Gourmet meals in NYC for $40

Last summer, Toronto’s Jim and Nicole Dyck were planning their vacation in Barcelona when they stumbled upon something different: a chance to eat in a local family’s home for a bargain price. The couple booked a group dinner on the website Eatwith.com, where you can eat a homemade meal in the foreign city of your choice.

For $48 each they dined on Spanish-Italian tapas with sangria. The meal turned into a four-hour dinner party with fellow travellers on a rooftop terrace in central Barcelona. “That would have cost 100 Euros each [CAD$150] in a restaurant,” says Jim. “The food was outstanding. The quality and experience was on par with a high-quality restaurant.”

Like the accommodations site Airbnb, past guests review the food and hospitality on EatWith. Most hosts pour drinks while others allow BYOB. You can choose private dining or group meals where you can meet fellow travellers. A few hosts even take you to the local market to gather the ingredients and teach you about the local cuisine.

Dinner in New York averages $40 with cocktails and wine, and in Paris it will set you back $45—with no taxes or tip.