A delicious dish of food does not mean it has to be an expensive one. With the plethora of food options in this city, there are plenty of options for those looking to eat on the cheaper side. From delicious empanadas and sub sandwiches to burgers, tacos and shawarma, we put together a list of a ton of tasty foods for under $10 bucks.

Banter Van Aken District, Shaker Heights Banter is the antidote to serious food in somber settings. It’s county fair food with a bowtie, where fries, sausages, and hotdogs are spruced up for a clever crowd. You won’t find a better corndog to drag through the mustard, and the crispy, melty fried cheese curds will vanish quicker than the Statue of Liberty at David Copperfield’s abracadabra. Most folks come for the poutine, and who can blame them. But if you’re looking for the best meal under $10, the Polish Boy is arguably the best in town. Photo via Scene Archives
Herb’n Twine 4309 Lorain Ave., Cleveland People lose their minds over the sandwiches at Herb’n Twine, a 5-year-old gourmet sandwich emporium in Ohio City. Most are right around $10 or slightly under and over. The smoked turkey is probably the most popular and for good reason but you really can’t go wrong here. Photo by Tim Harrison
Al’s Deli 1717 East Ninth St., Cleveland This Middle Eastern deli serves everything from lean corned beef to rolled chicken shwarma and is the perfect spot for whatever lunch fixing you’re looking for in the middle of downtown Cleveland. They also do daily lunch specials, like their beef bean burrito for $8.99. Photo via Al’s Deli/Facebook
The Cleveland Bagel Co. 4201 Detroit Ave. and 7501 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland Despite opening less than five years ago, The Cleveland Bagel Co. has already established itself as one of the most iconic food spots in town. Their homemade, creative bagels make for an awesome breakfast, especially when you add their homemade schmears and try their lox or bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Photo via Addy’s Diner/Facebook
Half Moon Bakery 3460 West 25th St., Cleveland After more than three years of pop-ups and catering, Half Moon Bakery finally unveiled its brick-and-mortar bakery in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, located across the street from MetroHealth. The carry-out empanada shop features the signature half-moon-shaped pastries, stuffed with flavor-packed combinations such as shredded chicken with garlic tomato sauce, tofu with seasoned veggies, and pepperoni, mozzarella and tomato sauce and they’re all $3 and under. Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Ferris Shwarma 13507 Lakewood Heights Blvd., Lakewood Their website says they have “the most awesome shwarma in Cleveland.” Who are we to argue? This menu is very straightforward with only a few options but when you do something so well, no need to mess with what is working. Photo via @Arabs_In_Cleveland/Instagram
La Plaza Supermarket 13609 Lakewood Heights Blvd., Lakewood “Today, I had the best Mexican food of my life at La Plaza Supermarket! La Plaza Taqueria, located in the front of La Plaza Supermarket, is amazing!!! The small restaurant was crowded with locals. The restaurant offers tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas; just to name a few items. While they have many protein choices, I chose carne asada which was absolute perfection! I also had homemade chips and guacamole which was also amazing! I definitely plan on making myself a regular here and coming back to introduce friends to the best Mexican food of my life!” Melanie N. on Yelp Photo via La Plaza Supermarket/Facebook
El Señor’s at La Mexicana Grocery 170 East Washington St., Painesville We promise your trip to be Painesville will be well worth the drive when you get your hands on El Señor’s tacos. A small restaurant attached to a supermarket, seating here is limited but flavor is plentiful. Choose from pork, beef, beef tongue and pork stomach. For a little refreshment, cool down with a Jarritos. Photo via Scene Archives
Pizza 216 401 Euclid Ave., Cleveland This locally-sourced pizza place has some of the freshest ingredients around and makes for a perfect lunch pie. All of their signature pies are either $9 or $9.50. Photo via @Pizza216/Instagram
Dave’s Cosmic Subs Multiple Locations Whatever side of town you’re on, you’re likely to be close to a Dave’s Cosmic Subs. All regular subs are between $5 and $8. The meatball is out of this world. Photo via @DavesCosmicSubs/Instagram
Cleveland Mofongo Latin Grill 11621 Lorain Ave., Cleveland The fast-casual craze has co-opted nearly every other cuisine, so it might as well have claimed Puerto Rican food too. That’s the scene over at the new Cleveland Mofongo Latin Grill, which opened in 2017 on the Cleveland/Lakewood border. Dishes like the roasted pork shoulder and the chicharron are satisfying, filling and delicious. Photo via Scene Archives
The Inn On Coventry 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights The Inn has been serving breakfast and lunch to Heights locals since 1981. Comfort food at its finest is the game here. You’d be hard-pressed to find better pancakes in town but you really can’t go wrong with this throwback diner. The Inn also gears a good portion of its menu to vegetarian options. Photo via @Eddie_Torial/Instagram
Rincón Criollo Multiple Locations Offerings of Puerto Rican cuisine here reflect African, Indian and American influences. Fritters are popular, and Rincón’s appetizer list features two kinds: relleno de papas (potato balls) and alcapurria (banana balls). Specials include mondongo (tripe stew), chuletas fritas o en salsa (pork chops fried or in red sauce), and mofongo con chicharrones (mashed seasoned plantain ball with fried pork). Photo via Rincón Criollo/Facebook
Vincenza’s 603 Prospect Ave. East, Cleveland This pizza joint, located just outside the Fifth Street Arcades, has been called the best pizza in Cleveland by renowned chef Michael Symon. Try a piece of stuffed pizza, with veggies or meat, for only $2.75. Photo via Vincenza’s Pizza and Pasta/Facebook
LJ Shanghai 3142 Superior Ave., Cleveland LJ Shanghai made a splash in Asia Town last year when they opened as the first true dumpling restaurant in Cleveland. While they’re known for their dumplings, or Xao Long Bao ($7), don’t sleep on their soup dishes. They’re spicy, they’re tasty, they’re affordable and they’re perfect for a cold winter day. Photo via Scene Archives
Tommy’s Restaurant 1824 Coventry Rd., Cleveland Heights Known for their vegetarian and healthy options, this Coventry Road staple has been serving up Clevelanders since 1972. While they had vegetarian and vegan options before those became popular, they have more than just healthy options. Many of their delicious toasted pita sandwiches are well under $10. Photo via Tommy’s Restaurant/Facebook
Capo Steaks 12486 Superior Ave., Cleveland Most people believe that you have to travel to Philadelphia to get an authentic cheese steak. Forget Pat’s and Geno’s – Capo Steaks, in East Cleveland, has the real deal. They’re messy but don’t worry about that; the mess is definitely worth it. Photo via Capo Steaks/Facebook
Happy Dog 5801 Detroit Ave., Cleveland This Cleveland staple was featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate. There are more than 60 toppings, and while we recommend being adventurous, don’t get too crazy. Pair a dog or two with some tater tots for the perfect cheap meal. Photo via Scene Archives
Cleveland Biscuit Heads Roaming Locations Just trust us when we tell you that you have to try one of these biscuit sandwiches from this pop-up breakfast outfit. They change up locations so be sure to check their website for where you can find one of their awesome breakfast sandwiches. The biscuits themselves are worth getting these and they’re all under $10. Photo via Cleveland Biscuit Heads/Facebook
Johnny Mango World Cafe 3120 Bridge Ave., Cleveland You’ve got to love a place that makes Ohio City feel like a beach shack in Cozumel, and Johnny Mango — a “world café” and juice bar — does just that, with a blend of Asian, Mexican, and Caribbean flavors, and items that range from burritos to pad Thai to Jamaican jerk chicken. Service is speedy, portions are hearty, and there are plenty of choices for under $10. Photo via @Johnny_Mango_World_Cafe/Instagram
Sachsenheim Hall 7001 Denison Ave., Cleveland If you’re looking for a place brimming with two important qualities – lots of character and lots of tacos – you’ve met your match. The German pub has been going strong for nearly a century. It’s legendary Taco Tuesday serves up varieties like green chili, chicken paprikash and mesquite chipotle pork all by a man known solely as “Grumpy,” all priced very reasonably. Photo via Sachsenheim Hall/Facebook
Pupuseria La Bendicion 3685 West 105th St., Cleveland Of course pupusas are the main attraction at this Salvadoran restaurant, but their beef tongue, chicken and carne tacos have also attracted their own fans. If you haven’t had a pupusa though, this is the place to try them. Photo via Pupuseria La Benidicion/Facebook
Superior Pho 3030 Superior Ave., Cleveland Because pho is an essential (and reasonably priced) part of a balanced diet, not to mention one’s sanity, noodle shops like this one hold a very important place in our lives. Winter or summer, a bowl of pho is more than food; it’s a restorative elixir that sets us on a brighter path. While some of the pho is slightly over $10, there is one under. You can also get a bahn mi for $5.95 and it’s very delicious. Photo via Scene Archives
Caribe Bake Shop 2906 Fulton Rd., Cleveland Caribe on Fulton began life as a bakery, turning out loaves of that crisp-crusted, airy white bread for Puerto Rican home cooks and restaurants on Cleveland’s near-westside. Since 1969, this small bake shop in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood has been an invaluable resource not only for fresh breads, but also irresistible sweets like flan, coconut pudding and pastelitos de guayaba, or flaky guava-filled pastries. In recent years, Caribe added food stations serving up some of the most mouthwatering Latin food in town, highlighted by out of this world Cubano sandwiches and Puerto Rican favorites. Photo by Emanuel Wallace Credit: Scene archives
Steve Gyro’s 1979 West 25th St., Cleveland When a gyro is featured on Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate”, you know it’s serious. A heaping pile of absolutely lamb is placed upon a fresh pita and served with lettuce, tomato and tzatziki sauce for the best gyro around. Photo via Steve’s Gyros/Facebook
Maha’s Falafil Multiple Locations Since opening in the West Side Market in 1986, Maha’s has been a mainstay in the Middle Eastern food scene in Cleveland. While they recently closed their West Side Market stand, they still serve their delicious falafel, gyros, shawarma and more at Dave’s Supermarket in Ohio City and Midtown. Photo via Scene Archives
Johnny’s Little Bar 614 Frankfort Ave, Cleveland If you’re tired of your current sports bar, Johnny’s invites you to watch the Browns’ game tucked away in an alley off of West 6th St. This is possisbly the closest thing Cleveland has to the bar from Cheers. Photo via rchillman/Instagram
A Polish Boy is a citywide treasure even if you’ve never had one
Big Al’s Diner 12600 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland If you miss Mom’s cooking, this is the place to get your fix. Big Al’s has all the comforting favorites, like thick, steaming soups, homemade mashed potatoes with gravy, open-faced roast beef sandwiches and chocolate cake for dessert. Breakfast is served until the diner’s late-afternoon closing time. But the corned beef hash is the star of the show – it was featured on the Food Network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate by Michael Symon. Photo via @JamesBXXL/Instagram
Otani Noodle 234 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Otani Noodle, from the same owners of long-standing Mayfield Heights hibachi restaurant Otani, recently took over this Euclid space. If you haven’t been yet, you’re missing out. The tonkatsu broth used for their ramen is delectable. Try the Miso Ramen ($7.95). Photo via OtaniNoodleDowntown/Facebook

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