Eating on a Shoestring… Anywhere
When I traveled to the major cities in Europe, one thing remained constant– the availability of high priced restaurants. If you’re trying to cut down your travel budget, here are some tips to enjoy local cuisine and not break the bank.
Eat how the locals eat
Just like at home, exotic dishes tend to be more expensive. In Europe, the cheapest meals will be the ones that are traditional and widely available. In France, this means a shot of espresso is 1 euro. A Starbucks coffee will be 2-3 euros. In Spain, tapas– the small dishes you order at a cafe or bar, are often eaten as an inexpensive lunch. In Croatia, a hamburger might set you back $7 but a traditional spit roasted dish is only a few bucks.
Supplement your meals with local markets
Not every meal needs to be eaten at a sit down restaurant. For a quick lunch on the go, visit the market for fresh bread (a baguette is about 1 euro and huge), and whatever local cheeses, meats, pates, fruit, or olives that are available. For 2-3 euros you can snack on a sumptuous assortment of local fare.
Try to find accommodation with a kitchen, if you can
Many hostels have kitchens, but you can also rent a furnished flat for the week, at the same price as most hotels. The advantage is that you can cook many of your meals and still sample the local food. Buy fresh pasta in Italy or a bottle of wine in France or German sausage or even salted fish in Sweden. You’ll get to enjoy new dishes (don’t be afraid to ask how to prepare things– most butchers will happily give advice) and save a little on the way.
Skip the pricey items
When you do eat out, here are some higher priced items you can easily avoid. Soda is usually twice as expensive as wine or beer. Bottle water is too. Instead ask for tap water and get it for free. Don’t need the bread they serve before the meal? Ask them not to bring it– if they charge for it (you’ll be surprised how often they do). If you’re not too hungry, share an entree with a friend or order a couple of appetizers together (bonus tip: eat inside instead of on the patio to save a bit more–they charge more for patio seating, typically).
Find the Menu of the Day
This is called many different things depending on country, but set menu meals are typically much cheaper than a la carte. Most will have a 3 course meal, with 2-3 choices for each course. Find the most crowded place possible (a sign the food is good) and make sure they have a sign outside with their set menu. Some of the best meals I’ve had in Europe have been menu del dia (as they say in Spain).
Ask!
After you get there, ask people where the best, affordable place is to eat. You’ll be surprised at the hidden away places that have amazing food and cheap prices. Plus it’s a great conversation starter, if you’ll looking to meet new people too!
Blow the budget (at least once)
If you have a dream to eat a particular dish or visit a world famous restaurant– do it! Just plan this into your budget, and by being smart and eating cheaply, you can still have that gourmet experience.
What tips do you use to save on your food costs when traveling?
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November 18th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Right on the money with these tips! Especially eating like a local. You can save so much money by buying fresh foods, and eating at the local places, instead of restaurant targeted at foreigners. I always believe that making friends with locals helps, because they can tell you where those great local places are.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
[...] @europestring: I got hungry writing this post…. how to eat on a shoestring… anywhere: http://www.europestring.com/eating-on-a-shoestring-anywhere/ « előző | YankeeinaNewWorld — 2008. 11. 18. [...]
November 18th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Another trick is to look for lunch menus at nice restaurants - the set lunch menu is normally a fraction of the regular evening menu. It allows you enjoy a nice restaurant at a normal price.
Eating local foods not only saves money, but is just a lot more fun too!
November 19th, 2008 at 3:05 am
Eating like a local is huge. Almost always the cheapest bet. Street food is great too. In Paris at least, the neighborhoods that cater to a late-night crowd (Oberkampf comes to mind) usually have small vendors trying to reach those late nighters by selling crepes, sandwiches, North African or Turkish food at rock bottom prices.
November 20th, 2008 at 1:25 am
Excellent article.
- Avoid dependence on places with English menus/signs and stick to local language.
- Walk a block off the main street and find some quieter and cheaper (and often tastier) local eatery.
November 20th, 2008 at 2:07 am
Great tips! Mark H– avoiding the english menu/signs is huge… especially on the main tourist strips… it can easily be 2-3 times more expensive!
November 20th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Again I learn something new! I had no idea about the prices regarding soda, even outdoor seating! thanks for the tips
November 21st, 2008 at 2:05 pm
First, a criticism: check your guidebook about tap water, there are some countries where a restaurateur would be insulted if you order tap water. Austria and Germany spring to mind.
I’ll add a couple of tips to even things out :) Know how taxes are applied: in the UK you pay VAT if you eat in. Taking a sandwich from M&S to the park saves you 18%! (And there are lots of parks here.) In Portugal, though, if you order food and drinks at the bar, your EUR1.00 coffee can drop to 0.45.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Andrew,
I haven’t heard that Germans would be insulted… just order “Leitungswasser” and you should be all set.
November 21st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Oh, yeah? That may well be the case, it was a long time ago I was warned that. (I was in high school, so … almost 20 years ago. Eesh.)