10 under €10: The best places to eat in Paris on a budget

(Last updated: November 2015)

When you move to Paris, suddenly everyone wants to come visit you.

It’s wonderful to see so many friends and family, but their visits present a dilemma: Where should you eat?

Where do you go for meals that are not only so delicious that you don’t mind eating there repeatedly — but doing so will not break the bank?

See, I’d love to be able to take every one who visits me to Verjus or Café Constant, but I simply don’t have the budget.

So after a year of playing host, I’ve been able to compile a list of my favorite wallet-friendly places to eat in Paris.

If you want to know where I’d take you if you ever came to visit me in Paris, this is the definitive list. If someone’s in town, if another blogger wants to meet up — nine times out of ten I end up at one of these places. I’ve been to each one so many times, I know the staff and often they recognize me as well.

So to celebrate the close of my first year in Paris, I hereby present:

Where to Eat in Paris on a Budget

{MEALS}

BREIZH CAFÉ

What to order: In this cozy little restaurant in the Marais, €5 you will get the best salted caramel crêpe of your life. For a more filling meal, order a savory galette (€7-10) — or get both, and split the food (and cost) between two people.

109 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003
Metro: Saint-Sébastien–Froissart (I prefer to go to Hotel de Ville and walk through the Marais)
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays 

LE NEMROD

What to order: The croque monsieur is essentially a ham and cheese sandwich. The croque madame takes it one step further by adding an egg on top, and Le Nemrod takes that a hundred steps further with their amazing croque poilâne, a €10 meal that never fails to leave guests so full they usually don’t even have room for coffee.

51 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006
Metro: Rennes
Open every day 

L’AS DU FALAFEL

What to order: All of this is yours for just €5.50 €6 at L’as du Falafel, a joint in the Marais so popular you can tell you’re getting close just by the number of people you’ll see walking down the street holding falafels. There’s often a long line, but don’t worry — the staff move so quickly you won’t be in it for long.

34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004
Metro: Saint-Paul
Closed Saturdays 

CYCLO (*see note below)

What to order: I’ve tried my fair share of Asian restaurants in Paris, but none satisfy a craving for Vietnamese food better than Cyclo. While the pho is decent, it’s their authentic bo bun (€8) that keeps me coming back for more.

*Update: I think this place has changed owners and is no longer as good as it used to be. Try Pho 14 or Deux Fois Plus de Piment if you’re looking for good, affordable Asian food in Paris. 

***

{SWEETS}

LE MOULIN DE LA VIERGE

What to order: Look, I’ve tried more eclairs than I can count in the past year, so I’m just going to call it: This is the best café éclair in Paris. (€2.30 each)

166 Avenue de Suffren, 75015
Metro: Sèvres-Lecourbe
Closed Thursdays

PIERRE HERMÉ

What to order: While my favorite is actually the salted caramel, for a taste of Pierre Hermé’s genius you have to try one of his unique flavor combinations — Olive Oil & Mandarin is a proven crowd pleaser; the more adventurous might also like to try his foie gras macarons. The flavors change with the seasons, so you can always return to something new. (€1.95 €2.10 each)

Various locations, check here

Related reading: Paris Macaron Smackdown

KB CAFE (*see note below)

What to order: This Australian café is the ultimate place to have a light lunch and get work done thanks to their free wifi and tolerance for people who nurse a single cappuccino (€3.50) for hours on end. Of their various pastries and breads, I’d highly recommend the carrot cake (€4).

53 Avenue Trudaine, 75009
Metro: Pigalle
Open every day

Update: since writing this in 2012, the Paris coffee shop scene has exploded! My favorites now include Holybelly and Fondation Cafe. 

POZZETTO

What to order: Forget the big chains; this Italian shop serves up gelato made from fresh ingredients in a variety of flavors, from which you can choose as many as you like no matter the size cup or cone. Pozzetto also pulls some the best espresso shots I’ve had in Paris. (Gelato starts at €3.90)

39 Rue du Roi de Sicile, 75004
Metro: Hotel de Ville
Open every day 

BERKO (*see note below)

What to order: The cheesecakes at Berko are filling enough to replace an entire meal, and come in so many flavors it’s hard to decide on just one. The mini cupcakes, pretty as they may be, aren’t as satisfying so I’d recommend passing on those. (Cheesecake €4-5 a slice)

23 Rue Rambuteau, 75004
Metro: Rambuteau
Open every day

Update: I’ve since realized Berko may not be a classically Parisian experience. For a sweets fix, I’d now recommend the millefeuille at Jacques Genin or cupcakes from Sugar Daze.

ANGELINA

What to order: At €8, Angelina’s chocolat chaud may not be the cheapest in terms of value, but it’s a Paris institution and everyone should go at least once — if not for hot chocolate, than for a mont blanc, or simply to sit in the beautiful tea room. If, like me, you’re not a huge chocolate fan, try the chocolat chaud blanc (white hot chocolate) instead of the famously rich chocolat l’africain.

226 Rue Rivoli, 75001
Metro: Tuileries
Open every day

Have you been to any of these places? Which one’s your favorite? If you have a favorite meal or restaurant in Paris that you think deserves to be on this list, let me know!