What “Under $15” Actually Means
Every restaurant on this list serves a full meal — not a snack, not an appetizer — for $15 or less per person before tax and tip. In most cases, the real number is closer to $8–$12. We are counting a single entrée or a reasonable combination (three tacos, a rice plate with sides, a banh mi and a drink). We are not counting drinks beyond water or basic horchata/tea, and we are not counting appetizers as meals unless they genuinely fill you up. Prices were verified in early 2026, but restaurants adjust prices — use these as a reliable range, not a guarantee.
Budget Options
20+
Average Meal
$8–$13
Best For
Deepest variety of cheap international food in one corridor
Quang Restaurant
The institution. Quang has been serving Vietnamese food on Nicollet Avenue since 1989 and it has not declined. The pho is the draw — rich, clear broth with generous noodles and meat for around $13 — but the banh mi sandwiches are the real budget play at under $9. The egg rolls are crispy and addictive. The space is no-frills fluorescent lighting and formica tables, which is exactly right. Lines form on weekends and you will wait, but the kitchen moves fast. Skip the pad Thai and stick to the Vietnamese classics. Quang is not trendy. It does not need to be.
Pimento Jamaican Kitchen
Jamaican patties for $4 that are legitimately one of the best bites per dollar in the city — flaky pastry stuffed with seasoned beef or vegetables. The jerk chicken plate with rice and peas comes in around $13 and the portions are serious. The scotch bonnet hot sauce is no joke. Pimento has expanded since its food truck days, but the Eat Street location retains the casual counter-service energy. This is not Caribbean food filtered through an American lens — it is the real thing, priced like it wants you to come back twice a week.
My Huong Kitchen
The under-the-radar pick on Eat Street. My Huong does Vietnamese comfort food — rice plates, vermicelli bowls, housemade bubble tea — at prices that undercut even Quang. Most rice dishes land between $10 and $12. The lemongrass chicken over broken rice is a standout. The space is tiny and the service is family-style (which means fast when it is slow, and patience-testing when it is busy). My Huong does not have Quang’s name recognition, and that keeps the lines shorter.
A Slice of New York
Giant slices of New York-style pizza for around $4. That is the pitch, and it delivers. The crust has the right chew and the fold, the cheese is properly greasy, and a single slice is a meal for anyone who is not starving. Open late, cash-friendly, and zero pretense. Minneapolis is not a pizza-by-the-slice city the way the coasts are, which makes A Slice of New York feel like a transplant in the best sense. Two slices and a drink for under $12 is one of the best deals on the street.
The scene: Eat Street — the stretch of Nicollet Avenue from roughly 24th to 29th Street — is the single best corridor for cheap eats in Minneapolis. The density is unmatched: Vietnamese, Jamaican, Chinese, Malaysian, Mexican, and pizza all within a five-block walk, almost all of it under $15. The immigrant-owned restaurants here are not curated food-hall experiences — they are family businesses that have survived on quality and price for decades. You could eat on Eat Street every day for a month and not repeat a meal.
Explore Whittier→Budget Options
15+
Average Meal
$6–$11
Best For
Absolute lowest prices in the city, Latin American and East African food
Midtown Global Market
Not one restaurant but a dozen-plus vendors under one roof in the old Sears building on Lake Street. Manny’s Tortas does tortas and tacos that compete with anything in the city for under $10. Safari Express serves Somali rice plates large enough to split for $9. Moroccan Flavors does a salad sampler for $12 that is a full meal. Taqueria Los Ocampo has outstanding authentic Mexican. The common seating means everyone in your group can eat something different. The tradeoff: it can feel chaotic on weekends, and some stalls have inconsistent hours. But for sheer variety at rock-bottom prices, nothing in Minneapolis touches it.
Mercado Central
Thirty-five Latino-owned businesses at the corner of Lake and Bloomington, with six restaurants, a bakery, and a juice bar. This is not a food hall designed by developers — it is a community marketplace that has served the neighborhood since 1999. Tacos run $2 to $3 each. Pupusas are $3. Fresh-squeezed juices are $4. The tortas at multiple stalls are enormous and under $8. Everything is made from family recipes, and you can taste the difference. The vibe is a Mexican market town transplanted to South Minneapolis, and the prices reflect a place built for the neighborhood, not for tourists.
Pineda Tacos
A Lake Street institution for over 20 years at 2130 East Lake Street. The tacos are $2 to $3 each and they are the real thing — soft corn tortillas, properly seasoned meat, onion, cilantro, and salsa. The al pastor is the move. A full meal of three tacos and a horchata comes in around $10. The space is minimal and the menu is focused, which is exactly what you want from a taqueria. Pineda does not try to be anything other than what it is, and what it is happens to be excellent.
Taqueria La Hacienda
Another Lake Street taqueria that locals argue about in the same breath as Pineda. The birria tacos are the specialty — rich, consomme-dipped tortillas with tender beef — and three of them with a side of consomme for dipping will run you about $11. The burritos are massive and under $10. This stretch of Lake Street between Bloomington and Cedar has more authentic, affordable Mexican food per block than anywhere else in the state. La Hacienda is proof that competition drives quality.
The scene: The Lake Street corridor through Powderhorn is where Minneapolis’s cheap eats floor drops lowest. Tacos for $2, rice plates for $9, tortas for $8 — these are not loss leaders or happy hour specials, they are everyday prices at restaurants built to feed a working neighborhood. The Midtown Global Market and Mercado Central anchor the area, but the real finds are the taquerias, Somali spots, and East African cafes scattered along the street between them. This is the most affordable food neighborhood in Minneapolis, full stop.
Explore Powderhorn→Budget Options
10+
Average Meal
$7–$11
Best For
Somali food, biggest portions per dollar in the city
Baarakallah Restaurant
The go-to Somali restaurant on Cedar Avenue. A plate of beef suqaar over basmati rice with a banana and a side of salad will cost you around $10 and will feed you for the rest of the day. The portions are enormous — this is food designed to sustain, not to plate prettily. The goat is tender when they have it. The sambusas are crispy and well-spiced. The tea is sweet and spiced with cardamom. Baarakallah is not trying to introduce you to Somali food — it is Somali food, served the way it is eaten, at prices that assume you are a regular.
Afro Deli & Grill
The most approachable entry point to East African food in Minneapolis, with a menu that spans Somali, Ethiopian, and pan-African dishes. The sambusas (three pieces for around $7) are a staple. The Afro Burger blends African spices into an American format for around $10. The portions are generous everywhere. Afro Deli has multiple locations, but the Cedar-Riverside original captures the neighborhood energy best — University of Minnesota students, Somali families, and downtown workers all eating in the same room. It is one of the few cheap eats spots in Minneapolis that manages to be both culturally authentic and genuinely welcoming to newcomers.
Qorazlow Restaurant
Tucked near the corner of Cedar and Lake, Qorazlow serves traditional Somali dishes at prices that make you double-check the menu. Goat with rice and salad for under $12. The portions are almost comically large — regulars know to come hungry or plan for leftovers. The restaurant is a neighborhood gathering spot, not a dining destination, and that is reflected in the decor (functional) and the service (fast, no-nonsense). If Baarakallah has a line, Qorazlow is the local’s backup, and it holds its own.
The scene: Cedar-Riverside — sometimes called Little Mogadishu — has the highest concentration of Somali restaurants in the United States. The food is hearty, the portions are huge, and the prices are among the lowest in Minneapolis. Most meals come with rice, salad, and a banana, and most cost between $8 and $12. The neighborhood is compact and walkable from the West Bank of the University of Minnesota. The tradeoff is that menus can be limited (rice and meat, with variations) and the decor is spartan. But dollar for dollar, calorie for calorie, this is the best value eating in the city.
Explore Cedar-Riverside→Budget Options
10+
Average Meal
$9–$14
Best For
Old-school delis and Eastern European comfort food
Kramarczuk’s
A Northeast Minneapolis institution since 1954, founded by Ukrainian immigrants. The cafeteria line is the move: point at what you want and they pile it on. Sausages, pierogies, stuffed cabbage rolls, borscht — all made in-house, all under $12 for a plate. The Ukrainian sausage is the signature and it is worth the trip alone. The attached bakery sells pastries and breads that are easy to overlook but should not be. Kramarczuk’s is a living piece of Northeast’s immigrant history, and the fact that you can eat this well for this little is a small miracle of stubbornness and tradition.
Emily’s Lebanese Deli
Nearly 40 years on Central Avenue and still the best Lebanese food in Minneapolis. The falafel plate with hummus, tabouli, and pita comes in around $11 and the falafel is crispy-outside, fluffy-inside perfection. The lamb shish kebab plate is worth the slight upcharge. Emily’s is cafeteria-style: you order at the counter, grab a tray, and sit down. No reservations, no pretense, no Instagram presence worth mentioning. The food is the entire point, and the food is excellent. If you have only one meal in Northeast, this is a strong argument.
Uncle Franky’s
A hot dog shop that has been in Northeast since 2003 and charges under $6 for a Chicago-style dog. The menu is small and focused: hot dogs, brats, burgers, and a few sides. The Chicago dog is the correct order — sport peppers, neon relish, mustard, onion, tomato, pickle, celery salt, all on a steamed poppy seed bun. This is not gourmet. It is a hot dog done right for the price of a fancy coffee. Uncle Franky’s fills the specific niche of "I need lunch for under $7 and I need it now," and it fills that niche perfectly.
Maya Cuisine
A cafeteria-line Mexican spot on Central Avenue that has been quietly serving the Northeast lunch crowd since 2012. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas — all customizable, all under $12. The portions are generous and the salsa bar is free and well-stocked. Maya does not get the attention of the Lake Street taquerias, partly because Northeast is not known for Mexican food, but the quality is solid and the prices are right. A burrito and a drink for $10 is a Northeast lunch that is hard to beat.
The scene: Northeast Minneapolis has cheap eats history baked into its DNA. This was a working-class immigrant neighborhood for a century before it became an arts district, and the old-guard restaurants reflect that. Kramarczuk’s Ukrainian sausages, Emily’s Lebanese falafel, and Uncle Franky’s hot dogs all exist because this neighborhood has always valued good food at fair prices. The newer additions (Maya Cuisine, various taco trucks) fit the same ethos. The restaurants are more spread out along Central Avenue than on Eat Street, so plan to walk or drive between stops.
Explore Northeast→Budget Options
8+
Average Meal
$7–$12
Best For
Student-priced portions, late-night breakfast, Asian food
Al’s Breakfast
Fourteen stools, no tables, and a griddle that has been running since 1950. Al’s is one of the most famous cheap eats in Minneapolis for a reason: waffles, French toast, and pancakes start at $4.25, and the blueberry pancakes are legitimately great. The New Orleans omelet with shrimp, almonds, and capers is the sleeper hit. You will wait in line, especially on weekends, and the line moves slowly because there are 14 stools. That is the tradeoff. But a full breakfast for under $9 at a Minneapolis institution is worth 20 minutes on the sidewalk.
Shuang Cheng
A Dinkytown Cantonese restaurant that has been feeding University of Minnesota students for decades. The lunch specials rotate through 30-plus options with large portions at prices that assume their customers are on a student budget. Most plates come in between $10 and $13. The walleye — yes, Chinese-style walleye — is a Minneapolis-specific crossover that works better than it should. The dining room is basic, the service is efficient, and the menu is enormous. Shuang Cheng is not trying to reinvent Chinese food. It is trying to give you a lot of it for not much money, and it succeeds.
Mesa Pizza
Late-night slices with creative flavors like Southern Gentleman (BBQ chicken) and Guacamole Burrito that sound like they should not work but do. Slices run $4 to $5 and are large enough to be a meal. Mesa is the de facto post-bar food for the University of Minnesota crowd, open late and reliably solid. The quality is a notch above what you expect from a college-town slice shop. It is not gourmet pizza — it is 1 AM pizza that you will not regret in the morning, which is a higher bar than it sounds.
Camdi
Family-owned Chinese-Vietnamese fusion that has been in Dinkytown for over 35 years. The lunch specials are the budget play: large portions of stir-fry, noodle dishes, and rice plates for under $12. Camdi also has a full vegan menu, which is unusual for a restaurant this old and this affordable. The steamed dumplings and the pho are reliable standards. Camdi survives because it has adapted without losing its identity — a family restaurant that has watched Dinkytown change around it while keeping its prices reasonable and its portions honest.
The scene: Dinkytown exists because of the University of Minnesota, and its food scene is priced accordingly. Restaurants here compete for students who eat out constantly and cannot afford to spend much. The result is a cluster of spots where $12 gets you a full meal and $8 gets you a memorable breakfast. Al’s Breakfast is a must-visit institution, but the real Dinkytown experience is the density of solid, unpretentious Asian restaurants that have served generations of students. The tradeoff is that Dinkytown empties out in summer and between semesters, and some spots adjust hours accordingly.
Explore Dinkytown→Budget Options
8+
Average Meal
$6–$10
Best For
Taco trucks, hole-in-the-wall finds, lowest average prices
Taco Cat
A neighborhood taco spot in Phillips that does creative tacos at prices that keep regulars coming back multiple times a week. Most tacos are $3 to $4 each, and three tacos with a side is a full meal for under $13. The menu rotates and experiments in ways that Lake Street taquerias do not — Korean-inspired fillings, unexpected salsas, vegetarian options that are not an afterthought. Taco Cat bridges the gap between the traditional taqueria and the modern taco shop without losing the affordability that makes cheap eats cheap.
Matt’s Bar
Home of the original Jucy Lucy — a burger with molten cheese sealed inside the patty instead of melted on top. The Jucy Lucy costs about $10.50 and it is a Minneapolis icon for a reason: the first bite erupts with hot cheese in a way that is both dangerous and deeply satisfying. Matt’s has been a neighborhood bar since 1954. Cash only (there is an ATM). The decor has not changed. The fries are fine. You come for the burger and the burger alone, and the burger delivers. Every local has an opinion about Matt’s vs. the 5-8 Club. Eat both, but start here.
La Alborada
A small Guatemalan and Mexican restaurant in Phillips that rarely appears on best-of lists but should. Pupusas for $3 each, tamales for $3, and combination plates under $11. The food is home-cooked in the most literal sense — family recipes executed with care and zero shortcuts. The menu is handwritten and the space seats maybe 20 people. La Alborada is the kind of restaurant that makes Phillips one of the best cheap eats neighborhoods in the city: deeply authentic food at prices that reflect a restaurant serving its own community.
The scene: Phillips is where many of Minneapolis’s cheapest meals hide. The neighborhood does not have the corridor-style density of Eat Street or Lake Street, but the individual restaurants punch above their weight on value. Matt’s Bar alone is worth the trip for the Jucy Lucy, and the surrounding blocks have taquerias, pupuserias, and taco trucks that operate on razor-thin margins and put everything into the food. Phillips is the neighborhood for the eater who values discovery over convenience — you might drive past the best meal of your week without noticing it.
Explore Phillips→A Note on Tipping
Many of the restaurants on this list are counter-service, which means tipping norms are different than at a sit-down spot. But these are also some of the lowest-margin businesses in the city, run by families and immigrants who often pay their staff out of pocket. A dollar or two on a $9 meal is not going to break your budget, and it matters more here than it does on a $60 dinner tab. Tip what you can. These places earn it.
Explore More Minneapolis Food
Cheap eats are just one layer of the Minneapolis food scene. Dive deeper into the neighborhoods that define how this city eats — from the best food corridors to where to find a meal at 2 AM.