Schmidt's Bratwurst Platter ★ 4.4
Schmidt's bratwurst platter at the Kossuth Street German Village hall serves a single brat with kraut, German potato salad and a roll under $15.
Try: Bratwurst plate with kraut
Eat well in Columbus for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Cheap eats worth seeking out
Northstar Cafe Bowl ★ 4.2
The Northstar bowl at the Columbus Short North counter is a big plate of grains, greens and protein under $13, the cheap healthy lunch in the city.
Try: Northstar bowl
Hoyo's Kitchen Sambusa Platter ★ 4.4
Hoyo's Kitchen at Columbus's North Market sells beef, chicken and veggie sambusas with rice under $12, a cheap meal at the downtown food hall.
Try: Sambusas with rice
Brassica Falafel Pita ★ 4.3
Brassica's falafel pita with two sides on North High Street runs under $14 in Columbus, the Short North's cheapest sit-down Mediterranean lunch.
Try: Falafel pita with sides
Mikey's Late Night Slice ★ 4.0
Mikey's Late Night Slice on North High in Columbus runs single pepperoni or garlic slices under $7, the Short North's late-night cheap bite since 2009.
Try: Single slice pizza
Jeni's Splendid Scoop ★ 4.6
A single Jeni's scoop at the Columbus North Market original counter runs under $7, the city's icon for cheap dessert at the founded-here brand.
Try: Single ice cream scoop
Pho Asian Noodle House Bowl ★ 4.2
Pho Asian Noodle House on West Lane Avenue near OSU runs a big bowl of pho tai under $14, the Columbus reference pho at the college-town counter.
Try: Bowl of pho tai
Donatos Square Slice ★ 4.0
A single Donatos pepperoni slice in Columbus runs under $7, the cheap Columbus-style pizza taste in the city where Donatos invented the square pie.
Try: Pepperoni slice
Fox in the Snow Cinnamon Roll ★ 4.7
Fox in the Snow's signature cinnamon roll plus a drip coffee at the Thurman Avenue counter runs under $11, the Columbus morning cheap classic.
Try: Cinnamon roll with drip coffee
Katzinger's Half Sandwich ★ 4.3
Katzinger's half Reuben with a half-sour pickle from the barrel at the South Third Street counter runs under $13, the German Village cheap lunch.
Try: Half Reuben with pickle
Aladdin's Mezze Lunch ★ 4.0
Aladdin's mezze lunch on North High Street in Clintonville pairs hummus, baba and warm pita under $12, the Columbus reference Lebanese cheap lunch.
Try: Hummus and pita lunch
Old Mohawk Tavern Burger ★ 4.3
The Old Mohawk tavern burger with fries on Mohawk Street in Columbus's German Village, since 1933, runs under $15 for the neighborhood-bar staple.
Try: Tavern burger with fries