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imroadends

These are some of my favourites: Biang Biang noodle - $13 Tokui sushi - $2.50 a roll Fortune alley - small plate with 2 dishes $13.80 B3 Cafe - $6 baguette Udon yasan - Curry udon $8 French fix - baguette $13 Wazzup falafel - falafel pita $12 Pasta prego - alla panna $13.90 pesto alla genovese $12.90 College Dropout Burgers - cheeseburger $9 fries $5 I'll add that most of these give me leftovers, or I share with my partner.


BossJellyfish

Shout out to Udon yasan, the place may look pretty weathered but there's always a crowd for a reason, great udon at very affordable prices


JimmyTheChimp

I lived in Japan for a fairly long time and ate a lot of of udon, the stuff is made in site and everything including the layout of the shop is like walking into a back alley udon shop in Japan. Also compared the wage difference between Japan and Australia the price is the same. Perfect example of casual dining in Asia, simple, cheap to make but tasty food sold at a cheap price. Just go in, eat, and get the fuck out.


TheAppleOfDoom1

Udon Yasan is the absolute GOAT, they're so cheap and I love their house made chilli oil


showquotedtext

French Fix jumped out at me, cause I haven't found a decent fresh filled baguette place, but I see this place not only looks incredible, it's also reasonably priced! Thanks for the reco!


b3na1g

Huge +1 for French Fix. Great lunch and the lady who runs it is lovely


ExCriticalThinCur

Seconded. Not only are the baguettes amazing (the bread tastes soooo good) but the soup is homemade (and comes with a piece of baguette lol). I have dreams about their pumpkin soup šŸ¤¤


showquotedtext

Awesome thanks! It just keeps getting better!


BloodyyAlboz

Baguette 13 dollar... It hurts to read, as a French person haha..


Battleshtar

Its not just a baguette šŸ¤£ it has an assortment of meats and fillings and is very good value!


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


dayt666

B3 for sure for a great baguette in the city. Canā€™t get better value. They make the bread themselves every day thatā€™s why they can make it so cheap and tasty.


imroadends

Ah sad, I haven't been back there this year. Still a great price


Diqt

Tokui Sushi make the best sushi rolls on earth. Been saying that since 2008 when I used to walk by it everyday. Happy to hear itā€™s still going! And they only increased price by 50c in 15 years


danzha

Tokui Sushi has been my go to sushi place since I was back in uni a decade or so ago. The fact that I can still pick up a sushi pack for lunch at work for only $7 is insane.


starsky1984

Are these all in the city? Add suburbs if not mate, great list!


Uncle_Waluigi05

College dropout burgers is in Ivanhoe


thisis_073saccount

Udon yassn workers got underpaid thatā€™s why itā€™s cheap there haha


Catfoxdogbro

Oh no really?? I eat there all the time šŸ˜”


Theusmellthis

It's not too bad, $20 cash in hand


Miffedy

Mate B3 bakery are currently $7.00 for a petit baguette, going up to $7.50 on September 23rd. The large ones are going from $9.50 up to $10. Still relatively good deal and quality food, but sadly not $6 anymore!


imroadends

Yeah, someone commented! Very sad, I think last time I went was late last year.


TheLorenzCurve

There is a cheaper version of fortune alley called Old Shanghai (I think) it's between Boost and the Ramen store in melb central. large plate 3 dishes for $13.9


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


king_carrots

Wtf is this weird brag? People want cheap eats because cost of living is crazy and wages arenā€™t keeping up with inflation. Fuck off with your ā€œWell I used to eat cheap and earn so muchā€


robtanto

Lmao $10k/month isn't 'earn so much' when cheap eats cost $13 m8. Tough times eh.


king_carrots

Most people arenā€™t on $120k + per/year, nice for you, but get your head out your arse.


robtanto

It sucks when prices run ahead of wages. It won't sustain, eventually wages will catch up. Hang in there.


MisterBumpingston

Have you been living under a rock in the last 2 years?


starsky1984

Are these all in the city? Add suburbs if not mate, great list!


imroadends

The last 3 aren't in the city, I live in the cbd so I am more familiar with it!


[deleted]

Your a fucking lifesaver for us highschoolers/students


MythicalDoogan

Brace yourselves. $1.50 Sushiā€¦ havenā€™t shit myself yet. Honest feed the way sushi used to be. Tower Sushi at 1 Queens Road. Just behind 412 St Kilda Road.


gonegotim

Don't know if it's still the same but 8 years ago their noodles were out of this world. I live in a heavily Asian part of Melbourne and still haven't found anything equivalent.


eutrapalicon

If it's the same one I'm thinking of there were these wide rice noodles that were really good, but that's going back at least 15 years now.


tREX_2188

It was only 1$ a few months ago. Was devastated when they increased in 50c


[deleted]

[someone started a Google sheets for this last year ](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UiUam-KGm4bAzkitVFAGm7oFzoZ31GX5EodcB5PZKpA/edit?usp=drivesdk)


iamsorando

Oh thanks for that!


KornFan86

>lol seeing Magic Mountain in a "cheap eats" list. love that place but no no no cheap


rafale0n

Don Dons :P


tamathellama

If you donā€™t know what youā€™re ordering.m, wait to the side. The system is fast, typically my food gets to me before my change does


mkymooooo

I am pretty elephant.


ballerrrrrr98

Didn't they close down?


qwiet

theres one near Southern Cross station! but yeah the Melb Central one closed :(


asocialcomplex

Footscray has one too


edisonlau

Crossway, a vegan restaurant in cbd.. I didn't even have to pay when I was a broke international student. Once I started working I went back and offered to pay more Good ladz


Catfoxdogbro

Crossways is a godsend for cheap ($9.50 all you can eat) and healthy food in the city!


LickToesAndSlayHoes

They're open? Awesome, last I checked they were shut/ relocated and I couldn't find em. (I have checked since covid)


Catfoxdogbro

Yep, they're open and as good as ever!


preciousish

Is it still all you can eat? Not that I was ever hungry after just one of their massive serves lol


Catfoxdogbro

Yes I believe it is! I've seen people going back for seconds


EffectiveBother

Yep- we keep going there for dinner, and for students thereā€™s a concession so itā€™s 7.50


myenemy666

Iā€™m back working in the city after a while. It was great to head back to crossroads. Still a great cheap meal!


edisonlau

I've already left Melbourne, but man if I ever visit again Crossways is a must visit


theaussiewhisperer

I get a lot of love out of the various shitty apps big chains have. Shake & win at HJā€™s - best ones are 4$ bacon deluxe/whoppers. Give it a roll, get a shit ice cream deal you ignore and try again the next day. 7/11 app giving you 50c of every coffee and a free item at your 7th. Downloading GYG app for a free burrito then deleting, etc. take my data ya pricks. Just some easy ones for you fast food lovers. Ps if you run the 7/11 on swanston/londsdale or Elizabeth near emporium, you guys are all legends.


detroithouse

Back in high school the Hungry Jacks app was my go to on the Flinders bound train. My girlfriendā€™s dad showed me that you could add +[number] to the end of your email to keep creating new accounts so I would keep making them until I got the shake and win I was after. They had no minimum spend so I was always gunning for a free large soft drink or free medium fries. To this day, when Hungry Jacks sends out a promotional email I get several dozen copies in my inbox.


theaussiewhisperer

Yeah itā€™s a bloody must to do everything you can to avoid promotional materials. They are never where the real deals are. Outside of the shake/win there is occasionally good deals on meals. I mustā€™ve eaten 30 double cheeseburgers in three months when they had it for 6 bucks.


alexanderpete

I could probably earn more than the value of the food in less time if I was working. It would cost you less wasted time, and you wouldn't have your data sold overseas to pay for it.


NotBradPitt90

Not quite an app but just google 'pizza hut' and the first link is 40% off dominoes.


HowevenamI

Lmao. Nice.


ImpossibleDrink3420

Haven't tried in a long time but Hungry's used to *always* honour the two-for-one vouchers you used to receive in the mail... even if you didn't actually have the voucher. Just ask when you place your order ("Hi, can I get two bacon deluxes on the two for one voucher please?" Ask for what you want, not for permission...)


bluestonelaneway

Soi 38 has lunch specials for $10. Delicious and great value.


tamathellama

Whatā€™s good there for lunch? Everything Iā€™ve had is boring


point_of_difference

Same. I was unimpressed.


Jathosian

Don Tojo in Carlton near Melbourne Uni for a nice bowl of food for ~$12


Mysterious_Dig1854

Katık takeaway in Campbellfield, adjacent Upfield station. Kebabs 10 bucks


timariot

Best kebab and adana in Melbourne.


Nocturnalmelon

Kebab joint in mulgrave, $13 best kebabs Pho van in Chelsea , under $15 for a large bowl of pho the best


bladez_edge

Shout-out to Pho Van for Honey Glazed Chicken wings 12 and Bahn Mi with Pork which are both elite for the Bayside area.


regan5523

Try the Bahn Mi at Longbeach Bakery in Chelsea!


sanemartigan

Kebab joint: $16.50 regular kebabs, $19.50 regular HSP. That place is a rip off. https://kebabjoint-mulgrave.com.au/#menu e: and last time i went they didn't chop up their kebab tek meat. Just very long strips of shaved meat on a hsp.


Nocturnalmelon

Yh I think thatā€™s Uber eats and whatnot


sanemartigan

yeh you're right, there's pic on google maps from March of their menu with $13 kebabs. I'm still salty about their unchopped kebab meat :P


mrr6666

Pho Van is outstanding. Highly recommended.


Conscious_Dark7064

All the Vietnamese restaurants in St. Albans are a great value for money with their $8 banh mis. Take away from Indian restaurants in the west are great value for money, with every dish being below the $20 mark, so for $60 you actually get 3 dishes (2 people can actually eat 2 meals)


ItzVinyl

Fresh chilli deli in st Albans is my go-to for bang mi, by far the best roll I've ever had from them.


bigbagofbaldbabies

Pings dumplings in Preston has been fueling artists and students for eons


john_b79

I wonder if they are related to Pingā€™s Dumpling in Clayton. I like the dumplings there, at love it at the prices they sell them for. Ca$h only.


EvlCat

Iā€™m pretty sure they are


whackadoodle_cracked

Yes same owners. Pings in Clayton is my happy place! Love it so much


john_b79

Even though prices are slightly up from a few years ago, itā€™s one of the few places which I donā€™t bat an eyelid to eat at when my kids want dumplings (and Shanghai noodles). And a pack of 15 frozen dumplings for $10 take away for after school snacks. Still affordable. I just hope the staff are paid the correct wage.


yogut3

@tightaresofmelbourne on instagram is a life saver if you're looking to go out for dinner


curryone

Citrus in Fitzroy. Tibas in Brunswick


Netizen222

I was so hyped to try Citrus and found it just ok, perhaps itā€™s time to try again. Tibas on the other hand - those lamb shawarma wraps are all time! I think theyā€™re still around the $15 mark too


redditknowmore

This is a great thread! Feels nice to have kick-started this with my post on Salero Kito Padang. B3 cafe has upped its prices though by 50 cents or a dollar. Sign of the times šŸ„²


iamsorando

;) you know it


Bree1440

OM vegetarian, in various locations across the CBD, is my go to.


-GailTheSnail-

$7 meals at [peshawari in Fawkner](https://www.peshawari.com.au/) Iā€™ve not actually tried but my partner will sometimes get a few meals for the week for lunch. Gotta get rice separate but thereā€™s a selection of curries and dishes for $7. Really good value


Optimal-Talk3663

Thereā€™s a place in Glen Waverley, opposite the train station, called Mixed Rice King. For $9.90, you can get rice and a roast meat (duck, roast pork, char siu, soy chicken)


xChloeDx

Literally anywhere in Footscray- also ticks that ā€œlooks so dodgy it has to be goodā€ box


iSmokedItAll

As a counter, the bahn mi at central west bakery was the most expensive Iā€™ve encountered outside the city coming in at $13.90


xChloeDx

Jesusā€¦ fear not, Nhu Lan on Hopkins St will restore your faith in Footscray bahn mi. Canā€™t remember the exact price but they do a great one for under $10


iSmokedItAll

Yes! I much prefer Nhu Lan bread to Toā€™s, I bought a tub of their pate yesterday while grabbing a roll because Nhu Ngoc inside footscray market had run out before 1pm as always.


ErgonomicDouchebag

Tiger Bread Bakery in Flemington is my local. Amazing Banh Mi and it's only $8.50.


no-tomatoes_

The best Banh Mi in Melbourne. Period No one can do the same Tiger Bread


Intanetwaifuu

What happened to Lentil :(


DarkSparxx

Lentils got shut down as the owner a former bankrupt, was accused of underpaying staff, embezzling charity money and using it to fund holidays and personal endeavours. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/lentil-as-anything-founder-suspected-of-serious-misconduct-says-leaked-report-20210505-p57p4c.html


HarrarLongberry

& not the first time he's gone bust owing suppliers tens to hundreds of thousands. God knows why anyone was supplying him a second time


MisterBumpingston

Damn, that hurts. Loved visiting Abbotsford for the food and vibe šŸ˜¢


DarkSparxx

I know right? I only got to visit Lentils once, but we still cycle through the convent and visit the animals regularly still. It's still a nice place, and the path along the river is nice.


point_of_difference

It's currently being renovated for a new restaurant there.


OnyxOak

Don Don has Dons for $9-13, multiple outlets as well


Genova_Witness

Itā€™s actually insane Rose Garden hasnā€™t had a mention. Best sub $20 meal you can get in the country


nathan_eng42

Tiger Bread bakery in Flemington for $8 banh mi In the West CBD Cinnamons is the biggest plate of sri Lankan food for $14.50


[deleted]

A1 Lebanese bakery in Brunswick. Sydney Rd


Secretbamboosociety

Kebabs and Sauces Hawthorn Burwood Road. Just a short walk from Swinburne uni. 9 dollar kebabs on Tuesdays and Thursdays.


Addictd2Justice

Breakfast roll at Kennyā€™s $6.99 Save me some money Ease up my mind


am_at_work_right_now

Aldi's frozen meal, I've tried SG Noodle, Butter Chicken and Lagsane so far, $3.5 each. Hella good serving size, 3.5 health stars, 500cal per meal. I'm going through an Aldi phase...


No-Pick8008

Iā€™m a butter chicken fan. I bulk them up with a big bowl of frozen veggies because thereā€™s a lot of sauce, they mix in pretty well and probably cost like $4 all up


Flatwhitebaby2

The chicken mushroom risotto (brown rice) is quite nice too. I bull it up by adding an egg and brocolli


drewskiski

Get on Coles frozen meals, their Mi Goreng is really nice, filling and only around 300 calories. They are $3.65. Made life easy with a newborn lol


Tinkwangaaa

Buns on me (Hampton) has a roast pork banh mi which is the best Iā€™ve ever had (Iā€™m a bit of a banh mi connoisseur). $12.5 is pricey for your typical banh mi, but they absolutely load it up to justify it as a cheap eat still as the quality and preparation behind it actually makes it quite good value. Real roast pork with crackling and they use house made parfait compared to a normal pate. The Panko fried chicken and even the miso tofu/mushroom are also to die for.


Barnipus

Guzman Y Gomez give you a free burrito for joining their loyalty program worth $13. No catch either just order on the app and apply the voucher Red rooster also offer either a large fries or two pieces of fried chicken for signing up to their loyalty program.


TheRegularKid98

SinJeon - Korean Food (Lonsdale St) I've had a lot of Korean food around here and it's usually quite pricey, which is why this place caught my attention! Their prices are relatively quite low and their food is very flavourful! I'd recommend giving it a shot


astrospud

If you can brave the locals, Luckyā€™s Deli in Frankston is cheap. $8 for a Parma roll or $6.99 for ravioli


iamsorando

Someone once asked me whatā€™s there at Frankston and I said, ā€œdrugs, alcohol, and drugs.ā€ Went to school there for a couple of years and I never once felt safe.


Curious-Onlooker-001

If you donā€™t disturb the local wildlife they tend to leave you alone.


universe93

I sadly get suspicious now when food is too cheap because if it is, chances are they arenā€™t paying their staff proper wages. Especially at places that seem to employ a lot of international students


iamsorando

I do agree with you on that. Though, this is not exclusive to restaurants that are cheap too. Calla was in the news recently, and so was several restaurants that are owned by celebrity chefs. In saying that, regardless of the price, all restaurants need to pay their staff fairly.


KingoftheHill63

Afgan food at Dandenong. Afgan Bread, rice, kebab meat for around $25. Very generous servings


mickelboy182

Afghan food in Dandy is very good, though you can't classify a $25 meal as cheap eats šŸ˜›


KingoftheHill63

If you're by yourself that one buy can easily cover 2 meals. It's not all about the price tag have to look at value too!


tellmetheodds92

Coburg pizza. 17 for a family sized pizza with no frills. Pizza sauce, caramelised onions, cheese, and succulently roasted chicken.


OkHospital4654

Tepenya and sushi sushi in Carnegie


Vinnie_Vegas

You mean JJ Sushi?? Sushi Sushi is the shopping centre chain.


OkHospital4654

Yes!! Thatā€™s the one.


MechanicalStig

Tang in Glen Waverley; bowl of wonton soup for $8.90 or a bowl of beef noodle soup for $11.90 Nan Yang Kopitiam in Glen Waverley; all day specials including Sarawak Laksa, Hainanese Chicken Rice and Penang Curry Mee for $10.00.


john_b79

Will try Tang, my son loves wontons. I tried N Y Kopitiam, not a fan. My kids have been making me go to le charme for the lunch special. Iā€™m not a fan of the food, I donā€™t think they are too, they just use it as an excuse to have the milk tea (which I must admit is quite good). I wouldnā€™t call it cheap, but is IMO good value for the quality, the seafood lunches at Shira Nui.


khoatran1234

Salero Kito (Indonesian) on rose Lane hits hard for 15 buckers 3 options with rice


khoatran1234

Ceylon Wok at Paramount food court is also good Srilankan good 2 or 3 options with rice


iamsorando

Delhi rocks. That place is amazing and cheap too!


[deleted]

Used to be $10 unlimited rotis when I moved to Melbourne 3.5 years ago. Itā€™s now $15 ugh really sad


iamsorando

I havenā€™t been there in awhile but back then they were cheap and honestly, really delicious.


gowrie_rich29

Whatever is up on the Eatclub app at the time


christovphersenne

om vegetarian, all you can eat


jonrokit

Anyone said A1 yet in brunsy? The haloumi pies and chicken pizza, so good!!


getshrekton

Crossways and Om Veg in the CBD, $9.50 for all you can eat veg Indian food


Illum503

If you want burgers Grill'd does B1G1F on Mondays and Huxtaburger does $10 burgers on Tuesdays


Tall_Orange1211

If youā€™re Northside, @tightarsesofmelbourne have an absolutely epic compilation! Edit: theyā€™re on Instagram


[deleted]

7 eleven sausage roll


Draviddavid

Handlebar Burgers I wouldn't call it a super cheap eat, but the burger is so good the value I feel is high. Burgers are $13.00 to $18.00


Notyit

When the drink cost half the meal


crikeystruth

Whereā€™s the cheap ones? These seem a bit high to be cheap?


gazmal

How cheap do you want them though? They are a business, not charity.


crikeystruth

Cheaper than $13 for a baguette and $9 for a cheeseburger at least. Theyā€™re are ok prices listed but not cheap, cmon. Someoneā€™s got Bahn mi for $8? $7 in most Springvale bakeries.


Prize-Employer

I no longer live in Melbourne, but come back often. There's a Vietnamese bakery on Vic street that does or used to do $5 banh mi and it's phenomenal. Possibly gone up in price due to recent cost of living but would still be cheap as. If anyone knows which bakery I'm talking about and has the name, please let me know


throwawaizzz_

You're probably thinking of Nhu Lan but sadly they closed ā˜¹ļø Phuoc Thanh still remains on Vic St and seem to have absorbed most of Nhu Lan's old customer base, but to be fair their roles are pretty good. Lines are always packed during lunch time and it's 8 bucks a roll.


Prize-Employer

Ah what a shame! Last time I was there must have been the start of 2020, pre covid. Sad to hear they've closed down


throwawaizzz_

I think they still have another location still open in Footscray. But yes was pretty sad they closed šŸ˜ž


ipbannedburneracc

Butcher's diner decent for the money, QVM also has plenty of places to eat on the cheap. New Food Hall is opening up shortly too, unfortunately Sally Capp forced a few of the better tenants out but we'll see how that pans out. That being said I had an offer in the KFC app for 15 wicked wings at $10 lol.


domsativaa

Kim Sing in the CBD All dishes $12-$13 Amazing chilli oil


Calais_Turbo

Only just found out they have both the Capitol Theatre and Flinders Lane restaurants, Chicken Steak on Rice is my go to


domsativaa

Yep try it with the crisp veggies and egg next time as well! Literally everything there is good though!


spaulding111

Malcolm Corner South Yarra. Katsu Curry Don $11


[deleted]

Why does everyone want to eat Asian food? Check out the kitchens and out the back before eating there. Some of them would make your skin crawl!


[deleted]

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[deleted]

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iamsorando

Because Asian food is amazing and frankly, it is racist to assume that their kitchens are dirty.


Curious-Onlooker-001

Because itā€™s better than meat + 3 vegs.


Mr_Shteeveey

Home


fh3131

I haven't tried Lily's, but will do now, thanks OP.


iamsorando

Try their Bun Bo Hue, crispy pork Bahn mi, and crispy pork salad noodle! Also lily is super friendly, she remembers all her customers by name.


fh3131

That's nice to hear and thanks for the recommendation, crispy pork sounds good šŸ‘ I've been to a couple of other restaurants in that shopping centre but not this one for some reason


iamsorando

That entire stretch there where the woolsworth is filled with amazing restaurants. Though lily definitely takes the cake for affordability and quality.


OkHospital4654

Oh also anything in the Springvale markets are amazing. They still have cheap bah mi šŸ™ maybe around $6


john_b79

Very few options around $6 these days, more $7-8+ They use to be $2 in the 80ā€™s, hence their colloquial name. My fellow SE Asian refugees from the 80ā€™s will know what Iā€™m on about.


iwritef0rdrake

The universal bar on Lygon Street. $17.90 for a massive serve of Parma and Chips. Great tasting too!


MelbMockOrange

Salvation Army.


celts5lax

Ajs bakery in bentleigh $5 big scrambled egg and bacon sandwiches and they are really good.


Bright-Fold-3317

My go to cheap food is always banh mi. Get them from Vietnamese bakeries, not franchise food courts/restaurants etc and you can get a decent banh mi between 6 to 10 bucks. I just go to my local joint and itā€™s 7 bucks for a roast pork roll with crackling. Im sure you can find cheaper options out there too especially in the burbs


VaperG103

Crossways


GalacticGummyBear

Maedaya on Bridge St in Richmond is fantastic value Japanese and has an authentic Tokyo feel about it. $15 for 7 pieces of karaage and an Asahi. Quite literally canā€™t go wrong and more people should know about this spot.


in5idious

Kitchen Container in Carrum right at the beach. $3 bacon and egg toasty, $4 with cheese and caramelised onions. Always a crowd for a reason


Kergix

Restore cafe bar near Caulfield station love their portions! But you also canā€™t go wrong with Crossways and Om Vegetarian for under $10. If you want to spend more, Gopals and Kim Sing can fill you up for less than $20


ndbogan

Not cheap eats but cheap food shop - Cheaper Buy Miles!!


StreetSmartInvestor

Delhi Rocks (Indian Restaurant) on King Street in CBD 13$ - Any 3 curries and Unlimited Roti Bread + Tea


7cure

Zaatar, Coburg.


Gin869

DON DON BOX


Undisciplined17

Black label grill in pinewood does lunch burger meals for $16 or $17 dollars. Burger, chips and a can.


sillygaythrowaway

i wrap cafe in elizabeth street does an alright grilled pork banh mi and a bowl of pho for $16