Photo by Annie Shapero

Those in search of a sit-down meal deal in Florence—or at the very least something requiring a fork—lunch is the way to go. Loads of restaurants knock down prices to as little as €5 for a plate of pasta, and around €6 or €7 for meat and fish dishes.

Fiaschetteria-Trattoria Mario (Via Rosina, 2r. Tel. 055218550) is only open for lunch. Go early and be prepared to eat on your feet—or squeeze in at the first available seat with groups of hungry locals.

On the other side of town, at Trattoria Accadi (Via Borgo Pinti, 56r. Tel. 0552478410; see above), a Japanese head chef turns out some darn good Tuscan Italian specialties at rock bottom prices. You can actually have two hefty courses for around €12 total.

Who said you can’t eat cheap in this most touristed of cities?

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo by coloursofbohemia 

The rue Saint André des Arts is small winding street in the 6th arrondissement. It leads from place Saint Michel to place Buci, near Odéon.  It’s definitely worth a stroll next time you’re in the central and buzzing Saint Michel area. The street is romantic and quaint, and is also packed with cute places to fill up cheaply.

Foremost among these is the Lebanese food stand Kiki et Mimi, where a panini, drink, and dessert crêpe only cost €6.  K & M also offers a €7.50 menu, which includes a truly delicious shwarma with a drink and crêpe. It’s the perfect place to stop and eat while exploring the rue. It also makes a great pit-stop while waiting for the street’s numerous bars and cafés to move into happy hour mode.  Kiki et Mimi is located at 36 rue Saint André des Arts.

To find rue Saint André des Arts from Saint Michel, face the fountain, go right, and cross the street. It’s the first street on the right.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Photo by Ian Hay 

Last Friday’s Le Parisien had a round-up of cheap and hearty canteens in Paris where you can get a meal for less than €10. Jot these down!

1. Regis, la soupe populaire. 35, rue Mauconseil, Paris 75001. Metro: Les Halles. Open for lunch and dinner on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Main courses like shepherd’s pie (hachis parmentier in French) and pork stew for €3.60, starters and dessert for €2.80.

2. Au Banquier. 7, rue du Banquier Paris 75013. Metro: Campo Formio. Open for lunch and dinner every day except Monday.

In true canteen style, this restaurant features a special dish every day of the week. Wednesday is paella, Friday-Sunday is couscous. A lunchtime menu at €8.80 will buy you a dish of carottes rapees, a veal chop, and an oriental pastry.

3. Le Self-Grill. 3, place de Clichy, Paris 75008. Metro: Place de Clichy. Open daily from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Students ”hang” at this enormous basement canteen, not just because of the cheap prices, but also for the staggering variety of offerings: 30 hors d’oeuvres and mixed salads, 20 main courses, and 20 desserts. Try to go early because it gets crowded after 7:30 p.m.

Elsewhere in the French press, Le Figaro recently published its rankings for the best chocolate eclair in town. The winner:

Chez Carette. 4, place du Trocadero, 75016.

Carette is not a Cheapo café, so we recommend buying your eclairs (€4 each) “to go” from the pastry counter. They are also famous for their macaroons, and in distinction to Laduree (which placed third in the survey), you don’t have to stand in line at Chez Carette!

Popularity: 3% [?]

Photograph by padesig

The slum-ridden Casilino-Mandrione neighborhood was once home to a bedraggled collection of gypsies, prostitutes, and violent criminals. It was such a zone of desperation that Pasolini turned to Madrione when he wanted to capture utter squalor. These days, the ‘hood is on the upswing. While (gratefully) far from any sort of SoHo makover, Mandrione has developed into a vibrant working-class area. It’s solidly Roman—dialect included—with the Felice Acqueduct (see above) running straight down its middle for extra authenticity.

At local restaurant Betto e Mary (Via dei Savorgnan, 99. Tel. 0645421780) you’ll find it next to impossible to spend over €15. No ties are allowed; in fact, all ties are confiscated at the door. The friendly waiters have a penchant for cows, and jokingly alert customers to the use of Mucca Pazza (mad cow) meat on the premises. Enjoy heaping piles of grilled meat of all kinds, pasta trios, and classic Roman cuisine at prices you’ll swear they’ve miscalculated.

Betto e Mary is definitely worth the trek. Booking is essential.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The crocuses may be starting to bloom in Berlin, but the city still has a serious case of the late-winter grays. The antidote? A good dose of color for the eyes and palate at Monsieur Vuong’s.

This “Indochina Café,” not far from the Hackesche Höfe in Mitte, will raise your spirits the second you part the velvet curtains and breathe in. Unlike the über-relaxed atmosphere of many Berlin eateries, this place is packed and buzzing with lively conversation, quick and courteous staff, and a red-and-orange color scheme that should dispel the deepest winter malaise.

The menu is simple: a couple of different soups and appetizers and two or three daily variations on rice and noodle bowls. Whether you get the chicken sate or the beef band noodles, the ingredients are of the highest quality and freshness, skillfully combined and infused with just enough spice to get your circulation moving and your tastebuds dancing.

Even better, you will not pay more than about €7 for one of the daily specials, and no more than €15 for a perfectly matched bottle of French wine to accompany your meal.

If you can’t manage to find spring in your heart, at least go for the stomach, we say. Monsieur Vuong is located at Alte Schönhauser Str. 46.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Museum restaurants tend to be overpriced and lacklustre. “Le Moucharabieh,” the self-service restaurant at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, is a refreshing exception to the rule.

A plate of excellent mezze—hommous, aubergine dip, and vegetable salad with a crunchy walnut yogurt dressing—is €4. A plate of couscous with chicken, merghez sausages, and vegetables is €11.

It’s a lively scene, with Arab music blaring in the background and museum-goers mingling with the staff at shared tables. Get an espresso from the machine for €1 and stroll onto the rooftop terrace to enjoy one of the finest views of Paris anywhere.

The restaurant is open for lunch every day except Sunday and Monday.

Popularity: 2% [?]