Budget Bites In Paris

Paris is world renowned as a city which offers great food, but also one which is difficult to make the most of on a tight budget.

Nowadays budget travelers in Paris needn’t eat kebabs for every meal in order to save the pennies. A new wave of restaurants in previously lesser-known areas offer tasty bites at prices even backpackers can afford.

The Marche des Enfants Rouge takes top spot for its concentration of different stalls selling a variety of hot foods. The Moroccan café stands out for its huge portions of tagine, but there are plenty of other options for around €10.

One kind of food you won’t find in the market is Chinese, but those looking for a noodle fix should head to nearby Happy Nouilles. A steaming bowl of noodle soup costs €6–8 and comes with a couple of spring rolls to boot.

If you’re in the mood for a kebab, don’t go to any old neon-lit hole-in-the-wall joint. Make sure you go down to Urfa Dürüm on rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis to sample their Kurdish sandwiches made with fresh ingredients. Another option, if you’re in a hurry, is Au P’tit Grec, which serves big crepes for around €6.

A recent trend among some of the most famous chefs in France is to open bistros or take-out joints alongside their full-service restaurants. Gregory Marchard is no different, and his bistro Frenchie serves a wide variety of dishes to take-out or eat at the bar. It’s slightly more expensive than the other options, with a meal costing an average €15 euro, but it’s a more affordable way to sample some French haute-cuisine and a deserved treat.