Budget Eating in Valencia
Menu del dia
Many restaurants and bars will offer a lunchtime menu (usually between
1 pm and 3-4 pm, Monday to Friday). You will get a three course meal with
usually a few options to choose from, for anywhere from 6 euros, depending
on the bar / restaurant. Average price is around 9-12 euros. Sometimes
getting a menu del dia is cheaper than an average main course there. Granted,
the portions will be smaller than the same dish ordered from the menu,
but alltogether you will have a proper meal.
Menu del dia is an absolute must at lunchtime during the week. It would
be foolish to miss out on the deal, since even the higher bracket restaurants
offer them too, bar only the very exclusive ones.
Bocadillos 
The tapas are not budget eating by any means, although logically you
would expect them to be. A bocadillo (another original Valencian invention)
is a poor man's tapa - a large slightly toasted baguette filled with a
tapa. They are available pretty much anywhere for about 2-3 euros.
Panaderias / Horno 
The bakers have large selections of delicious pastry and cakes. They
can be quite filling and cheap - 1-1.50 euros each. The most popular types
are york/queso (cheese and ham) and pisto (a mixture of tomato, peppers
and fish)
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