Paris Travel Guide: The Tastiest Snacks & Treats In Paris
It's no secret that you can find incredible food in Paris. After all, the City of Lights is home to over 100 Michelin starred restaurants and some of the world's most talented chefs.
But what if you're visiting Paris and (like most of us) don't have a Michelin star budget to play with? Don't fret! In today's post, we're taking you through some of the most popular and tastiest snacks Paris has to offer. All these delicious eats are available to take with you on the go, making them more affordable, so we'll also share with you our favourite nearby spots to enjoy them.
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01. Ispahan Croissant, Pierre Hermé
You simply cannot come to Paris and not have a croissant for breakfast. If you read our 1 day in Paris itinerary, you will already know how much we love the Ispahan croissant from Pierre Hermé. Only available at a small number of their stores (we always pick up ours on Rue Bonaparte) the Ispahan is a rose, lychee and raspberry flavoured buttery croissant and is the tastiest, prettiest croissant we've ever eaten.
(Update: This croissant is still 100% my favourite croissant, but Lee found his new favourite pastry on our latest trip to Paris, so there is a bonus entry coming up later in this post) Price: €2.90 Location: Rue Bonaparte, Paris Nearest Metro: Saint-Suplice (Line 4) or Mabillon (Line 10)
Where To Eat It
Take your croissant(s) to the beautiful Luxembourg gardens for a relaxing morning of people watching. The Luxembourg gardens are only a 5-10 minute walk away.
02. Macarons (Various Locations)
From luxury pâtisseries to even McDonald's, macarons can be found all over Paris. These delicate sweet "sandwiches" are made up of crisps shells made from egg whites, almond flour and sugar, with a sweet jam, cream or ganache filling. They're generally sweet and incredibly moreish, so it's worth buying a box of these goodies. Some believe the macaron was first created by Pierre Desfontaines, of the Ladurée family. Whilst Ladurée macarons are delicious, our personal favourites are the Ispahan (raspberry rose and lychee) and the Citron (lemon) macarons from Pierre Hermé. Don't just take our word for it though, why not grab a few macarons from different places and find your favourite.
03. Falafel, L'As du Fallafel.
If you're looking for a budget friendly, warm and tasty lunch, look no further than L'As du Fallafel. Located in Paris's old Jewish quarter, L'As du Fallafel is home to the world famous - you guessed it - falafel. It's hard to miss this spot, just look out for the long line of customers against it's (now famous) green exterior. Tasty falafel isn't all that's on the menu here. On our last trip to Paris, we tried the shawarma (pictured below) and it was just as delicious. Price: €6.50 - €9.50 Location: 34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris, France Nearest Metro: Saint Paul (Line 1)
Where To Eat It
Rosiers Joseph Migneret Garden is a small, intimate garden and is only a 5 minute walk away. The garden offers the perfect quiet spot to rest your feet and enjoy your lunch. Location: 10 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris, France
04. Ice Cream, Berthillon.
Just a stone's throw away from L'As du Fallafel is Berthillon, often described as the best ice cream in Paris. If you're visiting Paris during summer, grabbing an ice cream from Berthillon is essential. Established in 1954, Berthillon is Paris' most popular ice cream provider and once you've tasted it, you'll understand why. There are plenty of locations around the city selling the famous ice cream, but we visited the flagship store on the Île de la Cité. Price: €3 - €9 depending on how many scoops and whether you have a cone or not. Location: 31 rue saint louis en l'ile, 75004 Paris, France Nearest Metro: Saint Paul (Line 1) & Ponte Marie (Line 7)
Where To Eat It
With this treat, you don't want to spend too long finding a spot to enjoy it. As Berthillon is located on the Île de la Cité., it's only a short walk to the banks of the Seine. Find yourself a quiet spot along the wall overlooking the Seine and watch the world go by.
05. Crêpe (Various Locations)
There are crêpe stands dotted all over Paris, where you can watch skilled crêpe makers create your tasty snack in front of you. Crêpes can be savoury or sweet and are a great treat, especially when you're on a tighter budget. We personally love a messy Nutella crêpe. Whichever crêpe you choose, make sure to keep it away from pesky ducks ha! Location: Various
06. Baguette, Le Grenier à Pain.
A warm, freshly baked baguette is simply something you NEED to try whilst you're in Paris. A baguette is best enjoyed as it is, fresh from the oven. We also love it as a sandwich with ham, cheese and butter. Our personal favourite spot to grab a baguette from is the multi award winning Le Grenier à Pain. But be warned, once you have a baguette in Paris, bread back in the UK won't taste as good! Price: A large baguette will cost you about €1.15. A large ham, cheese and butter baguette will cost you €4 and can easily be shared between 2 people. Location: 38 Rue des Abbesses, 75018 Paris, France Nearest Metro: Abbesses (Line 12)
Where To Eat It
It will come as no surprise to you by now that we love to people watch. So our favourite nearby place to enjoy our baguettes is simply on a bench in the street outside. Or why not take a seat in Square Jehan-Rictus garden, with a view of Le Mur Des Je t'aime (The "I love you" wall)
07. Hot Chocolate, Angelina.
The last entry on our list is certainly the most indulgent. Angelina is famous for their L'African hot chocolate and is often described as the best in Paris. It is very thick and rich, making it very different to the sweet, thin drink we're used to in the UK. This is a completely indulgent, must have treat. If tourists have a bigger budget and want a more lavish experience, most will visit Angelina's popular tea room on Rue Rivoli. But grabbing a cup to go from Rue de Vaugirard is the perfect way to try the famous hot chocolate on a budget and at this location, you don't have to wait in a long queue to get it. Note: Angelina's is hidden away as it's connected to a museum. You'll need to go through security (where there is generally no queue) and Angelina's is immediately on the left. Price: About €4.50. Due to it's richness, we suggest getting one to share. Location: 19 Rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris, France Nearest Metro: Saint-Suplice (Line 4)
Where To Eat It
The beautiful Luxembourg gardens are only around the corner from Angelina and make for a perfect relaxing morning of people watching. We also like to grab a croissant and macarons from Pierre Hermé (the 1st entry on our list) then head to Angelina for our hot chocolate before making our way to the gardens.
BONUS ENTRY: Pain au Chocolat & Pistache, Pierre Hermé
After our latest trip to Paris, we HAD to include the amazing Pain au Chocolat & Pistache from Pierre Herme. Buttery, flaky pastry filled with delicious chocolate and topped with crunchy pistachios - incredible!
My favourite pastry is still is Ispahan Croissant from Pierre Herme (the first entry on the list) but this one has taken Lee's number 1 spot. Absolutely worth picking one of these up on your next trip.
Price: €2.90 Location: Rue Bonaparte, Paris Nearest Metro: Saint-Suplice (Line 4) or Mabillon (Line 10)
Where To Eat It
Take your Pain au Chocolat & Pistache to the beautiful Luxembourg gardens for a relaxing morning of people watching. The Luxembourg gardens are only a 5-10 minute walk away.
Have you tried any of the food on our list? Let us know below and share with us your favourite budget friendly eats in Paris.
Read Next: How To See The Best Of Paris In 2 Days
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