9 restaurants serving ‘cheap eats’ in and around Victoria

We all know that as amazing as Victoria is, finding affordable options for eating out isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

As much as meal prepping and budgeting can help, we all deserve to treat ourselves to a meal that wasn’t cooked in our own kitchen every once in a while. Eating out doesn’t have to break the bank!

We’ve compiled a list of some of Greater Victoria’s best restaurants that are offering what everyone in this city is after; some cheap eats that are still high-quality and delicious to leave you feeling happy and satisfied.

For this list, we’ve defined cheap eats as any full meal for under $15.

So without any further ado, here are 9 places to enjoy some cheap and delicious eats in and around Victoria:

The Rack Westcoast Bistro

We’re starting this list off hot with what feels like a couple of blast-to-the-past deals.

The Rack, with locations in Langford and Saanich, has a Taco Tuesday that will blow your mind.

$1 tacos, along with $6 margaritas, are made in-house.

They also have Wing Night on Wednesdays, when a pound of wings is only $10!

 

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• Where: 1550 Cedar Hill Cross Road
• When: 
  • Monday to Thursday – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Saturday – 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Sunday – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Mcrae’s Restaurant

Just down the street from The Rack, Mcrae’s Restaurant in Saanich has completely overhauled their menu in the last year, and features some of the best poutine in town for only $14.

The real star of the show, though, is their own version of Taco Tuesday, with beef, cauliflower and fish tacos coming in at $3.75 each.

These tacos are big, delicious and you can mix-and-match.

What’s not to love?

• Where: Mcrae’s Restaurant, 1652 McRae Avenue
• When:
  • Tuesday to Saturday – 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Sunday and Monday – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Messob Ethiopian Cuisine

Messob Ethiopian might be one of Victoria’s best kept secrets.

Located in Cook Street Village, this place serves up delicious and authentic Ethiopian food.

With vegetarian plates at $12.50 and meat plates at $13.50, this is a meal that is satisfying at a great price!

• Where: 1109 McKenzie Street
• When: Tuesday to Saturday – 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Green Cuisine

Green Cuisine is a vegetarian’s (or any foodie’s) dream.

A gorgeous red brick building in Market Square, Green Cuisine is a staple of the downtown community. Customers can load up a plate with everything from sandwiches, to pizza, to falafel, to salads and soups and pay by weight.

You’ll be surprised just how much food you can get for a reasonable price.

Not only is this food affordable and delicious, but it can also be a great healthy option while spending the day downtown or grabbing during a lunch break!

 

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• Where: 560 Johnson Street #5
• When: 
  • Monday to Friday – 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday – 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Dosa Paragon

If you’ve never had South Indian food before, the best time is now. Dosa Paragon has two locations, one on Yates Street and one on Wharf Street. The Yates street location is completely vegetarian.

Dosa is the specialty at Dosa Paragon. A thin, savoury crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter, it comes with your desired filling and two different kinds of chutney, and will have you hooked.

The Masala Dosa on the menu is only $11.99, and is a filling meal.

Try the gobi-65 for a spicy appy!

• Where: 735 Yates Street
• When: 
  •  Lunch
    • Tuesday to Sunday – 11:30 a.m. to 2 :30 p.m.
  • Dinner
    • Tuesday to Thursday – 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
    • Friday to Sunday – 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Dumpling Drop

Dumpling Drop is one of the tastiest restaurants you can find in town, even without taking prices into account.

It only gets better when you realize they have a $12 beer and dumpling special on happy hour, every day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

And an honourable mention —try the two crispy chicken bao for $8.75!

• Where: 556A Pandora Avenue
• When: Happy Hour every day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Leopold’s Late Night

Leopold’s serves up some of the best pub food in town, and has great specials for those who find themselves downtown late at night.

Their late-night smashburger deal is only $5—and good news for the vegetarians, you can sub out the smashburger for a plant-based patty for the same price.

They’ve got a drink deal too. Grab a Leo’s Lager or Long Island Iced Tea for another $5.

• Where: 570 Yates Street
• When: 
  • Late Night 7 days a week – 11 p.m. to close

Niloo Restaurant

Any shawarma lovers out there?

Niloo might be the best deal in town for Persian favourites like shawarma, kebab and falafel.

All of their “sandwiches” come in under $15, with the falafel at $10, the chicken shawarma at $12.50 and the naan kebab at $14.

• Where: 4440 West Saanich Road
• When: 
  • Sunday to Thursday – 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday and Saturday – 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Dutch Bakery and Diner

The Dutch Bakery is right downtown. It’s known mostly as a bakery, but it’s also an old-school diner with a cute courtyard in the back.

The menu is also giving old-school pricing, with some classic breakfast options like the mini-breakfast (bacon, eggs, toast and hashbrowns) for only $9.25!

The Dutch Bakery and Diner is unassuming and delicious. Give it a try!

• Where: 718 Fort Street
• When: Tuesday to Saturday – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Got a recommendation for cheap eats in Greater Victoria? Let us know in the comment section below!