CuisineItalian deli
Price$
Neighbourhoodthe-hill
The dishSicilian subs and soups

Tip: One foot-long Sicilian sub splits between two for a cheap Hill lunch. Lunch only, and the line moves fast.

Location

Address: 5101 Shaw Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

More budget eats in St. Louis

Blues City Deli ★ 4.4

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A Benton Park sandwich counter, Blues City turns out cheap po-boys and muffulettas with live blues some afternoons, a beloved lunch-only spot.

Try: Po-boys and muffulettas

Tip: The muffuletta and po-boys are the value picks; arrive before the lunch rush. Live blues plays some afternoons.

Carl's Drive-In ★ 4.2

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A 16-stool roadside drive-in of six decades, Carl's griddles cheap crispy-edged burgers and pours house-made root beer, a Route-66-era bargain.

Try: Crispy-edged burgers and root beer

Tip: A double burger and root beer is the order for a few dollars. Only 16 stools, so expect a short wait at peak.

Hodak's Restaurant & Bar ★ 4.1

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Hodak's has won reader polls for best fried chicken since the 1990s, plating a generous bird-and-sides dinner at a fair price in a no-frills room.

Try: Fried chicken dinner

Tip: The fried chicken dinner with sides is the value order. Expect a wait on Friday nights for the bird.

Sameem Afghan Restaurant ★ 4.0

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Sameem plates affordable Afghan kabuli palaw, aushak dumplings and kabobs in The Grove, a generous-portion kitchen of Afghan classics for years.

Try: Kabuli palaw and aushak

Tip: The aushak leek dumplings are the order to lead with. Plenty of cheap vegetarian dishes round out the menu.

Cocina Latina ★ 4.1

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Maritza Rios's CWE kitchen plates Peruvian, Cuban and Colombian home cooking, with aji de gallina, ropa vieja and rotisserie chicken in the low double digits.

Try: Aji de gallina and pollo a la brasa

Tip: Aji de gallina or the ropa vieja are the value orders. Mains land in the ten-to-sixteen-dollar range, with sides extra.

Woofie's Hot Dogs ★ 3.9

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A drive-in near the airport, Woofie's has sold cheap Chicago-style hot dogs since the 1970s, billing itself the home of the hotdog with dignity.

Try: Chicago-style hot dogs

Tip: Order it Chicago-style, dragged through the garden. It is a quick, cheap roadside stop near the airport.

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