Quick answer: You can eat really well in Glasgow for around a tenner without trying hard. For proper value, head to Yadgar in Govanhill, Mother India’s Cafe in the West End, Paesano for Neapolitan pizza, Falafel to Go near Sauchiehall Street, Ranjit’s Kitchen in the Southside, or The 78 in Finnieston for vegan deals. Below are 18 spots we’d actually send a pal to, grouped by area, with rough prices and what to order. Prices move, so treat them as a guide and check the menu before you go.
Glasgow has always been a good city for eating cheap. You’re never far from a chippy, a curry house, or a wee independent doing a lunch deal that knocks spots off the chains. With money tight for a lot of folk, knowing where the value is matters more than ever. If you’re tracking your spend across the board, our cost of living in Glasgow guide has the bigger picture on rent, bills and getting about. This list is purely about getting fed well for not much.
How we picked these spots
Two simple rules. Every place is open and serving as of mid 2026, and we’ve checked each one rather than recycling an old list. We dropped a fair few well known names that have shut or changed hands, like Old Salty’s on Argyle Street, McCune Smith on Duke Street and the cafe at the CCA, all gone now. The second rule is that you can get a proper feed for around a tenner or less here, even if the full menu climbs higher when you go big.
On prices, be realistic. A loaded burrito, a top end burger or a big sharing spread will take you past ten quid easily. The trick is ordering the right thing, a falafel wrap, a couple of small plates, a pie and a pint, a bowl of noodles. We’ve spread it across cuisines and areas so there’s something near wherever you are. This isn’t a “best restaurants” roundup, that lives in our best restaurants in Glasgow guide.
City Centre and Merchant City
Falafel to Go
A tiny window unit at 116 Sauchiehall Street, just up from the Hope Street junction, doing one thing properly. A loaded falafel wrap in warm flatbread runs around a fiver, with hummus pots cheaper again. Crispy falafel straight from the fryer, fresh salad, pickles and tahini, all vegan and made in front of you. There’s often a wee queue at lunch but it shifts in ten or fifteen minutes. Perfect for eating on the hoof between shops, and easily the best value lunch in the centre.
The Pot Still
Famous as a whisky bar with over a thousand bottles behind the counter, but the food is the secret. The pies are the thing, proper Scotch steak pie or a cracking haggis pie with beans, most of it sitting around or under a fiver, plus toasties and soup. It’s at 154 Hope Street, a couple of blocks up from Central Station, open from late morning until midnight every day. A pie and a pint in one of the city’s best old bars for the price of a chain meal deal. Suits anyone after a warm, no nonsense feed with character. thepotstill.co.uk
Shilling Brewing Co
A brewpub in a grand old former bank at 92 West George Street, with beer brewed on site and pizzas made from scratch in front of you. The pizzas use a dough made with the brewery’s own yeast, light base and a bubbly crust, and most land under £13. Order a pizza and a pint of their house beer and you’ve a proper night out for far less than a sit down restaurant. It’s open daily into the evening, big room, marble walls, decent buzz. Good for groups and after work pints. shillingbrewingcompany.co.uk
The Wee Curry Shop
A tiny, no frills curry house at 7 Buccleuch Street up in Garnethill, round the corner from the old School of Art. It’s BYOB, which is where the savings really kick in, and the lunch plates start around £8 to £10. Honest, properly cooked Indian food, small room, only a handful of tables. Open from late afternoon most days and lunchtime at the weekend. Book ahead at peak times because it fills fast. Suits a cheap date or a catch up with a pal where you bring your own bottle. theweecurryshop.co.uk
Pho79
Vietnamese street food tucked inside the St Enoch Centre, handy if you’re shopping in town. A steaming bowl of pho or a bun noodle salad will fill you up, banh mi sandwiches like the grilled chicken sit around £7.50, and there’s a lunch deal of a starter and main for about £15.50 if you’re sharing the cost across two. Fresh, light, quick. Open centre hours through the day. Good for a fast solo lunch or a warming bowl on a wet Glasgow afternoon. pho79glasgow.co.uk
Bibimbap
Korean comfort food at 3 West Nile Street in the centre, with a sister spot in the West End. The namesake bibimbap, a hot bowl of rice, veg, meat and a fried egg you mix together, is the order to go for, alongside japchae noodles and Korean fried chicken. Mains mostly sit in the low teens, so stick to a single bowl and you’ll keep it close to a tenner. The Korean barbecue is a pricier sit down job, that’s a different night out. Open through the day into the evening. Good for a filling, flavour heavy lunch. bibimbap-glasgow.com
Bread Meats Bread
Glasgow’s favourite burger, at 104 St Vincent Street. Worth being straight with you, the top end burgers have crept north of a tenner, so this earns its place if you order carefully. The smaller burgers, the loaded poutine fries with curds and gravy, and the sides still come in under budget, and there’s often a weekday lunch deal worth a look. Dry aged Scotch beef, brioche buns, everything made fresh, decent gluten free range too. Open daily late morning to evening. Suits a proper burger craving without the full damage. breadmeatsbread.com
Singl-end
An all day cafe and bakehouse with sites in Garnethill and Merchant City, doing big honest brunches and lunches until late afternoon. Portions are generous and there’s a proper spread of veggie, vegan and gluten free options, which is rarer than it should be. A single brunch plate or a soup and sandwich keeps you around or just over a tenner, and the bakes are worth the extra quid. Relaxed, good for groups and laptop lingerers. If brunch is your thing, our best brunch in Glasgow guide goes deeper. thesingl-end.co.uk
Tantrum Doughnuts
Not a meal, but the best sweet fix in town for under a fiver. Handmade doughnuts finished with their own jams and custards, made fresh daily, with shops at 28 Gordon Street in the centre, near Kelvinbridge and in Shawlands. A doughnut and a flat white for a few quid beats most chain pastries hands down. Open from breakfast through the day. Grab one with your coffee, or a box to take to whoever you’re visiting. tantrumdoughnuts.com
Greggs
No snobbery here. A sausage roll is around £1.35 and the classic meal deal sits near £3.75, with a cheaper breakfast deal earlier in the day. There’s one on what feels like every corner in Glasgow, so when you need feeding fast and cheap between the train and the bus, it does the job. The steak bake and the vegan sausage roll both have their fans. Open early. It’s the floor of the cheap eats market, and there’s nothing wrong with that. greggs.com
West End and Finnieston
Mother India’s Cafe
At 1355 Argyle Street, across from Kelvingrove, this does Indian food in small tapas style plates, so you order two or three and share. It’s a clever format for keeping the bill down while still trying a proper spread, and two plates each lands you around a tenner. Go for the spiced haddock and a dal. There’s often a good value mid afternoon menu for couples too. Open daily through lunch and dinner. Among the best curry value in the city, and it gets a nod in our best curry in Glasgow guide. motherindia.co.uk
Paesano Pizza
Proper wood fired Neapolitan pizza, with a city centre site at 94 Miller Street and another on Great Western Road by Kelvinbridge. The menu’s short, ten or so pizzas, and the simpler ones start from around £6 to £9, which is a steal for the quality. Fast, busy and genuinely good, with a proper leopard spotted crust. Open daily from noon until late. The margherita or marinara keeps you well under budget. Suits anyone after a quick, brilliant cheap dinner. For more options see our restaurants guide. paesanopizza.co.uk
The 78
A cosy vegan cafe bar at 10 to 14 Kelvinhaugh Street in Finnieston, with an open fire, mismatched armchairs and some of the best value in the city. Hearty plates like tofu curry, jackfruit shawarma and seitan burgers come in kind on the wallet, and the deal nights are the real draw. There’s regular live jazz on a Sunday and DJs at the weekend, so the vibe is more pub than cafe by night. Open daily until late. Great for vegans, skint students, and anyone wanting a relaxed cheap night. the78cafebar.com
The Hug and Pint
A vegan bar, kitchen and live music venue at 171 Great Western Road. The kitchen does a daily changing menu of Asian inspired small plates for sharing, so a few plates between two keeps it reasonable and lets you graze. Downstairs there’s gigs most nights, which is half the reason to go. Open into the evening. Suits a pre gig feed, a date with a difference, or vegans after something more interesting than a burger. Plenty here for the veggie and vegan crowd. thehugandpint.com
University Cafe
A proper old school cafe at 87 Byres Road, run by the same Italian family since 1918, all Art Deco booths and a step back in time. Glaswegian classics like fish and chips, a fry up, mince and tatties and spaghetti, most of it landing around a fiver to a tenner. The homemade ice cream, made to an old family recipe, is the thing to finish on. Open through the day. A bargain slice of Glasgow history and a genuinely cheap sit down feed. Handy for the chippy crowd too. University Cafe
Banana Leaf
South Indian cooking at 76 Old Dumbarton Road, near Kelvinhall, doing something different from the usual Glasgow Punjabi curry house. The dosas and the lamb specials are the shout, with a decent main and sides coming in around £8 to £9, properly cheap for the quality. It’s a small spot focused on takeaway and quick sit in feeds. Open most days from noon, closed Tuesdays. Suits anyone wanting an authentic, light, spice forward curry that won’t wreck the budget. Banana Leaf
Southside
Yadgar Kebab House
An institution at 148 Calder Street in Govanhill. Family run Pakistani food doing kebabs, curries, fresh naan and snacks like fish pakora, with honest portions and proper flavour. A curry and a naan, or a plate of seekh kebabs, keeps you comfortably in budget territory, and the freshly baked bread alone is worth the trip. Open from midday until late, later still at the weekend. Cash friendly, no airs and graces. One of the best curries in the city, see our curry guide for more. yadgar.co.uk
Ranjit’s Kitchen
A family run Punjabi deli at 607 Pollokshaws Road, completely meat and fish free, doing homemade vegetarian cooking exactly the way it’s eaten in Punjabi households. The thali is around £13 and feeds you properly, while the pakora and samosa channa specials sit lower, so you can eat brilliantly for under a tenner if you order light. Vegan and gluten free versions across the board. Open Tuesday to Sunday, daytime into early evening, closed Mondays. One of the best value, most genuine feeds in the Southside. ranjitskitchen.com
Errol’s Hot Pizza
New York style pizza at 379 Victoria Road in Govanhill, with inventive toppings and a serious cult following. It’s BYOB with a small corkage, which keeps the bill down nicely, and a pizza between the two of you lands you around or just over a tenner each. Open Thursday to Sunday from teatime, and they take bookings now, which you’ll want because it gets rammed. Suits a cheap, fun Southside night out with a bottle from the offie next door. Errol’s Hot Pizza
Little Hoi An
A cosy wee Vietnamese spot in the Southside near Queen’s Park, doing home cooked pho, summer rolls, crispy pork rolls and rice dishes. Stick to a bowl of pho or a single main and a wee plate and you’ll keep it close to a tenner, though a full sit down spread climbs higher. It’s tiny, so booking is a must, especially at the weekend. Sit in or takeaway. Suits a cosy, low key dinner when you fancy something fresh and warming. Little Hoi An
East End
Coia’s Cafe
A Dennistoun institution at 477 Duke Street, run by the Coia family since 1928, three generations of it. By day it’s a proper cafe doing big breakfasts, rolls and Italian classics that keep you in budget, the steak pie and a roll and sausage are the move. Be warned, the evening restaurant menu with its set courses is more of a sit down spend, so go for daytime if you’re watching the pennies. Open early through to evening. A warm, old fashioned East End feed with real history behind it. coiascafe.co.uk
Best cheap eats in Glasgow for…
- Best value overall: Falafel to Go. A proper, filling, made fresh wrap for around a fiver is unbeatable.
- Best for a cheap date: The Wee Curry Shop or Errol’s Hot Pizza, both BYOB so you skip the drinks markup. For more ideas see our date night guide.
- Best for groups: Shilling Brewing Co, pizzas and their own beer in a big room that can take a crowd.
- Best veggie or vegan feed: Ranjit’s Kitchen for the food, The 78 for the deals and the night out.
- Best for a quick solo lunch: Pho79 or Falafel to Go, in and out fast without spending much.
- Best pie and a pint: The Pot Still, a warm pie under a fiver in one of Glasgow’s great old bars.
- Best for old school Glasgow: University Cafe or Coia’s, both family run for over a century.
- Best late feed: Yadgar in Govanhill keeps going long after the kitchens up town shut.
Rough prices at a glance
These are guide prices for a typical budget order and they change, so always check the current menu. Last updated June 2026.
| Spot | Area | What to get | Typical spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falafel to Go | City centre | Falafel wrap | Around £5 |
| Greggs | Everywhere | Meal deal | Around £3.75 |
| The Pot Still | City centre | Warm pie | Under £5 |
| Tantrum Doughnuts | City centre / Southside | Doughnut and coffee | Around £5 |
| Pho79 | City centre | Banh mi or pho | £7.50 to £10 |
| Paesano | City centre / West End | Margherita pizza | From about £6 to £9 |
| Banana Leaf | West End | Dosa or lamb special | Around £8 to £9 |
| Mother India’s Cafe | West End | Two small plates | Around £10 |
| Yadgar | Southside | Curry and naan | Around £8 to £12 |
| Ranjit’s Kitchen | Southside | Pakora and a special | Around £8 to £13 |
| The Wee Curry Shop | City centre | Lunch plate (BYOB) | From about £8 |
| Bibimbap | City centre | Single rice bowl | Around £10 to £12 |
| Shilling Brewing Co | City centre | Pizza | £13 and under |
| The 78 | Finnieston | Deal night feed | Around £10 |
| University Cafe | West End | Fish and chips | Around £5 to £10 |
Tips for eating cheap in Glasgow
- Lunch beats dinner. Loads of decent places run a cheaper midday menu Monday to Friday. Same kitchen, a fraction of the price.
- Go BYOB. Spots like The Wee Curry Shop and Errol’s let you bring your own drink, which is where a restaurant bill usually balloons. Saves a fortune.
- Watch for deal nights. Curry houses, brewpubs and vegan spots like The 78 do set nights with feeds for a tenner or less.
- Share small plates. At Mother India’s Cafe or The Hug and Pint, a few plates between two stretches further than a main each.
- Independents over chains. A local cafe roll or sandwich usually beats a chain meal deal on quality for similar money.
- Travel smart. Don’t spend your saved tenner on a taxi. The Subway gets you round the West End and Southside cheaply.
Where to find more good value
Govanhill and the wider Southside are where we’d point newcomers first for cheap eats with real character, from Yadgar to Ranjit’s to Errol’s. Finnieston has a reputation for being dear, but The 78 and The Hug and Pint prove you don’t need to splash out to eat well there. For the full lie of the land in those areas, our Finnieston guide and Shawlands guide go into the eating and drinking in detail. And if curry’s your thing specifically, the best curry in Glasgow guide digs deeper than we can here.
FAQ
Can you really eat out in Glasgow for under £10?
Yes, easily. Falafel wraps, pub pies, small plate Indian, South Indian dosas, Vietnamese pho and the simpler Neapolitan pizzas all come in around or under a tenner. The trick is choosing the right order, since big burgers, loaded burritos and sharing spreads climb higher.
What’s the cheapest proper meal in Glasgow?
A falafel wrap on Sauchiehall Street at about a fiver, or a warm pie at The Pot Still for under £5, are hard to beat. Greggs is cheaper still if you just need filling fast.
Where are the best cheap curries in Glasgow?
Govanhill is the heartland, with Yadgar a long standing favourite and Ranjit’s Kitchen nearby for vegetarian. The Wee Curry Shop in the centre is great value too, being BYOB. For more, see our best curry in Glasgow guide.
Are there good cheap vegan options in Glasgow?
Plenty. Falafel to Go is all vegan, The 78 and The Hug and Pint do vegan plates and deals, and Ranjit’s Kitchen is fully meat free with vegan versions of everything. Our vegan guide has more.
Is Finnieston expensive?
It has a reputation for it, but spots like The 78 and The Hug and Pint keep things affordable. You don’t need to spend big to eat well there, you just need to know where to look.
What’s good for cheap eats with a group?
Shilling Brewing Co handles a crowd well with its pizzas and own brewed beer, and most of the curry spots are happy to seat a bigger table if you book ahead.
Which places let you bring your own drink?
The Wee Curry Shop and Errol’s Hot Pizza are both BYOB, which is the single biggest saving on any dinner out. Errol’s charges a small corkage, so factor that in.
Do these prices change?
Yes. Menu prices move with costs, so treat everything here as a rough guide and check the venue’s own site before you go. Last updated June 2026.
