Dim Sum Garden
Soup Dumplings in Chinatown
Now in a bigger 1024 Race St spot with a full bar. Pork soup dumplings are $11 for eight, and most dumpling orders sit under $12 — two share an order of soup dumplings and a $5 scallion pancake for around $16. Stick to the dumplings to keep it cheap.
Fountain Porter
Burger & Fries for Two
Famous "Best of Philly" burger spot at 1601 S 10th St. Cheeseburger around $5–6 (sources disagree, depends on the day), fries $4. Two burgers + a shared fries lands at roughly $14–16. Long-time pick for cheap burgers that punch way above the price tag.
Pho 75
Two Pho Bowls for Under $15
No-frills Vietnamese spot at 1122 Washington Ave (Bella Vista, in the Asian shopping plaza). Cash-only. Regular bowl $6.25, large bowl (Tô 75) $6.95. Two large bowls = $14 before tip — one of Philly's absolute best values for a filling sit-down meal.
Amy's Pastelillos
Pastelillos + Bowls for Two
A pink-painted Fishtown gem (2001 Memphis St) named one of America's best new restaurants by Esquire. Flaky Puerto Rican pastelillos — picadillo, guava pork — run about $5 each, so two share four for around $20. Wed–Sat, 11am–3pm only; no online ordering.
Hana Hawaiian BBQ
Halal Hawaiian/Korean Plates
Bustleton Ave halal BBQ joint blending Hawaiian, Korean, and Japanese flavors. "Mini Meal" combos around $7–9 come with rice, mac salad, and veggies. Two mini meals + bubble tea easily under $20. The $5.97 BBQ Chicken Platter promo is a steal.
Goldie
Vegan Falafel Pita & Fries
Michael Solomonov's vegan Israeli falafel shop, with locations across the city. A falafel pita is $12 and a side of six falafel balls is $6 — one pita is light, so two share a pita plus an order of balls for around $18. The tahini shake is the cult favorite.
Lorenzo & Sons Pizza
Giant Slices on South Street
South Street institution since 1970, slinging slices off 28-inch pies. Each slice is roughly the size of two regular slices stacked end-to-end — locals say one feeds two for lunch. Plain cheese around $6. Two slices and two sodas: under $20, easy. Cash only, open until 1am (3am Thu–Sat).
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House
Hand-Pulled Noodles in Chinatown
Chinatown's go-to for hand-pulled noodles since the early 2010s, at 1022 Race St. A bowl of hand-drawn noodle soup starts around $10, so two big bowls land right around $20. Cash or Venmo only; open late, with 4.8 stars across thousands of reviews.
Saad's Halal
Halal Cheesesteaks in West Philly
West Philly halal staple at 4500 Walnut St. The falafel sandwich is $9 (chicken falafel $12), so two eat for around $18; the celebrated zabiha-halal cheesesteak is the splurge at $15. Massive portions. Closed Sundays and during Ramadan.
John's Roast Pork
James Beard–Winning Sandwiches
South Philly sandwich royalty at 14 E Snyder Ave, on the corner since 1930 and a James Beard America's Classics winner. The small roast pork is about $10 and more than enough for one, so two smalls land right around $20. Pork or steak, both legendary.
Dutch Eating Place
Pennsylvania Dutch Counter
A no-frills Reading Terminal Market diner counter for Pennsylvania Dutch classics — sloppy joe, cheeseburger, or grilled Reuben, all under $10. Two sandwiches come in under $20; the famous $5.55 apple dumpling with heavy cream is the splurge if you've got room.
South Philly Barbacoa
James Beard Lamb Tacos
Cristina Martínez (2022 James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, Netflix's Chef's Table) cooks pit-oven lamb barbacoa as a pop-up inside Casa México (1134 S 9th St, Italian Market). Lamb tacos are about $6 — two share three tacos and a cup of consommé for around $20. A once-in-a-Philly meal.
Hadramout
Yemeni — The Only One in Philly
Philly's only Yemeni kitchen, at 136 S 45th St. Saltah — a bubbling clay bowl of stew with fenugreek froth and a giant clay-oven flatbread — is $9.99. Two bowls run about $20 for a uniquely Philadelphia meal you can't get anywhere else in town.
Paffuto
Italian Cafe, Bella Vista
A bright-pink Italian breakfast-and-lunch cafe at 1009 S 8th St (the former Bibou space). The famous deep-fried panzerotti — egg & cheese, pepperoni, or plain — starts at $10, so two come in around $20. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Federal Donuts & Chicken
Fried Chicken + Donuts
The original Philly fried-chicken-and-fancy-donuts shop, going since 2011 with 11 locations citywide. Original Chicken Sandwich $11, breakfast sandwich $7.70, half dozen donuts $14. Two breakfast sandwiches plus shared donuts comes in well under $20.
Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs
Reading Terminal Market State Fair Eats
RTM stand serving five styles of corn dogs — classic, chili-cheese, a sweet-potato-battered version with chorizo and lime crema, plus gluten-free options — all under $8 each. Two corn dogs plus a shared funnel cake or poutine: about $20 total. The most fun-per-dollar ratio in the market.
Tom's Dim Sum
Pan-Fried Dumplings — $6.95
A bustling Chinatown Shanghainese spot (yes, with a dish-running robot) where spicy pan-fried dumplings are $6.95 and most plates stay near $12. BYOB, so two share dumplings and a stir-fry for about $20.
Abyssinia
Veg Combo Platter — $14.99
An all-hours University City Ethiopian mainstay where the vegetarian combo — lentils, split peas, collards, and cabbage over injera — is $14.99 and made for sharing. Two scoop up a full meal for under $20.
Dahlak
Tibs Platter for Two — $16
A Cedar Park Eritrean-Ethiopian institution with a buzzing bar upstairs. Tibs — sirloin sauteed with pepper, onion, and tomato — is $16, and the communal injera platter easily feeds two for around $20.
Mom-Mom's Kitchen
Handmade Pierogi (6) — $13
A Port Richmond pierogi specialist that graduated from food truck to brick-and-mortar. Six handmade pierogi with caramelized onions run $13; add a $6 golabki and two share a Polish plate for about $20.
Ron's Caribbean Cuisine
Jerk Chicken Special — $12
A North Philly Jamaican kitchen beloved for flaky beef patties — a few dollars each — and well-seasoned jerk. Two share a handful of patties with festival or rice and peas for around $20; the jerk chicken special is $12 if you want a full plate. Two Philly locations.
Los Gallos Mexican Taqueria
Tacos & Plates from $8.50 · BYOB
A cheery BYOB taqueria in deep South Philly with antojitos and tacos starting around $8.50. Two split a few orders of tacos, onion and cilantro included, and land near $20.
Cucina Zapata
Fish Tacos $9 / Katsu $5
A University City lunch cart blending Asian and Mexican — Cap'n Crunch-crusted fish tacos are $9 for two and the chicken katsu over rice is $5. Cashless, weekday lunch only; two eat creatively for well under $20.
💡 Pro tip: Philly neighborhoods all eat differently — Chinatown, East Passyunk, Fishtown, Bella Vista, the Italian Market, West Philly, and the Northeast each have their own rhythm. A few rules of the road: many of the best spots are cash-only (Pho 75, Nan Zhou, Lorenzo & Sons), several have limited days/hours (Amy's Pastelillos Wed–Sat 11–3; Paffuto is closed Mondays and Tuesdays), and Saad's closes Sundays + during Ramadan. Heads up: Cheu Fishtown closed in June 2024 — we removed it from the list. Found something else outdated? Flag it on our main directory.
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Buffalo Wild Wings
Pick 6 — Meal for Two from $19.99
The Pick 6 lets two people build a shared meal — choose six items across wings, tenders, and sides — starting around $19.99. A reliable two-for-$20 play at any BWW. Dine-in or takeout; pricing varies slightly by market.
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