When we were in Paris last year we spent about 75 Euros per day for 2 people to eat
(Breakfast was included in our hotel rate)
We are young and not rich, just for fun how
much do you spend per day on food for 2 people. Also, Have we missed something by not having a 400 Euro dinner in Paris? We just got a new Bank one Visa with a hugh limit and I told my wife if she wants too I will treat her to a fine french dinner.

Oooh jeff, you are so sweet, come let me give you a hug!
There is no need to go into debt having a lovely meal in Paris. There are so many good restaurants that have great atmoshere and food, you will be happy whether it is budget or expensive.
We spend more than we should.
But let me tell you, I remember the meal at Le Violin d'Ingres and it was special, as was Helene Darroze and some fancy places in the past..
But the ones that stand out in my memory are eating in places like Allard where the waiter was so charming, where they gave us the menu with the date on it because it was our anniversary. Petit St Benoit where the owner gets happy when he sees us ( we eat there every single trip) and the owner at Le Perron where they gave me big Kisses as we left the last time..
I think you will make your own memories and they will have little to do with how expensive the meal was.
Have a wonderful time, when are you going?

Hi jeff,

> we spent about 75 Euros per day for 2 people to eat..<

That's about our budget.

>Have we missed something by not having a 400 Euro dinner in Paris? <

Yes. However, I recommend lunch at a major restaurant first. You can have the fixed price lunch at Taillevent for about 70E pp.

After that, decide if you want to spend the money on dinner.

Thank You Scarlett & ira,
WE depart LAX May 18 arrive May 19 2005
non stop. We depart CDG May 27 2005 arrive same day non stop. I will try The lunch thing first.

Lunch in a good restaurant is a great idea since it will less expensive than dinner. Expect to spend at least 2 hours which should not be a problem at the end of May since the days are quite long. This should give you ample time for sightseeing in daylight. If you are in Paris on Sunday it may be easier to get a fine lunch rather than a fine dinner.

I prefer picnic fare and eat at the cafe de park bench and spend at most 15 euros a day if i splurge. This is a serious response. If i eat out I go to Flunch and its in part unlimited food buffet - these French instituions are all over France. I'm not dissing fine restaurants or restaurants in general and i've done that. It's just that i enjoy supermarket fare - many now have delis for take out fare that includes gourmet items and to dine with a view, or in my hotel room.

For lunch while we were in Paris, we sometimes just had fruit and bread from the street markets and went to a big park to eat and people watch. Damn I love Paris!

Mine would have to be an average, because every Paris trip is different for me. Sometimes I am rather dull and just go to a cheap café for coffee and a tartine for breakfast, have a sandwich or salad at a place like the Brioche d'Or for lunch, and have dinner at a local bistro, and I may spend 35 euros for the whole day.

Other trips, I'm meeting friends for lunch and dinner and spending more like 75 euros a day. I suppose it average out to about 40-50 euros a day. But if I had to, I could eat very well in Paris for half that.

Spend whatever you are comfortable with spending, but be certain to allow enough for the wine. Good wine will make even the cheapest of Parisian meals much better. If $400 dinners are important to you then do it, but you will not necessarily be getting a meal that is four times better than a $100 one, particularly when dining in Paris, if it is possible to evaluate such things.

Hi folks, CalGirlSusan seems to be popping up all over the US Board and now the Europe Board. Negative comments always. So perhaps best to ignore. LOL.

Oh dear. I disagreed with a single comment about Italian cooking and now my posts are all seen as negative? I thought the idea of this website was to express one's opinions. Sometimes we don't all agree. Get over it, dear.

We live in Paris and dine mainly in the 11th arrondissement. Our dinners out typically cost from 45 to 100 euros for two. (Yesterday we had lunch at the most "upscale" of the three Asian food shops on the rue du Faubourg St. Antoine. It was 16 euros for two, and very tasty.) We've dined at three-star restaurants, too, but none of those meals has been as memorable as some we've had for a fraction of the price in 18 years of dining in France -- maybe in part because a portion of the three-star bill is for the "show" and in part because one expects great food in a three-star, but is surprised, and therefore delighted, when it comes unexpectedly in a much more modest restaurant. Freshness of the ingredients and something I think of as the chef's "honesty," which also might be called a passion for food, count the most, I think. That will come through in the service, too.

CalgirlSusan, perhaps you would be kind enough to thare with jeff some restaurants in Paris he might want to take his wife too. I am sure they would truly appreciate your advice.

Oooops, share is the word. LOL

I got some great answers from the replys
but, only 5 said how much they spend for food in Paris. Lovelitly and CalgirlSusan this question was just for fun, please don't fight, I am sorry if I asked the wrong thing.

"But the ones that stand out in my memory are eating in places like Allard where the waiter was so charming, where they gave us the menu with the date on it because it was our anniversary. Petit St Benoit where the owner gets happy when he sees us ( we eat there every single trip) and the owner at Le Perron where they gave me big Kisses as we left the last time.."

I love that reflection Scarlett! We had a similar experience right here at home in suburban Detroit at the conclusion of a wonderful meal. The service was so gracious, I gave our waitress a hug and verbal thanks. It made her day!

Hi, Jeffwill4you...
We are not 'gourmet' diners so have not visited any "wallet-buster" restaurants. We usually take the hotel breakfast (around 6-8€ each).

For lunch, we grab crepes, sandwich, pizza, usually something we can walk away with, and eat in nearby square or park. That will usually be around 5-7€ each, with a boisson.

During the day, we might stop for another coffee and a rest, so another 2-3€ each.

We nearly always have an afternoon break (right around "Wine:30", as my hubby calls it). We'll go to Monoprix or the like, get a cold beer(3&euro and some cracker/cheesey/snacky things(2&euro, and find a place to enjoy/relax/people-watch. I will buy a bottle of wine(7-11&euro to keep in the room. Now this may be a bit over the top, but I take a 'wine kit', which has corkscrew, vacuum seal, Lexan wine glasses and a flask. I'll pour wine into the flask, grab a glass and take with me to a favorite spot for the Wine:30. More discreet than lugging the entire bottle around.

We eat at brasseries and small bistros for dinner. This can be anywhere from 22-45€ for both of us (total) and includes a glass of wine, a soda, or maybe a bottled water. (I look for menus around 13-20&euro. I don't think we have ever exceeded 50€ for a meal.

So for an average day, I would estimate we spend about 75€ for food/drink for the 2 of us.

Thank you travelnut, Good answer.

One evening for dinner we walked thru the market street on Rue Lepic and purchased a roasted chicken right off the spit, some bread/cheese/wine/dessert for our apartment. Another evening it was Chinese carry out -- both very reasonable.

We would pick for lunch and splurge for dinner, or vice versa, and probably spent about 100 Euro a day.

Travelnut,
Can you offer any names of bistros or brasseries? We will be staying in St. Germain but will travel for good, cheap food! If not names, any telltale signs of a good, cheap place we should look for? Thanks.