Schmidt's Bratwurst Platter
- ★ 4.4
- German
- $
- German Village
Try Bratwurst plate with kraut
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.
Eat well in Columbus for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Cheap eats worth seeking out
12 places
Northstar Cafe Bowl
- ★ 4.2
- New American
- $
- Short North
Try Northstar bowl
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.
Hoyo's Kitchen Sambusa Platter
- ★ 4.4
- Food hall
- $
- Downtown
Try Sambusas with rice
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.
Eat your way around German Village
5 of the budget eats on this list are in German Village. So are these tours and tastings.
Brassica Falafel Pita
- ★ 4.3
- Mediterranean
- $
- Short North
Try Falafel pita with sides
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.
Mikey's Late Night Slice
- ★ 4.0
- Pizzeria
- $
- Short North
Try Single slice pizza
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.
Jeni's Splendid Scoop
Try Single ice cream scoop
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.
Pho Asian Noodle House Bowl
Try Bowl of pho tai
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.
Donatos Square Slice
- ★ 4.0
- Pizzeria
- $
- German Village
Try Pepperoni slice
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.
Fox in the Snow Cinnamon Roll
- ★ 4.7
- Bakery
- $
- German Village
Try Cinnamon roll with drip coffee
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.
Katzinger's Half Sandwich
Try Half Reuben with pickle
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.
Where to stay in Columbus
A sample of Columbus hotels from our booking partner, who list 498 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Super 8 by Wyndham Columbus Airport
When you stay at Super 8 by Wyndham Columbus Airport in Columbus, you'll be near the airport, within a 15-m...
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Columbus Inn & Suites
Located in Columbus, Columbus Inn & Suites is within a 5-minute drive of Columbus Arts Council - Rosenzweig...
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Studio 6 Columbus, OH - Quarter Horse
Located in Columbus, Studio 6 Columbus, OH - Quarter Horse is within a 5-minute drive of Anheuser-Busch Bre...
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Columbus Grand Hotel & Banquet Center
Located in Columbus, Columbus Grand Hotel & Banquet Center is in the business district, within a 5-minute d...
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Compare for next weekend: Holidu in Columbus from USD 84/night · Expedia in Columbus
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Aladdin's Mezze Lunch
- ★ 4.0
- Levantine
- $
- Clintonville
Try Hummus and pita lunch
Aladdin's mezze lunch on North High Street in Clintonville pairs hummus, baba and warm pita under $12, the Columbus reference Lebanese cheap lunch.
Old Mohawk Tavern Burger
- ★ 4.3
- Burgers
- $
- German Village
Try Tavern burger with fries
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.
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