Cheap Eats In Montreal: 20 Of The Best Restaurants Where You Can Eat For $10 Or Less
Inflation and an ongoing housing squeeze in Montreal means it costs more than ever to live in this city. While it can be tough to find a cheap place to live, however, it’s still easy to enjoy good and inexpensive food. We’ll prove it: These are the best cheap eats in Montreal
Although Montreal has no shortage of award-winning restaurants, the city’s high quality of life can make living here a little more affordable — and maybe even a little better — with great food found at these local restaurants where you’ll not only eat well, but for less.
Here are some of the best places to eat cheap in Montreal for $10 or less before tax and tip.
Fu Chun Soupe Dumpling
Where: 1978, boul. de Maisonneuve Ouestt
Why You Need To Go: This Shanghainese xiao long bao spot in Shaughnessy Village near Concordia specializes in soup dumplings that go for $10 or less, filled with things like pork and shrimp or mushroom — the only one that costs more is the pork and crab. If dumplings aren’t your thing, the scallion oil noodles and some appetizers like the crispy tofu nuggets are also good and cheap bets.
​Osmo X Marusan
Where: 51, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Why You Need To Go: This Japanese restaurant and coffee shop from the Chinatown-based Japanese snack bar Fleurs et Cadeaux has one option worth paying a visit for if you want an inexpensive and delicious snack: Their tamago sandwich, filled with egg salad, soft-boiled eggs, and tsukuri black vinegar. Located inside the startup incubator Notman House, there's a really cool atmosphere here as well.
Lulu Epicerie
Where: 2507, rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Why You Need To Go: This slick Lebanese shop is a great choice when you’re looking for well-made shawarma served with garlic sauce, wild pickles, and pomegranate molasses on markouk flatbread, or their batata sandwich that comes stuffed with fries, garlic sauce, wild pickles, and coleslaw. Both of those come cheap, and if you’re still hungry, it’s not that expensive to add a side salad.
​September Surf Café
Where: 2471, rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Why You Need To Go: IYKYK, but if you don’t? This café in Little Burgundy is a mainstay in its neighbourhood thanks to the cheap and excellent breakfast sandwiches they make. Egg, cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo comes served on a soft milk bread bun, and if you upgrade it to the option that also includes smoked ham, mustard and pickles, you still won’t break the $10 mark.
​Nita Tout Garni
Where: 5687B, ave Park
Why You Need To Go: This small shop devoted to the art of the sandwich has a few options worth grabbing if you’re looking for cheap meal, namely their grilled cheese and breakfast sammie that comes with both American cheese and aged cheddar. If you’re really hungry, you can get that breakfast sandwich and a hunger-cutting cup of coffee for exactly $10 before tax and tip.
​Japote
Where: 1000, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Why You Need To Go: If you want curries, donburi bowls, bento boxes, and other Japanese delicacies at ridiculously cheap prices, you’ll find them at these lunch counter in the underground of the Scotia Bank tower across the street from McGill University. Be warned that a lot of people are wise to how good and cheap this place is, so if you arrive late, don’t be surprised if you see a long line — service is quick, though!
​Joe’s Panini
Where: 1404, rue Drummond
Why You Need To Go: Not only is this spot open 24 hours a day, but it also has a huge menu of paninis and sides that regularly clock in at less than $10 even after tax. They make all kinds of options that range from sweet and savoury breakfast options to toppings like gyro and cold cuts, so you could get by eating here at all hours of the day.
Thali
​Where: 1409, rue Saint-Marc
Why You Need To Go: While the namesake thali plates at this downtown Indian eatery will break the $10 mark, their wraps don’t. Rolled in fresh baked Naan with mayo and salad toppings, this counter-service spot will make them with tandoori chicken, lamb brochettes, alu paneer, or vegan options. Just ask if you want them to make it spicy, and they’ll abide.
Pushap
Where: 5195, rue Paré
Why You Need To Go: If you live around the downtown core, visiting this Indian restaurant near the Namur Metro station is going to be a trip, but it’s worth it. Grab one of their vegetarian thalis, which comes with chickpea or lentil curry, slaw, rice, and fried or baked bread. You only need to have one plate before you’re more than satiated, but you can spend the change on dessert if you want.
​Drogheria Fine
Where: 68, ave Fairmount Ouest
Why You Need To Go: The oyster pail boxes of gnocchi from this Calabrian spot really stick to your stomach when you eat ‘em, making them plenty filling. They’re cooked in their own olive oil and pomodoro sauce and you can spend a bit more on parmesan and chili flakes, but it’ll still be one of the cheapest things you’ll ever eat in Montreal.
​Wilensky’s
Where: 34, ave Fairmount Ouest
Why You Need To Go: This diner dates back to 1932 and eating here will feel like a trip back in time to when it first opened. Their sandwich, the Wilensky Special, is an all-beef salami and baloney sandwich served on a toasted Kaiser roll with mustard and cheese as an add-on. For just over $10, you can eat two of them.
More at wilenskys.com
​Léché Desserts
Where: 640, rue Courcelle
Why You Need To Go: Going cheap doesn’t always mean going savoury. At this Saint-Henri bakery, you won’t be able to buy up a whole box of donuts for cheap, but you can get at least one or two within budget. They make some inexpensive sandwiches too, including a grilled cheese donut that you have to try at least once.
​Mange Dans Mon Hood
Where: 1380, rue Jean-Talon Est
Why You Need To Go: This Villeray basement casse-croûte is perfect for when you’re looking for a solid burger on the cheap. Their smash style can either come as a classic with ketchup, mustard, onions, and pickles, or you can upgrade to the one with house sauce and more toppings. Getting cheese and hot peppers will cost you more, though.
​Caribbean Curry House
Where: 6892, ave Victoria
Why You Need To Go: It’s hard to find a more filling meal than rotis from this Caribbean restaurant, where the chicken or vegetarian options won’t cost you over $10. You might expect a small portion at that price, but we’re willing to bet money you’ll be asking for a container to take the rest home.
​St-Viateur Bagel
Where: 263, rue Saint-Viateur Ouest
Why You Need To Go: It’s not quite a restaurant per se, but you can’t really beat getting a half-dozen bagels from this institution and just going to town on them. If you also really want some cream cheese without breaking the $10 mark, you can buy day-olds and just warm them up.
​Patati Patata
Where: 4177, boul Saint-Laurent
Why You Need To Go: When is this Plateau diner ever empty? At all hours of the day, bohemians and artist-types of all stripes are taking advantage of their supremely cheap food, whether it’s steamies, burgers and fries, or breakfast sandwiches. Don’t worry about any line-ups you see, though; most who come here eat quick and leave, so your turn will come.
​Marché Hung Phat
Where: 7099, rue Saint-Denis
Why You Need To Go: With bánh mì sandwiches for less than $7 that come with anything from a classic one with ham, Vietnamese pork bologna, and liver pâté or grilled pork patties, you’ll have enough left over to get some of the bubble tea from this Chinatown joint, too. They also have vermicelli bowls for under $10.
​Brook
Where: 4900, rue Wellington
Why You Need To Go: Find a really good slice of pizza on the cheap—and we mean really good, none of that fuel-for-clubbing-at-midnight stuff—can be difficult in Montreal. At this Verdun pizzeria though, it’s both good and cheap. Two slices of basic cheese will go for less than $10, but if you’re feeling fancy, they’ll sell you a beer or wine to go with it.
More at brookpizza.lol
​Abu Elias
Where: 733, boul Cote Vertu Ouest
Why You Need To Go: Not every good cheap eat in Montreal is going to be found downtown. At this butcher shop and sandwich counter out in Ville St-Laurent, they’ve got all kinds of grilled sandwiches worth ordering, sometimes two at a time. Toss in some extra toppings and you’re set.
​Montreal Chinese Crepes & Dumplings
Where: 37, ave Westminster N
Why You Need To Go: This place in Montreal West keeps things low cost with its jian bing (Chinese crêpes) which are at their cheapest when you either eat the traditional option or the one with bacon and eggs. It’ll get more expensive if you go for tempting options like fried chicken or spicy beef, but not by much and it’s worth the splurge.
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