Top Budget Eating in Ireland

Vada ★ 4.8 · Dublin

stoneybatter · 30 North Brunswick Street, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7

Vada on Brunswick Street North in Stoneybatter, the zero-waste neighbourhood cafe that took over the V-Face site, plant-forward small plates and house-made.

Tip: Counter and small tables; book ahead for dinner Thursday to Saturday. House water kefir brewed in-house from kitchen byproducts.

Tom Durcan Spiced Beef ★ 4.7 · Cork

English Market Quarter · English Market, Princes Street, Cork

The most distinctively Cork thing you can eat for under €5. Buy a portion of hot sliced spiced beef from Tom Durcan's dedicated counter, take it with soda.

Miyazaki Japanese Takeaway ★ 4.7 · Cork

Barrack Street and The Lough · 1A Evergreen Street, Cork

Ireland's best-value Japanese food, closed Mondays. The salmon zuke donburi is the benchmark dish at around €14-16. The queues are part of the deal; arrive.

Cornucopia ★ 4.7 · Dublin

south-city-centre · 19/20 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2

Cornucopia on Wicklow Street in Dublin 2, the family-run vegan and vegetarian wholefood restaurant since 1986, three floors of self-service counters.

Tip: Walk-in only; arrive before 12:30 for the upstairs room. The hot plate with three salads runs around €13. Closes 17:00 Sunday, 19:00 Monday to Wednesday.

Galway Saturday Market ★ 4.7 · Galway

latin-quarter · Church Lane, St Nicholas' Collegiate Church, Galway, H91 C7V4

Galway Saturday Market beside St Nicholas Church is the best budget food event; hot crepes, samosas and soups from under €5 in a 130-stall weekly gathering.

Filter ★ 4.6 · Cork

Union Quay and Ballintemple · 19 Georges Quay, Cork

Cork's premier specialty coffee at pub coffee prices - a €3.50-4 flat white on par with London's best. The rotating guest roasters make Filter a daily.

Bracken's Bakery ★ 4.6 · Cork

City Centre · Old Mallow Road, Cork

Cork's highest community-rated bakery (4.7 from 460+ reviews) at budget prices. Fresh cream cakes and traditional bread from a family bakery that has not.

Soup Dragon ★ 4.6 · Dublin

north-inner-city · 168 Capel Street, Dublin 1, D01 V972

Soup Dragon on Capel Street in Dublin 1, ten daily soups, the city's most balanced sub-€10 lunch counter, the Northside's working budget lunch since 1996.

Tip: Counter-only seating; the two-soup combo with bread and a smoothie runs €12. Best after 14:00.

McDonagh's Fish and Chips ★ 4.6 · Galway

latin-quarter · 22 Quay Street, Galway, H91 TX4A

McDonagh's on Quay Street Galway is the best-value seafood in the city; battered haddock and chips with vinegar costs under €12 and the queues confirm it.

Farmgate Cafe ★ 4.5 · Cork

English Market Quarter · English Market, Princes Street, Cork

Upstairs in the English Market, lunch dishes run €12-18 - moderate for the quality. The daily specials use what arrived from the market that morning.

Alchemy Coffee and Books ★ 4.5 · Cork

Barrack Street and The Lough · 123 Barrack Street, Cork

Coffee and a book on Barrack Street for under €10. The brie and rocket croissant sandwich with a flat white is Cork's best cafe meal-deal for the money.

Umi Falafel Georges Street Arcade ★ 4.5 · Dublin

south-city-centre · South Great George's Street Arcade, Dublin 2

Umi Falafel inside George's Street Arcade in Dublin 2, the vegetarian Lebanese counter doing the city's most credible falafel, freshly fried chickpeas.

Tip: Three Dublin Umi locations; the Arcade branch is the south-city pick for a sub-€12 lunch. Counter and tables; takeaway runs fastest.

Son of a Bun ★ 4.4 · Cork

MacCurtain Street (Victorian Quarter) · 29 MacCurtain Street, Cork, T23 NX05

Cork's best burger for the money. Everything made in-house, open daily from noon, with burgers priced under €15 including fries. The quality-to-price ratio.

Coal Quay Saturday Market ★ 4.4 · Cork

City Centre · Cornmarket Street, Cork

Cork's best food budget experience on Saturday morning with over 40 stalls, hot street food, artisan cheese, bread and West Cork produce from 09:00-14:00.

Quinlan's Seafood Bar ★ 4.4 · Cork

City Centre · 24 Patrick Street, Cork

Kerry-landed fish and chips for around €12-15 on Patrick Street. Directly sourced from the family's Kerry fleet. The quality margin over a standard chip.

The Dough Bros ★ 4.4 · Galway

latin-quarter · 1 Middle Street, Galway, H91 K4P2

The Dough Bros on Middle Street Galway offers Neapolitan pizza from €12; the sourdough base and quality toppings make it outstanding value for a Galway lunch.

Dela ★ 4.4 · Galway

westend · 51 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, H91 E3F1

Dela on Dominick Street Galway runs weekend breakfast from €9; locally sourced eggs on sourdough toast is an affordable way into the Galway food scene.

Kilkenny Farmers Market ★ 4.4 · Kilkenny

medieval-mile · The Parade, Kilkenny

Kilkenny Farmers Market every Thursday on The Parade offers soda bread, farmhouse cheese, honey, and vegetables from €3, the best budget food in the city.

Nash 19 ★ 4.3 · Cork

English Market Quarter · 19 Princes Street, Cork

A Cork institution for breakfast and lunch since 1993. Full Irish breakfasts and market-sourced lunches at prices that have remained accessible despite.

Three Fools Coffee ★ 4.3 · Cork

City Centre · The Glass Pod, Kiosk 2, Grand Parade, Cork

Outdoor Cork kiosk outside the City Library on Grand Parade with quality specialty coffee. The most moody setting for a coffee in the city centre.

Musashi Capel Street ★ 4.3 · Dublin

north-inner-city · 15 Capel Street, Dublin 1, D01 E1C0

Musashi on Capel Street in Dublin 1, Northside's reliable Japanese noodle counter, the city's most reliable sub-€15 tonkotsu ramen and donburi lunch order.

Tip: Three Capel Street locations within a block. The original 15 Capel sits busiest at lunch; the IFSC branch is quieter for dinner.

Xi'an Street Food ★ 4.3 · Galway

latin-quarter · 15 Middle Street, Galway, H91 R2V6

Xi an Street Food on Middle Street Galway serves hand-pulled noodles and dumplings under €12; the most value-dense lunch in the Galway city centre.

Hooked ★ 4.3 · Galway

latin-quarter · 2 Market Street, Galway, H91 D3T2

Hooked on Market Street Galway has a small-cod supper under €11; sustainably-sourced haddock makes it the conscience-friendly budget option in Galway.

Greens and Co ★ 4.3 · Galway

latin-quarter · Cross Street Lower, Galway, H91 P4T7

Greens and Co on Cross Street Lower Galway runs vegan lunch bowls from €10; the daily Connacht organic menu has the lowest prices for healthy food in town.

Cameron Bakery Patrick Street ★ 4.2 · Cork

City Centre · 124 St Patrick's Street, Cork

Cork's most centrally located traditional bakery, open from 07:00 daily. Breakfast rolls and fresh-baked sandwiches for under €7. The morning sandwich run.

Bunsen ★ 4.2 · Dublin

south-city-centre · 36 Wexford Street, Dublin 2, D02 PW56

Bunsen on Wexford Street in Dublin 2, the chef-built five-shop Dublin burger chain with one menu only of beef, cheese and fries, the city's burger value.

Tip: One menu only; the smallest tables turn fastest. Late till midnight at the Wexford Street flagship.

Papa Rich Newtownsmith ★ 4.2 · Galway

eyre-square · Born, Newtownsmith, Galway, H91 HY4E

Papa Rich at Born on Newtownsmith Galway dishes up Malaysian laksa under €12; the canteen-style room fills every lunchtime for the best value in the city.

Quay Co-op ★ 4.1 · Cork

South Mall and Lancaster Quay · 24 Sullivan's Quay, Cork, T12 X867

Cork's wholefoods institution since 1982 with self-service vegetarian lunches and dinners at prices below any comparable sit-down restaurant in the city.

Istanbul Kebab ★ 4.1 · Cork

City Centre · 75 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, T12 FW02

Cork's most-reviewed late-night food stop, open until 3am. A full doner wrap with chips comes in under €12 and the quality holds until last orders.