As the cost of living crisis continues to deepen, many will be looking for more ways to cut back on their spending - putting luxuries like meals out and entertainment on hold indefinitely. While eating out in Manchester can set you back a fair bit, the sheer size and diversity of the city’s food and drink scene means that there’s plenty of choice when it comes to dining out on a budget - you might just need to be pointed in the right direction.
And it needn’t be boring, so whether it’s Neapolitan-style pizzas, meat-filled burritos or 'rice and three' you’re after, there really is something for everyone. There’s plenty of cheap eats to be found in the suburbs of Greater Manchester, from Stockport’s Cafe Suanjuan and Mama Flo’s, to Levy’s Aunty Ji’s and Levenshulme Bakery, but if you’re working in town, or just planning a day out, there’s still a lot to discover - and it can be done without breaking the bank.
Pancho’s Burritos
This award-winning Mexican street stall can be found with Manchester’s buzzing Arndale food market, where owner Enrique Martinez serves up some of the very best tacos, nachos, tostadas and burritos. Freshly made every day, meats here are slow cooked in the oven, while guacamole and salsa are made using authentic recipes passed down through generations.
At the cheaper end, you can pick up nachos topped with melted cheese, salsa, guacamole, jalapenos, sour cream, black beans, peppers and onions for £7.50, while tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tostadas and enchiladas come in a £8.50.
49 High St, Manchester M4 3AH
Habesha
Habesha - Manchester’s first Ethiopian restaurant - opened its doors above a takeaway in the Gay Village in 2006. This unique venue serves up a variety of east African delicacies, all cooked fresh to order.
While it’s now at the top end of the scale for price, portions here are generous and curries come served with a traditional sour flatbread called Injera - a spongy sourdough-fermented bread perfect for scraping up the dregs of the curry sauce with.
29-31 Sackville St, Manchester M1 3LZ
This & That
Manchester’s Northern Quarter is famous for its varied selection of eateries serving up ‘rice and three’ - a generous portion of rice accompanied by no less than three curries on the side. Probably the first place you’ll be directed if you after your fix though is This & That, a family run curry house tucked away on Soap Street.
The vegetarian option here will set you back £6, while the most expensive option - rice and three meats - still comes in under a tenner at £8. Open seven days a week, curries here change often - more excuse to pop back in on your next lunch break.
3 Soap St, Manchester M4 1EW
Go Falafel
Serving some of the greenest and freshest falafel around, plus some great salads, pickles and creamy hummus, Go Falafel is a great place to grab a quick lunch on the go - and fortunately, it has three sites across Greater Manchester.
Here, you can pick up a medium or large falafel wrap, or a large portion of hummus with six pieces of falafel and flatbread for less than a tenner. There’s also salad boxes, vine leaves stuffed with rice and fresh herbs, plus freshly squeezed juices and smoothies.
3 Newton St, Manchester M1 1HW
Rudy’s
So popular is this neighbourhood pizzeria concept that it’s hard to keep track of quite how many sites it now has dotted around Greater Manchester. From its flagship in Ancoats to its soon-to-be launched outpost in leafy Didsbury, each branch follows the traditions and artistry of pizza from Naples - the birthplace of pizza.
Pared back Pizzas with sweet San Marzano, buffalo mozzarella are a go-to here, but don’t overlook the specials and starters like tomato and garlic bread and sides such as the rocket and parmesan salad. Prices for starters are priced at £3.90 and pizzas start at £6.90.
9 Cotton St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5BF
Ate Days A Week
The hit music-themed pie and fish and chip shop from Stockport has recently landed in Manchester on Cooper Street just off Albert Square. This time, rather than a takeaway set-up, chef Andy James is going a la carte, with takeaway downstairs open for lunches and a dining room upstairs with 38 covers for lunch and dinner.
It’s definitely worth trying the crispy croquettes with slow-cooked ox cheek, which are totally moreish, or the halloumi fries and pork chipolatas. On the pie side of things, options like the (I just) Died in Your Barm with minted mushy peas and gravy is available for £9.
7 Cooper St, Manchester M2 2FW
Bundobust
When Bundobust decided to expand from its hometown of Leeds to Manchester a few years ago, lovers of the Indian street food concept rejoiced. The menu is completely vegetarian or vegan and staples of the menu like its okra fries (£4.75) and Vada Pav (£6.50) have secured legend status. With two sites in the city - including a recently unveiled tap room - this is a great spot for lunch or for a post-work pint thanks to its excellent selection of craft beers as well.
61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AG
Banh Mi Co Ba
This totally unpretentious Vietnamese cafe on Oxford Road serves up some excellent lunch options, from light dishes like summer and vegetarian rolls, to fresh salads and classic Vietnamese sandwich baguettes. If you’ve never tried Banh Mi, you’re missing out on a whole load of flavour, especially the customary pate slathered across the baguette. They sell eight varieties starting at £5.50 and they're definitely more filling than your average meal deal. Try the sliced homemade braised pork variety or grilled chicken - trust us.
87 Oxford St, Manchester M1 6EG
Lily’s Deli
Lily's, the award-winning veggie and vegan Indian restaurant in Ashton-Under-Lyne opened its second deli back in January, quickly becoming a hit with locals and visitors alike. As with its flagship, the deli stocks it’s addictive range of samosas, bhajis and chars, as well as the infamous ‘atom bomb’, whole potatoes packed with spice and fried.
Samosas start at around £4, while a mix of three varieties will only set you back a fiver. The Mumbai Sandwich with grilled bread layered with delicious chutneys, slices of boiled potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese and spices can also be picked up for £6.50.
Unit 2C Henry St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5BA
Nell’s
Taking the corner slot at the Kampus neighbourhood overlooking Canal Street, Nell’s - the popular pizza concept from the founders of Common - specialises in 22-inch New York style pizzas, which are sold by the slice here, and at Common and The Beagle in Chorlton. Sure, the pizzas are a little over the £10 mark, but if you’re just after a slice - and let’s be frank, they’re pretty big - then this place is just the ticket. Whether it’s the OG Cheese, Marinara Plus or Burrata, you definitely won’t be disappointed.
20 Minshull St, Kampus M1 3EF
Siam Smiles Thai Cafe
May, the chef behind Siam Smiles cafe, learned to cook solely by watching Thai cooking YouTube videos, and now the dishes she serves at her restaurant are highly praised by many across the city. Smiles starters are particularly affordable at around £5 a pop, while noodle dishes like Kuitiew TomYam - minced pork, fish balls, BBQ pork with vegetables in pork broth soup (£8) - and Spaghetti Kee Moaw Goong (£8) - Southern style crab meat with curry and bun noodles - are great value for money. Even better, there’s plenty of veggie and vegan options to cater to all dietaries and tastes.
Deansgate Mews Unit G Upper Level Great Northern 253, Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN
ARMR Store
An all-vegan take on West Indian food, owner and chef Raph has created a capsule menu, which changes daily at the ARMR Store. This wholesome but punchy food is delicious, from the jackfruit burgers to warming, coconut-heavy sweet potato curries. The patties are serious too, and his mum even makes the dumplings.
2 Polygon St, Manchester M13 9SG
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