- Breakfasts and lunches
- Brasserie, bistro, cafe
- Exotics for every taste
- Dinners in Paris
- French delicacies
- Food Markets
- Fast foods and pancakes
According to some directories, there are about 10 thousand different catering establishments in Paris. Therefore, a tourist who comes to the capital of France will definitely not remain hungry. However, in some restaurants the average check will be about 300 euros for two. If the traveler is not ready to pay that kind of money for one lunch or dinner, then we will tell you where to eat inexpensively in Paris.
The city, recognized as the gastronomic mecca of the world, is fraught with many secrets. In it, without even leaving a fortune in Michelin-starred restaurants, you can taste various delicacies and get to know the taste of Paris.
Breakfasts and lunches
We heartily advise you to refuse breakfast in Parisian hotels - it is meager and tasteless. There are enough coffee shops in Paris where you can buy a cup of coffee and a croissant and feel at the height of bliss. By the way, often coffee ordered at the bar and drunk there will cost a little less than the same drink, but brought by the waiter to the table you have occupied.
When lunchtime comes, most restaurants and cafes in crowded places post two menus in front of the entrance. One of them is called “Menu”. And it denotes a special offer of the institution, that is, in a way, a business lunch. The menu usually includes a main course, salad and drink. Such a set lunch costs about 10-15 euros. The portions are large, so tourists willingly order such business lunches.
The second menu, called "a la carte", is the usual option for us to order dishes from a list. You need to be prepared for the fact that a meal chosen "a la carte" can cost as much as a whole set lunch.
Another feature of French restaurants is that cheese is served here at the end of the meal, because it is considered more of a dessert than an appetizer.
The bread and water in the decanter on the table are not included in the bill.
Brasserie, bistro, cafe
Not everyone can afford high-end restaurants in Paris. Therefore, ordinary tourists usually pay attention to simpler establishments. These restaurants with reasonable prices can be divided into several types. Middle-class restaurants are good for everyone, except they close in the afternoon for breaks. But cheaper brasseries, bistros and cafes are open all day.
- Brasseries have long been retrained from pubs, as they were in the 19th century, to fast food restaurants. This is where you can try set meals. Local waiters speak English tolerably well or can communicate with the client using gestures.
- A bistro differs from a brasserie in that the menu is displayed at the entrance so that visitors can immediately see the pricing policy of the institution.
- Cafes were initially focused only on serving snacks: coffee with desserts, omelets, sandwiches. However, now you can also find good, hearty dishes here.
Exotics for every taste
Tasty and inexpensive food will be served in numerous restaurants of exotic cuisines. This option is suitable for those tourists who do not want to eat traditional French food without fail. Greek, Chinese, Afghani, Lebanese, Thai, Ethiopian restaurants can be found right in the city center. There are also expensive establishments among them, but this is rather an exception to the rule. Basically, the prices in such cafes are low, and even the gluttons are satisfied with the portions.
In the second arrondissement of Paris, in the vicinity of the Grand Opera, there is rue Sainte-Anne, which is entirely built up with Asian cafes. This is where lovers of Japanese cuisine come. Local establishments are notable for their modest size and shabby interiors that have not been renovated for a long time. But here you can watch the work of chefs, conjuring over large vats and pans. Best of all praise are the noodles and dumplings served here and the cold noodle soup. The soup is usually prepared only during the warmer months.
The famous Taiwanese restaurant Zen Zoo is located on nearby Shabane Street. In addition to the dining room, there is also a tea room. The main dishes on its menu have not changed for several years, which is very much appreciated by the regulars of this establishment. Here you can take out milkshakes, which are inexpensive but good for quenching your thirst.
Dinners in Paris
Where in Paris can you have an inexpensive dinner? Most likely, those establishments where business lunches were served during the day try to make money on tourists in the evening, who will definitely return to where it was cheap and tasty. But it is worth abandoning the beaten paths and looking for truly French family restaurants, often located far from the central avenues. More often than not, such establishments will not have waiters with impeccable manners, and silverware will not be served for dinner.
Family-run Parisian restaurants are usually small and are designed for two or three companies. The tables are close to each other here. In addition to them, there will be an obligatory bar counter in the cramped hall. The whole family is employed in such cafes: the father or mother of the family prepares family dishes, the recipes of which are carefully guarded from competitors, and their children and grandchildren work in the hall with clients. By the way, it is in such establishments that you should try French cuisine. Many chefs from other countries visit family restaurants in Paris and spy on original recipes there.
A tourist should be prepared for the fact that they will not be able to communicate with him in English. The menu will be written in chalk on a small board that will simply be placed on the table in front of the new customer. Some reputable family restaurants set up a slate in front of the entrance with menus and prices.
French delicacies
Most tourists arriving in Paris dream of trying truly French products and dishes. Many of them can be bought in a regular supermarket, but Parisians themselves prefer to buy delicacies in specialized private shops where they can taste everything. What should you buy for a snack in Paris?
- cheeses. The list of cheeses on display in shops in Paris, called fromagerie, can take several pages. Experts recommend first of all to try the soft cheeses for which France is famous. The most famous cheese shop in Paris called Androuet is located on Amsterdam street;
- truffles. Someone will rightly notice that this is the most expensive mushroom in the world, but at least once it is still worth trying. For truffles and their dishes, connoisseurs come to the Truffle House in Place de la Madeleine;
- foie gras. Goose liver is either tasted in a restaurant or bought in jars. Foie gras from different manufacturers are sold in various supermarkets such as Fauchon, or in private shops where you can taste it;
- guilt. In the tourist areas of Paris, there are many wine boutiques, where you can find a good collection of wines from different parts of France. However, prices are quite high there. Therefore, for wines it is better to go to large supermarkets or large specialty stores. A large selection of wines can be found at Lavinia, Nicolas, Champion and Auchan.
Food Markets
Food markets in any city are very interesting to visit. These are great places to take beautiful atmospheric photos. In Paris, markets that sell the freshest produce are open several times a week. Temporary cafes usually appear next to the stalls, where delicious and inexpensive food is prepared right on the street. Parisians are well aware of which market the best honey, oysters, cheeses, etc. are sold. For example, for honey, as experts say, the best in Europe, it is worth going to the Edgar Quinet market.
Delicious Arabian cakes are made at the Enfant Rouges market. The best choice for cheese and fish is in the market near the Bastille. For oysters, another French delicacy, it is customary to go to the Aligre market on Saturdays and Sundays. This is where oyster farmers come to. After choosing a dozen shellfish, knowledgeable people go to the nearest bar "Baron Rouge", where you can buy wine, cheese and pâté. Then, with all these culinary treasures, the lucky ones sit on barrels near the bar, proving to passers-by that life is still wonderful.
Fast foods and pancakes
The most budgetary food option in Paris is the well-known fast food restaurants, for example, McDonald's. You shouldn't expect any delights from the French restaurants of this chain. The same hamburgers, fries and cola are served here. But many tourists rejoice at this very constancy and adhere to the principle: “If you want to eat abroad, go to McDonald's.
Also all over Paris you can see small establishments called creperie, which translates as "pancake". Here they serve cheap and tasty real French pancakes with different fillings.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the restaurants of the Flunch chain, which can be found in other French cities. There are several such restaurants in Paris. They are in Montmartre and near the Pompidou Center. In this institution, the client pays not for the dish (this does not apply to meat and fish dishes), but for the plate. That is, by choosing a small, medium or large plate, a restaurant visitor can put many different salads and side dishes on it. Meat is paid additionally.
