2024 hasn’t being kind to our wallets so far - prices seem to keep rising on anything and everything with no end in sight. But not to worry, here at Food Inbox we’ve got you and your stomachs covered. Here are 15 places in Sydney that you can score a feed under $15!

Oiden, Town Hall

Oiden is a popular spot in Sydney CBD for Japanese rice bowls. There's a huge variety of rice bowls on the menu, with proteins like wagyu beef, chicken karaage and stewed meat. There are plenty of cheap options here under $15, like the Wagyu beef bowl for $12.90 or 3 mini rice bowls for $12.90. Regardless of what you go for, we recommend adding a half boiled egg onto your bowl - it makes the rice extra creamy and delicious!

Oiden
Shop 12/537-551 George St, Sydney NSW 2000

Mappen, Town Hall

Sister restaurant to Oiden, the menu at Mappen has plenty of cheap noodle options including udon, ramen and soba. The crowd favourite here is the udon soup, which you can get with tempura or stewed beef toppings for $11.90. We love how Mappen is almost like a Japanese noodle version of Subway, where you work your way down the counter for fast assembly of your meal. 

Mappen
Shop 11/537-551 George St, Sydney NSW 2000

El Jannah, Various Locations

Charcoal chicken and garlic sauce are a match made in affordable heaven! For $11 you can pick yourself up a 1/4 chicken plate with Lebanese bread, garlic sauce and pickles, which is enough for a cheap feast!

El Jannah
Various Locations 

Sinjeon, Sydney CBD 

Sinjeon is an affordable Korean restaurant chain with locations all over the world. Sitting on Liverpool Street in the CBD, this spot is a great option for a cheap lunch or dinner in the city. Some of the dishes on the menu here at Sinjeon include $10 kimbap (similar to Japanese sushi rolls) and spicy ttebokki rice cakes for $14! 

Sinjeon
128 Liverpool St, Sydney NSW 2000

Hot Star, Various Locations

This Taiwanese food chain churns out cheap fried chicken with locations all across Sydney. The chicken pieces here are on the larger side, and you get to choose the level of spicy seasoning which is dusted over the crispy chicken coating. You can get an original fried chicken for $11.50 - not bad!

Hot Star
Various Locations

Chef Chen Dumplings, Haymarket

Owners of the famous Mr Chen Beef Noodles opened Chef Chen Dumplings in Haymarket late last year, quickly becoming a favourite for cheap dumplings. You can try their panfried prawn wontons for $14.80, or deep fried sweet mantou buns for $12.80.

Chef Chen Dumplings
QG23/8 Quay St, Haymarket NSW 2000

Top Ryde Bakehouse, Ryde

Top Ryde Baker’s House in Top Ryde Shopping Centre is one of the most popular banh mi spots in Sydney. The crackling in the crispy pork roll is super crispy, and the bbq pork has great flavour full of sweetness. At $12 per banh mi, the prices here at Top Ryde Baker’s House are a bit more expensive than your average bakery, but it's totally justified considering how big and filling the rolls are! 

Top Ryde Baker’s House
109 Blaxland Rd, Ryde NSW 2112

Buon Appetit, Denham Court 

Buon Appetit is a popular food truck in Western Sydney known for its authentic and affordable Italian food. For $12 you can pick up a fresh bowl of Rigatoni Napoletana, or perhaps a Nutella Pizza Fritta for the same price. Besides being cheap, this family-run spot is truly a hidden gem worth checking out!

Buon Appetit
479 Campbelltown Rd, Denham Court NSW 2565

Dumpling Bar, Cabramatta

Cabramatta is known for its Vietnamese food, but tucked away near Woolworths is a restaurant called Dumpling Bar, serving up homestyle Chinese dishes and dumplings. A plate of 6 pan fried soup dumplings comes in at just $9.80, while a bowl of good old fashioned pork and chive dumplings will set you back only $10.80. And we must say, these are some of the cheapest and best dumplings in the area!

Dumpling Bar
Shop 8/9 Hughes St, Cabramatta NSW 2166

Tan Viet, Various Locations

Tan Viet is a Vietnamese institution which specialises in cheap South East Asian comfort food. The crowd favourites here at Tan Viet are the combination egg noodle soup for $14, along with the delicious crispy chicken for $11. Originally located in Cabramatta, Tan Viet now has restaurants in Darling Square and Eastwood too!

Tan Viet
Cabramatta, Darling Square and Eastwood 

1919 Lanzhou Beef Noodle, Various Locations

With locations all across Sydney, 1919 Lanzhou Beef Noodle dishes up hearty bowls of soup with handmade noodles made fresh to order. Our go-to order is the large beef noodle soup for only $14.80 - it’s cheap and delicious, with just the right amount of spice. 

1919 Lanzhou Beef Noodle
Various locations

Caffeine Hit Cafe, Guilford

Caffeine Hit is a popular local gem for a late night healthy açai treat. They’re known around town for their delicious and affordable açai, which is smooth and creamy! A small açai bowl with granola and fruit at Caffeine Hit comes in at $10, with toppings like peanut butter and honey an extra $1.

Caffeine Hit Cafe
73 Broughton St, Old Guildford NSW 2161

Dosa Hut, Harris Park

Dosa Hut is a must try restaurant in Harris Park, popular in the community for serving up cheap South Indian cuisine. You can get yourself a potato filled masala dosa for $13.95, or go for the show stopping 70cm long dosa for just $12.95 - be prepared for some spice!

Dosa Hut
69 Wigram St, Harris Park NSW 2150

Mamak, Parramatta and Haymarket

Mamak is a popular Malaysian restaurant known for their delicious roti. As far as cheap eats go, we usually opt for the classic roti canai plate coming in at $10. Served with curry and spicy sambal sauce, this roti is full of crispy on the outside, fluffy of the inside goodness.

Mamak
15 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000
Shop 6.02 Parramatta Square, 10 Darcy St, Parramatta NSW 2150

Kwafood Fried Skewer, Various Locations

This is a Chinese food stall which operates on a ‘pay per skewer’ basis, making it a cheap option for a light meal. Choose from a variety of meat and vegetable skewers, hand your basket of skewers over to the staff and they’ll deep fry your selections fresh for you! Kwafood Fried Skewer has locations in Haymarket, Chatswood and Burwood. 

Kwafood Fried Skewer
Haymarket, Chatswood and Burwood

Still hungry? Check out these other posts:
7 Best Places to Eat in Chinatown, Sydney
8 Best Japanese Restaurants in Sydney
Best Restaurants in Western Sydney
Sydney’s Best Banh Mi
Cheap Eats in Sydney Under $10