Paris Cheap Eats: How to eat your way through Paris for less than €20 a day
Congrats on making your way to Paris! Now that you’re here and settled in your hotel, it’s time to take part in one of the city’s favorite pastimes — eating.
And there’s no need to empty your wallet trying to dine like Louis XVI. Parisians have mastered the art of exploring their city’s cuisine without breaking the bank.
Bon appétit!
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Paris cheap eats itinerary
From a classic Parisian breakfast to their famous crêpes, here’s a dining timetable to follow to keep your costs in check.
Note that this eating itinerary doesn’t include wine or beer, but a few glasses of delicious house wine won’t add much to your budget. You also don’t have to worry about tipping in Paris most of the time, especially in cafes and markets.
Here’s how you too can explore French food like a Parisian for under €20 a day.
9 am. Breakfast: Croissant & coffee
The key to a Parisian breakfast is to be light and quick. Life in France starts later than the US, most businesses don’t even open until 9 am, and “early birds” get to work around 9:30 am. As a result, an emphasis is placed on a short and efficient breakfast.
To start your day like a Parisian, walk to one of the local bakeries or many grocery stores you’ll find on every block like Franprix, Monoprix, G20, or Carrefour. Grab a freshly made apple croissant or a pain au chocolat for €1 and an espresso (“café” in French) for another €1.
Breakfast total: €2
Rotisserie chicken is a delicious lunch option in Paris. Photo: sk
12 pm. Lunch: Rotisserie chicken
After the powers of the French espresso start to wear off, you’re ready for lunch. This is your time to explore the creativity of French cuisine — the rotisserie chicken. Pop into a local rôtisserie shop or seek out a Franprix (or another supermarket) to pick up a piping hot rotisserie chicken and savory potatoes. At the market, they go for as low as €3.90.
Rotisserie chickens are a way of life for Parisians, and you’ll see many Parisian cafes and restaurants lined with rows of slow-roasted rotisserie chicken, with the potatoes waiting patiently at the bottom of the oven to be seasoned by the juices from the meat.
Of course, these aren’t just ordinary potatoes, these potatoes are also cooked with white wine and seasoned to perfection. One pack can feed two people and the quality is always fresh and tasty. Supplies can be limited, so make sure you visit the store during lunchtime or you might find yourself out of luck!
Lunch total: €3.90
3 pm. Snack time: Sweet or savory crêpe
What would be a Parisian menu without the classic sweet or savory crêpe? For this, you have multiple options because Paris is full of crêperies.
Oddly enough, one of the best sweet crêpes that I have had was purchased right next to the Eiffel Tower. When you come out of the Trocadero Metro station on line 6 or line 9, there’s a crêpe stand that sells freshly made crêpes for €3. As you munch on the sweetness of the crêpe, don’t forget to look up, as you’ll have one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower right in front of you.
If you prefer something savory, in the 5th arrondissement, there’s a crêperie that makes the most delicious savory crêpes in Paris. The crêpes at Chez Niko’s on 44 Rue Mouffetard are filled with gooey cheese, grilled onions, seasoned ground beef, tasty potatoes, and much more! This is not a crêpe for the weak. You cannot walk and eat this crêpe at the same time (trust me, I’ve tried).
Afternoon snack total: €3
Sitting down to dinner in Paris. Photo: Geoff P
7 pm. Dinner: Classic French cuisine
After a bit more exploration, you’re ready for dinner. In the 6th arrondissement, there’s a restaurant that serves classic French dishes at bargain prices. Le Petit Olivier (82 rue du Cherche Midi) offers a two-course dinner (and lunch) menu for only €10.
You can choose from a wide variety of authentic French cuisines like escargot, steak, fish dauphinois, duck confit, and many more options that’ll have your tongue wishing you had paid better attention in your high school French class!
Dinner total: €10
One-day total
Total Paris dining budget for one day: €18.90
Do you love dining in Paris? Tell us your secrets on how you save in the comments below.
Proof of the €3.90 roast chicken and potatoes! Photo: Mayowa Ige
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Hello, greatly appreciate your useful articles and hope you could kindly advise on best way to travel to Lourdes versus my itinerary of Italy, London, Switzerland & France and also best period with low budget. Thanks!
Chère Mayowa – Nos Ancêtres Les Gaulois – loads of fun for dinner on Île St. Louis but make sure to have aspirin for the next morning!