Mexican$Upper MontereyDaily 10:00-20:30
Taqueria Santa Cruz Express keeps tacos in the single digits on Monterey Street, the cheapest dependable hot meal in central San Luis Obispo.
Try: Al pastor tacos and burritos
Tip: The Foothill Boulevard branch at 862 Foothill runs later into the evening for the campus crowd.
Mexican$DowntownSun 10:00-22:00; Mon-Wed 10:00-22:30; Thu-Sat 10:00-01:00
San Luis Taqueria plates burritos and enchiladas at counter prices on Chorro Street, staying open past midnight when San Luis Obispo needs it most.
Try: Carnitas burritos
Tip: Thursday to Saturday it serves until 01:00, later than nearly every kitchen downtown.
Mediterranean$$DowntownDaily 10:00-21:00
Petra Mediterranean Pizza & Grill feeds San Luis Obispo generously for the money, with gyro wraps in fresh-baked pita and an all-day Sunday happy hour.
Try: Gyro wraps and falafel
Tip: Happy hour runs 15:00-18:00 and all day Sunday; the second branch sits inside SLO Public Market.
Bakery$FoothillDaily 00:00-24:00
SloDoCo Donuts sells a hundred varieties for pocket change 24 hours a day, San Luis Obispo's cheapest, latest and most democratic institution.
Try: Doughnuts around the clock
Tip: The bacon maple bar is the 03:00 order; a second SLO shop runs on Higuera Street downtown.
Chinese$$DowntownMon-Wed 11:00-20:00; Thu-Fri 11:00-21:00; Sat 11:00-14:00, 16:00-21:00; Sun closed
Mee Heng Low Noodle House serves generous chop suey bowls at fair prices on Palm Street, and has been feeding San Luis Obispo cheaply since 1927.
Try: Chop suey and chow mein
Tip: The Kwong family took over in 2009, the third to run the house since 1927; the Ah Louis Store faces it across Palm Street.
Barbecue$$DowntownSun-Thu 11:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00
Firestone Grill's tri-tip sandwich remains San Luis Obispo's best-value famous meal, oak-grilled beef on a garlic-butter roll for fast-food money.
Try: Tri-tip sandwich
Tip: The line moves faster than it looks; order at the counter and grab a patio table on Higuera Street.