Eastern European$oborMon-Sun 09:00-19:00
Five mici with mustard, bread and a Romanian lager at Piața Obor in Bucharest for under 35 RON, the most-cited budget plate in the entire capital.
Try: Mici and bread plate
Tip: Cash speeds up the queue; weekend lunches book the benches by 12:30.
Bakery$universitateMon-Sun 06:00-22:00
Covrigi Luca's central Bucharest counters sell warm soft pretzels for 4-6 RON, the most reliable walking-snack budget option across the whole city.
Try: Soft sesame covrig
Tip: Walnut and rose preserve pastries are 8-12 RON; multi-buy stickers in window.
Eastern European$sector-4Mon-Sun 11:00-23:00
Cartofisserie loaded baked potatoes with bacon, cheese and brânză land at around 25 RON in Bucharest, one of the cheapest sit-down hot lunches around.
Try: Loaded baked potato
Tip: Counter service; vegan options on the menu.
Turkish$lipscaniMon-Sun 10:00-04:00
Dristor Kebap's special shaorma comes loaded with garlic-cream, mango, ghost-pepper and chimichurri sauces, the after-hours standby for 25-35 RON.
Try: Special shaorma
Tip: Open until 04:00 Lipscani; the special is the order.
Eastern European$lipscaniMon-Sun 10:00-24:00
La Mama's home-cooking chain on Lipscani serves Romanian ciorbă and sarmale plates at 30-55 RON, the Old Town standby for an everyday sit-down dinner.
Try: Ciorbă de burtă and sarmale
Tip: Multi-location chain; lunch fixed menu is the bargain Cash is faster than card.
Seafood$oborMon-Sun 09:00-19:00
The Obor market rotisserie counters in Bucharest sell half-chickens with bread and pickles for 30-40 RON, the city's cheapest sit-down chicken plate.
Try: Half rotisserie chicken with bread
Tip: Take it to the benches inside the hall; cash only.