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Cheap Eats!

Where can you snag an entire meal for less than you’d tip a valet? This question in mind, we scoured the state in search of the best frugal foodie finds. From macaroni to maki, burgers to burritos (and everything in between), here are 58 raved-about spots and little-known haunts where you can feed your face without forking over more than ten bucks. Dig in.

Cheap Eats!

Photography by Nat Rea

» Four Squares
» Budget Burgers
» Ethnic Eats
» Chef's Choice
» Frugal Gourmet
» Meal Plan: 5 Under $5
» Cheap Feats
» The 6 Rhody Food Groups

Tell us your picks for cheap eats!

Please be civil. We reserve the right to edit or delete any comments.

Reader Comments:
Old to new | New to old
Nov 3, 2008 08:57 pm
 Posted by  jmurph

good food

Nov 7, 2008 01:11 pm
 Posted by  Mike

Karen, Karen, Karen... You obviously have not tried the VFW in Middletown, RI. We, my gentleman, bubba, friends at work, have been in search of the best burger for quite some time... Recommend you try the "V"... Hand made burger with great and fresh... fries... $7.95... Try it. And while you're at it... come back for the Friday fish dinner - bring doggie bag. Mike

Apr 7, 2009 11:37 pm
 Posted by  MelB

I just visited the Casual Inn Restaurant located on 170 Franklin Street in Bristol RI and what a daily deal. They call it the "Daily Ten" for $10.00. I had the chicken piccata and my friend had the shrimp fra diablo. Both meals were excellent and served with potato and vegetable or pasta. We each had a glass of house Chardonney at $4.25 a glass. We had the molten chocolate cake for dessert which was a chocolate lovers dream! The bill with tax and gratuity was only $40.00. It was a great date night out!

Apr 10, 2009 08:03 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

A few places I would add:

Ethnic: La Lupita - Olneyville Square. Extremely cheap tacos & other Mexicn standards. Small Spanish grocery area as well.

Late night: How can we forget Wes' Rib House, just off Olneyville Square (Dike St.)? Open til 4 am, serving BBQ food that probably tastes better as night goes on. I was in last Friday night around 3 AM, and most tables were full.
Fellini's Pizza - Wickenden St. They used to be open til 4 AM on weekends also, I'm not sure if this is still the case.

Burgers: Julian's, Broadway on the West End. They may serve the best burger I've ever eaten in a restaurant. Complete with their own home-made ketchup, which is worth the price of admission.
Red Stripe, Wayland Square. Outstanding burgers, get the one wih the avocado...

May 13, 2009 12:51 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

We eat out and shop in South County too,you know. Yet your magazine gives us very little information, except for the few advertisers down here.It seems to me that you just give credit to your advertisers, which is not fair to the hundreds of other business, large and small, that are not included.
Westerly and Charlestown have some wonderful restaurants, such as Guytanno's, 84 High Street, Prime Time Cafe, Hungry Haven,Up River Cafe, Senor Flaco's, 2 new Thai places, and at least 5 Chinese restaurants, and lots of great Pizza places like Dunn's Corners Pizza.
If you are looking for someone to review these restaurants in the Westerly area, email me at debcollins@cox.net. There's a lot more to this part of RI that you should be promoting as well as your trendy,upscale places in Providence.

May 29, 2009 10:18 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

I just ate at the Whistle Stop Restaurant & Ice Cream Shoppe
119 Main Street Albion,RI. I had the BEST SEAFOOD I have ever had!! Their batter is so light with absolutley no grease on the fries or seafood. The restaurant itself is so clean & the waitstaff is very friendly. I'm definately making this my home away from home eating place!!
I also enjoyed a waffle ice cream cone with probably the best coffee ice cream I've had in a long time.
Try it & you too will be hooked!!

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