, artichokes, shallots, spinach and greenhouse tomatoes are the main crops grown here. Organic farming is booming here, and markets abound with market gardeners offering a variety of tasty vegetables. Two products benefit from the Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP) label: the Roscoff pink onion, renowned for its sweetness and melt-in-the-mouth texture, and the Paimpol coco. This white bean, grown on the Goëlo coast and harvested by hand from July to October, is often featured on the menus of fine local restaurants. It has a melt-in-the-mouth texture and can be enjoyed in salads or in a delicious cassoulet.
17. Dinan crêpes dentelle cookies, one of Brittany's finest specialties
Salted butter, which adds a delicious caramelized note, perfumes many Breton cookies, galettes and palets. Whether crêpes dentelles, thin galettes or thick palets, they all have that characteristic salted butter taste. Among the most famous are Dinan's Crêpes Dentelle Gavottes®, available plain or coated in chocolate, which are simply irresistible! At the Dinan boutique, the team warmly welcomes you to discover the full range of cookies. It's impossible to leave without buying some, especially if you want to spoil your loved ones on your return from vacation.
18. The scallop
The scallop, emblematic of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, is an exceptional product that lends itself to a variety of preparations, from the simplest, such as pan-frying in butter, to the most elaborate. It can be enjoyed in a thousand ways, offering a fine, tasty delicacy. Fishing is strictly regulated, from October to mid-May. Even more protected, the abalone is a luxury mollusc, prized for its white flesh.
19. The famous Breton pound cake
Breton pound cake is much more than a simple cake; it's a veritable culinary institution in Brittany. Its name, which literally means "four quarters", refers to the traditional recipe composed of four main ingredients in equal quantities: flour, sugar, butter and eggs. This apparent simplicity conceals a gourmet secret that has been passed down through the generations. Native to the region, pound cake is appreciated for its soft texture and rich taste, enhanced by the use of salted butter, another Breton treasure. This butter, which adds a unique caramelized note, is one of the key ingredients that distinguish this cake from other pastries.
20. Cider, one of Brittany's finest specialties
Brittany is a land of cider. This traditional rural beverage was once prepared by everyone for their own consumption. Today, the region is home to numerous producers, whether industrial, artisanal or farm-based, offering exceptional ciders. Some have a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and Cornouaille cider is the only one to have obtained a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Indissociable from crêpes and galettes, cider goes equally well with a multitude of dishes, and is increasingly finding its place on even the most prestigious tables.
21. Chouchen
Chouchen, an ancestral drink inherited from the Celts, is a golden beverage with a moderate alcohol content. It is obtained by fermenting a mixture of water and honey, to which apple yeast is added. Its sweetness makes it the ideal conclusion to a tasting of Breton specialties.
