Eatting cheap in Paris

Some of the best sandwiches are in the lovely boulangeries...they are made fresh every couple of hours...and any out of the way cafe is a great place to sit for the daily special--it should be on the chalkboard out front. Portions are not small, so you do not need to over order.

I love Chinese, Indian a little. How much does a sandwich in a bakery cost? Everyone's ideas are different.

What is your idea of cheap?

Make your own picnic? A roll and some cheese , a piece fruit, and you have lunch. Street food, such as crepes, can also fill the need.

Barkinpark, 7 or 8 euros, maybe 10-12 in a small cafe.

Crepes sound great, also picnics, bakeries and small cafes. Sounds very doable!

The lunchtime 2- or 3-course deals will come in over your price range, but I recommend them for the occasional splurge. France is a country where you can save quite a bit by having your main meal in the middle of the day.

I like to start the day with something decent for breakfast. I try to avoid hotel breakfasts, which are too expensive for what you get. Bakeries often have mini-quiches available. I think I paid less than 4 euros. If I couldn't find a quiche, I bought something like a cheese sandwich.

Very occasionally I have access to a refrigerator, in which case I might buy yogurt (or some cheese) and a cup of mixed, cut-up fruit and keep leftovers for a second meal.

If you find yourself at a street market, keep your eye open for prepared-food stands. There may be options beyond crepes.

It's difficult to beat the prices you'll find in supermarkets, though. Just don't over-buy.

I think picnics by the river is a great idea. It's affordable and romantic.

I have found I could eat "cheaply" pretty much anywhere if I want to. In Paris, especially on Rue Cler, I like to buy some good Roquefort Cheese, and a French Baguette.... just split the baguette in half, add the cheese and I am enjoying lunch! I used to work in Paris, and never liked to spend a fortune eating lunches. I would go to a number of local places near where I worked (not far from the opera house), and always looked for the popular spots with locals where my coworkers went. I always ate well, and very reasonably. Salads, Baguettes, Fruit are all reasonable.. at the right places :-). One thing I learned was I was always "discreet" eating in public (I would find a nice spot to sit and eat). One time, some co-workers and I were late for a meeting that was outside the tourist parts of Paris, and we were on the metro. We had to quickly eat prior to the meeting, but everyone was quiet, discreet, and ate their baguettes while still in the bag - no hands on the food)... just rolled the bag down a bit as you ate :-).

Glenn

10-12€ in a café is difficult nowadays, at least in central areas, but you might want to have a look at the various "bouillons" around town, cheap traditional eateries. Quality varies. Chartier off Grands Boulevards is the best known, the place is beautiful, but the food is average. Bouillon Julien, bouillon Pigalle and bouillon République have better food; I also always see long lines in front of bouillon Pharamond near les Halles so I assume it's good-value?

Good pizza is realistic towards the higher end of the range, too (12-14€ if you want more that a simple Margherita).

Unfortunately, prices in Paris keep on inflating. It was cheap before the Euro adoption and before the serial real estate booms.

You can get a 'menu' of a sandwich drink and pastry at a bakery for a cheap picnic lunch -- but that isn't much of a meal IMHO (fine for lunch, but I want a hot meal at dinner). Crepe places are relatively cheap. There are places with dirt cheap (and pretty terrible) daily specials in tourist areas like Rue Huchette.

For lavish choices and decent but not great food the Bouillons are good -- and the two Chartier bouillons are also pretty rooms. We plan to take our granddaughter there for fancy dining this spring since she is 3 bit kind of diner and we don't want to spend big bucks on that. Bouillon Pigalle has slightly better food, also very cheap, but plain room. There are some basque places that serve enormous plates of okay food. There is one in Montmartre and one in Butte aux Cailles that I know of: Chez Gladine. These places don't take reservations; you line up.

Another strategy is to have hot lunch -- lots of lunch plate specials at low cost advertised on sandwich boards outside cafes etc and then have the cheese and baguette meal in the evening.

Flunch will come in around 10€ for a hot meal including unlimited veggies and a beer (plus or minus a € or so)

It all sounds good. Thank you all.

When staying in hotels I do chose one with a minibar. A small fridge is great to have my breakfast in my room, then go out for coffee. Some days, if the weather is nice, I pack a cheese and cracker lunch and buy a salad at Monop’ or a similar place; many grocery stores carry single serving salads and desserts.

If I have had a long day and a big lunch out, I do have a snacky supper, cheese, crackers, fruit or veg from a Marche. Enjoy.

Hi there! I just got back from 14 days in Paris and there are tons of amazing cheap eats! Street food and ethnic food are a must! It is a big city so with big cities come immigrants and all of their amazing food! Lebanese and Vietnamese especially in Paris. Very cheap, very tasty and very authentic. Also keep an eye out for ramen! But don't forget that you can always grab a baguette and some cheese at your little local shops that will make a great sandwich for practically nothing. If you want to cook yourself a few nights, head over to Rue Des Martyrs and you can grab a roasted chicken with potatoes cooked in the rotisserie drippings, a fresh fish, some veggies, cheese and dessert for very reasonable prices. These are places where the locals shop so don't be afraid to act like a local! Just beware of the flashy looking fruit stands with out of season fruit, they like to hide amongst the gems.

I didn't get a chance to try them all, of course, but here is my list of ethnic foods that I had compiled for my trip:

• L'As du Fallafel (You will see this on every list for Paris eats. It's killer, we went back twice)
• Kodwari Ramen (absolutely incredible and a really fun atmosphere)
• Jixiao's Buns
• My Noodles
• Man'Ouche
• Chez Le Libanais
• PHO 14
• Song Heng
• Pho Minh
• Taing Song-Heng
• Chez Xu
• Taiyo Ramen

Oh! And here is a link to my favorite youtube channel (Les Frenchies) where they featured cheap eats:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdOFrHQU16g

Is there a way to eat cheaply in Paris

Both Costco stores indicate they have a Food Court. Your chance to 'live like a local' :-)