SEAGuide
10 Great Meals For $10 In Seattle
photo credit: Makena Yee
For a satisfying sub-$10 meal in high-priced Seattle, there are a ton of options that don’t require settling for fast food menus (which at this point, can be just as pricey). On this list you’ll find the likes of Argentinian empanadas, bánh mì, and California rolls that test preconceptions of grocery store sushi. Your wallet will thank you.
Note: the price of these dishes are subtotals pre-tax and tip, and don’t take into account extra fees if you order from a third party app.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: California Roll
Grocery store sushi for under $10 isn’t exactly a groundbreaking discovery, but Maruta Shoten’s version has us rethinking what you can get for the price. That’s because they have one of the best California rolls we have ever had the pleasure of inhaling in our car. The rice is seasoned and fluffy, the avocado is perfectly ripe, and the imitation crab is extra creamy. To make the deal even sweeter, all leftover sushi is half off after 4:30pm—but the real question is, will there be any left?
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: Roasted Pork Bánh Mì
This International District spot sells one of the best (and cheapest) bánh mì in Seattle at $5.75. For that money, you’ll get a grilled pork sandwich on crusty bread with tender meat, a generous spread of bơ, and a heavy sprinkling of coarse black pepper. It’s quality is consistently high no matter the economic turbulence.
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: Pepperoni Slice With Caesar Salad On Top
Out of Seattle’s many pepperoni pizza slices, Tivoli’s stands out for its thin, crackly crust that doesn't flail around like a car dealership’s inflatable dancer. And while a meat-heavy slice on its own is delicious, for an extra $4 you can get a mound of caesar salad on top that sends it over the edge. The topping gives a nice acidic complement to the tangy tomato sauce and crisp-edged roni cups.
photo credit: Nate Watters
Your Order: Smashburger
While Local Tide is best known for their seafood, their smashburger is $9 and just as fantastic. Approach it by accepting the fact that meat drippings will land on your shirt, while enjoying the juicy patty with a tasty mess of caramelized onions and salty slice of american cheese. It’s so good, you may never need to eat a high-priced restaurant burger again.
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: Fried Chicken Wings
This mini-mart located between Seward Park and Rainier Beach serves fried chicken that we’re choosing over Ranch Corn Nuts and Yodels any day. The golden wings are constantly served right out of the fryer perfectly blistered and taste even better doused in Frank’s Red Hot. Depending on how many wings you decide to get, a few crispy jojos could be in the cards while still staying under the $10 threshold.
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: Beef Curry Pan
After dusting off the crumbs from the wings at Seward Park Market, it can’t hurt to grab another budget-friendly meal next door. Umami Kushi makes light and fluffy okazu pan stuffed with fillings like citrusy lentils and kimchi pork—all $8 or less. The beef curry pan is our favorite, but seasonal flavors like coconut curry chicken and a five-spiced short rib keep us coming back, too.
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: Anything On The Menu
Dim Sum King is really a choose-your-own-adventure kind of meal where everything is priced a la carte from $1 to $5. Fill up a to-go container of shui mai, potstickers, and red bean-stuffed sesame balls to bring with you to the office for lunch. Or better yet, enjoy them on a day off.
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: Lugano Empanada
Honestly, you could just close your eyes and point to any one of the many empanadas at this Ballard joint and land on a great one. But the spinach version in particular would make a certain jacked cartoon sailor smile (like it does us). It’s bursting with creamy bechamel, mozzarella, and a boatload of soft spinach. Give it a heavy pour over of their zesty chimichurri and leave smiling ear to ear.
photo credit: Kayla Sager-Riley
Your Order: Baja Fish Tacos
We could sit on the sun-drenched and papel picado-decorated patio of this Bellevue food truck all day—but not without a couple of baja fish tacos. These stunners are complete with a sweet and airy breading, tons of shredded cabbage, and a chipotle crema for the books. But you really can’t go wrong with the other varieties, all filled with a grilled onion and potato mixture that is particularly nice with meaty fillings like carne asada and al pastor.
photo credit: Makena Yee
Your Order: Zaatar And Cheese Manna’eesh Or Sujuk Manna’eesh
Alongside great snacks like crispy falafel sandwiches and chicken shwarma, this North End counter makes a manna’eesh that deserves some kind of special award for flatbreads. It’s the size of a personal pizza and topped with ingredients like tender lamb or grilled peppers. But we particularly love the one covered in a thick sprinkling of salty cheese with a layer of nutty zaatar underneath. If you prefer meat, get the sujuk decorated with a spiral of garlicky aioli that cuts through the soft slivers of spicy beef and tomato chunks.
