Korean$the-groveDaily 11:00-22:00
David Choi's Korean-Mexican counter griddles cheap bulgogi tacos and kimchi-fried-rice bowls, a fast and affordable food-truck-born local favourite.
Try: Bulgogi tacos and gogi bowls
Tip: The gogi bowl feeds two lighter eaters; add chips and queso. Fast counter service keeps it quick.
Jewish deli$tower-grove-southDaily 08:00-22:00
Snarf's toasts its sub rolls and piles on deli fillings at a South Grand counter, a fast cheap sandwich stop popular with the SLU and Grand Center crowd.
Try: Toasted oven subs
Tip: Get any sub toasted, the house move; the hot giardiniera adds heat. A half sub is plenty for a cheap lunch.
American BBQ$benton-parkTue-Sat 07:00-16:00; Sun-Mon Closed
Open since 1920 near the brewery, Gus' Pretzels hand-twists cheap soft pretzels and salami-stuffed pretzel sticks, a Benton Park snack-counter bargain.
Try: Soft pretzels and pretzel sticks
Tip: A fresh hot pretzel or a salami pretzel stick is a few dollars. It is a snack stop, not a sit-down meal.
Vietnamese$tower-grove-southMon 11:00-21:00; Tue Closed; Wed-Thu 11:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-21:00
Grand Bistro carries on the Trinh family's South Grand Vietnamese legacy in the former Pho Grand space, with pho and com tam at neighbourhood prices.
Try: Vietnamese pho and rice plates
Tip: Order the pho dac biet or a rice plate; the family ran Pho Grand here for decades before reopening as Grand Bistro.
Sicilian$the-hillMon Closed; Tue-Sat 10:30-15:00; Sun Closed
Mama Fazio's Shaw Avenue shop builds cheap foot-long Sicilian subs and soups on The Hill, a lunch-only counter where a sandwich easily feeds two.
Try: Sicilian subs and soups
Tip: One foot-long Sicilian sub splits between two for a cheap Hill lunch. Lunch only, and the line moves fast.
Cajun & Creole$benton-parkMon-Sat 10:30-15:00; Sun Closed
A Benton Park sandwich counter, Blues City turns out cheap po-boys and muffulettas with live blues some afternoons, a well-regarded 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.