10 cheap Paris restaurants where meals cost less than £10
Think eating in Paris is expensive? You might be doing it wrong. Although restaurants can charge sky high prices and even cafes can be obscenely expensive, there’s no need to risk a €20 croque monsieur. Here are 10 of the best places in town that will feed you for under €10.
The Hood Paris
The Hood Paris is a young, hip café where they do both food and coffee really well. Their motto is “The Hood is yours”, meaning that it’s a place where you can freely come as you are. The food menu was created by Khanh-Ly Hyunh, a talented French-Vietnamese chef who won MasterChef France in 2015, and the coffee is excellent.
The baristas are genuinely friendly, the playlists are on point, the iced lattes (yes, they do iced lattes) are the best in Paris, and they have a killer food menu with banh mi sandwiches (with egg, pork, chicken, or tofu) for only €7. They pickle their vegetables inhouse and their homemade sriracha is something else.
Jixiao’s Buns
Good Asian food can be hard to come by in Paris, but Jixiao’s Buns is one of the best. They do crispy pan fried “buns” filled with meat and broth. Four buns cost just €6 (try the pork and corn); they even provide you with a tiny straw to slurp up the broth.
Also on the menu are noodle dishes starting at €7. This is a takeaway window joint, but they have a few seats outside where you can enjoy your buns hot and fresh from the pan.
Pizzeria Popolare
Ask Parisians where to get pizza, and they’ll most likely point to a Big Mamma Group location. With six locations in the city, they are probably the most popular pizza chain in town – though the fact that each location has a different menu and ambience makes it feel less like a chain.
Pizza Popolare is extra special thanks to their marinara pizza that costs just €4 and is delicious. All of their locations are very popular so expect a wait if you don’t want to line up before they open.
Miznon
Chef Eyal Shani’s original Miznon restaurant is in Tel Aviv, but for his second outpost he chose Paris. Again, it’s hard to get in but the food is worth the wait.
Their steak and egg pita is only €9.50 and their famous roasted cauliflower head is €6.50. Everything is fresh and they also offer free tea if you eat in.
Filakia
Filakia does souvlaki really well – they call themselves “gourmet street food” and they’re not wrong. The filling souvlakis cost €8 and come packed with meat and vegetables; for regulars, there’s a souvlaki of the month as well as a vegetarian option.
If you’re looking for something sweet, they do a great take on loukoumades, a Greek doughnut, for €4.
French Waffle
There’s no shortage of crepe places in Paris (good and bad, let’s be honest) but French Waffle is a good bet for two reasons: they’re really good, really fast, and everything on their menu is under €10.
Their galettes (savoury crepes) start at €7, sweet ones at €2.50. As the name suggests, they do waffles too – from €4.
Trois Fois plus de Piment
Spicy food in Paris is a rarity, though there’s always Sichuan cuisine. But no worries if you don’t like spice - Trois Fois plus de Piment also offer everything on their menu with a no spice option (just ask for “0 star”). Their most popular dish is the “noodles with pork without soup”, which costs €10.80.
For something a little lighter, there are dumplings (what the French call “ravioli”) – five pieces for €5.20. You’ll often find a huge line outside the restaurant but it moves fast.
CheZaline
One of the most eaten foods in France is the “Jambon Beurre” – a baguette with butter and ham. CheZaline in the bustling 11th arrondissement is the best place to get your fix.
They source their baguettes from chichi Maison Landemaine and the ham used is the preservative-free “Prince de Paris”. Sandwiches run from €5- €8.50. Note that they’re closed on weekends, though.
Burger & Fries
Don’t roll your eyes – Burger & Fries is hands down the best burger in Paris and a whole meal here costs less than €10. Substitute regular chips for “ultimate fries” which comes with melted cheese, grilled onions, and a side of their famous house sauce.
Everything is made inhouse, and with a location in Saint Denis and a second in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, they’re never too far away.
Ippudo Paris
Ippudo is best known its ramen but they have plenty of delicious food for under €10. All three Parisian locations offer rice bowls (katsu don of sorts) for €8. They also have what they call “hirata buns” – soft bao buns filled with a meat of your choice for €4.
Try the “Rajin Wings,” found only at their Saint-Germain location – delicious wings in a sweet yet savoury soy sauce glaze for €7.
