7 of the best restaurants in Vancouver for cheap eats, according to locals

Meals for under $10 ahead! 👇

Bon's Off Broadway in Vancouver. Right: Down Low Chicken Vancouver.

Bon's Off Broadway in Vancouver. Right: Down Low Chicken Vancouver.

Editor

Vancouver's food scene is something that locals can brag about, and rightfully so. With some of the best restaurants in Canada and a cuisine to satisfy any craving, the city has it good.

The city is also known for its prices though, which means finding the best cheap eats in Vancouver is a key to living there. Luckily, there are a lot of cheap restaurants in Vancouver with incredible food if you know where to look.

We turned to the people, from local foodies to polling our audience on social media, to craft a list of affordable bites in the city. If you want to stick to a budget but get out on the town, look no further.

Here are seven cheap eats in Vancouver that locals recommend.

Bon's Off Broadway

Address: 2451 Nanaimo St, Vancouver, BC

Why You Need To Go: All-day breakfast for $2.95 — that says it all.

This neighbourhood spot in the Drive area is quick and simple, offering up good prices. You can get a basic breakfast here, comfort food, and enjoy coffee with unlimited refills.

In a world with $50 brunches and skyrocketing rent, Bon's is greatly appreciated.

Banh Mi Saigon

Address: 5397 Victoria Dr, Vancouver, BC

Why You Need To Go: Fill up on fresh and flavourful Vietnamese dishes here for a great price. This place's banh mi sandwiches are made fresh, are a size that won't disappoint, and go for $7.50 - $8.

That's also with homemade mayo and freshly baked baguette that will have your mouth watering in minutes. This family-run spot is a must-try for anyone wanting a good meal — cheap or not.

Grab and Go Persian Restaurant

Address: 1805 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver, BC

Why You Need To Go: Praised by local foodies, you can fill up on kebob and lamb shank here without hurting your wallet. Big portions are key when it comes to cheap eats, and this place has that in spades.

The lamb shank dish that comes with a good amount of saffron rice is just $12.99, which isn't bad, especially considering how delicious it is.

Kyle’s Cafe

Address: 2627 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC

Why You Need To Go: Like a few places on this list, this place is pretty unassuming, but you can get a solid meal for a solid price. Serving up Chinese food with classics like chow mein, you can also order breakfast here for cheap and enjoy some eggs benny.

Paradise Donair

Address: 723 12th St #3, New Westminster, BC

Why You Need To Go: This New Westminster spot serves up a delicious large donair for $7.00, loading up the meat so you really feel like you get your bang for your buck. They also have a lunch special for $6 that will get you a donair and a pop, which is pretty hard to beat.

Kimbab Cheonguk

Address: 341 North Rd A, Coquitlam, BC

Why You Need To Go: This Korean restaurant is a local favourite for good reason. The menu has standouts like Kimbab rolls and noodle dishes to warm up with this winter, and all for a good price. The regular Kimbab roll goes for $7.99 and is packed with veggies, egg, and fish cake.

Downlow Chicken Shack

Address: 905 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC

Why You Need To Go: A crunchy, juicy and delicious chicken sammie from here is picture-perfect and cheap. The Commercial Drive chicken restaurant makes tasty sandwiches with fresh chicken, and you can taste the difference. The OG Sando is $18.25 and you can get Popcorn Nuggets for $11.60. Take your pick of their creative menu items and get ready to be impressed.

These are just some of the local reccs, among the many delicious spots in the city. If anything though, it's clear that you don't need to drop money on a fancy restaurant in Vancouver to have a solid meal, so get out there and taste the cheap eats in all their glory.

  • Editor

    Morgan Leet (she/her) is an Editor for Narcity Media Group. After graduating from Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, she jumped into fulfilling her dream as a journalist, merging her passion for travelling with writing. She got her start working in the print media world on Canada’s East Coast, then joined Narcity with a move to B.C., leading the launch of West Coast coverage. Her focus now is managing a large group of freelance writers, bringing human-forward and opinion content to the site.

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