Dining out doesn’t have to hurt your wallet, especially if you live in Philly. While there are plenty of spots around the city where you can splurge for a date night or special occasion, but what if you just want some good eats without spending a fortune? Check out these 8 restaurants in Philly and you won’t be disappointed…and neither will your wallet.
Philly Style Bagels
It’s a tale as old as time: when you need something cheap and filling, head for the carbs. Philly Style Bagels is the perfect breakfast spot for broke college students and those on a tight budget. Their bagel sandwiches are under $10, and a bagel with your choice of cream cheese, almond butter, jam, avocado, vegan cream cheese, or a handful of other options are all under $5.
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
Image via Jessica Y., Yelp 
Image via Joyce Y., Yelp
Forget what you know about budget-friendly restaurants, everything on the menu at this place is delicious and under $10. And, for anyone who knows anything about hand drawn noodles, that’s a steal. Try the beef brisket noodle soup or the minced pork dry noodles; both are crowd pleasers.
John’s Roast Pork
We’ve already named it on our list of Philly’s best restaurants, but John’s Roast Pork also happens to be budget-friendly. John’s specializes in the lesser publicized sando in town: the roast pork. This family-run business opened in 1930 and served up mostly roast pork sandwiches until they incorporated the cheesesteak into its menu in 1978. Today, you can stop in and grab a massive, homemade roast pork sandwich, a classic Philly cheesesteak with 12 oz. of meat, or a number of other hoagie-style sandwiches. Aside from the bacon cheesesteak, nothing else on the menu tops $10, so you won’t be spending a fortune to eat well.
Rustica
With pies like the Al Pastor (marinated pork, pineapple, red onions, and cilantro) and the Rueben (a white pie with corned beef, Swiss cheese, caraway seeds, sauerkraut, and a Russian dressing drizzle), Rustica is anything but traditional. You can get a whole pie for under $25, or get a slice for a few bucks if you’re really watching your budget.
South Philly Barbacoa
You might recognize chef and owner Cristina Martinez from a recent episode of Chef’s Table, and it’s safe to say, the masses have, too. Serving up $4 lamb barbacoa, pork, and consome tacos, South Philly Barbacoa is the place to satisfy your Mexican food cravings. For dessert, you can even snag a sweet tamale with pineapple and raisins for just a buck. Suffice to say, you won’t need much to eat well here.
Koukouzeli
Images via Koukouzeli
Next door to South Philly Barbacoa, Koukouzeli is churning out some super cheap Greek street food. In addition to their traditional Greek food items, they’re also making vegan tzatziki sauce for the vegan souvlaki, plus filo-dough-wrapped dolmades. Pitas are priced from $9-12, and come with fried potatoes and tzatziki sauce. Smaller items like Spanakopita and the dolmades are just $5.
Federal Donuts
Federal Donuts is relatively new to the food scene, but that hasn’t stopped it from quickly becoming a Philly staple. With 7 locations (including one in Rittenhouse Square, a Philly favorite as far as neighborhoods go), you won’t have a hard time getting your fix. For just $10, you can get a honey donut and 3 pieces of fried chicken with your choice of seasoning. Or, opt for the fried chicken sandwich — a twice-fried boneless chicken breast, buttermilk ranch dry seasoning, American cheese, dill pickles & Rooster sauce on a Martin’s Potato Roll — for $8. Throw in some Za’atar fries for $3.50 for good measure and you’ve got yourself a cheap meal. Oh, and their donuts are too bad, either.
Nam Phuong
The number of affordable menu items here is mind blowing, especially after you’ve tasted the food. Try the soup for 2, which come in at under $9 each. The summer and spring rolls are both delicious, and are just $3.50 for 2 of each. Their broken rice with pork, chicken, or shrimp is something special, and is under $10. If you want to “splurge” a bit, get the bo luc lac ($14) — tender, marinated beef over watercress and tomatoes with a side of white rice.
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