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

Cheap eats worth seeking out

Slyman's Restaurant ★ 4.7

st-clair-superiorMon-Fri 07:00-14:30; closed Sat-Sun

Slyman's Restaurant on St Clair Avenue, the Slyman family corned beef counter since 1964, runs the city's defining overstuffed corned beef sandwich on rye through breakfast and lunch.

Try: Overstuffed corned beef sandwich

3106 St Clair Ave NE, Cleveland, OH 44114

West Side Market food stalls ★ 4.8

ohio-cityMon, Wed, Fri-Sat 08:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-16:00, closed Tue Thu

The West Side Market on West 25th Street since 1912, the 60-vendor public market in the Hubbel and Benes Hall, runs cheap-eat lunches from bratwurst, pierogi, gyros and tacos under one roof.

Try: Cheap-eat lunches from 60+ vendors: bratwurst, pierogi, gyros, tacos

1979 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113

Tommy's Restaurant ★ 4.5

cleveland-heightsMon-Thu 09:00-21:00; Fri 09:00-22:00; Sat 07:30-22:00; Sun 09:00-21:00

Tommy's Restaurant on Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights, a vegetarian-friendly institution since 1972, runs falafel sandwiches, spinach pies, hand-mixed milkshakes and a meat-eater menu.

Try: Falafel sandwich and spinach pie

1824 Coventry Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

Mama Santa's ★ 4.4

little-italyMon-Thu 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-23:00; closed Sun

Mama Santa's on Mayfield Road in Little Italy, the Sicilian-style pizzeria run by the Santa family since 1961, anchors the cheap-lunch slice scene on the Murray Hill block.

Try: Square Sicilian pizza slice and a side of meatballs

12301 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106

Superior Pho ★ 4.6

asiatownTue-Sat 10:30-20:00; Sun 10:30-19:00; closed Mon

Superior Pho inside the Cleveland AsiaTown plaza on Superior Avenue, a Vietnamese family-run noodle counter, runs heaping bowls of pho, bun and rice plates through lunch and dinner.

Try: Pho and bun bowls

3030 Superior Ave Ste 102, Cleveland, OH 44114

Li Wah ★ 4.4

asiatownMon-Fri 11:00-21:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-21:00

Li Wah inside Asia Plaza on Payne Avenue in AsiaTown since 1991, the longest-running Cantonese dim sum room in Cleveland, runs weekend cart service alongside a full lunch menu.

Try: Weekend dim sum cart service and Cantonese lunch plates

2999 Payne Ave Ste 102, Cleveland, OH 44114

Phnom Penh Restaurant ★ 4.5

ohio-cityMon-Sat 11:00-19:00; closed Sun

Phnom Penh Restaurant on West 25th Street across from the West Side Market, a family-run Cambodian BYOB room, runs cheap-eat noodle bowls, curries and the city's defining Cambodian food.

Try: Cambodian noodle and rice plates

1929 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113

Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream ★ 4.6

ohio-cityMon-Thu 11:00-21:30; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:30; Sun 11:00-21:30

Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream on West 25th Street in Ohio City, the Mitchell brothers' production-and-scoop room inside a former movie theater, runs daily scoops from a Cleveland-produced base.

Try: House-made ice cream cone or sundae

1867 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113

Diamond Deli ★ 4.4

akronMon-Fri 08:00-20:00, Sat 11:00-19:00, closed Sun

Diamond Deli on South Main Street in downtown Akron, a long-running deli counter for the University of Akron and downtown lunch crowd, runs hot fat sandwiches and from-scratch soups on weekdays.

Try: Hot fat sandwiches and house soups

378 S Main St, Akron, OH 44311
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