Are you new to the pink city or have you been living in Toulouse for generations? You absolutely must try these 11 typical Toulouse specialities (and others from the South-West region). To help you on your quest, we’ve compiled a list of these must-try dishes and desserts. And to make it even easier, we’ll tell you where to find them in Toulouse.
1. Cassoulet à la mode toulousaine, a South-West delight
Cassoulet‘s reputation extends so far beyond our borders that it has to take first place in this ranking! It goes without saying that this south-western specialty originates from Castelnaudary. However, there’s also a version from Toulouse that features mutton and lamb!
📍 Chez Émile – 13, Place Saint Georges – 31000 Toulouse
2. Toulouse sausage, THE local specialty
The second most popular local specialty is the Toulouse sausage! It’s the stuffing for Castelnaudary‘s cassoulet. A staple of south-western dishes, it goes just as well with a good mashed potato, or can be the star filling of a delicious sandwich.
📍 Boucherie Pinel – charcuterie du marché Saint-Cyprien
3. Duck alicuit, a local specialty
A typical Gers stew,alicuit de canard has made a name for itself on Toulouse tables. For the record, this dish, made from the least noble parts of the duck (i.e. its neck and wings) or poultry, was reserved for field workers. Today, alicuit de canard has regained its letters of nobility and features on the menus of top restaurants!
📍La Table d’Oste – 7 Rue Lamartine – 32000 Auch
4. Goose foie gras, a local know-how that (sometimes) makes people angry!
In Toulouse, it’s Christmas all year round! A delicacy associated with the festive season throughout France, foie gras is nonetheless one of the specialties of Toulouse and the South West, and can be enjoyed at any time of year. In fact, it’s the Toulouse gray goose that’s widely used to make it. It’s a regional delicacy that’s often the subject of debate, but no less delicious for that!
📍La Canarderie – 42 rue du bearnais – 31000 Toulouse
5. Chicken à la toulousaine and its very special garnish
Yes, we Toulousans love good meat and poultry! And we’re proving it with this recipe for chicken à la toulousaine. It’s a simple chicken stuffed with sausage meat. But not just any sausage meat, of course. To make this dish, we use only Toulouse sausage, topped with olives and garlic, and that’s it!
📍 Hôtel restaurant Le Pic – 98 Rte d’Espagne – 31100 Toulouse
6. Fénétra, a cake inherited from Roman times
It’s a must for tourists visiting the pink city! But Toulousans don’t shy away from a good Fénétra either. Already baked in Roman times, its almonds, meringue and preserved lemons continue to delight us to this day!
📍 Pâtisserie Conté – 37, Rue Croix Baragnon – 31000 Toulouse
7. Apple croustade, a typical South-West dessert
A speciality of the Gers, Toulouse and Couserans regions, apple croustade is generally made up of a mishmash of apples stretched over thin layers of golden puff pastry and covered with melted butter… An ultra-gourmand pastry that also comes in a version filled with prunes, and which we love to savour at snack time! And guess what, even chef Cyril Lignac has his own version of croustade, the recipe for which we revealed in this article.
📍 La Boulange Saint Georges – 6 Pl. Saint-Georges – 31000 Toulouse
8. Violettes de Toulouse, one of the Toulouse specialties that delight the South West and beyond.
Toulouse is a colorful city! Known for the pink bricks that give it its nickname, it’s also known for its violets! A color indeed, but above all a flower with its own celebration! Available in chocolate, dragées or crystallized, we have a soft spot for violet sweets, a Toulouse specialty that’s a must-try if you haven’t already!
📍Le Paradis Gourmand – 45 Rue des Tourneurs, 31000 Toulouse
9. Brique du Capitole, one of the city’s most famous specialties
We’re taking our love of pink bricks one step further, and paying homage to them in a sweet! Brique du Capitole is a sweet delicacy with puff pastry and praline that can be savored without counting the calories. A great gift idea for friends or family visiting Toulouse.
📍 Maison Pillon
10. Lajaunie cachou
After tasting the previous 9 specialties, why not finish with a little cachou Lajaunie? Known for its digestive virtues, this little square candy with licorice and natural mint aroma was invented in 1880 by Léon Lajaunie from Toulouse! Now you know.
📍A little everywhere, but also at Paradis Gourmand – 45 Rue des Tourneurs, 31000 Toulouse
Duck breast
Magret de canard (duck breast) is a fillet of fattened duck (usually mulard duck raised for foie gras), but cooked simply as a “steak”. Its tender, flavorful meat – emblematic of Southwestern gastronomy – is appreciated even beyond our borders. It is often served rosé, accompanied by fruit sauces (figs, cherries) or red wine, with Sarlat potatoes (yum!) or seasonal vegetables. Magret is a much-loved speciality throughout the region (particularly in the Gers, Lot-et-Garonne and Périgord)!
📍 This emblematic dish of the South-West region is easy to find in local restaurants.