Best Budget Eats in Himara Under 1,000 ALL

Finding cheap food in Himara (Greek: Χειμάρρα, Albanian: Himarë) is not a compromise — it's how locals eat, and some of the best meals in town cost under 1,000 ALL (10€). The Greek-Albanian street food culture here is strong: grilled meats, fresh pastries, Neapolitan pizza, and sit-down taverna meals at prices that would get you a mediocre sandwich in Dubrovnik. Whether you're backpacking the Albanian Riviera or just prefer to spend your euros on beaches and boat trips instead of overpriced tourist restaurants, Himara delivers serious flavor on a thin-wallet budget.

This guide covers every budget-friendly option in town — from 80 ALL byrek to full grilled dinners under 1,000 ALL. Prices are current for 2026 and listed in both Albanian lek (ALL) and euros.

Quick Picks — Best Budget Spots

Street Food That Actually Delivers

Himara's street food isn't a consolation prize — it's genuinely some of the best eating in town. The Greek influence means gyros and souvlaki are made with the same care you'd find across the border in Corfu, at a third of the price.

Brothers Grill

Rating: 4.9 stars | Price: Budget | Location: Town Center

The highest-rated street food in Himara, and the rating is earned. Brothers Grill does gyros and grilled meats with a focus that borders on obsessive — properly seasoned, cooked to order, loaded into warm pita with fresh vegetables and tzatziki. A gyro pita runs 300–400 ALL (3–4€) and is filling enough for a full meal. The meat quality is notably better than what you'll find at comparable places in Saranda or Ksamil.

This is where you go when you want to eat well for under 500 ALL. Grab a gyro, sit on the wall nearby, and you've just had one of the best meals in Himara for less than the price of a cappuccino in Rome.

What to order: Gyro pita with everything (300–400 ALL). Add a can of beer from a nearby shop (150 ALL) and your total is under 550 ALL (5.50€).

I Love Souvlaki

Rating: 4.5 stars | Price: Budget | Location: SH8 highway

Exactly what the name promises. I Love Souvlaki specializes in souvlaki wraps — chicken, pork, and mixed — with a straightforward menu and fast service. The wraps are generous, well-seasoned, and cost 300–500 ALL (3–5€) depending on size and extras. It sits on the SH8 highway, which makes it convenient if you're arriving by car or heading to the southern beaches.

Not as refined as Brothers Grill, but reliable, fast, and cheap. Good for a quick lunch between beaches.

What to order: Chicken souvlaki wrap (350 ALL). Pair it with a cold Korça beer (200 ALL) and you're at 550 ALL (5.50€).

Pizzeria Napoli

Rating: 4.8 stars | Price: Budget | Location: Town Center

The best pizza in Himara, and one of the best on the Albanian Riviera. Pizzeria Napoli does proper Neapolitan-style pizza — thin base, quality toppings, wood-fired — at prices that feel like a mistake when you're used to Western European pizza costs. A whole Margherita runs 500–600 ALL (5–6€). Slices are available for 200–300 ALL (2–3€).

A 4.8 rating for a pizza place in a town full of seafood restaurants tells you something. This isn't tourist pizza — locals eat here regularly.

What to order: Margherita (500 ALL) or a slice if you're just snacking (200 ALL). A whole pizza plus a drink puts you at 700 ALL (7€) for a very satisfying meal.

Best Sit-Down Meals Under 1,000 ALL

You don't need to limit yourself to street food. Several proper sit-down restaurants in Himara serve full meals — salads, grilled meats, sides — for under 1,000 ALL (10€) per person. These are the places where you get a tablecloth, a menu, and still walk out spending less than a fast-food combo in most European capitals.

Guma Restorant

Rating: 4.7 stars | Price: Budget-Moderate | Location: Promenade

Greek-Albanian cooking on the promenade with sea views. Guma offers the rare combination of atmosphere, quality, and affordability. A grilled meat plate with salad and bread runs 700–900 ALL (7–9€). The Greek salad is fresh, the portions are honest, and you're eating overlooking the water.

This is probably the best value sit-down meal in Himara. You get a full restaurant experience — real plates, proper service, a view — at prices that barely exceed street food.

What to order: Grilled meat plate with Greek salad (800–1,000 ALL total). Add bread — it's usually free or nearly free.

To Steki sti Gonia

Rating: 4.6 stars | Price: Budget-Moderate | Location: Spile Promenade

The name is Greek — "The Corner Spot" — and the food matches. To Steki does classic Greek-style grilled meats and simple taverna dishes. The mixed grill is the move: generous portions of souvlaki, kebab, and grilled vegetables for around 800–1,000 ALL (8–10€). The Spile promenade location is pleasant for an evening meal.

Important: Cash only. To Steki sti Gonia does not accept cards. Bring lek. There are ATMs in the town center if you need to withdraw — see our practical info guide for ATM locations.

What to order: Mixed grill plate (800–1,000 ALL). Keep it under budget by skipping drinks and grabbing a beer from a shop afterward.

Taverna Pirosia

Rating: 4.7 stars | Price: Budget-Moderate | Location: SH8 south

A family-run taverna with a garden setting slightly south of the town center on the SH8. Taverna Pirosia leans into Greek traditions with excellent grilled dishes and, notably, solid vegetarian options — unusual for a meat-heavy town. The garden seating under grape vines is the kind of setting that feels like it should cost more.

Mains run 600–900 ALL (6–9€). A full meal with a salad starter and a main can still come in under 1,000 ALL if you pick wisely.

What to order: Grilled vegetables plate or the daily special (600–800 ALL). Add a village salad for 300 ALL and you're at a proper two-course meal under 1,100 ALL.

Quick Bites and Snacks

Not every meal needs to be a production. Himara has plenty of grab-and-go options for when you want something fast and cheap between beaches.

Byrek Shops and Bakeries

Byrek (Albanian: byrek, Greek: μπουρέκι) is Albania's national snack — flaky pastry filled with spinach, cheese, meat, or tomato. Every town has at least one byrek shop, and Himara has several in the town center. A single portion costs 80–150 ALL (0.80–1.50€). A byrek and a coffee is the cheapest possible breakfast in town: 200–300 ALL (2–3€) total.

Look for the bakeries near the town center — there's no single famous name, but the quality is consistent. The spinach and cheese varieties are the classics. Meat byrek is heavier and more filling if you need fuel for a hike.

Happy Crepes

Rating: 5.0 stars | Price: Budget | Location: Waterfront

A perfect 5.0 rating on a crepe stand. Happy Crepes sits on the waterfront and does sweet and savory crepes from 200–500 ALL (2–5€). The Nutella crepe is the bestseller, but the savory options — ham and cheese, spinach — are solid budget lunch alternatives.

This is a good mid-afternoon snack stop if you're walking the waterfront, or a cheap dessert after dinner elsewhere.

Iceland Gelato

Rating: 4.5 stars | Price: Budget | Location: Spile, SH8

Proper gelato on the Spile beachfront strip. A cone or cup runs 150–300 ALL (1.50–3€) depending on scoops. The quality is above average for a beach town — actual gelato, not ice cream pretending. Good for a post-swim treat.

Obelix Beer N Burger

Rating: 4.7 stars | Price: Budget-Moderate | Location: Spile beachfront

Burgers on the beach. Obelix does solid burgers for 500–700 ALL (5–7€), which puts most options right at or under the 1,000 ALL threshold when you add a beer. The beachfront location on Spile makes it a natural lunch stop. Not the absolute cheapest option, but good value for what you get — proper burgers, not fast-food patties.

What to order: Classic burger (500–600 ALL) plus a draft beer (250–300 ALL). Total: around 800 ALL (8€).

Budget Breakfast Options

Breakfast in Himara doesn't need to cost more than 300 ALL if you know where to go.

Byrek + Coffee Combo

The cheapest breakfast in town: walk into any bakery, grab a spinach or cheese byrek (80–150 ALL), and order an espresso or macchiato at the nearest cafe (100–150 ALL). Total: 200–300 ALL (2–3€). This is how most Albanian locals start their day, and it works. The byrek is warm, filling, and pairs surprisingly well with a strong espresso.

For more morning options, see our best breakfast in Himara guide.

Kafe Pasticeri 1928

Rating: 4.6 stars | Price: Budget | Location: Town Center

One of the oldest cafes in Himara — nearly a century of continuous operation. Kafe 1928 serves coffee, pastries, and traditional Albanian sweets (trilece, baklava, kadaif) at prices that haven't kept up with inflation. An espresso is 100 ALL (1€). A pastry is 100–200 ALL. Breakfast here — a coffee and a sweet pastry — costs 200–300 ALL (2–3€).

The atmosphere is the real draw: an old-fashioned Albanian-Greek cafe where locals sit for hours over a single espresso. Sit outside, watch the town wake up, and spend less than 3€.

What to order: Macchiato (100 ALL) + trilece (150 ALL) = 250 ALL (2.50€).

Supermarket and Self-Catering

If you're staying in an apartment with a kitchen — and you should consider it for budget travel — self-catering cuts your food costs dramatically. Himara has several mini-markets in the town center stocked with basics.

What to Buy

A basic Greek salad made in your apartment — tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olive oil, bread — costs about 300 ALL (3€) and feeds two. That's breakfast or lunch sorted for next to nothing. Local olive oil is excellent and cheap compared to what it would cost in Italy or Greece.

Pro tip: The mini-markets along the main road often have better prices than those right on the waterfront. Buy fruit from roadside stands when you see them — seasonal peaches, figs, and watermelon in summer are excellent and dirt cheap.

For more on managing your daily spending, see our complete Himara on a budget guide.

Price Comparison Table

Here's what you can expect to pay across the full range of budget eating in Himara.

The takeaway: you can eat three meals a day in Himara for 1,000–2,000 ALL (10–20€) without ever feeling like you're cutting corners. A byrek breakfast (150 ALL), a gyro lunch (400 ALL), and a taverna dinner (800 ALL) totals 1,350 ALL — roughly 13.50€ for a full day of eating.

Tips for Eating Cheap in Himara

Eat where locals eat. The promenade restaurants aren't necessarily more expensive, but the side-street spots like Brothers Grill and Pizzeria Napoli tend to offer better value. If you see Albanian families eating somewhere, follow them.

Lunch is cheaper than dinner. Some restaurants offer the same dishes at slightly lower prices during lunch, and portions are often just as generous. The sit-down tavernas are particularly good value at midday.

Buy water and beer from shops, not restaurants. A 1.5L water bottle costs 50–80 ALL (0.50–0.80€) at a mini-market vs 200 ALL at a restaurant. A beer can from a shop is 100–150 ALL vs 250–400 ALL at a bar. This alone saves several euros per day.

Self-cater breakfast. Even if you eat out for lunch and dinner, making breakfast in your apartment (or grabbing a byrek) keeps costs down. A hotel breakfast buffet is convenient but adds 5–10€ per person that you don't need to spend.

Skip the beachfront premium. Restaurants directly on Livadhi or Spile beach sometimes charge a bit more for the view. Walk one block inland and prices drop. The food is often the same or better.

Learn the currency. At roughly 100 ALL = 1€, the math is simple. But paying in euros at restaurants sometimes means unfavorable rounding. Pay in lek when possible — withdraw from ATMs in the town center. See our cash vs card guide for full details.

Try the daily specials. Tavernas like Guma and Pirosia often have a daily special — usually a stew, grilled dish, or casserole — that's cheaper than the regular menu items and often the freshest thing in the kitchen.

Cash vs Card Warning

Card acceptance in Himara has improved, but budget spots are the last to adopt it. Here's the reality:

• Cash only: Brothers Grill, To Steki sti Gonia, most bakeries and byrek shops, roadside fruit stands
• Card accepted: Pizzeria Napoli, Guma Restorant, Obelix Beer N Burger, most mid-range and upscale restaurants
• Cash preferred: Many places accept cards but prefer cash, and some add a surcharge for small card payments

Bottom line: Carry lek. ATMs are available in the town center and accept most international cards. Withdraw in lek, not euros — your bank gives a better exchange rate than the street rate. For a full rundown, see our Albania cash vs card guide and practical info page.

FAQ

How much does a meal cost in Himara?

A full meal in Himara ranges from 300 ALL (3€) for a gyro wrap to 1,500 ALL (15€) for a seafood dinner at a sit-down restaurant. Budget travelers can eat well for 600–1,000 ALL (6–10€) per meal at tavernas like Guma Restorant or To Steki sti Gonia. Street food — gyros, pizza, souvlaki — runs 300–500 ALL (3–5€) and is genuinely excellent. For the full restaurant rundown, see our best restaurants in Himara guide.

Can you eat on 10€ a day in Himara?

Yes — comfortably. A byrek breakfast (150 ALL / 1.50€), a gyro or pizza slice lunch (300–400 ALL / 3–4€), and a budget taverna dinner (600–800 ALL / 6–8€) totals roughly 1,000–1,350 ALL (10–13.50€). Supplement with mini-market snacks and self-catered breakfasts and you can push it even lower. Himara is one of the cheapest beach towns in Europe for eating out.

Do restaurants in Himara accept credit cards?

Most mid-range and upscale restaurants accept Visa and Mastercard. Budget spots — street food vendors, bakeries, small tavernas — are often cash only. To Steki sti Gonia is entirely cash only. Always carry Albanian lek (ALL). ATMs are available in the town center. See our Albania cash vs card guide for details.

What is the cheapest food in Himara?

Byrek — Albanian savory pastry filled with spinach, cheese, or meat — at 80–150 ALL (0.80–1.50€) from town center bakeries. Pair it with an espresso for 100 ALL (1€) and you have the cheapest meal in town at under 250 ALL (2.50€). After that, gyros from Brothers Grill at 300–400 ALL (3–4€) are the best value-for-money meal in Himara.

Is tipping expected at budget restaurants in Himara?

Tipping is not mandatory in Albania. At budget spots and street food vendors, tipping is uncommon. At sit-down restaurants, rounding up the bill or leaving 5–10% is appreciated but not expected. Don't feel obligated — staff wages in Albania aren't structured around tips the way they are in the US.

Himara proves that cheap food doesn't mean bad food. Some of the highest-rated spots in town — Brothers Grill at 4.9 stars, Happy Crepes at a perfect 5.0, Pizzeria Napoli at 4.8 — are all budget options. The best cheap food in Himara isn't a fallback plan; it's the main event. Bring cash, bring an appetite, and you'll eat better for 1,000 ALL than most tourists do for 50€ elsewhere on the Mediterranean.

For more on the full dining scene, see our complete restaurant guide and best restaurants in Himara. Planning your whole trip on a budget? Start with our Himara on a budget guide.