Eat well in Boston for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.

Cheap eats worth seeking out

Anna's Taqueria ★ 4.2

Taqueria$brookline

Anna's Taqueria on Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner Brookline has run the city's fast-Mexican benchmark in Boston since 1995. Super burrito $11.

Try: Super burrito

Tip: Super burrito $11; split between two. Open until 23:30 daily.

446 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446

Banh Mi Ba Le ★ 4.6

Vietnamese$dorchester

Ba Le on Dorchester Avenue rolls banh mi in Boston's Vietnamese corridor since 1996. $7 sandwich, baguette baked fresh daily; Boston Legacy Business Award.

Try: BBQ pork banh mi

Tip: Cash and card both. Pho is also a budget order, $11 a bowl Cash is faster than card.

1052 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02125

Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe ★ 4.4

Chinese$chinatown

Gene's on Bedford Street has hand-pulled wheat noodles in Boston's Downtown Crossing since 2013. Cash only, $12 cumin lamb noodles the menu order.

Try: Hand-pulled cumin lamb noodles

Tip: Cash only. The flatbread sandwich is the under-$10 lunch order; the noodles need a seat.

86 Bedford St, Boston, MA 02111

Pho Hoa ★ 4.3

Vietnamese$dorchester

Pho Hoa on Dorchester Avenue has poured beef pho in Boston's Vietnamese corridor since 1992. $13 large bowl, 18 pho varieties on the menu; Boston Magazine.

Try: Pho dac biet

Tip: Cash speeds the bill at lunch. The 11:30 opening is the easy walk-in seat before the noon office crowd arrives.

1370 Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02122

Regina Pizzeria ★ 4.3

Pizzeria$north-end

Regina Pizzeria on Thacher Street has fired brick-oven thin-crust pies in Boston's North End since 1926. The original location, walk-ins only.

Try: Margherita pizza, shared

Tip: No slices; whole pies only.

11 1/2 Thacher St, Boston, MA 02113

Santarpio's Pizza ★ 4.4

Pizzeria$north-end

Santarpio's on Chelsea Street fires Boston-style thin pies in East Boston since 1933. Located in North End. At 111 Chelsea St. Booking recommended.

Try: Cheese pie

Tip: Take the Blue Line to Maverick. Cash only. The lamb skewer-and-pie combo is $25 for one.

111 Chelsea St, Boston, MA 02128

Yume Wo Katare ★ 4.3

Japanese ramen$cambridge

Yume Wo Katare on Mass Ave in Porter Square Cambridge has poured Jiro-style ramen in Boston since 2012. At 1923 Massachusetts Ave. Booking recommended.

Try: Jiro-style ramen

Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday through Sunday from 16:30; line forms 30 minutes before doors.

1923 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

Falafel King ★ 4.2

Middle Eastern$beacon-hill

Falafel King on Washington Street has served halal Middle Eastern in Boston's Downtown Crossing since 1998. Falafel platter $12, shawarma plate $14.

Try: Falafel platter

Tip: Falafel sandwich $9 is the takeaway order. Closed Sundays at the Washington Street location.

260 Washington St, Boston, MA 02108

Clover Food Lab Harvard Square ★ 4.1

Vegetarian$cambridge

Clover Food Lab on Mass Ave in Harvard Square runs a vegetarian fast-casual chain in Cambridge Boston since 2008. $9 chickpea fritter sandwich the budget.

Try: Vegetarian chickpea sandwich

Tip: Order on the app to skip the counter line. The egg-and-eggplant sandwich is the under-ordered breakfast.

1326 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

Dumpling Cafe ★ 4.3

Taiwanese$chinatown

Dumpling Cafe on Washington Street rolls Taiwanese soup dumplings in Boston's Chinatown since 2009. $13 for 8 mini juicy buns; Boston Magazine Best Dumplings.

Try: Mini juicy buns

Tip: Open until 02:00 weekends. The beef pancake roll at $11 is the under-ordered side.

695 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
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