$90 For Lunch in Paris?

A newscaster broadcasting from Paris this morning said that a %26quot;simple%26quot; lunch was running him around $90US in Paris right now. Has anyone been there in the past few weeks or so who can comment on this?

I%26#39;ll be vacationing there in about 8 weeks, and my husband and I really enjoy good food (not food %26quot;snobs%26quot; per se...but we do want fresh, tasty and creative dishes and are willing to pay more for good quality). Is this was we should be prepared to pay, or can you find good food in the city for more moderate prices?

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Of course, you can find cheaper (90 $ = 60 euros actually). For that rate you can have a very nice meal with wine.

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Simple lunch can cost that much. Especially if youre a journalist, because 3 bottles of wine can be expensive............

Dont worrk - Lunch can cost as low as 10-12 Euros each for freshly cooked 2 courses. Just dont go anywhere that has pictures of the food.

All restaurants have to have a menu and prices outside, so you wont have any nasty surprises

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With the dollar reaching new lows against the euro, this is an inopportune time to discuss what really might qualify as moderate prices. However I should consider 30 euros + wine to be a good barometer of a moderately priced lunch, in a good restaurant. Of course one can pay a great deal more but even now I do not consider $90 a %26quot;simple%26quot; lunch.

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with the current exchange rate maybe.

No really a great lunch (at least 2 courses with drink) shouldn%26#39;t cost more than 25 euros a piece. Prices vary by the area so walk to cheaper areas (student population). A good lunch might run 15 euro for 2-3 courses.

Or my favorite a fresh baguette sandwich picnic. Most boulangeries have a 7 euro menu including a dessert. Lots of variety and you can eat in a park or on your feet to the next location.

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This is part of why we opt for including breakfast at the hotel. For 10 - 15 euros extra you can have a big breakfast of cafe au lait, bread and croissants, almost always an assortment of cheese and meat, and cold cereal if you like. With this we don%26#39;t have a big lunch and when we do eat it is generally later in the aftetnoon rather than noon or 1:00.

After the hotel breakfast, lunch is usually splitting an omelette and escagos or a sandwich or crepes from a street shop, croute madame or monsieur, or moules frites. With two drinks, not always alcoholic, it might be 20.00 euros.

Pjk

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people in the press business are now %26#39;entitled%26#39; to lavish lunches -- but normal everyday people can easily find a cafe or bistro where they can get the daily menu for anywhere from 10 to 20 Euro without wine - have it with a carafe of water and you can easily spend 30 Euro or so for a nice lunch for two -- which of course is 45$ but that is about the failure of the dollar not the expensiveness of Paris

have lunch at a fancy place and drink and 90$ would be easy to spend -- or more -- but that is not a %26#39;simple lunch either%26#39;

and if you pick up sandwiches at a bakery and some tarts and fruit -- or grab crepe or eat in a museum -- you could spend 10 Euro per person or less easily

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You are going to need to do a little bit of research to find the bargains with the dollar being so weak.

Here is a tip: Le Pré Verre is a VERY GOOD restaurant that has a wonderful fixed price lunch menu WITH WINE for 13.50 euro. It is a real bargain.

Here is the link: www.lepreverre.com/en/resto/carteChef.html

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%26quot;Fresh, tasty, and creative%26quot;...

We really enjoy the tartines (grilled open faced sandwiches - French bread with various combinations of toppings) and composed salads at the sidewalk cafes.

If you choose from the menu at a cafe, bistro, restaurant, etc., everything turns on what you order, and how many courses. When you%26#39;re in the mood for two or more course, the prix fixe options are often appealing and a terrific bargain. When you order a la carte, things can really add up.

$90 USD is about €60 right now. You can find a really nice lunch for €60 for two, or you can splurge.

Some days, we have an early lunch/brunch. Other days we have a light lunch. And, once in a while, we do three courses - typically a day when we%26#39;ll be busy in the evening and having a very late dinner.

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Thanks, everybody...I%26#39;m feeling better already. :) We budget to splurge on vacation, and $100US for a nice lunch for TWO when visiting another city or country is not unusual for us. I was a little worried that I was going to have to make some horribly painful sacrifice on the trip...something crazy like not having a glass of wine with my lunch. ;)

I appreciate the restaurant suggestions and tips as well. %26quot;Don%26#39;t go anywhere that has pictures of the food on the menu%26quot;...duly noted.

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Highly recommend the Pudlo Paris restaurant guide. Chock full of places (most not found in all the usual tour guides). Terrific for selecting places most appealing to you.