My DD is just finishing up a semester of study abroad in Madrid and will be leaving in about a week to travel around Europe for a month. She asked for help finding restaurants, so I'm turning to the always helpful Fodors community! She likes to eat well and is reasonably sophisticated in terms of cuisine, but she is paying for the trip herself with money she earned working, and she will be traveling with others who have varying budgets, all students. Generally speaking, she wants to avoid fast food, chains, food she can get at home (US), and places that cater to tourists - she's hoping that if she comes prepared with a list of affordable restaurants she will be able to convince the others not to just wander into the first pizza place they see!
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They are visiting:
Rome
Florence (will be there Christmas Eve and Christmas)
Venice
Vienna (will be there NYE and New Years Day)
Budapest
Prague
Amsterdam
Paris

Will be in each city 2-3 days except Rome (4 days) and Paris (5 days). In most cities they have rented apartments through AirBnB so will eat breakfast in and can make themselves a picnic lunch, and save money that way.

I'd appreciate suggestions for:
1. Restaurants for dinner with good food, fresh ingredients, typical of the region but also creative cooking, fun atmosphere, on a student budget (assume approximately 15-20 euros per person per night for Italy and Vienna, could sometimes go slightly higher after that because others go home at that point and it will be just DD and her boyfriend, and they might spend a bit more on some nights - but they always appreciate it if they don't have to!). ‎ If there is anyplace where a bit of a splurge for them is especially worth it, they'd appreciate knowing that.
2. Anywhere particularly good for for them to pick up picnic lunch supplies. Open-air type markets, to the extent these exist in these cities in winter.
3. Any advice for sightseeing "hidden gems" or other insider advice in these cities.
4. Any particular advice for the holiday days (Christmas/ ‎New Years).
Thanks!‎

15-20 euros may not buy a restaurant with good food like you describe I think though with the low euro perhaps - Lunch supplies yes from markets but also supermarkets now usually have a lot of take out prepared deli foods, often reflecting the local tastes of course since they are not geared to tourists.

Are they going by train to all those places and are they under 26 - if so look into the Eurail Youthpass with cheap per day rates and lets them hop on any train anytime with few exceptions (Italy and France require seat reservations before boarding for a small extra fee - 3-5 euros usually in France but 1- euros per ride in Italy.

But still if taking trains to all those places a great deal. and they can take overnight trains to save on accommodations costs and have a unique experience - like between Italy and Vienna and Vienna - via Munich - to Amsterdam.

for loads of great stuff on European trains and passes, etc check www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.comand www.seat61.com. One thing they do not want to do is buy rail tickets as they go as they will spend much much MUCH more than the pass or even discounted tickets that can be booked far in advance thru national rail sites but which often cannot be changed nor refunded. The Seat 61 site I give above is a font of great insight on discounted tickets.

Let's Go Europe is a great book to have along - pinpoints cheap eateries and night life geared to younger travelers.

Yes, I know the budget is rather low. But just by way of example, on two different recent trips to Spain our family of four had a wonderful meal of tapas at Eslava in Seville for about 70 euros, and another great meal at Txrimiri in Madrid for about the same. I read about both places on this great site! Also had a great prix fixe meal at Vi Cool in Madrid, which I read about in Lonely Planet, for 20 euros per person. So I know the restaurants are out there if you can find them! Hoping some Fodorites might know similar places in the cities DD is visiting.

I know they've looked into the train travel, but don't know what they've decided. I will pass along your useful information PalenQ! They are all 20 and 21.

The key thing is to get out of the main tourist areas, that's all.

YOu really can't get that high level a meal like you are describing for dinner at that price in Paris. Of course you can easily avoid chains/fast food and places that cater to tourists if you get out of the main center, but the other things are a bit picky (ie, "creative" cooking and a "fun atmosphere."). Most places in Paris have pretty traditional menus of things that are typical French cuisine that are cheap, they aren't "creative". I don't know what fun atmosphere means, but I think it's a foodie term for posh restaurants with name chefs and some theme or something. I go to lots of places I like and thing are good traditional cooking, but I don't think of them as creative or fun.

I don't know how to judge fresh ingredients, I think a lot of stuff in cheaper Paris cafes isn't as fresh as it used to be, actually (like bread). Some of them are using frozen stuff and microwaving it nowadays.

Here's a trendy place in Paris that isn't too expensive, but it does have lots of tourists in it http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/01...istian-consta/
Even there, at reasonable prices, no reservations, you can't eat a dinner for 15 euro. It does have fresh food and maybe fun if you like the idea of food in little pots. resto website http://www.maisonconstant.com/les-co...iffel/en/menu/

Even that place will be too expensive, I guess, as each item is about 10-20 euro and some main dishes are around 30.

Not knowing much about Italian restaurants I really should not have said anything and maybe I'm thinking of when the euro was much much higher (expensive) against the dollar than it is now. I'll let the Italian experts, like hopefully sandralist or bvienci and others, chime in about that - she lives in Italy and regularly comments on Italian questions.

In Amsterdam the major department stores have cafeterias with good down-home Dutch food for that price range - again where locals eat and not tourists so real local type foods.

Pizzeria Emma in Rome may fit the bill. It opened recently and is on my list for the next time we are in Rome.

www.emmapizzeria.com

I always stop for pizza at Bonci near the Vatican, which is quite inexpensive and amazingly good. It is quite a scene, as it is tiny and there is only one counter inside where you can stand and eat, with a stand-up counter and a few benches for eating outside.

Try going to Katie Parla's blog and searching for "inexpensive" and see if she has a list for Rome.

Elizabeth Minchilli has an app "Eat Italy" that has separate sections for each of Rome, Florence and Venice, and you should be able to sort by price point.

While you mention them making picnic lunch, from the cost management point of view, making picnic dinner and eat out for lunch would be easier to manage. Of course, this rules out dinner only places.

I can comment on a few cities.

Venice is difficult to manage cost as they get enormous number of tourists. If they are willing to do counter type of eating, cicchetti would be am option. They are ready made appetizer kind of things that go with wine. I could eat a light dinner for about 6€ a person by assembling various small plates and a glass of wine which goes for about 1€. Even though the wines are cheap at these places, and you only have a choice of red or white at this price, the quality was superior to what I could get at home for more than $14 a glass. I liked Cantinone già Schiavi in Dorsoduro and Osteria al Portego in Castello. There are many others. These kind of places don't seem to attract tourists for some reason. It would be difficult to find good food at bargain prices in San Marco and area near the Rialto bridge.

Prague was cheap at all the places I went. There was one pub kind of place in new town near the river that I forgot the name below the Charles Bridge tower that was decent but very cheap. They served limited number of Czech dishes with beer. One soup dish I ordered, when I translated into dollars, was only $2.

These are great suggestions!! Please keep them coming!

By the way, by "fun" I literally mean fun - young people, busy ambience, that sort of thing. Not formal and stuffy. I don't mean to imply that they need a high level of cuisine (at this price!). Just food that tastes good and is not touristy, in a setting that 20 year olds would want to go to. I recognize some cities will be harder than others to stick to their budget.

Thanks everyone! More suggestions please!

Ditto the cicchetti suggestion in Venice. I also like Cantinone già Schiavi but I know Elizabeth has a couple of others listed in her app.

In Italy, soda is very expensive, so it is cheaper to drink wine or water.

Personally I think they will struggle with that budget in Amsterdam.
La Place is good for good quality but perhaps not very inspired meals at an good price.
Plenty of supermarkets and markets though which markets depends on which days they are there.

Have a look also at sites like www.likealocalguide.com/amsterdam/budget-meals

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...staurants.html

http://english.buffet-amsterdam.nl/ is well recommended though I haven't tried it.

Ethnic restaurants will also be cheaper generally.

>>maybe I'm thinking of when the euro was much much higher (expensive) against the dollar than it is now. <<

That confuses me - the OP stated their budget in € so whether it is strong/weak against other currencies is sorta irrelevant . . .

CGS: As the others say - that will be a pretty tight budget. Since they will have kitchens most places maybe they should plan more in-house dining and just plan on a few meals out and about.

In Paris, I'm pretty well versed with the 14th Arrondisement, and budget-wise would recommend the following:

Creperie Josselin (cash only) on rue du Montparnasse ... been going there since my college days when visiting a friend who (still) lives there. There's always a line to get in, mostly locals, but also tourists in the know. Closest Metro stop: Edgar Quinet, but the walk from Metro stop Vavin at Boulevard Montparnasse to rue du Montparnasse is a little more interesting in terms of historical literary watering holes.

La Cerisaie on Edgar Quinet at the Montparnasse Tower end of Edgar Quinet across from a Monoprix. Small place with good southwest French cuisine. Closest Metro stop: Edgar Quinet.

I have to join the chorus in telling you that, for Italy, that budget is too low for authentic local food with fresh ingredients except for pizza in the evening in Rome and cicchetti in Venice. During the day, they can find some places serving quality buffet lunches (Margutta, Babette) and some places serving 1 dish + a beverage for under 15 euros -- but are they seriously going to be carrying around a list of addresses to track down for eating? Aren't they going to be out and about seeing Rome, and looking for someplace right at hand when they are hungry? They aren't going to want to traipse across town.

If they cannot up their budget, then they need to raid the markets and food shops. In Florence, they should consider eating lunch right in the San Lorenzo market. There are food courts there and sandwich sellers, some of high renown, and places to sit down indoors. And Florence is small enough to make targeting the San Lorenzo for lunch every day realistic. Around Campo de'Fiori they can find cheese shops, bakeries, fruit, etc., but they'll essentially have to picnic. They can try heading into the Jewish Ghetto in search of cheap eats and a sit-down. They should learn to look at menus posted at the door. For Venice, they can read up on cicchetti but also hit the supermarkets (if they can find any) because it is hard to live on cicchetti alone. They are snacks.

If they want to be around young people and not spend a fortune on food, they should head across the river in Florence to eat, and likewise in Rome, head out to Trastevere or even better Testaccio. But they should also take note of the fact that Italy is not as age-segregated as the US (or Spain). People of all ages are dining in the same eateries, and while of course there are pubs catering exclusively to college students, they are often super touristy and serving hamburgers.

But if they are typical young people, they are going to want to drink wine, have coffee, sample gelato, and they will need more fuel in them than just pizza and snacks. Somebody should gift them some food money.

Just to be clear, I was referring to Campo de'Fiori and the Jewish Ghetto in Rome.

<i> Post study-abroad travel - eating well on a student budget. Posted by: CGS</i>

For my take on eating reasonably well on a budget see http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap15/eating.htm. On the holidays have some food on hand because finding an open restaurant may be a problem.

Campo Margerita in Venice is where the young people hang out.

Within Vienna's InnerStadt there are a few places for casual fare that won't break the budget. I wouldn't discount the Würstel/Kebab/Pizza Stands around the city; though, I avoid the pizza unless I see it coming fresh out of the oven.

Türkis is a "chain," but the food is not. Good friends who had lived in Turkey for many years introduced us to the restaurants and we have been enjoying the cuisine since.

Trezniewski https://www.trzesniewski.at The small breads topped with various "aufstriche" (spreads ranging from egg salad to liver pates) average €1,50 each.

Bealieu, a French Bistrot. The Plat du Jour ranges from €9-€16; the ala carte menu also has reasonably priced food. http://www.beaulieu-wien.at

Outside the InnerStadt, but with easy public access, there are two places that come to mind.

Cornwall Pasty Pirates. A tiny shop with a good size menu of pasties and pies. http://www.pastypirates.at

Wiener Deewan. Pakistani curries, both vegetarian and non. If one dines in, it's "pay what you wish." For carryout, the prices range from €5 -€10, depending on the size of the container. deewan.at The food is spectacular.

Finally, the "Vienna Wurstelstand" blogazine publishes lists of "Cheap Eats"
http://www.viennawurstelstand.com/in...s-in-vienna-1/
http://www.viennawurstelstand.com/in...in-vienna-2-2/

let me know where they are staying in Prague and I can maybe make suggestions.I am in Prague several times a year and you can eat very cheaply there, many places do a very cheap "Denni" menu at lunch times , limited choice but you can get 2 courses for around 100Kc (less than $4) actuall last month I had a soup and Pork with potatoes for 85kc and soup with pickled sausage for 60kc at lunch time.
I tend to eat away from the city centre one place I was in Pod Juliskou I had Venison in a rich sauce with bacon dumplings and 3 beers for 300kc.
Loads of cheap street food ,ie sausage with sauerkraut and bread for 50kc.
Loads of sumermarkets around to pick up cheap stuff for lunches ,many places do large filled rolls for 40-60Kc.

Campo Santa Margherita in Venice is the correct name/spelling.

In Paris they may have better luck finding a bargain lunch in their budget range and then they can have dinner at home.

Since she is traveling with a group it's going to be difficult to herd everyone in the same direction, and she will probably have to either split from the group or go with the flow.