SYDNEY CHEAP EATS
Whatever your budget, whatever you’re in the mood for, there is something out there that will be an easy, fuss-free and highly satisfying feed. Sydney has TONS of these, maybe the most in any Australian city? If you ever find yourself saying “There’s nothing to eat” or “I don’t know what to eat” in a sooky-brat kind of way, then we recommend to you to keep this post handy for those times in need feed.
Bar Reggio, 135 Crown Street, Darlinghurst (02) 9332 1129 (see map)
In the mood for a quick smash and dash bowl of Pasta? The spaghetti Bolognese is at a really good price point, $12 buys you a bowl of the delicious stuff and some garlic bread that will fill that void of nothingness in your stomach. It’s Darlinghurst little Italian darling. The choice is yours, this place or Reggio next door, same people/place just different.
Ichi Ban Boshi, 2/500 George Street, Sydney +61 2 9262 7677 (see map)
Take a ticket and get in line (literally). In a short time you will be stuffing your face with golden liquids, meats and vegetables. It’s like eating rainbows, pretty much. Gyoza is great, the ramen is better.
Pasteur Pho, 709 George St, Haymarket, +61 2 9212 5622 (see map)Arguably the most satisfying, legit, most filling bowl of pho you can get east of the western suburbs (in the city). By arguably, I do mean. People will argue and get very sensitive of their bowls of aniseed laden broth with noodles and fresh beef in it, but this is as legit as it’s going to get. $12 gets you a bowl of pho, it would be nice of you to suggest splitting some seafood and pork spring rolls with your feeding wing-man or wing-woman. Satisfaction at it’s finest.
Yens, 29 Botany Rd, Sydney +61 2 8399 0598 (see map)
Another great pho spot located on the edge of Redfern and Waterloo, is Yen’s. A Viet mumma style restaurant that pumps out a decent brew to all of its Redfern regulars, and at $8 a bowl, you really can’t do no wrong. Feeling the sickness and need a good flu killer? Get the Ginger Chicken claypot for $12 and it’s so much better than anything you’ll buy at the chemist.
Ryo’s Noodles, 125 Falcon street, Crows Nest (see map)
Northsiders have been smashing bowls of Ramen for some time now, it’s no secret to anybody that these guys do some of the best ramen in Sydney, it’s just a matter of getting there, waiting in line and putting it inside of your face. God it’s good!
Menya, Shop TG8, 8 Quay Street, Haymarket, Chinatown +61 2 9212 1020 (see map)What you need to be doing is ordering the Mega Ramen dish of double served egg, pork and fried chicken. Everything else is fairly decent, however it’s the ramen they do extremely well. Get fed for $10-14 with ease.
Room 10, 10 Llankelly Place, Potts Point, +61 425 810 174 (see map)
Top 5 sandwiches in Sydney. Eat one and you’ll find out. The salt beef sandwich is something to wake up thinking about, and if you’ve been accustomed to the salt beef bagel in London’s brick lane, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. Located on booming Llankelly Place, Room 10 is simply a great little cafe with some very decent coffee and a cheap and more than cheerful menu.
City Edge, 74-80 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills, +61 2 9282 9399 (see map)
After a cheap lunchtime sandwich and find yourself in the city limits? Then you have two options. 1.) you walk yourself to City Edge Cafe and order one of the many cheap as hell/super quick sandwiches, wraps and salads. You will have ordered, and on a good day, a minute later you will be eating it. Or…. You go around the corner to: (see next entry)
Malibu, 62-64 Foster Street, Surry Hills +61 2 9280 2233 (see map)
The other sandwich shop that will give you a sandwich the size of your head, filled with anything you goddamn want. Chicken schnitzel? Ham, cheese and pickles? Roast beef and slaw? Salad? You will have your work cut out for you. Good luck, you will need it if you intend on finishing it.
The Sandwich Shop, 44 Reservoir St, Surry Hills, +61 2 9211 8710 (see map)A tiny sandwich shop that packs an artillery of great sandwiches and salads. The most exciting is the Rueben and pulled pork sandwiches, although lest not forget the rest of the menu judging by the quality of the ingredients, they are not to be sneezed at. Try all the sandwiches! Less than a tenner is a great vibe.
Trinity, 505 Crown Street, Surry Hills +61 2 9319 6802 (see map)
Monday night sirloin steak for $10? Find a better quality one that is as consistently good, and then try prove us wrong, we won’t take any offence.
Rowda Ya Habibi, 101 King Street, Newtown +61 2 9557 5368 (see map)Wandering around the town of Newtown? You got a lot of choice in the 2042, but if it’s something simple, easy and satisfying you’re after, then grab a kebab or one of the best felafel wraps from this original Lebanese family run restaurant. With the exception of Sababba, these are your best options. Get a kibbeh as well and leave fat for under $10.
Chinese Noodle House, 8 Quay Street, Haymarket +61 2 9281 4508 (see map)
Head left off George St into Chinatown near Paddy’s Markets, veer left again and you’ll see some hawkers shouting for your attention to eat their dirty big dumplings and a plate full of awesome fresh made noodles. They are a little bit famous (not really) for their fresh sliced noodles, you can see them making them in the back, and we’ll can be the first to tell you that they are not that bad! Slather some chilli oil on them and chase them with some dumplings and green tea, it’s just a bunch of flavours worthy of craving at a dirt cheap price range.
Emperors Garden, 96-100 Hay Street, Haymarket +61 2 9211 2135 (see map)
Right across the road from Chinese Noodle House, head there for a big ole bowl of wonton soup with some extra good BBQ pork. The broth is silky clear and a perfect compliment to its accompanying ingredients. This is the best fun you can have with a bowl of noodles for $13. Filling too!
The Dip, 55 Liverpool Street Sydney +61 2 9283 8792 (see map)
Situated in GoodGod club on Liverpool street, the now very established and critically acclaimed eatery at the hands of Sydney’s most loved legend Andrew Levins and his lovely wife Bianca. The Hot Dog’s are some of the best you’re going to find in Sydney. With special hot-dogs on rotation constantly, even if you ate there a month ago, you’re going to need to go there again just to be sure. Everything is great! Eat all the things!
For more hot-dog related advice, watch Levdawgs guide to finding some sick dawgs:
Misky Cravings, 2/164 The Boulevard, Fairfield Heights (see map)
Wanna taste the delights of Peru? Things like meaty stews, fresh seafood ceviche, beans and rice, little flaky pockets of meaty awesome stuff. Watch the latest Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown on Peru, and you’ll know the vibe. Peruvian foods are somewhat of a mythical beast to the average Australian, however Check out the menu here, see if it’s to your liking? Cheap, good and hearty!
Tan Viet, 3/100 John St, Cabramatta (see map)
Urgh, daily cravings for a piece of chicken like this. Crystal glass like crispy skin chicken and some dry noodle with stock broth. Get out of town! (Seriously though, you’ll have to, it’s in Cabramatta).
Chur Burger, 10 Beauchamp Lane, Surry Hills (02) 9212 7979 (see map)
After suffering a rough start to the Chur Burger take-over, after it’s next door neighbour Albion street Kitchen burning down, Chur burger is set to open back up on the 17th June. Much to our delight, we can get some of their soft little bundle of meaty joys back in our mouthes (sounds heaps suss, it’s not though). Check their facebook for updates.
Mary’s Burger, 9 Mary Street, Newtown (see map)
Masters of the burger hype in Sydney, Mary seems to have given everyone a peek up her skirt and she’s got all the boys and girls wanting more. Their cheeseburgers are almost unrivalled (different strokes fill different blokes) and their fried chicken is great. The only problem we can see is, that they don’t open til 4 pm. Wish they were open same hours as Macca’s :(
Petaling Street – Malaysian Hawker Food, 760 George St, Haymarket +61 2 9281 6508 (see map)For an in and out laksa or plate of bbq grilled chicken for $10.90 this is your spot. The chicken is so so great, the laksa is as great. If you’re looking for a lunch with a difference or a cheap dinner, this is your boy.
Ayam Goreng, 99/464 Anzac Parade Kingsford NSW 2032 (02) 9697 0030 (see map)
Oh damn, this chicken is incredible. Get it all three ways: Javanese, Grilled or Fried, all are great and you can get a piece of it for $7 each, you’re going to want to eat everything on the menu. You can do this place on the cheap if need be though! 10/10 would bang again.
Spoon’s Vegetarian Butcher, 175 Enmore Road, Enmore (see map)
One for the vegetarians amongst us, get your fill of vegan/vegetarian faux meats (lol wut?) They have a stable of 13 products that they make, such as jerky, desserts, sauces and condiments, and vegan cheeses. Check their facebook for what’s cookin! Burgers, breakfasts and hotdogs, vego style. Check the menu here.
Faheem’s Fast Food, 194-196 Enmore Rd, Enmore 2042 +61 2 9550 4850 (see map)
The best tandoori chicken in Sydney? (see below Himalaya’s in Granville for some perspective) We’ll argue it. That and it’s Pakistani curries, delicacies, pickles and naan breads. Perfect for that quick pre Enmore show feed. Try the Goat or Fish. 2-3 people you can each walk outta here fat as hell for 20 or less dollars lighter in your wallet.
Thanh Binh, 111 King Street, Newtown +61 2 9557 1175 (see map)
Largely unknown as Dan Hong’s mum’s place, this is about as good as it gets without having to go to the Cabramatta branch of Thanh Binh. Oh god, the green papaya salad with prawn and pork, the rice paper rolls with sugar-cane prawns, the Viet spring rolls, the salt and pepper pork fillets with lemon dipping sauce! It’s all really, really great, and can be cheap (if you’re dining in numbers).
Marrickville Pork Roll, 236a Illawarra Road, Marrickville (see map)
Got it for cheap? Marrickville Pork Rolls have been slicing up french bread rolls and filling them with the easily the finest Vietnamese, meats, salads and patés for a long time now. Theirs are the cheapest and the best in the south west, the only thing better you’re going to find is in Bankstown or Cabra. Be prepared for a long cue most days, but don’t be deterred, that line moves really quickly.
Lao Village, 3 Anzac Ave, Fairfield (02) 9728 7136 (see map)
If you find yourself out in Fairfield, as some of us do sometimes. Look to a proper, very authentic Lao feed. The place is tiny, but the meals are not. Get a bunch of dishes with less than a handful of friends and get some of that delicious crunchy spam rice, hot sticky beef jerky, some grilled ox tongue and grilled quail inside of you. The pork mince and beef tripe is for the more adventurous. Very advanced hangover food!
Green Peppercorn, 1 Hamilton Road, Fairfield 02 9724 7842 (see map)
Another great Lao/Thai place in Fairfield (FYI: One of Australia’s most multicultural suburbs! Fighting it out with Auburn). It’s kinda like a more high-end version of Lao Village, but having previously won best new restaurant under $30, you can be sure you’re not shelling out the big bucks. It can get spicy, but be sure to have a crack at their desserts, It’s their forte! (Something that Lao Village doesn’t really delve into). Make sure you get some of the hot beef jerky and the pork sausage.
Himalaya Pakistani & Indian restaurant, 5 Good St, Granville, (02) 9637 8400 (see map)
So you’re in Granville. You’ve got two (or three options) El Jannah or Himalaya. Both do a great chicken, just depends what mood you’re feeling. Himalaya does some seriously incredible tandoori lamb and chicken (pictured is the lamb), you eat like goddamn kings for about $20 bucks each, everything is pretty much off the hook in terms of authenticity. The goat, the dahl and the okra curries are just so great and so cheap.
…We would suggest just getting a box of El Jannah to take away, just because YOLO and you may never eat again, right?
El Jannah 4-6 South Street, Granville (02) 9637 0977 (see map)
The best of the grilled Lebanese chickens, easily. Habib’s, Jasmin 1 (same/same/different) or Frango’s in Petersham (Portugese) would be a close second. Fill up on some grilled chicken, felafel’s, humous, salads and pickles and then go across the road (if you’re taking away) and get some fresh pita bread. Ps. It’s cheaper if you take-away and to be honest finding a table can usually be a nightmare, the place is very intense and you may not want to stay in there for too long anyway.
Black Star Pastry, 277 Australia St, Newtown (see map)
That beef pie. That lamb shank and wine pie. All of their pies goddamnit. Loose change will get one of these bad boys in your mouth, and you should aim to do just that.
Got any suggestions? Leave them in the comments!
Obviously we can’t put every single cheap eat in Sydney in here, these just happen to be our favourite cheap eats. Don’t get butthurt your favourites aren’t in here, relax guys it’s just a list.
