Beatchick - Thank you for sharing your list of restaurants with me. It shows that you put a lot of time and effort into it.

$30 for a special meal in Paris doesn;t seem very realistic - you certainly couldn;t do it in New York. That said - there are lots of casuale cafes in which you can have a pleasant meal - hot dish and a glass of wine for less than that. It's the special part that doesn;t really fit with $30.

I just topped a post with the L.A. Times recommendations for "cheap eats" in Paris. Perhaps it can help you.

Gustafson's book is now called "Great Eats."

Ya, know, NY traveller, just because you can't do it in NYC doesn't mean you can't do it in Paris--and we have done it over and over. I'll share.
You can eat better and for less in Paris and in all of France than ANYwhere (comparable) in the US--even in our fairly metropolitan city.

Head for one of the branches of Le Pain Quotidien, a Belgian chain that is part bakery/part restaurant. The food is very good and affordable; service is from early morning until 7 p.m.: breakfast (wonderful breads and spreads), lunch, light early-evening meals. Our favorite is the one on the Place du Marché St-Honoré, in the 1st.

Does anyone have recommendations in the 16th? Also, has anyone had lunch at the cafeterias in Galeries Lafayette or Au Printemps (the ones with the views)?

Hi there, I like the reviews at

http://thinkparis.com/foodhunter/

Some good tips, & you can search by arrondisement & price. They list about 2 dozen places in their lowest euro bracket . . .
HTH

You're welcome, Madison - I hope it comes in handy!!

Gretchen -

Have no doubt you can have many plesant meals in Paris for $30 - we have done so numerous times. But I don;t think any could be called special - unless we have very different definitions of that word - its hard to get even a "special" wine for $30 per person.

I was given this restaurant tip here on the board a couple of years ago. I have eaten there twice, both times the fixed price and it was very good. It is a small restaurant called Tire-Bouchon 47 rue Descartes 75005, tel 01 43 26 39 11, metro Place Monge. I upgraded starter both times to the escargot which were really good. Each time the owner has come and talked with me and given me a little complimentary after dinner drink since I am on holiday. I believe it would be in your budget. I think I spent about $30 including a kir, small pitchet
of house wine, and the escargot.
I also like Le bistro du 7 eme. good food and a cozy feel.

The restaurants at all the large department stores are fine--especially the two at Le Bon Marché.

Another suggestion: look for tea salons, which serve lighter meals (omelettes and such) and are lower in price. You can also get a nice meal at many cafés.

If you go to lesrestos.com you can access the Le Bistrot du 7eme web site and check the complete menu; they offer a 12 & 16(17?) euro prix-fixe meal. Just click onto your nearest metro and you can find a great variety of restaurants, many with web sites. You can also sort by price etc. Superb Paris site! JP

I think the budget versus "special" labeling must be just differences in what some will use that word for. I have never spent more than 50 euro for dinner in Paris (with wine)--usually around 30-40, and have had many good meals, but I wouldn't call any of them special. But I think just a nice moderate meal that is very well done maybe what alfie was looking for as "special." don't know

There is a good Tire Bouchon restaurant in the 15th on rue des Entrepreneurs, is there another on Descartes? The one in the 15th is kind of wellknown in Paris, at least for that level--it was reviewed by Patricia Wells in IHT, etc. Now you can dine there for around 25-30 euro.

I like the Bistro et Cie restaurants -- another one is my favorite in the 15th (Bistro Champetre) and you get everything prix fixe (encluding wine and dessert and aperitif) for 31 euro. That is a real bargain as the food is very good. I love their profiteroles and they don't skimp. There are others by the same owner:
www.bistro-et-cie.fr

I think some folks on here don't like one of theirs (bistro de Breteuil).

I looked at those menus for Bistro du 7eme, and I think that looks decent for those low prices, but that doesn't include drinks and the desserts are mostly ice cream. I would expect that at that price, but I wouldn't call that special.


I don't know about $25, though -- that's around 20 euro total at current exchange rate. I have never had a great meal including wine, dessert, etc for 20 euro in Paris. I've had okay meals for that.

NYtraveler, my comments were addressed to Alfie's request for affordable eating places. We actually have had "special" food, particularly at Florimond.
. But I don't see where anyone asked for "special".
And the Bistro du 7eme has nice food and a nice and very affordable wine list. It may not be "special" but it has been very enjoyable. I think we're trying to help Alfie and his family enjoy the food of Paris.
And yes, NYT, last week I did have a VERY special dinner at Jean Georges.

I just ate at the Tire-Bouchon restaurant in May. I am looking at the card I brought back. It is 47, rue Descartes 75005 Paris. Both times I ate there I was staying at Hotel Monge. Very easy walk. I will definitely eat there again on my trip in October. I never heard of the other one. This is the one I was given rec. to on this board a few yrs back when I first stayed at Hotel Monge.

We just returned and enjoyed Chez Clement. It is a chain with 12 locations. We ate des Champs Elysees,123 so it was a great location and had a steak, potatoes and salad for $18. Find a grocery store and buy your wine and have drinks at your hotel.Order a carafe of tap water with your meal and get dessert from a pastry shop. Lunch from the grocery store is very cheap. It is worth the splurge to sit outdoors 1 night and enjoy all the courses in one location.

Who doesn't like Bistro de Breteuil, and why? I have it on my list for September but can always switch to something else.