We may not be in a recession, but the cost of food and housing is still pretty darn high, which can cut into your budget for dining out. If you’re looking to stretch your dollar, here are some top spots in Portland where you can get your grub on without breaking the bank.
[Caveat: All pricing was verified online at the time of this writing, but obviously is subject to change. If you’re cutting it close while waiting for payday, we recommend checking the prices before you go, just in case.]
Featured Eats
1124 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME, USA Po’ Boys and Pickle…
Po’ Boys and Pickles
Craving Cajun? PB&P has a slew of po’ boys on the menu starting at $12. If you feel like splurging, add a side of gravy fries for $6.
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Sometimes you gotta stick to the classics, like the Amato’s Original Real Italian. The small is $5.85 and a large only costs $6.95. We’re also partial to the cheese pazzo bread for $6.25. It’s kind of like pizza, minus the tomato sauce, but with a side of dipping sauce.
Yes, it’s also a convenience store, but Anania’s also has some of the best deals in town when it comes to cheap, tasty food.
Breakfast sandwiches start at $3.95, or you can splurge on the Big Deal Breakfast, which gets you two eggs, bacon or sausage, English muffin or toast, and homefries for only $7.95. A small ham Italian costs $5.50 and a cheeseburger is only $4.25.
An Old Port staple for more than three decades, Anthony’s still offers an affordable lunch option for downtown workers.
A slice of cheese pizza costs $3.99, or get a whole dang pizza for only $9.99. Sandwiches start at $10.50, and options include the meatball, tuna, roast beef, or turkey breast.
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This takeout-only joint at the foot of Munjoy Hill sells a variety of authentic Vietnamese food, including banh mi for $10.
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You already know they bake delicious bread, but don’t sleep on Big Sky’s other menu items. You can start your day with a breakfast sandwich for only $4.25. At lunch time, a roasted turkey and smoked mozzarella or a veggie sandwich is only $7.99.
Perfectly situated for many Old Port workers, Burke’s Perks in Monument Square offers up breakfast sandwiches starting at $4.25. At lunch time you can score a BLT for $8 or a ham and cheese club for $9.
One of our favorite places for cheap eats in the heart of the Old Port (or at their second location in what used to be The Udder Place coffee shop), Crooked Mile serves up breakfast sandwiches starting at $4.50.
Lunch is one of the best deals on the peninsula in our humble opinion. You can get a salad, sandwich, or wrap for $10.75 —and it comes with your choice of chips or an apple. Or, on cold winter days, treat yourself to a grilled cheese and a cup of soup for $9.50.
If you like cheap chicken, Crown’s has got you covered, starting at $8.99 for a two-piece chicken meal. You can also score 15 chicken strips, fries, and a soda for only $9.99.
The wraps and sides are where it’s at for folks looking to dine at Dina’s on the cheap. A falafel wrap is only $4.99. Add on samosas for only $2.25 or garlic naan for $2.45.
Open for lunch and dinner with the slogan “noods all day,” this is a favorite places for hot, fresh noods, uh, noodles. Signature bowls range between $9.50 to $12.50.
Marcy’s not only has the classic diner vibe, it has old-school prices to match, with two eggs, hash browns, and toast for $7, $4 for a jumbo pancake, or $7 for a BLT served with chips and a pickle.
Head to the Garden for lunch and you’ll only spend $10.50-$10.95 for a plate, which also comes with your choice of an appetizer and soup!
This Brighton Ave. staple is under new management, but still going strong. As far as we can tell, everything is under 10 bucks, with plenty of options to choose from, from burritos to chop suey to chicken pot pie. Their breakfast sandwiches are also a perfect grab and go way to start the day.
Empanadas start at only $3.75 with a slew of options to choose from (including veggie and vegan), a plain hot dog is 6 bucks, and tamales will also only run you a Lincoln and a Washington.
You can get 8 buffalo wings for $7.95, a burger with chips and pickles for $4.95, and for those really on a budget, homemade chili with melted cheese and nachos for $3.95 or a grilled cheese with chips and pickles for $3.25
Score a cheese pizza for $7.95 or something called the *adjusts glasses* the Samburger pizza, which consists of hamburger, onions, chopped pickles, american and cheddar cheeses, with ketchup and mustard for the sauce for $10.95. Or you can grab a chicken finger basket with fries and coleslaw for $8.95.
One Sicilian cheese slab will set you back $9. Don’t think that’s enough to fill your tum tum? Did we mention that each slab weighs ONE POUND?! You may want more, because they are THAT GOOD, but for many of us, one slab will do ya.
You can snag two fish burgers for $2.50 every Monday and Tuesday at this Forest Ave. institution. Now that’s what we call a bah-gain!
Get twin hot dogs and a side of fries for $10 or a plain mac and cheese for $9. If you’re thirsty, try the liquid lunch, which includes $2 PBR tall boys and Miller Lites for a buck.
And there you have it, 20 spots, all within Portland city limits, where you can eat on the cheap. There are plenty more, but we were getting too hungry writing this to include them all. Plus, if we couldn’t verify prices online for a specific restaurant, we skipped it. We tried convincing the boss to give us a per diem for “research” but tragically, were turned down. But these 20 should keep both your belly, and wallet, full.
