Pueblo Viejo on Tillery Street in Austin is the 2010 East Side taco truck from Nestor and Margarita, the city's regular-rotation breakfast-taco trailer.
Try: Breakfast tacos
Tip: Bean-and-cheese on a homemade flour tortilla is the most-ordered budget pick; pair with a side of barbacoa.
Halal Bros in Austin is the West Campus halal chicken-and-rice counter on Guadalupe, the cheapest reliable halal plate in town and the closest meal to UT.
Try: Chicken-and-rice platter
Tip: The chicken-and-rice platter is the campus default; the white-sauce-and-hot-sauce combo is the menu hack.
Magnolia Cafe in Austin is the South Congress 24-hour diner, a counter and booth room serving migas, queso and gingerbread pancakes at a low-double-digit.
Try: Love migas plate
Tip: Open 24 hours Thursday through Saturday; otherwise closes at midnight. SXSW makes Friday 1am a scrum.
Tacodeli in Austin is Roberto Espinosa's Spyglass Drive flagship since 1999, the local breakfast-taco chain at the low end of the price scale with Salsa Dona.
Try: Breakfast tacos and tacos al Pastor
Tip: Cult Salsa Dona is sold by the bottle to take home; the Heather taco is the cheap office-lunch order.
Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin is the all-day diner since 1980, the Central Austin bungalow that runs queso, gingerbread pancakes and breakfast tacos at a low.
Try: Pancakes or queso
Tip: Two-egg breakfast comes with home fries and toast around $11; the queso-and-chip cup is the cheapest snack.