Fafa's is a budget eat in Punavuori, Helsinki.
Fafa's on Iso Roobertinkatu fills a generous pita with falafel or halloumi and sweet-potato fries for about 11 euros, the original of a fast veggie chain.
Tip: The halloumi pita is the move if you want a change from falafel. Branches are dotted across the city for a cheap quick lunch.
Address: Iso Roobertinkatu 2, 00120 Helsinki
Eromanga near Kasarmitori sells the lihapiirakka meat pie to a secret 1946 recipe, loaded with sausage and a fried egg for just a few euros, very cheap.
Try: Lihapiirakka meat pie
Tip: Order the meat pie with the works: sausage and a fried egg on top. Weekday daytime only, cash-friendly and very cheap.
The upstairs counters at Hakaniemi Market Hall serve cheap daily lunches, from Finnish home cooking to world-food plates, value eating inside a market hall.
Try: Market-hall daily lunch
Tip: Head upstairs for the lunch counters rather than the produce floor. Weekday lunch is the cheapest, busiest window.
Plants By Us in the central Forum mall does fully vegan sandwiches and quinoa bowls at lunch-counter prices, a fast plant-based fix in the shopping district.
Try: Vegan sandwiches and bowls
Tip: On the third floor of the Forum mall. Quick, all-vegan and well under restaurant prices when you are downtown.
Hanko Sushi in the Forum mall sells fixed salmon, prawn and maki sets at fair prices, a fast, predictable sushi lunch in the shopping core of the centre.
Try: Fixed sushi sets
Tip: Inside the Forum on Mannerheimintie. Not destination sushi, but a cheap fixed set and a fast turnaround at lunch.
Way Bakery in Kallio does a cheap daytime spread of sourdough with toppings, yogurt with granola and avocado toast from around 7 euros before dinner service.
Try: Sourdough toppings and buns
Tip: The daytime bakery menu is the budget play; prices climb when Maukku takes over at night. Sourdough with toppings is the staple.
In summer the Market Square stalls fry vendace and salmon and ladle pea soup for around 10 euros, an open-air harbour lunch as cheap as it is local.
Try: Fried vendace and pea soup
Tip: Summer only and weather dependent. Eat by the water, but guard your plate from the bold harbour seagulls.
