Middle Eastern$beacon-hillSun 11:00-16:30; Mon 11:00-19:00; Tue-Fri 11:00-19:30; Sat 11:00-18:00
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 $9 is the takeaway order. Closed Sundays at the Washington Street location.
Taiwanese$chinatownDaily 11:00-02:00
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 $11 is the under-ordered side.
Taqueria$brooklineDaily 07:00-23:00
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 $11; split between two. Open until 23:30 daily.
Vietnamese$dorchesterDaily 06:00-18:00
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, $11 a bowl Cash is faster than card.
Chinese$chinatownMon-Sat 11:00-18:30, closed Sunday
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-$10 lunch order; the noodles need a seat.
Vietnamese$dorchesterSun-Thu 10:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-22:00
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.