Pho Grand
3195 S. Grand
664-7435

Cheap food doesn’t need to come in a bag with a side of fries.
Pho Grand, specializing in Vietnamese fare, is located in the South
Grand neighborhood, and offers dozens of entrees under six dollars.
The service is speedy but the atmosphere is calming. Vegetarians
will find ample selection, as will meat lovers. Don’t expect to pop
in and out though if you show up at peak dinner hours. Pho Grand is
as popular as it is delicious and budget-friendly.

-Krissy Claes

The Old Spaghetti Factory
727 N 1st
621-0276

What should you do when you want to impress that special someone
and your pockets are nearly empty? The Old Spaghetti Factory,
located on Laclede’s Landing, has the answer. Though the relatively
small menu consists of mainly spaghetti dishes, each meal comes
with a beverage, dinner salad, entr�e and ice cream, all for
$10 or less. This, along with an antique charm that features bed
posts as booths and old-fashioned lampshades, equals the perfect
combination of quality and value in a semi-romantic atmosphere. Its
location is an added benefit, being steps away from a Metrolink
station and seconds from the numerous bars available to those of
drinking age, assuming you have a few bucks left to spare after
dinner.

-Michele Parrish

Rigazzi’s
4945 Daggett
772-4900

Rigazzi’s is one of the best restaurants in St. Louis for
multiple reasons. First, it is cheap. You could walk into the
restaurant with ten bucks in your pocket and walk out stuffed with
pasta. Second, one word: fishbowls. If you don’t know what a
fishbowl is, it is a glass the size of, well, a fishbowl, and
Rigazzi’s will fill it up with anything you crave. The fishbowls
can be pricey for mixed drinks, but if it is the domestic brew that
you desire then this is your place. The one thing I have haven’t
mentioned is the food. All I can say is that it is excellent. This
is the best restaurant on the Hill to go for cheap, quality Italian
food.

-Derek Johannsen

Fitz’s Restaurant
6605 Delmar
726-9555

Located in the University City Loop, Fitz’s Restaurant offers a
wide variety of American cuisine, but the real claim to fame is the
bottomless mug–of root beer (or cream soda). If root beer isn’t
your beverage of choice, the restaurant also features a bar on the
upper level for those of legal drinking age. Perhaps the best
aspect of the restaurant is the view of the bottling machines
working diligently in the background while you eat.

-Eric Winters

India’s Rasoi
4965 Laclede
361-6911

St. Louis is a hotbed of fantastic Italian restaurants, but
after a few months of pasta, you may find yourself in the mood for
something different. India’s Rasoi is the perfect solution. India’s
Rasoi is located in the heart of the Central West End and offers a
vast array of traditional Indian dishes. The menu features many
different dishes made with meat, such as a spicy curry chicken
dish, but what makes India’s Rasoi one of my new-found favorites is
their incredible selection of vegetarian entrees. The prices aren’t
cheap (around $10-$14 per person), but they are quite reasonable
for the size of the portions and the quality of service.

-Sharon Turlek

Mom’s Deli
4412 Jaimeson
644-1198

For those of you who, like me, agree that the sandwich is a
sacred creation, Mom’s Deli in South City is a lunchtime landmark.
There is nothing that really needs explaining about Mom’s–good
lunch meat and all the fixings, served up better than your own mom
makes. The price is on the cheaper side of reasonable too, with
most sandwiches falling below $5. If you’re on the hunt for St.
Louis’ best Reuben, search no further than Mom’s. It’s located on
Jamieson and Lindenwood in South St. Louis, a few blocks from Ted
Drewe’s Frozen Custard.

-Chris Schaeffer