Eating Well on a Budget in Paris

Feb 9
09:06

2015

Lisa Jeeves

Lisa Jeeves

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Staying in one of the youth hostels in Paris and want to know the best way to eat well but inexpensively? Read on for some top insider tips.

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If you're planning a stay in one of the excellent youth hostels in Paris and are wondering how you are going to feed yourself on a budget in this most expensive of cities,Eating Well on a Budget in Paris Articles take heart – there are plenty of ways to do so.

Some of the best chefs in the world are French, and the country's capital has a well-deserved reputation as an acclaimed foodie destination. Those taking care of their budget by staying in one of the youth hostels could be be forgiven for thinking that because of this, eating well in the city would be somewhat expensive and the best cuisine would only be accessible to those with plenty of cash. However, if you get off the beaten path and venture into the real heart of the city, you will discover how affordable an authentic taste of Paris can be.

Principles of Eating Well on a Budget in Paris

If you are staying in any of the youth hostels in Paris, the staff will always be on hand to offer advice about good places to eat, and indeed some even offer great snacks and lighter meals at reasonable prices themselves. One advantage of staying in youth hostels is that you're not tied into having breakfast included in the price of your stay, and instead you can venture out to a local café and enjoy a fresh croissant or other delicious pastry, often for less than a euro. (Order and eat at the bar and you will pay less than by sitting at a table.)

While eating on a budget in Paris may mean you have to forego the three-course Michelin-starred restaurant meals, there are myriad other options to allow you to eat well. There are an increasing number of excellent bistro style restaurants in the city that won't look askance at you if you only want to order one course to keep costs down. They're becoming much more flexible and, particularly at lunch time, they are now very used to tourists just eating one course then heading off to continue their sightseeing – unlike locals who may linger for several hours over three or even four courses, plus wine! (Restaurants such as these usually offer reasonably priced wine by the glass.)

In the past few years, soup, sandwich and juice bars have also started appearing all over the city, and while this may at first sound a little generic and not exactly French, on closer inspection, you will discover that the ingredients and recipes used are in fact very Parisian. (Traditional foods like Croque Monsieur and French Onion soup are always on the menu at these healthy fast food places.)

Of course, Paris is well known for its crepes and galettes, and these days, these delicacies are available as 'fast food' on street corners and in little cafes throughout the city. But while street food is good fun and indeed quite charming, a limited budget does not have to be restrictive. There are many reasonably priced restaurants, bistros and patisseries that offer you the authentic Parisian experience, where you can sit outside on red-backed chairs and watch the world go by – or at least Paris!

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