So book one of our favorite budget hotels in the city, and start planning your eating adventure in Dublin.

And remember, the dining scene now offers much more than just fish and chips!

How to save on dining in Dublin

If you’re ready to explore all the delicious eats Dublin has to offer, here are a few tips to help you save along the way.

1. Seek out markets and street food

Staying away from restaurants is one of the best ways to keep your euros. Several markets offer great value (and large portions), such as the Temple Bar Market (Saturdays) or the Mespil Road Market (Thursdays). Browse through the market options for price and portion size. Check out the Visit Dublin website and the Irish Village Markets website for more details.

2. Plan a picnic

There’s great value in grocery stores, bakeries, and specialty shops. One of the best ways to enjoy a gourmet meal without the price tag is to stock up on products straight from the stores. Grab a sandwich, cheese, and charcuterie from Sheridans Cheesemongers, duck into the basement shop at Avoca for a loaf of fresh Irish brown soda bread, or stop into the grocery store Tesco to gather picnic supplies.

3. Take advantage of the early bird

Show up early to experience the best Dublin restaurants for reasonable prices. If you eat a light lunch, you might be ready for an affordable pre-theater dinner. For example, check out the lunch or pre-theater menus at Hugo’s, or Achara offers an early-bird menu from 5 to 6:30 p.m. with three courses for €25 per person.

4. Eat your biggest meal at lunchtime

Many restaurants have a similar prix-fixe menu for lunch. You can save a few euros by eating your bigger meal at lunchtime. Some restaurants with great lunch specials include The Winding Stair and Pichet.

5. Ethnic eats

Dublin doesn’t have the widest range of ethnic eats, especially in comparison to other European capitals. These restaurants do offer great value, both in the food and drink department. Stop into Hop House for affordable Korean and Japanese, Govindas for huge helpings of Indian-influenced vegetarian food, and Thai Spice for tasty Thai dishes.

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North African nations of the once-mighty French empire, including present-day Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, still maintain important links with France, especially concerning immigration and cultural exchange. Today these communities are an integral part of the Parisian scene. Unfortunately, however, it’s cultural tensions with these groups that receive most of the media attention.

Food for thought

For better or worse, cultures often become defined by their food, and the Maghreb countries are no exception. While there could be a magic carpet hidden amongst the fabric stores of the Barbès neighborhood, let’s focus on the couscous, mint tea, and orange blossom pastries that await Paris-bound travelers.

Here’s my Cheapo-friendly tour of where to experience the tastes of North Africa in Paris:

Mint tea

Mosquée de Paris
2 bis, Place du Puits de l’Ermite, 75005
Web site

For the best mint tea in Paris, head to the Mosquée de Paris in the Latin Quarter. The building was inaugurated in 1926 and is the third-largest mosque in Europe. While most non-Muslims cannot enter the building freely, the café connected to the religious monument offers a taste of the Maghreb.

Mint tea (€2) flows plentifully while an assortment of North African pastries awaits you. Sitting in the blue-and-white tiled courtyard, watching the sparrows flit among the foliage, you forget that you’re in the heart of Paris, or even in Europe for that matter.

Art and cultural exhibits

Institut du Monde Arabe
1, rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard 75005
Web site

To experience some more culture, head to the Institut du Monde Arabe, which since 1987 has been hosting art, photography and cultural exhibits stemming from Arab nations. For just €6 (€4, reduced), the exhibits are yours to roam. If money is an issue, the rooftop terrace and café offers sublime views of the city and the Seine–and access via the elevator is absolutely free.

Algerian couscous

Les 4 Frères
7, Boulevard de la Villette 75010
Web site

When hunger hits, a steaming plate of fluffy couscous and stewed vegetables is a sure-fire cure. Restaurants all over the city propose the North African specialty. My favorite is Les 4 Frères, located just up the street from the Belleville Metro station. The restaurant offers some of the cheapest and tastiest traditional Algerian fare in the city. A plate of couscous with either chicken, beef, or lamb is only €7.20–a small price to pay for a veritable feast. Don’t hesitate to try a pastry or two – they’ll bring the platter to the table and let you decide.

North African pastries

Bague de Kenza
Various locations
Web site

If we’re going to talk pastries, there is definitely a one-stop must-see for any serious sweet tooth. The Bague de Kenza chain offers some of the best Algerian pastries in the city. Feast on flaky pastries rife with almonds, orange blossom, honey and pistachio. There are six locations in Paris, so there’s no reason to miss out on one of their fig-glazed or honey-enrobed delights.

Outdoor market

Barbès market
Boulevard de la Chapelle
Open: Wednesday and Saturday

Since picnic season is upon us, a trip to an outdoor market is always helpful when shopping for affordable fruits and veggies. One of the most exotic (and least expensive) is the Barbès market situated just south of the Montmartre district and open every Wednesday and Saturday. As with most Parisian markets, after noon the vendors start unloading their goods at much lower prices, often selling baskets of produce for just a euro or two.

The crushing crowds along the Boulevard de la Chapelle will transport you out of Paris and into a Moroccon souq, with shouting vendors hawking their produce to a diverse crowd of North African Parisians. Be warned, it’s not for the agoraphobic.

Your suggestions?

Even if you’re still planning that North African adventure, let us know where in Paris you find your inspiration. Where is the best place to find tastes from across the Mediterranean? Share your advice in the comments section.

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London’s East End is one of the trendiest spots on earth, its once dowdy streets undergoing continual gentrification. This is where to head to see some great alternative art galleries and to shop in everything from high-end boutiques to second-hand emporiums and artisan markets.

There’s no end of pricey restaurants and cafés offering admittedly great food, but there’s still a handful of places in the east offering tasty meals at affordable prices. Here are five of our favorites:

Tay Do Café
60 Kingsland Road
E2 8DP
Tel: 020 7739 0966
Web site
Hours: Mon-Fri: noon – 3 p.m., 5 p.m. – midnight; Sat noon – 3.30 p.m., 5 p.m. – midnight, Sun noon – 3.30 p.m., 5 p.m. – 11.30 p.m.

Sample price: Pho from £7

The point where Shoreditch High Street becomes Kingsland Road heralds the start of a string of affordable Vietnamese restaurants. Competition between them is fierce, and public opinion diverse; we personally like Tay Do Café, an unpretentious little canteen where there’s rarely a wait for a table and the prices stay reasonable. The pho soup is excellent, and other stand-out items are the grilled lamb chop starter and the Vietnamese spring rolls. The “bring-your-own booze” policy makes this a cheap and tasty option.

Raizes
460 Hackney Road
E2 9EG
Tel: 020 7739 2009
Web site
Hours: Mon to Fri noon – 3.30 p.m., 6 p.m. – 10.30 p.m.; Sat and Sun noon – 11 p.m.

Sample price: Feijoada £9

Venturing east from Shoreditch High Street, a walk up Hackney Road will bring you to Raizes, an authentic, low-key Brazilian restaurant, serving up huge flavorsome dishes and hosting the odd evening dance event and capoeira class. Here you can sample all manner of Brazilian delicacies ranging from polenta frita to feijoada, rounded up with desserts such as the delicious açaí na tigela, made from the acai super-food berry.

E. Pellicci
332 Bethnal Green Road
E2 0AG
Tel: 020 7739 4873
Hours: Mon to Sat 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sample price: Chicken escalope, chips and peas £6.50

An East End institution and community hub, this simple London café feeds a happy, hungry mix of people, ranging from market traders and art students to TV celebrities. Whoever you are, the staff at Pellicci’s offer one of the warmest welcomes in London, alongside enormous portions of English and Italian favorites, such as top-notch traditional breakfasts, lasagne, breaded chicken and a variety of pies with lashings of gravy. You can, and should, get chips with everything.

The Camel/The Florist Arms
Both on Globe Road
E2 0JD

Camel Tel: 020 8983 9888
Hours: Daily noon – 11 p.m.

Florist Tel: 020 8981 1100
Hours: Mon to Sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sun noon – 10.30 p.m.

Sample price: Pie and mash £9/Pizza from £6

If you’d like a simple, filling meal washed down with a few drinks in relaxed surrounds, head for one of these two delightful pubs, tucked away on Globe Road near Bethnal Green tube station. Simple pie and mash at the Camel or authentic Italian pizza at the Florist both make good stomach liners for a few rounds in either of these quality East End boozers.

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Remember that amazing tiramisu you had in Rome? How about that chocolate éclair in Paris? Given New York’s international nature, you don’t have to hop a plane across the pond to rediscover your favorite international sweets. There are plenty of sweet shops around the city to satisfy a traveler’s sweet tooth.

Here are some of my favorite places in New York to find authentic tastes from Europe and beyond:

French Sweets

Financier Pastisserie
62 Stone St (Multiple locations)
Web site

So you still have dreams about that sacher torte and almond berry tart you had while cruising through the French countryside? Financier offers these fine French treats, as well as traditional macarons (not the coconut ones!), madelines and palimer cookies. If you are looking to entertain for a larger crowd, they also have full cakes available for purchase. Chocolate Gianduja (hazelnut) Banana Cake anyone?

English Sweets

Tea and Sympathy
108 Greenwich Ave
Web site

Sure, the English may not be well-known for their food, but it’s hard to resist a delicately prepared scone and a traditional cup of tea! First, start off with a teapot of Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea while you take in the fitting décor and Cockney rhymes adorning the walls. The tiny space crowds quickly, but try sneaking in for their Tea For One in the afternoon, which includes finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, mini cakes—and a pot of steaming hot tea, of course!

Chinese Sweets

Tai Pan Bakery
194 Canal St
Web site

Straight out of Hong Kong, Tai Pan Bakery boasts one of the best egg tarts and shredded pork buns in the city. If you’re recovering from the sticker shock of European sweets, then settle for $1.10 egg tart and supplement with mango filled rice balls or taro mousse cake. Also consider sucking down one of their many boba (bubble) tea flavors for a refreshingly sweet liquid dessert! Tai Pan is located on Canal St., the heart of Chinatown, so don’t be deterred by a small crowd. The ladies behind the counter are happy to make sure you leave with enough buns and sponge cakes to last a week!

Italian Sweets

Ferrara Bakery & Café
195 Grand St
Web site

If you were ever a good Italian tourist, you wandered the streets of Rome and admired the ruins with a melting gelato cone in hand. Not only does Ferrara’s have a plentiful selection of gelato, they also have other delectable Italian pastries that allow you to embrace your inner Soprano. Chances are you will walk in with the intention to buy a cannoli (or two) and leave with a bag full of napoleans, fruit tartlets, pignolis, biscotti and tricolor rainbow cookies.

Though the bakery is located in the heart of Little Italy, arguably a huge tourist trap, but its authenticity is validated by the flurry of Italian spoken by both patrons and staff as you sip on your cappuccino or contemplate your sweet selection.

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As much as I love Rioja wine, Manchego cheeses, golden olive oil and paella, there comes a time when one tires of Spanish food and wants a bit of curry or guacamole in life. Barcelona’s non-Spanish/Catalan foods scene improves each year (I’ve seen a big change in the five years I’ve been here) offering up a little something from many countries around the globe.

Here are seven non-Spanish restaurants with Cheapo-friendly prices that I recommend:

1. Japanese

Every month a new sushi place seems to open in Barcelona. Sushi is so hip, so cool, so expensive!

Tatami Room
Poeta Cabanyes, 19
Barcelona 08004
Tel: +34 93 329 67 40
Web site

A friend of mine who owns the newly opened Japanese restaurant, The Tatami Room told me that “there’s a lot more to Japanese food than sushi.” Indeed, at his Tatami Room, not one piece of Maki is served. The Tatami room is in Barcelona’s Poble Sec neighborhood, overlooked by tourists and locals alike. Try “real” Japanese at The Tatami Room and then head two doors down to Bar Rouge, a sexy bar on the same street.

2. Mexican

It is possible to get a good burrito and margarita in Barcelona. Two of my favorite spots are Rosa Negra and Chido One.

Rosa Negra
Via Laietana 46
Barcelona
Web site

La Rosa Negra and its sister restaurant, La Rosa de Raval serve up Tex-Mex style meals at fair prices. I dig the happy hour at Rosa Negra from Monday-Friday when they shake up margaritas for a super cheapo €3.50! Have some nachos to go with your Cuervo, or one of their enormous burritos.

Chido One
Torrijos, 30
Barcelona 08012

I also like Chido One, a slightly pricier Mexican joint in the city’s Gracia neighborhood offering up an ample selection of classic “south of the border” dishes.

3. American

In search of the perfect burger? Aren’t we all? My burger spot criteria is that they have at least five burger choices, that the burgers are served on buns (yes, there are some places here where the burger comes bun-less) and that they also serve veggie burgers. My two favorites in Barcelona are Betty Ford’s, which servers very aFordable burgers (it’s a pun, get it?), and Fastnet on the beach.

Betty Ford’s
Joaquin Costa, 56
Barcelona 08001

Betty Ford’s is in El Raval and also pours some mean cocktails. This place is usually packed with drinkers on Fridays and Saturdays, some come early for burgers.

The Fastnet
Paseo Juan de Borbón, 22
Barcelona 08003

The Fastnet is an Irish pub in Barceloneta near the beach and across the street from Port Vell. Sit outside when the weather is nice and have one of their fab burgers with fries for about €7. Add a pint to that and you’ve got a large lunch for €10.

4. Additional Asian Options

Thai restaurants have been popping up all over Barcelona lately, and the following two Asian eateries come highly recommended to me by friends.

Thai Gracia
Calle Corsega 381
Barcelona 08037
Tel: 93 459 35 91
Web site

Thai Gracia is in Barcelona’s Gracia neighborhood and serves authentic Thai food made with ingredients imported from Thailand. Consider the abundant “tasting menu” for €21 any time or the daily special Monday – Friday for €11.00.

Thai Thai
Diputacio 9
Barcelona 08015
Tel: 620 938 059

Thai Thai, in Barcelona’s central Eixample barrio has a slightly less expensive daily special for €9.50 during the work week.

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History first

Belleville was actually a wine-growing town outside of the Paris city limits. Incorporated into the city during a geographic growth spurt in 1860, its working class population rebelled actively against the government, especially during the Paris Commune of 1871.

View from the Parc de Belleville

The generally liberal neighborhood welcomed a slew of immigrants during the last century, notably Armenians, German Jews, Algerians, and Tunisian Jews. A heavy concentration of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants gives the entire area a “Chinatown” vibe, although the multicultural influences remain present in stores, religious establishments, and restaurants.

A cheap place to live for many students and immigrants, Belleville also offers the budget-conscious traveler plenty of ways to enjoy an afternoon in Paris. Head up rue de Belleville from the Belleville metro station, serviced by lines 2 and 11, and let the exploration begin!

Cheap eats

Local eateries in Belleville reflect the various ethnicities of its inhabitants, but the Asian cuisine is one of the biggest draws. Just below the metro station Belleville, on rue Louis Bonnet, several Vietnamese/Chinese restaurants (because one ethnicity is just too limited) offer classic dishes like pho and bo bun for well under €10. Tin Tin (17 Louis Bonnet, 75011) is a personal favorite.

Heading up the rue de Belleville, there are countless Asian places to choose from:

Restaurant Gui Xing (47 rue de Belleville, 75019) offers homemade dumplings, called raviolis. A filling plate of 15 pieces costs just €6 and you can watch them be made by the grandmother in the kitchen.

Chez Yu (40 rue de Belleville, 75020) offers €3 sandwiches packed with meat and vegetables if you want to eat on the go.

Rouleau de Printemps (42 rue de Tourtille, 75020) serves up filling dishes for around €5-7 off the main drag.

The Little Sparrow

One of the most iconic cafés in the neighborhood, Café aux Folies (8 rue de Belleville, 75020), is a happening place on weekends, especially in warmer months when the terrace fills up. France’s most famous singer, Edith Piaf, known as the “Little Sparrow,” once performed here early in her career.

A local celebrity in Belleville, Piaf was allegedly born under a lamppost at 72 rue de Belleville in 1915. Her legend lives on through her music (and in Marion Cotillard’s 2007 Oscar-winning performance in La Vie en Rose) but, sadly, the lamppost is gone.

A Bit of Culture

Soak up a little culture by exploring the bohemian vibe of Belleville. The rue Dénoyez is a legalized haven for graffiti artists with ever-changing murals and installations. The small street is home to several galleries and tucked away cafés as well.

Just up the street is the Cabaret Populaire (103 rue Julien Lacroix, 75020, Web site), a creperie, bar and slam-poetry venue. English speakers are welcome to perform or just kick back and listen with relatively cheap drinks in a friendly environment. Performances range from dance and poetry to acoustic blues and stand-up.

Shopping and Markets

Every Tuesday and Friday the boulevard de Belleville, starting at the Belleville Metro station, becomes a huge outdoor market. Influenced heavily by its Asian and North African residents, the market offers an enormous selection of food from all over the world, but the prices are what attract most market-goers. Incredibly inexpensive fresh produce and fish packs in the crowds, but the pushing and shoving doesn’t seem to bother the locals very much.

Heading up rue de Belleville, the street is lined with stores and bazaars selling everything from cookware and Asian decorations to art supplies and American-style Halloween costumes. If you need something, you’ll probably be able to get it at one of these stores for the best price in town.

At the end of the adventures, if you aren’t too tired from walking up and down the steep rue de Belleville, head to the Parc de Belleville, a tiny patch of green. Take a seat and soak up the city’s rooftop views. It’s a great way to round off the afternoon.

Looking for more neighborhoods? Read our post on best neighborhoods by activity.

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