Frugal Feasts: The Best Cheap Eats in Sydney

As much as we all love to be wined and dined at the fanciest of hatted restaurants, sometimes it’s the small hole-in-the-wall joints serving up sliders on paper trays that really hit the mark. Sydney has plenty of fantastic cheap eats; you've just got to know where to look. Lucky for you, we’ve tasted our way through the city and have plotted the best haunts where foodies roam and wallets whimper.

Forget the starched napkins and white tablecloths; these spots thrive on flavour, not formality. From decadent sandwiches to authentic roti canai, these are Sydney’s finest food joints serving up the very best budget bites.

Marrickville Pork Roll

Join the long and winding queue outside Marrickville Pork Roll to score an iconic Sydney staple for under a tenner. These fresh Vietnamese rolls will fill you up for hours and leave you feeling satisfied. There are a range of ingredients to choose from including crackling pork, shredded chicken and fresh salad. When an eatery only serves one dish, you know they are going to do it well. And this hole-in-the-roll is no exception.

236A Illawarra Road, Marrickville

Oti

For those Sydney days demanding a slice of life, Oti has got the answer. Perfect for a takeaway lunch, speedy dinner, or a cheeky arvo nosh, Oti’s daily-changing menu will keep you coming back for more. Picture this: a hearty pizza slice for $12 to $15 or a stuffed sandwich, boasting fillings from smoked chicken to beef tongue, all within the $15 to $20 range. Follow the trail of locals queueing from the ivy precinct, and you'll understand why Oti’s is a local hero for cheap eats in Sydney.

Shop 5 Palings Lane, 320 George Street, Sydney

Mamak

Delivering the soul-warming cuisine of Kuala Lumpur, Mamak is known for their mouth-watering rotis and hearty Malaysian dishes. Established originally in Chatswood, this eatery has garnered quite the cult following across Sydney – fans flock from all over to sample Mamak’s straight-up up authentic street food, You can try their original roti canai served with two curry dips and sambal sauce for $10 whilst the vast majority of noodles and mains can be scored for under twenty.

Chatswood, Haymarket & Parramatta

New Shanghai

Originating on the main drag of Ashfield and now with over five stores across Australia, New Shanghai has built a steady following of avid fans due to their generous servings of house-made dumplings and their handmade noodles at decent prices. Their dumplings range from the traditional pork and chive to chicken and celery, fish and everything in between. Ten pieces will set you back around $17. 

Ashfield, Chatswood and Sydney CBD

Pho Pasteur

With locations in Blacktown, Haymarket, and Parramatta, Pho Pasteur is a must-visit for anyone on the hunt for an affordable bite to eat. This hole-in-the-wall eatery specialises in traditional Vietnamese cuisine, and their pho is a popular choice come lunchtime. While they have plenty of options for traditionalists, their crispy chicken noodle soup is a standout favourite. A huge bowl of steaming pho will set you back around $22 and keep you full for half a day or more. 

Blacktown, Haymarket & Parramatta

Good Ways Deli

Good Ways Deli is a haven for brunchers and lunchers alike! Try their breakfast sandwich with boiled egg, maffra mature cheddar, onion jam, butter lettuce and mayo. Or go in with Aussie classics with deli sandwiches kangaroo mortadella, salami cotto, ham provolone, pickles, white onion, iceberg lettuce and sandwich sauce. Sandwiches are freshly made to order with the Deli's own daily bread which makes it even more incredible that you won't find anything over $17. 

Shop 1/20 Cooper Street, Redfern (Gadigal Land)

Albee's Kitchen 

A long-running favourite for Malaysian fare, Albee’s Kitchen offers encyclopaedic menus at fantastic prices. Set meals come in at an average of $17 and range from ginger duck with rice to curry chicken and potatoes. We recommend gathering the gang and ordering a selection of dishes so you can sample a bit of everything. The snack menu is also well worth a peruse. $50 here will snag you a whole feast, guaranteed. 

Campsie, Kingsford & Carlingford

Spice I Am

With a slew of awards to their name, you know the food at Spice I Am is bound to be good. Bringing the flavours of Bangkok to the Surry Hills foodie scene, all the dishes here are bursting with flavour and as their name suggests, they like their dishes with a bit of spice. The restaurant runs their very own micro-farm that provides the ingredients for their homemade curry paste and more and the prices remain beyond reasonable. You'll be hard-pressed to find a single dish over $30 whilst most of their handmade curries sit around the $23 mark. 

90 Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills

Mother Chu's Vegetarian Kitchen 

When you’re in the city, stop in at Mother Chu’s, where a steaming bowl of stir-fried noodles with veggies will set you back less than $15. If you’re still hungry, opt for the crispy tofu with miso sauce, or tempeh stir-fry with walnuts, snow peas and broccoli. At this no-frills eatery, service is quick, making it perfect for lunch breaks. 

367 Pitt Street, Sydney

Dopa by Devon

When it comes to cheap eats in Sydney that pack a punch without flattening the wallet, Dopa by Devon's Don Bowls take the spotlight. A chemical symphony of flavours, these bowls deliver a dose of dopamine with each bite. The name, a nod to the transformative power of good food, mirrors the experience of indulging in their affordable yet oh-so-satisfying bowls. Drawing inspiration from Tokyo's streets, Dopa effortlessly blends comfort food with metropolitan vibes and will fill your bellies with delicious rice bowls at $15.

Sydney Place, Darling Square, The Galeries, Darling Quarter, Regent Arcade, Macquarie Centre

Toastie Smith

Toastie Smith proves you don't need to settle on basic toasties for cheap eats in Sydney. They'll scratch off mundane ham-and-cheese combo from your vocabulary with their fluffy, loaded scrambled egg sandwiches. Here, they take egg sangas to new heights by pairing them with delicious fillings like grilled prawn, wagyu beef, and spiced chicken fillets. But among its 12 loaded toasties, we keep coming back for Delish Fish. It's got all the fixings for a hearty lunch on the go: breaded barramundi fish fillet, cheese, roasted sesame-flavoured slaw, tartar sauce, pickled cucumbers and chipotle. The best part is that everything on the menu costs less than $17!

Sydney Place, Darling Square, The Galleries, Barangaroo, Chatswood, Macquarie Centre

Bobo Dumpling Bar

Bobo Dumpling Bar in Sydney proves that cheap eats in the city need not to cut corners on flavour. Their spartan menu will reel you in with their 10-dollar hot dumplings that are ideal for a speedy work lunch or a quick snack on the run. The King Prawn variety is a standout and a crowd favourite, offering a taste explosion that won't empty your pockets. But if you are after something heartier, go for their rice meals or a comforting noodle bowl. They won't cost you more than $22!

26 King Street, Sydney

If you loved our edit of Sydney's best cheap eats and are looking for more bargains around the city be sure to take a look at these affordable fine dining spots and the best free things to do in Sydney. Happy saving!