Now, if the idea of fabulous food makes you picture posh restaurants where the bill is as eye-popping as the cuisine, think again. Being on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t find options that are daring and unique — but you have to know where to look.
When we launched our social media pages, we were college students who wanted to find the best food within our budgets, and finding these affordable eats to share with others has always been a key part of our mission. So we know that, even in a tough economy, there are plenty of foodie adventures to be had without breaking the bank.
From ice cream to sandwiches to cocktails, we’ve compiled a list of 15 of our favorite food and drink selections, all of which cost less than $20.
1. Stuffed croissant at Cocorico
Price: $7
Tucked away in the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, Cocorico Boulangerie is known for its breakfast sandwiches made on butter-toasted faluche, a type of French breakfast roll. But don’t sleep on their Instagram-worthy gourmet stuffed croissants, the flavors of which rotate weekly. Highlights include the peanut butter and jelly, raspberry pistachio, and blackberry cream varieties. These pastries — which typically sell out by 1 p.m. or earlier — are almost too pretty to eat, but once you take that first bite, you won’t be able to stop.
450 Summer Street, Boston, 617-476-6664, cocoricocafe.com
2. Shishito peppers at ilona
Price: $13
An upscale yet cozy lounge-style bar in the South End, ilona has an atmosphere perfect for intimate groups. The menu features shareable Mediterranean plates and the shishito peppers should absolutely be part of your spread. These put all other shishito peppers to shame. Topped with jalapeños, creamy manouri cheese, sesame seeds, and a parsley vinaigrette, they are packed with flavor. A gorgeous char makes them tender and smoky, and they melt in your mouth.
783 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-207-7742, ilonasouthend.com
3. Regular cone at Far Out Ice Cream
Price: $7
Walk into this New Zealand-style ice cream shop and you’ll be instantly greeted by the welcoming smell of freshly-made waffle cones. Far Out Ice Cream serves up a treat known to Kiwis as “real fruit ice cream” — soft serve made on the spot by churning ice cream with fresh fruit. It’s all customizable — you have the choice of a dairy or nondairy base as well as several fruits to blend in, including mango, blueberry, and a mix of berries they call kookaberry. The result? Perfect soft-serve swirls with a creamy yet refreshing texture.
419 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617-487-8102, farouticecream.com
4. Birria tacos at Taqueria Jalisco
Price: $14.99
Birria tacos have taken over the taco scene in recent years, and Taqueria Jalisco is no exception. This family-owned East Boston spot serves authentic Mexican cuisine from the state of Jalisco in a fast-casual atmosphere. The beef in the birria tacos is slow-cooked with chilies and spices to create the most tender and flavorful bite. Each order comes with a side of broth for dunking, adding unrivaled flavor to each mouthful.
291 Bennington Street, East Boston, 617-567-6367
5. Classic Italia Twist at Suasday Sandwich Co.
Price: $11.75
Looking for a bang for your buck in the North End? Stop by Suasday. Opened by Cambodian Americans Jessica Chiep and Menghong Hak, sandwiches here pay homage to the founders’ culinary roots — at affordable prices. Our recommendation: the Classic Italia Twist, their ode to the neighborhood. A toasted baguette is smeared with a Khmer-French-inspired pate, made from scratch, and aioli — then piled high with prosciutto, mortadella, black forest ham, and provolone. Reminiscent of a Vietnamese bánh mì, the cucumber, as well as pickled carrots, daikon, and green papaya, add freshness and crunch to every bite.
227 Hanover Street,…
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