You don’t have to burn a hole in your pocket to tuck into the city’s mouthwatering food scene.
Whether you’re searching for a cheap and cheerful lunch or want to go out for dinner without taking out a second mortgage, we’ve got you sorted with these cheap places to eat in Manchester. Discover what you can chomp on in the city and how much it’ll cost you below.
Hello Oriental
Be spoilt for choice with lip-smackingly affordable Asian street food at Hello Oriental food hall. Spread across three floors, there’s something here for every taste – and every budget. Scoff down dim sum from £6, vegetable spring rolls for £7 and salt and pepper tofu for £10. You can also find cheap traditional eats at the Asian-inspired bakery and cafe.
Keeping costs down while filling up is easy at Hello Oriental, but they also run a few permanent delicious deals, too. With the Express Lunch menu, you get a signature dish and soft drink (or half a lager if you’re drinking) from just £12, including braised beef stew with rice and pho chicken. There’s also all-you-can-eat chicken wings all day every Monday for 1.5 hours from £18.
How much? Get a main or big plate of noodles from £10. Sides start from £4.50 and dim sum from £6.
Where? Hello Oriental, Circle Square, South Pavilion, 2 Symphony Park, Manchester, M1 7FS.
Crazy Pedros
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Daddies of the Manchester pizza scene, Crazy Pedros have been slinging their creative pies for over a decade now, putting their unique twist on everyone’s favourite Italian export. You can order by the slice, but we like to go big with a giant 16 incher. Flavours are as wild as they come, with monthly changing specials pushing the boundaries even further.
As for the vibe, it’s exactly what you’d expect from a late night pizza parlour. Think band posters covering the ceiling, a cool hip-hop soundtrack and an impeccable tequila menu. Open – and more importantly serving pizza – until 4am daily, it’s the ultimate place to pick up a pocket-friendly bite.
How much? Visit from 5pm to 9pm Sunday to Friday and you can grab any whole pizza for £12.50 and a slice for just £3.
Where? Crazy Pedros, 55-57 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BQ & Short Street, Manchester, M4 1AA.
This & That
Credit: This & That
The OG of cheap eats in Manchester, despite raising its prices in the last few years, This & That remains the best place to get a delicious and affordable rice and three curries in the city. The menu at this Manchester institution changes depending on the day of the week, but there’s always at least five meat options and three vegetarian/vegan curries to dig into.
This isn’t an Indian restaurant you spend hours in. The canteen-style layout means you get fed and go within 20 minutes after tucking into your lamb korma, chicken chana and lentil daal. While the mounds of curry will sort you out for a proper feed, there’s also the opportunity to try some signature Indian add-ons like chapattis, bhajis and samosas.
How much? Get rice and three curries from £6.
Where?: This & That, 3 Soap Street, Manchester, M4 1EW.
Nell’s Pizza
Credit: Marwan Mounti
Enjoy a big slice without the big price at Nell’s. This drool-worthy New York-style pizza is served in three places across the city. And as far as the best pizza in Manchester goes, it’s up there with Rudy’s. Get your hands on a 14” pizza for just £7.77 and a big vat of garlic and herb ranch for an additional £1.50 – a much-needed dipping extra.
The pizza toppings here are as outrageous as the names. Feast on a Do You ‘Roni Honey? with ‘nduja, pepperoni and chilli honey, or split a Barbie & Ken with smoked Lancs, smokey maple BBQ sauce and BBQ chicken with friends. If any of you can’t eat gluten, there’s deep pan Detroit-style options available with equally unpronounceable names.
How much? Wolf down a 14” pizza for just £7.77 every weekday before 4pm. You can also split a 22” pizza between four starting from just over a fiver each.
Where? Nell’s Pizza, A Place Called Common, 39-41 Edge Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1HW; The Beagle, 456-458 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 OBQ; 2 George Street, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA14 1SG & 20 Minshull Street, Kampus, Manchester, M1 3EF.
Wolf at the Door
Credit: Nicole Estrada
Home of the £2 bao bun, fill your belly with scrummy Korean food at Wolf at the Door without putting a dent in your wallet. Dine tapas style by ordering a few different bao buns between you. The Chippy Tea is a great take on a British classic, while the crispy vegan duck will have you immediately going back up to the bar to order more.
But there’s way more than just bao buns here. Tuck into loaded fries, black pepper ribs and ginger and soy chicken wings for less than a tenner. If you’re looking for a cheap lunch in Manchester, Wolf at the Door also has a permanent £6 lunch deal on selected dishes including chicken katsu, beef massaman and spicy popcorn chicken – Sunday to Friday from 12pm-6pm.
How much? Tuck into bao buns from £2 each and other Korean classics from £8.
Where? Wolf at the Door, 30-32 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1ER.
Turkish Delight
Credit: Turkish Delight Chorlton
Juicy kebabs meet traditional Turkish plates at Turkish Delight – the takeaway spot in Chorlton that tastes just as good sober. Ignore the tables and chairs and head straight to the counter to order. Their legendary king-size mix of shish kebab, kofte, minced chicken and doner meat is made to be eaten in a takeout container.
With meat grilled to order and accompanied by delicious homemade sauces, it can be hard to sway away from the carnivorous side of the menu. But if you do, you’ll get the chance to tuck into deep-fried cheese and spinach pastries, moreish vegetarian moussaka and gooey traditional Turkish pizzas. Don’t worry, these also come with meat toppings!
How much? Chow down on traditional Turkish pizza from £4.90, mixed kebabs for £10.90 or mounds of moussaka for £11.90.
Where? Turkish Delight, 573 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 8AE.
Northern Soul
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Sink into cheesy heaven at Northern Soul – the gooiest budget-friendly restaurant in Manchester, putting their own spin on the mighty grilled cheese. But these are more than just toasties. Oozing with fillings like Northern Soul’s secret three-cheese blend, homemade mac ’n’ cheese and smokey chorizo with Manchego, there’s value for money in every cheesy bite.
The service here is quick enough for you to nip in and out for a quick cheap lunch, but the signature soul music soundtrack will no doubt make you want to stay a little longer. Got room for more? Split a portion of bacon cheese fries or truffle tater tots – or take some home for dinner.
How much? Tuck into a stacked grilled cheese sandwich from £7.95.
Where? Northern Soul, Unit G20-21 Smithfield Building, Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LA. You can also find them outside the East stand reception at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, M11 3FF.
Salt & Pepper
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If salt & pepper is the first thing you order from the takeaway, boy do we have the perfect spot for you. You’ll smell the aptly named Salt & Pepper before you see the queues snaking from this ever-popular Arndale Market stall. Salt & pepper is what they do, and they offer it every which way. Chicken, beef, prawn, tofu… You name it, they S&P it.
Boxes start from £10 and they’re bound to fill you up. Pick your protein and whether you want rice, salt & pepper fries or half and half, and it’ll come piled high. And their newly launched Chinese kebabs are even more easy on the pocket, starting from £8. The same salt & pepper goodness, all wrapped up in a fluffy naan. It’s what dreams are made of.
How much? Boxes start from £10, Chinese kebabs start from £8 and sides cost between £3.50 and £6.50.
Where? Salt & Pepper, Arndale Market, 60-62 High Street, Manchester, M4 1EA.
Maricarmen
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What do you get if you mix Yo! Sushi with a tapas restaurant? Maricarmen, that’s what. The Ancoats tapas bar has redefined the Spanish dining scene with their El Tableo experience, which gives you the chance to eat your way through as many tapas plates as you like, all for £3.50 a pop. The best bit? You don’t even need to make a decision.
You see, the thing about El Tableo is they just keep bringing tapas to you. There’s no need to choose between red wine meatballs or gambas al ajillo, just relax and scoff through as many plates as you like. When you’re finished, they’ll tot up the plates and add it to your final bill. Simple as. It’s a unique experience, and we’re certainly sold.
How much? Each plate costs £3.50.
Where? Maricarmen, 67 Great Ancoats Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 5AB and 104 High Street, Manchester, M4 1HQ.
Falafel King
Credit: Falafel King
One of the only reasons to ever visit Piccadilly Gardens, Falafel King serves the best falafel wraps in Manchester from its permanent food stall in Piccadilly Market. Expect fresh and crispy falafel, the softest and creamiest hummus you’ll ever taste and mountains of signature toppings like pickles, aubergine and halloumi – for just a fiver.
Everything on the menu is vegetarian and vegan, but that shouldn’t deter any carnivores from checking it out. After drowning your wrap with homemade mint, chilli and tahini sauce, they’ll toast it in their panini press so it doesn’t fall apart when you eat it – great if you’re stuffing your face in front of people!
How much? Get a medium falafel wrap for £5 or a medium falafel wrap and drink for £6.
Where?: Falafel King, Piccadilly Street Food Market, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, M1 4BT.
