The 20 best cheap eats in Australia

Contemporary Japanese Deli may be small in size, but it puts up a fairly sizeable menu of donburi rice bowls, bento boxes, katsu curries and of course, ramen. Their popular bento boxes ($16 to $19) offer a feast of options, from teriyaki and karaage chicken to yakiniku beef, tempura prawn and veg, or tonkatsu pork. The Japanese-style katsu curry ($17) is pure comfort food, while more than ten hearty ramen bowls come in at under $20. 

Watany is a morning walk through Beirut with its fresh bread, classic olive oil, sumac and za’atar trio, and rare Arabic produce. The underwhelming view of the carpark completely contrasts with what you're getting here: a wholesome Lebanese breakfast representing various regions in Lebanon and the Middle East, served with tea and stories. The falafel plate features five fresh falafel balls served with salad, pickles and tahini sauce ($14.99), while the za’atar pastry is less than $5 a pop. For a classic, order the spinach and feta manoushi or the lamb fatayer. 

$14 for 14 dumplings? That’s almost too good to be true. Grab a few mates and head to this city centre dumpling spot to sample a variety of their hand-wrapped delights. Our favourites are the crispy pan-fried chicken dumplings ($15.80), soupy Shanghai pork dumplings ($15.80), and boiled prawn and pumpkin dumplings ($16.80). Oh, and did we mention, it’s BYO?

This vegetarian street-food joint with five locations across Australia dishes out street food from the North and South of India, with most of its 200 spicy delights priced under $20. Feeling peckish? Go for the samosa sandwich, brimming with cheese, chutney and tomato sauce; scoop up the chole bhatura (chickpea curry) with fried Indian bread; or nibble at one of the 25 dosas from the south (starting at $13.90).

How lucky that one of Hobart’s favourite seafood shops is also one of its most affordable. Perched right on the water at Constitution Dock, Flippers serves up fast, freshly cooked fish and chips, starting from $17.50 for a flathead with thick-cut chips. Prawn cutlets, potato cakes, calamari rings, crab sticks, battered scallops and fried dim sim go for just $1.80 a pop, or you can snag a mixed box of treats for only $14.50. How flippin’ good!

Adorned with framed, newspaper cutouts regarding the sensational bánh mì churned out of this Barrack Street eatery, it’s clear that Le Vietnam knows a thing or two about satisfying the hungry gobs of Perth – and in a cheap fashion too. The humble bánh mì are simple yet effective on any day of the week, but Le Vietnam is famed for their new-wave baguettes – they’ve even caught the attention of celebrities both near and far. Get your hands on bánh mì specials stuffed with the likes of Wagyu brisket, char siu pork belly burnt ends, honey-butter smoked turkey and considered vegan fillings, including teriyaki ‘chicken’, Peking ‘duck’, ‘lamb’ yiros and ‘beef’ rendang. The hefty $12 to $15 rolls attract mega crowds, and it’s not unusual to see lunchtime queues that line the street for a taste of what’s good.

The appeal of Taro’s is simple. It’s $19.50 for any variety of really, really good ramen. The tonkotsu ramen has a rich, silky texture and free-range egg atop. (Taro’s takes its eggs seriously, and it only buys from certified organic suppliers). For those of you who like your ramen a little lighter, try the shio ramen, which is made with a salt-flavoured umami base prepared in a pressure cooker for maximum flavour. The ambience at Taro’s is equally tasty, staffed with friendly, smiling staff who are happy to help guide you through your choices. In our humble opinion, nothing quite washes a ramen down like an ice-cold frothy, and at Taro's, you'll find Suntory Premium Malts and Orion on tap, served in chilled pint glasses with a handle.

Say hello to Africola restaurant’s cool younger sibling, Africola Canteen. While the groovy East End dining room dishes out some serious meals that are heavy on, well, everything – the Norwood salad bar counterpart is simple, yet effective. Africola Canteen set up shop on The Parade back in 2022, and has since been boxing up veg-forward fare that is as pretty as a picture. Verdant soups, salads and sandwiches are up for grabs, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they’re jam-packed with garden-fresh herbs, crispy bits of something or other, and tangy pops of pickles. Drop in for numbers like the braised chickpea chopped salad with spicy salami, kalamata olive tapenade, semi-dried tomatoes, cucumber and bitter leaves. Or slow-roasted sweet potato with a tomato-ginger dressing, whipped tahini and pickled red onion – setting you back somewhere around the $15 mark. Not too bad for a ticket straight to flavourtown.

Hifumiya has been churning out piping-hot bowls of udon since 2018. Not only is it Perth’s OG noodle house, it’s also undeniably one of the best. Tucked away on McLean Lane, Hifumiya is often packed at all hours of the day with locals and tourists alike. But don’t be disheartened even if the queue snakes out of the restaurant – Hifumiya runs on Japanese precision and the line moves quickly. Pick from the wide variety of options proudly displayed on the photo menu above the pass. Popular options include the spicy miso pork udon ($16.80) and the beef curry udon ($15.80).

Situated smack bang in the heart of Canberra's City Walk, Flavours of Ethiopia is the perfect spot for a casual workweek lunch or a quick grab-and-go. For just $14, you can mix and match any three mains, from pumpkin and red lentil curries to hearty beef stew or chicken tibs. Each dish comes with rice or injera bread, and you might as well whack on a $2 samosa.

This Collins Street gem in Hobart is a go-to for authentic Malaysian street food that won’t break the bank. It’s been delivering the goods since 2010, offering simple yet satisfying South East Asian staples, including nasi lemak, chicken rice and noodle soups from $16. If you’re on the go, pick up some curry puffs, chicken wings or mini vegetable spring rolls for only $5. Fresh, flavourful and affordable – what’s not to love?

Uncle Authentic Chicken Rice on Waymouth Street is undoubtedly plating up some of the cheapest eats in Adelaide. For just $12.80, you can tuck into traditional or crispy skin chicken rice which has been slow-poached for ultimate succulence, alongside fragrant rice and a bowl of piping-hot chicken broth. The Singaporean and Malaysian hive offers a whole lot more than just chicken and rice though – observe the chefs who are on full display as they rustle up mega bowls of potent laksa for $15.80, sauteed greens in exchange for $3.80, and $5 shallot pancakes, too. Uncle Authentic Chicken Rice’s fit-out may be contemporary, but the blue plastic crockery doesn’t lie and the broths will have you slurping every last drop. 

The humble sandwich gets a serious glow-up at Eat at Billys, courtesy of the meat maestros at Meat at Billys. Here, bread is just the foundation for layers of next-level ingredients. The menu boasts seven stacked options, each showcasing top-tier proteins. The 'Not A F*$&en Reuben' features melt-in-your-mouth, wood-smoked Wagyu brisket pastrami with red cheddar, pickles and their signature sauce. For fried chicken aficionados, 'The Redneck' offers double-fried free-range chicken tenders, iceberg lettuce and confit garlic mayo. Feeling porky? Try the 'Big Paulie', which includes pork belly porchetta with crispy crackling, salsa verde, pickled red onions, rocket and garlic mayo. Whatever you choose, it’s a meal that could outshine most sit-down dinners, and at under $20, it’s an absolute steal. But, these sandwiches aren’t just good, they’re popular. Like, sell-out-before-noon popular. If you have your heart set on one, set an alarm, clear your schedule and get there early.