A delicious dish of food doesn’t have to be an expensive one. With a plethora of dining options in the Detroit area, there are plenty for those on a budget. From delicious pupusas and sub sandwiches to burgers, tacos, and shawarma, we put together a list of a ton of tasty foods for $10 or less.

 

Casa Amado Taqueria 2705 Coolidge Hwy., Berkley; 248-398-3294; casaamado.com Casa Amado Taqueria chef-owner Amado Lopez left the fine-dining world to open this humble spot, where you can get a meal for under $10. Credit: Tom Perkins
Mike’s Famous Ham Place 3700 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-894-6922 Mike Muftari opened his ham sandwich shop in 1974, and has changed pretty much nothing since then. You can get one of Mike’s classic sandwiches with ham, mustard, pickles, and cheese for about $7. Credit: tandembicycle/Instagram
Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizzeria & Deli 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-7272; majesticdetroit.com When hunger hits in Midtown, the slices behind the glass at Sgt. Pepperoni’s counter beckon. Slices start at $2.50, and you can get a personal 8-inch pizza for under $5. Credit: sgtpepperonisdet/Instagram
The Turkey Grill 8290 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-872-4624; theturkeygrill.com If you didn’t know, Detroit-style turkey is a thing, at least according to The Turkey Grill. At this turkey-centered restaurant you can get soup, salads, or a sandwich for $10. Credit: The Turkey Grill/Facebook
Imperial 22828 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-850-8060; imperialferndale.com Though this bar may have a swanky honky-tonk-style, its prices are cheap, with tacos priced at $3.50 each and Sonoran Hot Dogs under $5. Credit: Imperial Ferndale / Instagram
Breadless 2760 Larned St., Detroit; 313-488-4091; eatbreadless.com This breadless sandwich shop is at the top of your budget, with some sandwiches priced at $9.75. Credit: Google Maps
New Yasmeen Bakery 13900 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn; 313-582-6035 This local Mediterranean favorite offers foods like grape leaves, kibbeh, chicken shawarma, kebabs, and more for under $10. Credit: New Yasmeen Bakery/Facebook
Pie-Sci Pizza 5163 Trumbull St., Detroit; 313-818-0290; piescipizza.com Pie-Sci specializes in unique pizzas, with quirky names like Pickle Rick Pizza, Notorious P.I.G., Jerky Boys, Smores, and more. Credit: Pie-Sci Pizza/Facebook
Supino 6519 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-314-7400 | 2457 Russell St., Detroit; 313-567-7879; supinopizzeria.com So $10 might not get you an entire pizza, but you can get a few of Supino’s slices (or a cannoli). Credit: Google Maps
Honest John’s 488 Selden St., Detroit; 313-832-5646; honestjohnsdetroit.com At Honest John’s you can have a decent brunch experience for under $10. They offer french toast, biscuits and gravy, a breakfast sandwich and a few other morning favorites for that price. The best part is a few of those items are also on their late night menu, so you can grab them then, too. Credit: Honest Johns/Facebook
Taqueria Lupitas 3443 Bagley St., Detroit; 313-843-1105 Though located smack dab on Mexicantown’s gringo-frequented strip, Lupita’s caters to a back-home crowd, with rock-bottom prices. You can get a taco lunch with two tacos for $8. Credit: eltacodojo/Instagram
Chef Greg’s Soul-N-The Wall 10009 Curtis St., Detroit; 313-861-0331 Akin to a Sloppy Joe, the Boogaloo Sandwich was a creation of Detroit’s former Brothers Bar-B-Que, which closed sometime in the ’90s. In 2007, Greg Beard opened Greg’s Soul-N-The Wall in Brothers’s former Northwest Detroit location, and revived the Boogaloo due to popular demand. Beard’s version is dubbed the Boogaloo Wonderland Sandwich, after Detroit songwriter Allee Willis, who co-wrote Earth, Wind, and Fire’s hit “Boogie Wonderland.” Credit: Tom Perkins
Louisiana Creole Gumbo 13505 W. Seven Mile Rd., Detroit; 313-397-4052 | 29216 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington Hills; detroitgumbo.com Louisiana Creole Gumbo has been a staple in Detroit since 1970. It might come as a surprise to some, but you can get a taste of the bayou like small servings of their jambalaya or gumbo for under $10. Credit: Lousiana Creole Gumbo/Facebook
Ernie’s Market 8500 Capital St., Oak Park; 248-541-9703; erniessandwichshop.com Yeah baby! For just $9 you can get Ernie’s “Monster” sandwich, stuffed with seven (!) different kinds of meats. And he’ll call you “baby!” while he makes it. Credit: Ernie's Market/Facebook
Hygrade Deli 3640 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-894-6620; hygradedeli.com Since 1955, Hygrade Deli has been delighting tastebuds with its famous corned beef sandwiches, which you can get for under $10. Credit: Hygrade Deli/Facebook
Checker Bar 124 Cadillac Square, Detroit; 313-961-9249; checkerbar.com You can get a classic Checker Burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, and a bag of made-in-Detroit Better Made potato chips for just $8. Credit: Jazz Guy/Flickr Creative Commons
Green Dot Stables 2200 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit; 313-962-5588; greendotstables.com While critics accused this sliders spot as serving “culturally appropriated sliders with a side of gentrified fries” following a dispute with a Black former employee who alleges she was fired for making a joke about race, the fact remains that Green Dot has some of the fairest prices in town. You can score a couple sliders and a beer for less than $10. Credit: Liza Lagman Sperl / Flickr Creative Commons
Mexican Village 2600 Bagley St., Detroit; 313-237-0333 | 47350 Van Dyke Ave., Utica; 586-254-2290; mexicanvillagefood.com While there are many Mexican restaurants in metro Detroit that we love, Mexican Village gets kudos for being Detroit’s oldest, established in 1957. You can get plenty of Mexican favorites for under $10. Credit: Lian Chang/Flickr Creative Commons
The former White Towers (and those inspired by them) Telway; 6820 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-843-2146 | Greene’s 24155 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington; 248-474-7980 | Brayz Hamburger; 22941 Dequindre Rd., Hazel Park; 248-542-8878 | Hunter House; 35075 Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-646-7121; hunterhousehamburgers.com | 33406 Five Mile Rd., Livonia; 734-427-3464; batesburgers.com About a century ago, White Tower burger restaurants sprung up across the Midwest — before rival White Castle sued them for aping their style. Some of the chain’s classic white buildings remain in metro Detroit, and continue to sell sliders at classic prices. Credit: Bill Walsh/Flickr Creative Commons
Yemen Cafe 8740 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; 313-871-4349; yemencaferestaurant.com This no-frills, halal eatery has sandwiches under $5 and $1 cups of soup. Credit: skp00101/Instagram
Laika Dog 2110 Trumbull St,, Detroit; ufofactory.com Rock ’n’ roll venue UFO Factory’s hot dogs are out of this world, starting at $5, and with out-there variations like the Bahn-Mi, kimchi, and PB&J with Thai peanut sauce. Credit: Tom Perkins
Joe’s Hamburgers 3041 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte; 734-285-0420; joeshamburgers.net Sliders at this Wyandotte spot start at just $1.67, and even the “Big Joe Slider” is only $9.99 for a double. Credit: Sarah Rahal
New York Bagel 23316 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-548-2580 | 927 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield; 248-851-9210; 19731 W. 12 Mile Rd., Southfield; 248-559-6591; newyorkbagel-detroit.com This popular, no-frills spot has fresh bagels starting at $1, and deli sandwiches for under $7. Credit: mag_gie_mae/Instagram
The Clique 1326 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit; 313-259-0922 Attached to the Shorecrest Inn, the Clique is a cool little retro diner, with that added bit of character that makes it better than other greasy spoon joints. It closes at 3 p.m. daily, and parking and seating can be a tight squeeze, ­so get there early. Credit: Eugene Kim/Flickr Creative Commons
Bucharest Various locations; bucharestgrill.com After finding success selling shawarmas out of Detroit’s Park Bar, the company has expanded into a small chain that now extends to the suburbs. Its signature sandwiches are under $7. Credit: eleventy.million.stars/Instagram
Pupusería y Restaurante Salvadoreño 3149 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-899-4020 This low-key spot serves up the Salvadoran national dish — thick, handmade corn tortillas stuffed with meat and cheese — for under $3 each. Credit: yaskira.m/Instagram
Little Brothers Burgers 201 W. 4th St., Royal Oak; 248-414-4541; littlebrothersburgers.com A favorite for soaking up booze after a night of drinking, where you can get three sliders, fries, and a drink for about $7. Credit: theblessedfoodie/Instagram
Comet Burgers 207 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-414-4567 One of the last vestiges of old, weird Royal Oak, sliders here are an eye-poppingly low $1.95, or $2.99 for a double with cheese. Credit: Thomas Hawk/Flickr Creative Commons
Gonella’s 295 Oakwood Blvd., Detroit; 313-841-3500 | 10021 Telegraph Rd., Redford; 313-535-7827; gonellas.com This deli has been serving Italian subs for more than 75 years. $10 gets you a 14-layer meat, three-layer cheese classic Italian. Credit: christie_denise/Instagram
La Jalisciense Supermercado Y Taqueria 3923 Vernor Hwy., Detroit; 313-551-0522; lajalisciensedetroit.com Located inside a grocery store, this family-owned restaurant has tacos starting at $1.59, with chips for just 99¢ — among many other Mexican favorites. Credit: chaunceyfrancois/Instagram

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