lizziepayne

Hello, I'm new here, and have enjoyed reading through many threads. I'm planning a trip to Paris and Amsterdam in a few months, and in working up approximate costs, was looking for some guidance on meals. I enjoy eating at "local" places, and usually try to have one really nice dinner on a trip (two here, one for each city), but by no means need all of my meals at high-end restaurants. What would be a reasonable average amount to budget per meal in these cities? What about breakfast also - my hotel in Amsterdam includes breakfast, but I'm sure I'll be going out some also.

I appreciate any help, and am sure I'll be back with many more questions in the next couple of months as my planning gets into high gear.

ira

Hi Lizzie,

You can eat in both Paris and Amsterdam for equal to or less than it would cost for similar places in NYC or SF.

bbib

Can't remember how much it cost, (not too expensive) but Bofingers - a classic Parisian restaurant do a great set menu. You will need to make a reservation though. I think it was out Bastille way.

Christina

I haven't been to Amsterdam in a long time so won't comment on that one. For Paris, it's really hard to say because you can literally budget almost anything and be able to do it. If you've been in any major city in the US, it won't be that different.

I can tell you what I generally spend and I don't even budget anything, just spend what I want, but I don't think I eat like other people do so it may be offbase. I don't eat three full meals, for example, and don't snack hardly at all (although I will have coffee or drinks at a cafe in-between meals).

Per person, I may spend about 5 euro for breakfast (just coffee and maybe a croissant), maybe 10 euro for a light lunch if I have one (sometimes I don't), and usually 25-50 euro for a dinner with wine in a nice cafe or modest bistro/brasserie, and maybe 5 euro extra through the day for coffee or a beer or something. So, usually I spend about 50 euro a day for food total for myself. I consider this moderate level, not "really nice", which I'd judge would be more like 60-80 euro per person for complete dinnner with wine, unless you mean really really nice or 1* Michelin restaurants which may be more like 100 euro pp.

MFNYC

It's been several years since I've been, and we usually just wing it at meal times, but last time there, we met up with friends (who were also on vacation) who made reservation at Bofingers. IMHO I found it touristy and overpriced. There are so many better little local brasseries and bistros to choose from. But then again our friends stayed at George V hotel and we stayed at a small 3* in the latin quarter so maybe our tastes aren't quite the same.

Patrick

Just for what it's worth, here are the amounts the two of us spent for lunch and for dinner for our seven days in Paris this summer. We always have a bottle of wine with dinner (ordered, not "house wine", but do tap, not bottled water. Lunches are usually more that they need to be -- seldom just stopping for a sandwich, for example, but usually a pretty full meal of a couple courses and either a bottle or at least a half bottle of wine.

Prices are totals for two in euro and include at least a little extra tip --usually about 10%:

Lunches: 29, 30, 33, 16, 38, 40, and 61 (obviously a three course "splurge" with good wine at Lescure)

Dinners: 99, 32, 48, 96, 92, 73, 141 (again this last one our most expensive meal at Chez Julien, but included a great bottle of '94 Pauillac for 55 of the total)

In looking through the year before and also five nights in Amsterdam, I find these to be typical of our expenditures for meals in those cities. Of course, you can do it for MUCH less. I won't deny we eat and drink very well.
Doing the math, we averaged 117 euro a day in Paris for meals and wine.

seafox

I laways find breakfast "out" in Europe to be overpriced. Eat that which is included with your hotel and grab bread and cheese on the run...

TracyB

Hi, I was just in Amsterdam a few months ago and seeing as how we like to travel alot and love eating, we have to really budget what we eat...Some suggestions...There is a restaurant at the Melk Weg..I can't remember what it is called, but the food is 5*, different specials everyday and around 15 Euro per person..Falafels, shoarma's and fries and mayo are cheap lunches and quite tasty..And okay, it is not the most classy place in Amsterdam, but if you are really hungry and are saving your money for all the other fun things in Amsterdam, there is the Dim Sum Court..For 7.50 Euro you can eat as much as you want for 1 hour!!

I also love eating the harring and seafood at the several stalls around town..

And for your 1 meal out, there are so many great restaurants in Amsterdam, I would hate to recommend one..We usually just walk around and go with our instinct. We always eat at at least 1 expensive restaurant per trip, our last trip was at the Yoga Indian Restaurant..It was really good if you like Indian food...But trust me, there is food for every budget in Amsterdam..And I haven't even mentioned the pastries...Enjoy

SalB

We were in Paris in November and Christina hit the nail on the head with prices. That's about what we spent too.

The restaurants all post their menus outside so you can shop for the type meal you want at the price you want. This gives you lots of options. Don't be shy about reading the menus on the street. Parisians do it all the time.

We spent about 30 euros a day on food (60 euros for two of us). We only had one splurge and it was well under 100 euros. You can really budget whatever you want for food. (@ 5 euros for breakfast, 10 euros for lunch and 15 euros for dinner each is what we averaged)

It's probably cheaper in Paris than it is here at home!

Enjoy your trip.

BTilke

In Amsterdam, a highly regarded restaurant is Blauw aan de Wal,
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 99 (330 22 57). Light, Mediterranean influenced cooking.
In Paris, a newly place getting good marks is Stella, on 133 Ave. Victor Hugo. Popular with the BCBG 16th crowd. (We like restaurants in the 16th, which are usually moderately priced but good food geared toward the locals). Meals probably in the $40-$50 range (two or three courses, plus wine and coffee)

PatrickLondon

I'd use the Amsterdam breakfast to stock up for the day. The Dutch like a substantial breakfast - ham, cheese, a boiled egg as well as bread and jam. The French seem not to make so much of it and hotels usually don't include it in the room rate- you might as well get something in a café.

Gretchen

We eat very well in Paris on Christina's "budget". Dining in Paris is much better and cheaper than a comparable place in NYC or SF in my opinion. For dining at a "finer" place consider having lunch there instead of dinner.

Pilchard

Hi.

Not to rain on your parade (I, too, am planning a trip to Amsterdam for March), but be sure to keep an eye on the exchange rate. The dollar has been falling like a rock against the euro. As of this morning it costs $1.26 to buy a euro. It will probably get worse before it gets better.

You're welcome.

lizziepayne

Thanks to everyone for your information! I had wondered if planning on about 50-60 euros most days would be out of the question, but it seems this is quite possible. I also appreciate the recommendations for particular spots, since I'm looking for places frequented more by locals rather than the usual tourist spots.

kybourbon

Try Moeders(Mothers) in Amsterdam for Dutch homecooking.

Underhill

For Paris restaurants, take a look at the bonjourparis.com web site, which has a whole large topic devoted to that question, with threads for different kinds of places.

liz116

Hi lizziepayne. Liz here. I just left amsterdam recently. I found the prices in Amsterdam around 12 euros for main course meals this is without drink and salad. Appetizers will go from 3 euros to 9 euros. If you went to Leidesplein area you will see a good selection of restaurants. There are many snack bars and cheaper foods as well. I booked my package with a local company called Holland Stopovers and they really took care of me and showed me around Amsterdam. If you want to budget any tours ahead of time, see their website.

I'm in Berlin now and it's bloody cold.