There’s no denying that in the current climate, eating out can be expensive. Fortunately, here in Manchester, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to more affordable options.
While chains like Greggs and McDonald’s are usually the go-to for a quick bite to eat on your way to work or lunch break, we wanted to see if it was possible to have a sit-down meal in one of Manchester city centre’s restaurants for a less than a fiver.
We scoured the city and braved the cold weather to find the most affordable places for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And even though we went slightly over budget on one meal, we saved on the other two. Here’s some inexpensive options for your three meals of the day - and, if you know a good spot in town with a cheaper meal option, please add it to the comments below.
Read more: The 'cheap eats' in Manchester where you can dine for less than a tenner
Breakfast
Rustica
1 Hilton St, Manchester M4 1LP
This Mancunian institution has been part of the Northern Quarter for 22 years, serving everyone from workmen in high vis, business people in suits and students in need of some sustenance. On any given day there are queues wrapping around the corner as punters patiently wait to snap up breakfast staples and lunchtime bites.
The menu has a range of cheap and cheerful breakfast options as well as some very popular sandwiches, which can be picked up at any time of the day. A full English comprising two sausages, two bacon, egg, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast will set you back just £6, with hash browns, while a sausage, egg and cheese barm plus a coffee - which I opted for on my recent visit - costs only £4.30. Extras like hash browns, spam and eggs will set you back an additional £1.
If you are after a hot sandwich though, this is where Rustica really comes into its own. Priced between £3.50 and £4.50, options span Florentina and meatball ciabattas and even tuna melts - but its most popular sarnie is the award-winning Milano. This may be a hole-in-the-wall situation, but a charming set of chairs awaits out front, where you can pop yourself down, enjoy your breakfast - and a brew for as little as 60p.
Lunch
Off the Press
3 George Leigh St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5DL
Where once there were printing presses, now you'll find a great place to visit if you’re looking to grab a quick bite to eat in your lunch hour. The daytime spot can be found on the ground floor of the refurbished One Express building on George Leigh Street in Ancoats and features its own in-house bakery, serving freshly brewed coffees and a selection of healthy options.
Prices for lunch here range from £3.90 to £6.50, with some heartily sized options available. Approach the display cabinet and choose from deli sandwiches such as salami with mortadella and balsamic dressed rocket; buffalo chickpea or nacho chicken wrap, or a salad of the week.
On my last visit I snagged a salad plate for £3.90 which allows you two salads, be it the Brussel sprout Caesar, curried new potatoes, pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes, pepper and rocket, or beetroot and halloumi. If you're for something of the grab-and-go variety, there are fresh pies, pastries and cakes with plant-based and allergy friendly options available from £3.50. Coffee from AllPress coffee roasters also makes this a must-visit for caffeine lovers.
Dinner
This & That
3 Soap St, Manchester M4 1EW
Manchester is lucky to have a number of curry cafes serving up 'rice and three' - a large portion of rice teamed with no less than three curries on the side. But surely the best and most original is to be sourced from This & That - the no frills takeaway tucked down a side street in the Northern Quarter.
This restaurant is located on Soap Street, and serves up a veritable feast of daily changing curries, all paired with rice. On the menu you can choose from a selection of lamb curries, chicken or daal as well as interchangeable dishes that vary regularly.
The vegetarian option here will set you back £6, while the most expensive option - rice and three meats - still comes in under a tenner at £8. And yes, this sneaks in at a pound over budget but lunch and dinner came well under budget - giving you a little extra to splurge from the £15 quota.
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