Boustan is a middle eastern budget eat in Downtown, Montreal.
Boustan is a downtown Montreal institution for cheap, garlicky shawarma, its Rue Crescent counter feeding students and night owls well past midnight.
Editorially verified July 1, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Tip: The Aladin potato pita is the cult order and barely dents a tenner; extra toum is free and essential.
Address: 2020A Rue Crescent, Montreal, QC H3G 2B8
Nouilles de Lan Zhou fills a table for cheap in Montreal's Chinatown, its hand-pulled beef noodle soup one of the best-value hot bowls in the city.
Try: Hand-pulled noodle soup
Tip: One big beef soup and a plate of dumplings feeds two for the price of a downtown sandwich.
Qing Hua is a bargain in Montreal's Chinatown, a dozen hand-folded soup dumplings landing well under fifteen dollars and easily enough for a full lunch.
Try: Soup dumplings
Tip: A single dozen is a filling meal; split two orders across the table to try more fillings for less.
La Panthere Verte serves quick, cheap vegan falafel pitas and bowls across Montreal, a reliable meat-free lunch for well under fifteen dollars in Mile End.
Try: Falafel pita
Tip: The falafel pita with green sauce is the value pick; bowls cost a little more but feed you longer.
Nouilles de Lan Zhou fills a table for cheap in Montreal's Chinatown, its hand-pulled beef noodle soup one of the best-value hot bowls in the city.
Try: Hand-pulled noodle soup
Tip: One big beef soup and a plate of dumplings feeds two for the price of a downtown sandwich.
Qing Hua is a bargain in Montreal's Chinatown, a dozen hand-folded soup dumplings landing well under fifteen dollars and easily enough for a full lunch.
Try: Soup dumplings
Tip: A single dozen is a filling meal; split two orders across the table to try more fillings for less.
Bombay Mahal is Parc-Extension's cheapest serious feast in Montreal, a BYOB canteen where fiery curries and thalis stay well under twenty dollars a head.
Try: Indian thali
Tip: Bring your own beer from the depanneur and split several curries; the bill stays tiny even when you overorder.
Pho Tay Ho ladles deeply spiced beef pho for under fifteen dollars in Petite-Patrie, Montreal, a warming, filling bowl that locals rate among the city's best.
Try: Pho
Tip: A large tai bowl plus a Vietnamese coffee is a complete meal for the price of a downtown lunch.
Tacos Frida keeps its Mexico City-style tacos cheap in Saint-Henri, Montreal, with house corn tortillas and grilled fillings at a few dollars apiece.
Try: Street tacos
Tip: Three or four tacos makes a filling, low-cost meal; load up at the free salsa bar to stretch it further.
