It’s easy to eat cheaply in Paris.
Eating in Paris doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy: you can eat well and very cheaply if you know where to look.
In Europe in general, and Paris is no different, it is a good idea to make lunch your main meal of the day. Almost all cafes, bars, bistros, and restaurants offer prix fixe menus at lunchtime and often offer a free glass of beer or wine included in the price. Even at dinner time if you look around you can find restaurants with menus that offer three courses for less than fifteen euros.
Students holding an international student card can use the dining facilities on Paris university campuses, and the local student food provider called CROUS also offers food outlets in the city. Just search CROUS Paris online for a list of addresses.
Good places to eat include:
Café Berthillon on Rue St-Louis-en-I’lle. This is the most fantastic place to have ice cream and sorbets with flavors and styles that you could not even imagine. Expect long lines for the most popular ice cream parlor in Paris.
Café de la Mosquee on Rue Geoffroy-St-Hilaire offers authentic mint tea and Middle Eastern flavors in its sweets and cakes.
Cafe Very is located in the famous Jardin des Tuileries, right in the heart of the city. This is the best of several cafes in the gardens and offers the most perfect roasted croques you will ever find.
For a more restaurant-level snack, try some of these great places:
L’as Du Falafel: There are no prizes for guessing what the dish of the day is here! Falafel is the most famous of all Middle Eastern delicacies; Look for the pitta special, with pita bread, cabbage, aubergine, hummus and tabasco sauce, wonderful.
The Foyer Du Vietnam is on Rue Monge and is a very popular provider of Vietnamese curry and noodle dishes. Popular with students and locals alike.
These are just a few suggestions on how to eat cheaply in Paris. The main advice is to be flexible and if you can, chat with the locals and ask for their advice.
Enjoy your trip to Paris.