15 Secrets to Eating Cheap Without Missing Out on Local Cuisine
There’s fun exploring new places, but one of the most fun aspects of traveling is getting into the local food scene but those unforgettable bites can also cost you a lot. For many travelers, on a budget in particular, it’s a matter of wallet versus taste buds. If you have a little strategy and an adventurous spirit, you can enjoy the essence of a place without spending a lot of money.
This is your foodie survival guide, with tips, tricks and just enough spice to keep things interesting. These ideas will help you enjoy every flavor, regardless of whether you’re wandering through a bustling street market in Mexico or enjoying a quiet village meal in Greece, all while keeping costs deliciously low.
Learn the Local Eating Habits
If you want to eat like a local, observe the locals. What do they order, and where do they go? They know the best spots and often they won’t drain your budget. Avoid tourist-filled restaurants with English menus in bold print. If you can, find a corner cafe, food stall, or small restaurant where you can join locals for authentic food at unbeatable prices.
Embrace Street Food
A budget traveler’s best friend is street food. From a $1 taco in Mexico City to a delicious banh mi in Vietnam, street vendors enhance the standard street food with the most delicious flavors for a fraction of the cost offered by restaurants. Be sure to pick stalls with a steady stream of customers, that’s a good sign the food is fresh and tasty.
Avoid Tourist Hot Spots
Restaurants near major attractions blast tourists with inflated prices since they’re close. However, if you take a little detour, you’ll probably end up at a culinary gem for a fraction of the price. A little extra walking will get you good food, friendlier prices and a quieter, more authentic experience.
Shop at Local Markets
Local markets are the best places to indulge your senses. Pick up some fresh bread, cheese, and fruit for a picnic. This simple setup can rival anything on the fine-dining scene in France. Plus, it offers ready-to-eat meals, the perfect way to sample dishes without spending the sit-down restaurant cost.
Tap into Food Apps and Blogs
Food lovers can be a game changer with technology. Yelp and TripAdvisor are apps that list budget friendly eateries, and food bloggers are in the business of finding hidden gems.
Dine with Locals
EatWith and Traveling Spoon are websites that connect you with locals who will cook you a home cooked meal. Often they are as cheap as dining at a restaurant, and let you sample regional cooking at an intimate level. Think about learning to make dumplings in Shanghai or feasting over a paella in Valencia; memory making you won’t forget.
Stick to the Specials
Because restaurants often make daily specials with ingredients they have in abundance, they’re fresher and cheaper, and, since chefs know that these are the stars of the menu, they tend to pour their passion into them. Make use of these tasty deals!
Time Your Meals Right
Timing can be everything. Lunchtime at many restaurants means discounted meals with smaller portions and smaller prices than dinner menus. For instance in Spain, the “menú del día” is a steal: three courses for a fraction of the normal dinner cost. If you can hit up markets later in the day, you might get discounts as vendors try to sell their goods.
Opt for Tap Water
At meals, skip the bottled option if the water’s safe to drink. Beverages can add up quickly when you are dining out. In Italy, for example, you can save a few euros to spend on dessert by asking for a carafe of tap water.
Cook Your Own Meals Every Once in a While
Having a kitchen in your accommodation is a life saver. Cooking your own meals doesn’t have to be without local flavour. Go down to the market in search of regional ingredients and give a try at a traditional recipe. Surprisingly, whipping up a simple Thai green curry or Italian bruschetta is easy.
Snack Strategically
Snacking sometimes will keep you full enough to skip an expensive meal. Affordable tasty snacks can be bought at local bakeries, and local grocery stores. In Japan, 7-Eleven’s bento boxes and onigiri are travelers’ quick, cheap bites.
Join Food Tours for Sampling
Food tours might seem like a splurge but they usually offer great value in that you get to try out all sorts of dishes in one go. A $40 tour in Mexico City can take you through tacos, tamales, aguas frescas and more, and it’s a more enjoyable way to do it than ordering full meals at each stop.
Take Advantage of Happy Hours
Not all happy hours include cheap drinks; lots of bars and restaurants serve up discounted appetizers and small plates during their happy hours. This is a great way to get sliders, wings, or even sushi at a fraction of the normal price in the U.S.
Ask the Locals
When in doubt, just ask. Frequently, the locals are happy to share where their favourite spots are and their advice tends to be more infallible than a guidebook. Your Airbnb host or a shopkeeper might be the friendliest person you talk to, and they might tell you about the best—and cheapest—meal of your trip.
Be Open to Surprises
Finally, realize that you can let go of a rigid plan and let everything be. From the little diner you stumbled upon to the crowded food truck you found, some of the best meals come from them. Not only is being adventurous cheap, but it’s also the best story. Isn’t that what travel is all about?
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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