On the hunt for cheap eats in Perth? It can be tricky to eat out on a student budget, but thankfully, there are plenty of places in Perth that offer tasty dishes that won’t break the bank. Here are our picks of the 10 best cheap places to eat in Perth.
Varsity
If you love the idea of an American-style sports bar known for weekly specials, student discounts, live music and quiz nights (and a packed menu of burgers and chicken wings) head down to Varsity.
They have multiple locations around Perth, in Nedlands, Fremantle, Northbridge, Joondalup, Morley, Waterford, Innaloo and Whitfords, close to almost all of Perth’s universities.
Varsity hosts free pub quizzes on Mondays, half-price wings on Tuesdays and a cheeseburger night on Wednesdays. Not to mention, there are student deals and discounts, including a weekday cheeseburger-and-fries lunch special for $10.
Bark
For a delicious lunch that won’t tug on your purse strings, head straight to Bark in Subiaco.
This Australiana-themed café and bar serves avocado toast (a classic Aussie breakfast) for just $10 and a continental roll packed with salami, mortadella, cheese, olives and sundried tomato for $11. A personal favourite is the halloumi and hot chip wrap for $12 – don’t knock it until you try it!
Bark has board games and card games for you to enjoy while waiting for lunch. Alternatively, you might want to stay a while and enjoy the range of West Australian beers on tap. Come on a Friday for their rotating lunch specials, from cheeseburgers to beef and gravy rolls.
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Palace Arcade
Located in Northbridge, Fremantle and Victoria Park, Palace Arcade is an arcade bar sporting a bunch of weekly specials.
Here you can spend hours on the ‘80s and ‘90s arcade machines before filling up on some mouth-watering pizzas and chicken wings.
For a fun-filled and affordable night out, head down on a Wednesday for $10 servings of wings and unlimited arcade games for just $10. On Thursdays, you can score $12 pizzas, while Fridays feature $12 Espresso martinis.
Pancho’s Mexican Villa Restaurant
In the mood for Mexican food? Pancho’s in East Victoria Park will satisfy those cravings, and you won’t have to spend too much of your hard-earned cash.
A great spot for a party or group dinner, Pancho’s has a buzzing atmosphere and is decked out in fun Mexican decor.
For half-price nachos visit on a Monday, where a large serving of chicken, beef, jalapeno or supreme nachos costs less than $11. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are known for dishing out $20 combination meals (think a plate of chilli con carne and two tacos). On Thursdays, you can go indulge in $7 tacos and $7 frozen cocktails.
Old Shanghai
For cheap, high-quality Asian cuisine in Perth, you can’t go past Old Shanghai. It’s a foodcourt-style space with different Asian eateries, including Thai, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese and Japanese. Located in Fremantle and Northbridge, it’s the perfect low-key spot to grab dinner before heading to a bar, the cinema or a show.
A personal favourite is the Thai restaurant Siam Kitchen, tucked inside the Fremantle venue. The vegetarian pad thai and tom yum soup are both delicious go-to menu items – and best of all, they’ll only set you back $11.50 each.
Pinchos Bar De Tapas
If you’ve been to Spain, you might have tried pinchos, or pintxos, at a bar. They are bite-size slices of bread with toppings, usually held together by a skewer.
Pinchos in Leederville has these nibbles at European prices, so you can order classic pinchos (tomato on toast with anchovies or chorizo with goat’s cheese) for $1 to $6 each.
There are also tapas plates such as patatas bravas (a crowd favourite) and fried calamari for under $15. Wednesdays are particularly special as you can get a lunch plate of paella for only $12. Ándale!
Haru Sushi n Bento
In the heart of Fremantle is the unassuming Haru Sushi, a low-key takeaway café serving the best sushi in the area. Come lunchtime, lines are out the door as university students and business workers flock here for their lunch break.
While there is a menu offering bento boxes and soups, the DIY sushi cabinet is the real drawcard. Pick up a tray and fill it with anything you like, including massive pieces of maki sushi, sashimi, nigiri, inari, gyozas and even fried chicken bites. At the till, don’t forget to top your sushi tray with pickled ginger, chilli and kewpie mayo.
Depending on your sushi selection, your lunch will likely range from $10 to $15.
Siena’s
You can’t go wrong with Italian cuisine, and Siena’s in Leederville sure knows how to whip up tasty pizza and pasta dishes. This Italian restaurant has great seafood, parmigiana and dessert (gelato, anyone?).
But for value for money, come on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday nights. On these evenings, the pizza and pasta dishes are all discounted, so you can score a delicious dinner for $15-$20. Expect pappardelle ragu for $19 or a BBQ chicken pizza for just $17.
Authentic Bites Dumpling House
Budget-friendly dumplings? Sign us up! Authentic Bites Dumpling House is a must-visit eatery if you are a dumpling fan.
Here you can find xiao long bao, pork buns, pan-fried, boiled or steamed dumplings, wonton soup, spring rolls and deep-fried tofu at an affordable price. There is also a range of rice and noodle dishes, including the popular braised beef noodle soup and dry noodles with pork mine. If you like chilli, try the signature pork and prawn wonton in spicy sauce.
Eager to sample the menu yourself? Find Authentic Bites Dumpling House in Northbridge and inside Karrinyup Shopping Centre.
el PÚBLICO
Another affordable Mexican eatery, El Publico is a popular choice among locals, known for its signature light-up donkey. Situated in Highgate, this restaurant and bar serves up authentic Mexican dishes, the vast majority of which are priced under $20.
Grab an order of guacamole and tortilla chips for the table to share before diving into some succulent tacos. You may even want to sample the venue’s diverse drink menu, which includes tequila and mezcal-infused cocktails. Not a fan of alcohol? No problem! There are plenty of alcohol-free beverages for you to enjoy as well.
Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.
