TESFA
Plateau · 4520 Av. Papineau, Montréal, QC H2H 1V3, Canada
Crispy falafels and sabich pitas loaded with authentic Middle Eastern flavors and house-made sauces at fast-food prices, served in a plant-filled room with attentive staff.
Eat
Best Cheap Eats in Montreal
The best cheap eats in Montreal. Real meals under $15 at family-run kitchens, ethnic comfort food, no-frills counters, and the city's most rewarding budget restaurants.
Five picks
Stash Café
Downtown · 200 Rue St-Paul Ouest, Montréal, QC H2Y 1Z5, Canada
Traditional Polish dishes & set-price menus in a charming room with warm lighting & church pews.
Restaurant Canada Best
Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension · 997 Av. Ogilvy, Montréal, QC H3N 2T3, Canada
Authentic Malaysian-style nasi lemak and rendang ayam served in generous portions by a husband-and-wife team who remember regulars and guide diners through the menu.
Perogie Lili
Plateau · 126 Av. Fairmount O, Montréal, QC H2T 2M5, Canada
Homemade perogies made fresh to order with fillings like potato-cheese and sour cherry, served in a cozy Ukrainian spot with folk art and caramelized onions.
Petit Poisson Dumpling
Plateau · 3936 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2W 1K1, Canada
Handmade soup dumplings with quality fillings like shrimp-coriander and pork-chives deliver satisfying meals for two at bargain prices.
Local pick
Poulet Rouge
Downtown · 698 Rue Sainte-Catherine O, Montréal, QC H3B 1B9, Canada
Grilled chicken bowls arrive fast with customizable vegetables and grains, hitting healthy protein at student-friendly prices under fifteen dollars.
Montreal is one of the best cities in North America for eating well on a budget. The combination of immigrant food traditions, a strong counter-service culture, and relatively low restaurant costs compared to Toronto or Vancouver means you can eat genuinely excellent meals for $10 to $15. Pho, falafel, rotisserie chicken, bagels, dumplings, and late-night poutine are all under $15 and all among the best food the city has to offer. This is not a compromise category. Some of the most memorable meals in Montreal cost almost nothing.