One of the highlights of visiting different European destinations is the culinary delights that many cities and countries have to offer.  For some people, food is one of the main reasons for traveling.

For some, this may mean eating authentic meals from some of their favorite places like pasta in Italy and paella in Spain.  For others, culinary exploration may lead to a more inquisitive taste for different foods that you don’t normally eat like escargot in France, criadillas in Spain (bull testicles), or blood pudding/sausage in the UK or Germany.

While many people love fine dining and eating at expensive restaurants for their favorite or strange foreign meals, eating out while traveling in Europe doesn’t need to cost a lot.  My Europe travel tip for finding good budget restaurants in Europe is to discover where locals go to eat and head there.  Many times these places are off the beaten path and away from touristy areas.  Often times, you will need to ask a local or know someone who lives there to find some of these great places.  While guidebooks are a great help, so is the courage to open your mouth and ask.

For many people, a great meal is a fine dining experience with a few stars attached to the restaurant name and a world renowned chef cooking their dinner.  While these are great, eating local foods doesn’t have to be expensive.  Just do a little research, get away from the tourist areas, ask, and follow the locals for lunch or dinner.

While in Madrid, we wandered upon a lunch buffet where many locals gathered to eat.  Lunch included a plate, a drink, a dessert, and as many trips as you want to enjoy pastas, salads, meats, and Spanish food at the buffet.  While eating at a buffet may not be a typical Spanish meal, it was surprisingly good. A lot of the food was fresh but the best part of the experience was the price and watching locals enjoy a meal during lunch.  While it wasn’t a typical Spanish meal, it was a chance to see how some Spanish people choose to eat lunch and go while still enjoying some local cuisine and favorite foods.

In Lisbon, a great sandwich spot was Casa das Sandes, the Portuguese version of Subway.  While eating a sandwich may not be a typical Portuguese meal, it was interesting to see what options they had for their sandwiches and how they were prepared.  Experiencing customer service, watching the preparation, and even how you pay for your food can be just as enjoyable and educational as the good itself.  It was nice to see that locals ate here as well and that you could do so at a good price.

When traveling, eating can be one of the highlights of the trip.  While many love to explore culinary tastes and dining experiences, not every meal has to cost a lot of money.  Eating at a local place during lunch away from the tourists can save you money (to splurge later on those big dining experiences), get you away from the tourists, and help you gain a little insight into local life and what they do for meals.