30 budget eating worth the trip across France, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All France guides.
Marche de la Croix-Rousse ★ 4.6 · Lyon
Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse, 69004 Lyon
Marche de la Croix-Rousse in Lyon's 4e runs Tuesday to Sunday on Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse: the cheapest way to eat well is buying cheese, bread and charcuterie direct from the 100-stall market.
Tip: Weekday mornings before 10:00 for the quietest browsing.
Four des Navettes ★ 4.6 · Marseille
136 Rue Sainte, 13007 Marseille
Four des Navettes in Marseille's 7e has baked navettes since 1781, the orange-blossom boat biscuit by the paper bag, the cheapest edible Marseille souvenir from the city.
Tip: Closed mid-afternoon between batches; Chandeleur morning is the day to come.
Chez Magali ★ 4.5 · Marseille
42 Plage de l'Estaque, 13016 Marseille
Chez Magali on the L'Estaque port in Marseille's 16e fries panisses at EUR 3.50 the dozen and chichis from EUR 2.80, the cheapest sea-side meal in the city since 1947.
Tip: Cash only; eat standing on the kiosk terrace facing the harbour.
L'As du Fallafel ★ 4.5 · Paris
34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris
L'As du Fallafel in Paris is the falafel-pita window on Rue des Rosiers since 1979, a €9 sandwich the line moves through in 15 minutes most lunch services.
Tip: Closed Saturdays for Shabbat. Take the sandwich to Place des Vosges for a bench seat.
Chez Alain Miam Miam ★ 4.5 · Paris
Marché des Enfants Rouges, 75003 Paris
Chez Alain Miam Miam in Paris is the Marché des Enfants Rouges galette window. €13 buys a laminated-baguette galette built to order with farmer-named ingredients.
Tip: Cash only. Arrive at 11:00 before the line forms; the galette is served from a bench seat.
Phở Bánh Cuốn 14 ★ 4.5 · Paris
129 Avenue de Choisy, 75013 Paris
Phở Bánh Cuốn 14 in Paris's 13e plates a €12 bowl of phở and a €14 bánh cuốn-and-rolls set. The broth runs 14 hours; bánh cuốn comes off the morning steamer.
Tip: Order the phở tái nạm and bánh cuốn for two; the lunch queue moves fast, folds by 14:30.
Le Baron Rouge ★ 4.5 · Paris
1 Rue Théophile Roussel, 75012 Paris
Le Baron Rouge in Paris's 12e shucks oysters on the pavement Saturdays for €2 each. Glasses of cru Beaujolais run €4; the cheapest serious oyster set in town.
Tip: Saturday 10:00-13:00 is the move: oysters on the street, cru Beaujolais from the barrel.
Sibilia at Halles Paul Bocuse ★ 4.4 · Lyon
Halles de Lyon-Paul Bocuse, 102 Cours Lafayette, 69003 Lyon
Sibilia inside Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon's 3e sells hot saucisson brioche slices at the counter from 09:30, the cheapest and most Lyonnais breakfast in the city.
Tip: Hot from 09:30; counter closes at 14:00 then reopens at 15:30.
Chez Yassine ★ 4.4 · Marseille
8A Rue d'Aubagne, 13001 Marseille
Chez Yassine in Marseille's 1er Noailles serves Tunisian home plates all day at shared tables, brik with egg from EUR 4, full plate kefteji EUR 12, fast and cheap counter.
Tip: Cash and card both accepted; the lunchtime queue is the locals' lunch hour.
Chez Etienne ★ 4.4 · Marseille
43 Rue de Lorette, 13002 Marseille
Chez Etienne in Marseille's 2e Panier has cooked wood-fired Marseillais pizza since 1943, no menu and cash only, anchovy pizza around EUR 15, supions and grilled meats up the bill.
Tip: Cash only, no reservations; closed Wednesday and Sunday.
Breizh Café ★ 4.4 · Paris
1 Rue de l'Odéon, 75006 Paris
Breizh Café on Rue du Cherche-Midi in Paris plates buckwheat galettes from €8. The galette complète with Bordier butter is €13; the dessert crêpe is €8.
Tip: The Bordier butter caramel crêpe is the dessert; the galette complète is the lunch.
Les Freres Barioz ★ 4.3 · Lyon
64 Rue Duguesclin, 69003 Lyon
Les Freres Barioz in Lyon's 3e on Rue Duguesclin runs a lunch-only Italian sandwich counter with focaccia panini and rotating daily fillings from house charcuterie, all under 12 EUR.
Tip: Lunch only; counter closes at 14:30 sharp. Cash and card.
Chez Paul ★ 4.3 · Lyon
11 Rue du Major Martin, 69001 Lyon
Chez Paul in Lyon's 1er is the working bouchon on Rue du Major Martin where a set lunch runs under 22 EUR for two courses: saucisson chaud with potatoes and the quenelle.
Tip: Lunch is the value entry; closed Sunday-Monday.
Pizza Charly ★ 4.3 · Marseille
24 Rue des Feuillants, 13001 Marseille
Pizza Charly in Marseille's 1er Noailles slings pizza al taglio since 1962, EUR 1 the slice, EUR 2 the half pie, EUR 4 to 6 whole, the cheapest serious pizza in the city.
Tip: Three locations (Noailles, Panier, Opera); takeaway is fastest.
Le Petit Vendôme ★ 4.3 · Paris
8 Rue des Capucines, 75002 Paris
Le Petit Vendôme in Paris pulls baguette tradition split lengthwise, butter and Bayonne ham, for under €6. The classic Parisian counter sandwich, Monday to Friday.
Tip: Closed weekends. Take the sandwich to the Tuileries gardens five minutes south by foot.
Miznon ★ 4.3 · Paris
22 Rue des Écouffes, 75004 Paris
Eyal Shani's Miznon in Paris's 4e plates roasted-cauliflower whole-head pita at €14 and a slow-cooked lamb shoulder pita at €18, with fries and a sit-down terrace.
Tip: The whole-head roasted cauliflower is the order; takeaway is faster than the 15-seat counter.
Fujiyama 55 ★ 4.2 · Lyon
16 Rue du President Carnot, 69002 Lyon
Fujiyama 55 in Lyon's 2e is the city's most-booked ramen counter, with a 14-hour tonkotsu broth and a ticket under 18 EUR including gyoza for the table.
Tip: No reservations; arrive at 18:45 to beat the queue that forms most weeknights.
Brasserie Georges ★ 4.2 · Lyon
30 Cours de Verdun Perrache, 69002 Lyon
Brasserie Georges on Cours de Verdun in Lyon's 2e serves the 1836 brasserie formula at accessible prices: choucroute, sole meuniere and a half-litre of house lager under 28 EUR.
Tip: Open daily until 23:00; the dining hall takes walk-ins after 21:00.
L'Etabli ★ 4.2 · Lyon
22 Rue des Remparts d'Ainay, 69002 Lyon
L'Etabli in Lyon's 2e Ainay quarter runs a 22 EUR set lunch each weekday with starter, daily plat from the morning market and dessert. The half-pichet of house wine is 5 EUR extra.
Tip: Book 24 hours ahead for the 22 EUR lunch; dinner is pricier and harder to book.
Marche des Capucins counter food ★ 4.2 · Marseille
Rue du Marche des Capucins, 13001 Marseille
Marche des Capucins in Marseille's 1er Noailles runs all day with halal butchers, Tunisian pastries and counter-food stalls, cheapest fresh fast lunch in the centre of the city.
Tip: Cash is faster than card; arrive before noon for the freshest fish.
Mont Liban ★ 4.2 · Marseille
63 Rue Sainte, 13001 Marseille
Mont Liban in Marseille's 1er on Rue Sainte is a Lebanese shawarma and mezze counter from a Lebanese couple, fresh hummus, tzatziki and small fried plates at low prices.
Tip: Two tables inside, mostly take-away; open until 22:00 daily.
Chez Sauveur ★ 4.2 · Marseille
10 Rue d'Aubagne, 13001 Marseille
Chez Sauveur in Marseille's 1er Noailles has cooked Sicilian-rooted Marseillais pizza since 1943, the Pizza Speciale around EUR 15, the cheapest wood-fired pizza in the centre.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday; takeaway saves the queue at peak.
King Falafel Palace ★ 4.2 · Paris
26 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris
King Falafel Palace in Paris is the Marais falafel rival to L'As, three doors up the same Rue des Rosiers. €8 sandwich, faster queue, six pita variations daily.
Tip: Open Saturdays unlike L'As. The aubergine-and-egg variant is the order if you want a switch-up.
Chez Michel ★ 4.2 · Paris
10 Rue de Belzunce, 75010 Paris
Chez Michel in Paris cooks Breton-Norman regional set menus at €36 for three courses, no a la carte at all. Kig-ha-farz, fish soup, kouign-amann to finish.
Tip: The annex tables in the cave are the quieter option; book at least a week ahead for the cave seats.
Le Cinq Mars ★ 4.2 · Paris
51 Rue de Verneuil, 75007 Paris
Le Cinq Mars in Paris's 7e plates a €24 weekday lunch set: endive salad with Roquefort, plat du jour, dessert. The same kitchen runs the €60 dinner carte.
Tip: Lunch is open to walk-ins; arrive at 12:30 to skip the gallery crowd that fills by 13:00.
Le Bouillon Paradis ★ 4.1 · Lyon
58 Rue Salomon Reinach, 69001 Lyon
Le Bouillon Paradis in Lyon's 1er runs the Parisian bouillon format with Lyonnais classics: three courses for under 18 EUR all afternoon, no reservation needed at lunch.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 12:30 or after 14:00 to avoid the queue.
Nafas ★ 4.1 · Lyon
19 Rue Rene Leynaud, 69001 Lyon
Nafas in Lyon's 1er is the Middle Eastern counter on Rue Rene Leynaud cooking hummus bowls, wraps and falafel plates with house pickles, tahini and sumac onions under 14 EUR.
Tip: Lunch and early dinner only; closed Sunday. Take-away through the side window after 14:00.
Bouillon Pigalle ★ 4.1 · Paris
22 Boulevard de Clichy, 75018 Paris
Bouillon Pigalle in Paris reopened the bouillon model in 2017 and now seats 300 daily with no booking. Mains under €12, a starter at €3, île flottante at €3.50.
Tip: Queue from 19:00; tables turn every 45 minutes. The Lyonnais sister Bouillon République is the alternative.
Le Bistrot Paris ★ 4.1 · Paris
33 Rue de Lille, 75007 Paris
Le Bistrot Paris in the 7e plates a €24 lunch set Mon-Fri: steak tartare, plat du jour, profiteroles. A glass of house red and a coffee are folded into the price.
Tip: The lunch menu at €24 is the city's most under-rated set; book a window seat by phone.
Zoi Kitchen ★ 4.0 · Lyon
46 Montee de la Grande Cote, 69001 Lyon
Zoi Kitchen at the foot of the Croix-Rousse slope cooks a Greek street-food counter menu: souvlaki, gyros and house tzatziki on pita, with most plates under 15 EUR.
Tip: Lunch only Mon-Wed; full dinner Thu-Sat from 19:00.