The best cheap eats in Sydney right now

What is it? Heshela Newa Khaja Gar may be the most popular Nepalese restaurant you’ve never heard of. The shop sits across two levels and specialises in Newar-style Nepalese cuisine – food from the historical inhabitants of Kathmandu. Platters to share include the Nanglo Set, which comes with grilled chicken or lamb, peanut salad, boneless lamb, goat offal, rice and pickles. 

Why we love it: Most Nepalese restaurants have the same menu - momos, rice and curry, chowmein etc. Heshela does all the same things, well, but it’s also a rare chance to try some more specialised items - mustardy fried off cuts, lentil fritters and steamed rice dumplings filled with molasses. The staff are friendly and happy to answer any questions about what those are. Also, most items are around $14-$17.

Time Out tip: If you order sekuwas, Nepalese barbecue skewers, for takeaway they’re only $1.50 each and capped at ten, but if you dine it they’re more expensive at $3.50.

Address: 14-18 Tramway Arcade, Rockdale NSW 2216

Expect to pay: Around $16 if you get a single meal, closer to $25 if you get snacks and extras.

What is it? A tiny, sunflower-yellow Vietnamese eatery on a Marrickville corner that specialises in banh cuon, a steamed rice noodle dish originating from northern Vietnam.

Why we love it: These silky, slippery rice noodles are typically eaten for breakfast in Vietnam – but you can enjoy them all day at Banh Cuon Ba Oanh. They’re stuffed with ground pork and wood-ear mushrooms, and served with fresh herbs, crisp shallots and a bright, delicious nuoc cham so you can double-dip as you please. 

Time Out tip: This place gets busy, so we recommend going at an off-peak time to score a table.

Address: 343 Illawarra Road, Marrickville NSW 2204

Expect to pay: Around $15

What is it? The only restaurant in Sydney serving recipes from Christmas and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The style is heavily Malay-influenced, so expect charcoal-grilled skewers of satay, homemade roti, saucy curries and plenty of spice.

Why we love it: The satay is among the best in Sydney, the bain-marie selections are bold and both generously spiced and priced, and the decor has barely changed since the cafe-restaurant opened in the '90s.

Time Out tip: If you want to try some islander specials, like pumpkin jam with roti and grilled chilli chicken, call ahead with a request.

Address: 47-49 Haldon St, Lakemba NSW 2195

Expect to pay: Biryani, satay, noodles and curry over rice all fit in the $15-$20 range

What is it? A no-frills takeaway burger spot serving out of the front window of a Rozelle butchery. The speciality is Oklahoma-style smash burgers with a caramelised, crisp edge.

Why we love it: Eat at ROBs pumps out some of the best burgers in Sydney. Greater than the sum of its parts, the smash burgers feature mince ground on-site, caramelised onion and melted cheese on Martin’s Potato Rolls – soft, squishy and a little bit sweet. It’s a delicious mess.

Time Out tip: You may be tempted to get a double – and at $12.50, it’s still great value – but unless you’re starving, a single with added lettuce, pickles and ROBs sauce will do the trick.

Address: 621 Darling St, Rozelle NSW 2039

Expect to pay: $10.50 for a burger

What is it? Mami’s is an all-day cantina serving delicious Mexican fare cooked by Mexicans. Pick from a huge range of fillings - we’re talking chicken, mushroom, beef, pork, chorizo, lamb, carne asada, cactus and rotating specials.

Why we love it: Besides the nachos, nothing on the menu costs more than $20. They source their veggies daily from local farmers, and their meat comes from a butcher down the road in Randwick. Don’t skip their signature pork taco.

Time Out tip: While they’re open all day every day, breakfast items like chilaquiles, enfrijoladas (bean enchiladas,) and huevos a la Mexicana are only served until 2pm.

Address: 286 Bondi Rd, Bondi NSW 2026

Expect to pay: $15-$20

What is it? You’ll probably find a line outside Tan Viet Noodle House – a Cabramatta institution for more than 30 years – but don’t worry, it goes quickly. The family-owned-and-run restaurant draws on the flavours of its owner’s Chinese and Vietnamese heritage, and servings are generous and well-priced.

Why we love it: Tan Viet Noodle House’s signature chicken arrives with bronzed armour wrapped around juicy and succulent meat. The paper-thin, salty skin is so crispy you’d think it was dusted with flour before cooking.

Time Out tip: You can get your chicken with two types of rice or five types of noodles – the noodles can also be served dry or in a soup.

Address: 100 John St, Cabramatta NSW 2166.

Expect to pay: Chicken with rice or noodles is around $20

What is it? A Harris Park go-to for fiery curries, Indo-Chinese, chaat and more than 50 types of dosas – some of Sydney’s best.

Why we love it: Just as the 16,000+ Google reviews from repeat customers mention, the food at Dosa Hut is fiery and full of flavour. Plus, the prices are reasonable, with most dishes under $20. 

Time Out tip: There are 25 Dosa Huts across Australia – they’re not hard to find the next time you’re hankering for an Indian feast.

Address: Shop 69 Wigram St, Harris Park NSW 2150

Expect to pay: Mains around $20 – but you’ll want to share a few

What is it? If you walk past 91 Enmore Road in Newtown at dinnertime on a Friday night, you’ll notice two things – the grapes hanging from the roof and how pumping it is. Hungry Sydneysiders flock to this casual BYO eatery for its banging prices and Northern-style dumplings.

Why we love it: This brightly lit joint is one of many Northern-style Chinese dumpling joints (Chinese Noodle Restaurant is another legend in the industry). The famous dumplings come pan-fried, boiled or steamed, in flavours like pork and chive, and chicken, onion and coriander, with a half-serve setting you back around $8.80. Be sure to load up on the roasted chilli oil and black vinegar at your table. There are also hand-pulled noodles, the iconic special braised eggplant, and classics like sweet and sour pork, and salt and pepper squid. But if you come here and only eat dumplings, we get it.

Time Out tip: They do $5 Tsingtaos, making it a great pre- or post-Enmore Theatre spot for a drink and a feed.

Address: 91 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: $15-$25 for a decent feed

What is it? Ama feels like something only Sydney could create – imagine a Thai noodle diner but served with the style, aesthetic and drinks menu of a Sydney café. The two sisters who run it, Rowena and Kate Chansiri, serve their grandma’s recipe for beef noodle soup, a Thai-Chinese staple that’s slurped in Chinatowns all over Thailand.

Why we love it: The care, depth of flavour and quality of ingredients on show wouldn’t be out of place in Bangkok’s Chinatown, while the coffee service is exactly the quality you’d expect from the duo who run small batch roaster Ickle Coffee. 

Time Out tip: Each of the condiments (they’ll come to your table after your order lands) represent one of the basic tastes of Thai cooking - sweet, sour, salty and spicy. Taste the broth, then experiment until you have it just as you like it. 

Address: Unit 1/47 Cooper St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Expect to pay: Noodle soups under $20

What is it? A no-frills, takeaway-only shop in Surry Hills that pumps out fresh, made-to-order sandwiches, wraps and salads. Don’t be put off by the line – it moves quickly, and we promise it’s worth it. 

Why we love it: There’s a lot to love here, starting with the fact you can get a really bloody good and fresh sandwich for just $14. There’s a wide range of options – including solid vegetarian ones (hello, crumbed eggplant) – but we’re fans of the old-school-style classic chicken and salad sambo. Also, the owner, Tommy, is a legend. Don’t be surprised if he knows your name after a couple of visits.

Time Out tip: Not that hungry? They also have half-portion sandwiches available for around half the price. Also know, City Edge is closed on weekends, so this is a weekday lunch spot.

Address: Shop 2/55 Holt St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Expect to pay: Around $14-17

What is it? One of the busiest and most loved Indian restaurants in Sydney. Found in Sydney’s Little India, the diner serves an absurd array of Indian dishes to seemingly every kind of diner in the Indian community - families, crews of friends, solo workers, everyone, it’s that kind of place. But despite the huge menu, the specialty is the carb-heavy, comfort dining stylings of Mumbai street food.

Why we love it: Same reason everyone else does - it’s fun, cheap, unpretentious and everything is covered in butter. It’s also completely vegetarian and serves one of the best pav bhajis in Sydney.

Time Out tip: There are no bookings and regular queues on weekends, but the wait for tables and food is short. 

Address: Shop 4-6/14-20 Station St E, Harris Park NSW 2150

Expect to pay: Very little. Almost everything is under $20, there are even options for under $10

What is it? Yum Yum Bakery started as an old-school Lebanese takeaway joint serving manoush and falafel plates in 1990. Since Najib Haddad took over from his father Toufic, it has evolved into something much more, offering specialty coffee with traditional Lebanese breakfast and sit-down service.

Why we love it: Woodfired manoush is still the star here, especially their specialty awarma (confit lamb) and egg pizza – sauteed meat spread lavishly with a captivating runny egg in the middle. Come with a group to take advantage of everything else on offer like their Lebanese big breakfast. It comes with foul, manoush, eggs, fresh veg, pickles and bread.

Time Out tip: Other bakeries to visit include Mount Lewis Pizzeria, Charlie’s Pizzeria and Bakery and Bake Away

Address: 273 Guildford Rd, Guildford NSW 2161

Expect to pay: Manoush starts at $8 and goes up to $17. Wraps are $13–$16 and splitting the plates will set you back around the same

What is it? A tiny bakery with just a handful of seats – and probably the best place to get burek in Sydney.

Why we love it: If anything proves the quality of the pastry here, it’s the fact that Burek Brothers opened in the hardest position possible, in the middle of the Macedonian community around the corner from several other popular burek bakeries. Many years later, they’re not only open but very popular.

Time Out tip: Burek Brothers’ four competitors are just ten-minutes walk away. Bring four friends and you can distribute your own best-in-show award.

Address: 162 Bay St, Rockdale NSW 2216

Expect to pay: under $10 for a quarter piece, which is rather hefty in weight and size. $30 or more for a whole wheel of pastry

What is it? A former hole in a wall banh mi shop that’s spawned a local empire, there’s always a queue but the team of aunties makes it move like factory work. Pick from traditional pork (a cold cut combo), barbecue pork, roast pork belly, shredded chicken, vegetarian or bouncy meatballs – the latter being a particularly hefty, rich order.

Why we love it: The freshly baked bread is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside (expect to be showered in crumbs). Along with their savoury pâté, it lays the foundation for all their stacked rolls.

Time Out tip: Add extra meat for only $1 more if you’re hungry. You can also get your Marrickville Pork Roll fix in Darling Square and the Quay Quarter.

Address: 236 Illawarra Road, Marrickville NSW 2204

Expect to pay: $9-$12

What is it? Haymarket’s Spicy Joint isn’t a classic cheap eats diner, it’s a big banquet kind of restaurant but the menu hides some incredible deals. Check out the Dan Dan noodles, setting you back just $5.90. Other notable steals are the pork wonton in red chilli oil number, and the crunchy cucumber salad with chilli and enough garlic to repel Edward Cullen and co.

Why we love it: There aren’t too many places to get two amply sized bowls of noodles for under $12 in this day and age.

Time Out tip: The rest of the menu is nowhere near as cheap as the Dan Dan noodles but worth sharing in a group. You can also find them in Burwood, Rhodes and Chatswood.

Address: Level 4/25-29 Dixon St, Haymarket NSW 2000

Expect to pay: $6-$20 if you stick to the cheap options

What is it? Competition for Lebanese family restaurants is fierce in Southwest Sydney, even just counting those named Jasmin (or some variation of it). Every family has their own favourite but few have the respect and the 30+ year history as this Punchbowl institution. 

Why we love it: It’s the restaurant to take your family for a celebration without crushing your weekly budget. If you’re a solo diner, takeaway wraps and breakfast are absurdly priced. 

Time Out tip: If you have any space in your stomach, walk a few minutes down the road to Al Afrah for some of the best Lebanese sweets in Sydney.

Address: 222 The Boulevarde, Punchbowl NSW 2196

Expect to pay: $10 for a wrap, $10–15 for breakfast, but at least $10 more than that for banquet-style dinner

What is it? An exceptional Lebanese-Australian charcoal chicken shop that combines Aus chicken shop standards with Lebanese home cooking.

Why we love it: Every bird is finished (after the skin is golden and crisp) with a wrapping of Lebanese bread. The chicken is insulated, and the bread soaks up any chicken flavour attempting to flee. The other factor setting this joint apart from chicken competitors is the range of side dishes, like molokhiya (a herby Middle Eastern stew) and Lebanese okra and garlic-butter chicken liver.

Time Out tip: There’s a long, leafy courtyard out back with TVs for live footy.

Address: 140 Railway Parade, Kogarah NSW 2217

Expect to pay: Quarter chicken, chips, pickles and toum for under $20

What is it? Forget El Jannah, it’s dry half the time anyway. The Lebanese charcoal chicken shops you should have on your bucket list are Charcoal Kingdom, Hariri and this place.

Why we love it: The chicken is brined, marinated and grilled until the skin colours like a Roman tile. As they’re a bit old-school here, it’s saltier than usual but that’s what pickles, pita and toum are for, balance.

Time Out tip: Tear a piece of chicken skin off the thigh, layer it with toum, put a small piece of chicken in, a pickle and a chip or two – there you have it, a chicken pita.

Address: 77 Scott St, Liverpool NSW 2170.

Expect to pay: Quarter chook for $7, half for $12 and whole for $21.50

What is it? There are two versions of Kebab Al Hojat. One is the cheap and fast option involving you nabbing a kebab and returning to the streets just $10 poorer. The other is to sit with family or a crew of friends and make your way through several mounds of fluffy rice and even more juicy skewers of grilled meat. The more involved, the cheaper it is, ironic because there’s not that much room to sit.

Why we love it: In 2017 we declared this the best Afghan barbecue in Sydney, and with Pameer, Kabul House, Khaybar and other legends in the running, that’s a big call. What we didn’t say, it’s also one of the cheapest.

Time Out tip: Merrylands hosts two great sweet shops, Asa Sweet Patisserie (Persian-style) and Sea Sweet (Lebanese), both are walking distance.

Address: 2/254 Pitt St, Merrylands NSW 2160

Expect to pay: $10 for a takeaway roll, and around $14-30 for charcoal-grilled meats with bread and salad

What is it? Ask any Thai in Sydney for a suite of recommendations and you’ll always hear one name, Caysorn. It’s the city’s only southern Thai restaurant, a particularly fiery, punchy and herbal iteration of Thai food, and one of the few that’s dedicated to making their curry pastes in-house.

Why we love it: The menu is full of dishes hard to find not just in Sydney but anywhere in the country, like kua kling (a fragrant and fierce dry red curry), kao yum (mixed rice salad with roast coconut and herbs) and pad ped moo-par (peppery wild boar curry). They also make a great plate of fried chicken and battered prawns.  

Time Out tip: The best orders come from the restaurant’s Southern menu, and the cheapest orders are the khanom keen (fermented rice noodles swimming in curry), all of which come with access to the help-yourself salad bar.

Address: Prince Centre Building, 106, Level 1/8 Quay St, Haymarket NSW 2000

Expect to pay: $17–19 for noodles and rice dishes but $20–28 for curries and others.

What is it? Every Malaysian in Sydney knows Albee’s Kitchen. Not only has the legendary restaurant been around for more than two decades, and it’s spent that time serving some of the best laksas the city has ever seen.

Why we love it: The owner, Albee Thu, honed her trade working a hawker stall in Kuala Lumpur - the kind of trial a chef needs to deliver a menu with 37 pages of options. If you have a hard to find Malaysian dish on your mind, this is where you’re going.

Time Out tip: Albee’s is one of the only places in Sydney where you can get a Sarawak laksa, the spicy, shrimp-paste emboldened style from Thu’s hometown. 

Address: 273 Beamish Street, Campsie NSW 2194

Expect to pay: the most basic of noodles, kolo mee (one of Thu’s specialities) goes for around $11. Laksa are $18-25

What is it? This family-owned restaurant has been in business for more than 30 years like a relic in time – a perfect snapshot where the early '90s never ended, and the handshake deals and Crown Lager-swilling crowd are still out in full force in the terracotta-hued courtyard.

Why we love it: The seasons change but what never changes is the steadfast joy of eating old-school Italian fare at this long-serving choose-your-own-adventure joint where you pick your pasta shape.

Time Out tip: If you don’t have a huge amount in the bank, head here for a pizza and pasta party and BYO. It's only $4 a head.

Address: 135 Crown St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Expect to pay: Pastas start at $20 and pizzas at $22

What is it? Fish and chips wrapped in paper, proper old-school like, so you can cart them down the hill to the beach, and burgers layered with beetroot, equally old-school, so you can experience a nostalgic purple drip down your arm.

Why we love it: Homemade sauces, fish burgers with pineapple and plates of fish and chips for under $15. Also, one of the few remaining fast food joints that hasn’t succumbed to the Americanisation of Australian burgers.

Time Out tip: If your goal is to be as full as possible for the cheapest price, potato scallops are $1. You know what to do.

Address: 2/272 Clovelly Rd, Coogee NSW 2034

Expect to pay: Burgers are $15-18, fish and chips from $14-ish

What is it? This family-owned and operated bakery, humbly located in the Top Ryde shopping centre, has some of the most regular and long lines of any Sydney takeaway.

Why we love it: The rolls here are jam-packed – slathered with sweet mayo and pâté before being topped with generous fillings and fried shallots for texture. It’s a mighty roll, and one of the most delicious in town, thanks to its perfect balance of sweet and salty, fatty and fresh.

Time Out tip: The $12 crispy pork is arguably the best in Sydney but you’ll need an appetite to conquer it.

Address: LG2/109 Blaxland Rd, Ryde NSW 2112

Expect to pay: $8-$12

What is it? A Newtown institution and one of the few restaurants in Sydney serving genuine Egyptian food. That means fava bean falafels (which explains the green, not brown, interiors) in pita with tahini and pickles, lamb and cauliflower pilaf (ask for maalouba), grilled meats and mint tea.

Why we love it: Best falafel in Sydney? It's a big call, but these super crisp, soft-centred, fried-to-order versions are, at the very least, contenders. 

Time Out tip: Get in early or expect to do as the locals do and squat, gutter-side, until your name is called. 

Address: 81 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042

Expect to pay: Pita pockets are under $15, plates are $20-$30 range

What is it? Unlike most Indonesian restaurants across Sydney that focus on Javanese cuisine, here you’ll find the food of Medan, the North Sumatran capital known for its distinct mix of indigenous Batak, Malay and Chinese flavours.

Why we love it: It’s the maximalist’s approach to eating – noodles are laced with wok hei, curries are the distinct colour that comes from the marriage of spice and time, and, as if the nasi lemak doesn’t come with enough flavour punches, you get chilli-doused crisps on the side.

Time Out tip: The rendang at Medan Ciak is where it’s at, tender as heck, with the slow-cooked complexity that comes from time and dozens of ingredients.

Address: 10/339 Sussex St, Sydney NSW 2000

Expect to pay: You can get a quarter chicken (bronzed from an Indonesian glaze), sambal and rice for under $15. Bigger dishes are in the $15-25 range

What is it? Queues have been snaking outside this Chinatown cheap eat for more than a decade. The reason is Mamak’s handmade roti, the paper-thin, stretchy flat breads you see being twirled and tossed in the window – a perfect vehicle to mop up any curry and sambal. 

Why we love it: Along with roti canai, our go-to is Malaysia’s national dish: nasi lemak. Coconut rice is surrounded by crisp fried anchovies, sweet and fiery sambal, cool cucumbers, a boiled egg and peanuts.

Time Out tip: The nasi lemak is a steal at $14, and you can opt to add a fragrant chicken curry for an extra $5.

Address: 15 Goulburn St, Haymarket NSW 2000

Expect to pay: $11-$20

What is it? One of Sydney's oldest South American eateries and a family-run Chilean institution which has been serving up handmade cakes, pastries and street snacks since 1984. The menu is mostly unchanged since opening – expect the same butter-sponge cakes, alfajores and torta tre leches to tuck into something sweet alongside their huge empanadas and Chilean burger-sandwich hybrids.

Why we love it: The completo Italiano (Chilean-style hotdog) will complete you. It’s a pork frankfurt riding a house-baked bun, topped with diced tomato, mashed avo (palta) and an unhealthy amount of mayonnaise – the colours of the Italian flag if you’re wondering.

Time Out tip: Wash everything down with mote con huesillo, a summer drink of sugar and cinnamon served with cooked barley and a rehydrated dried peach.

Address: Shop 1/9 Barbara St, Fairfield NSW 2165

Expect to pay: Empanadas and hot dogs start at $7.40, sandwiches start at $15 and come with chips

What is it? Easily the most famous laksa restaurant in Sydney. They specialise in laksa lemak – made from coconut milk and curry paste and devoured at hawker stalls in Malaysia and Singapore. There are 11 types to choose from, chicken, prawn, tofu and all the other usual suspects plus a beef version.

Why we love it: The laksa is rich, creamy and layered with fragrance – thanks to galangal, ginger and garlic. It surrounds a clump of vermicelli and hokkein noodles dotted with silky chicken, plump prawns, and tofu puffs that look like honeycombs holding glorious fiery soup like a sponge.

Time Out tip: The CBD has a number of historic and affordable takeaway laksa joints. Use your office lunch break to try Sayong Laksa and Laksa, Alice’s Makan and Happy Chef.

Address: Shop CQT06/33 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000

Expect to pay: $17-$20

What is it? This much-loved Vietnamese bakery known for its full-to-the-brim banh mi is finished with soy sauce, and salt and pepper. One bite and it’ll take you from Forest Road straight to the happening streets of Hoi An.

Why we love it: They have an excellent range, including pork crackling rolls, teriyaki chicken numbers, char siu rolls and roast duck rolls. One of King’s best-sellers is the pork and dim sim roll, which is, incredibly, exactly what it sounds like.

Time Out tip: Come at 1pm to get your bread hot.

Address: 273 Forest Rd, Hurstville NSW 2220

Expect to pay: $10-$13.50

What is it? A Korean tea café and kitchen serving bento boxes, bibimbap and poke bowls. You won’t be able to find a website, a phone number, or even an Instagram for Kood, but the lines speak for themselves.

Why we love it: The bento comes with two main numbers, three sides, rice and japchae. The chilli pork here is a fave due to a chilli kick, a beautiful fruity flavour from cooked-down apple and pear, and the ideal amount of salt and garlic. This is Seoul food at its best. 

Time Out tip: Owner May Lee swaps three of the dishes every couple of days so come back for more choices. There’s also onigiri for a quick grab and go for under $4.

Address: 414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2210

Expect to pay: $17.50 just for a bento, up to $25 if you add extras

What is it? Ex-Aria and Barangaroo House chef Omar Hsu dishes up the street food flavours of his homeland with dons (rice bowls), a range of hot snacks like Taiwanese sausage, crispy taro balls, and fried prawn rolls. There’s also an array of cold sides including their golden kimchi and fresh lemon tea.

Why we love it: There’s a huge variety of don bowls to pick from, including braised pork hock, boneless fried chicken, and flame torched wagyu beef with your choice of sushi rice, purple rice or udon noodles. Ommi Don’s three-cup chicken has a yum sweet, savoury and umami-rich flavour.

Time Out tip: Ultimo has recently shut but you can also find them in Chatswood.

Address: 7-9 Gibbons St, Redfern NSW 2016

Expect to pay: $14 for a don bowl, $20 if you add sides and a drink

What is it? One of the oldest Indonesian restaurants in Sydney and the first to open on the now famous Kensington-Kingsford Anzac Parade strip.

Why we love it: The chicken – grilled over charcoal; deep-fried; or deep-fried and coated in a sweet Javanese-style glaze. All slow-cooked in a ginger-garlic-galangal marinade before the final step. All ordered by the piece.

Time Out tip: Despite the name (translates to fried chicken), the Sathia family will tell you the grilled chicken is their signature dish. Also know, the sambal, which carries its own legend, is available in take-home jars.

Address: 464 Anzac Parade, Kingsford NSW 2032

Expect to pay: $9 for a quarter chicken

What is it? A Vietnamese eatery whose menu is a tale of two stories. On one side you can replicate a Northern Vietnamese family meal for one with a bento box that includes: rice, main, veggie, salad and soup. On the other side it’s a street food affair with single serves of northern Vietnamese classics.

Why we love it: With more than 330 possible combinations of items to choose for your bento box, it’s too hard to stop at one visit.

Time Out tip: The bun cha with its grilled lemongrass pork and thin rice vermicelli noodles made for dipping is one of the best you’ll find in Sydney.

Address: 294 Illawarra Road, Marrickville NSW 2204

Expect to pay: Around $17 for a bento

What is it? The place to go for Cambodian food in Sydney.

Why we love it: It’s rare to find Cambodian food outside its homeland, it’s even rarer to find it made with this level of effort. How many restaurants in Australia serve nom banh chok (a rice noodle soup with a thin, yellow fish curry base)? How many serve lemongrass-spiced chicken curry with fresh, crusty bread? And how many ask you how you want your fried intestines - with rice, fried noodles or noodle soup?

Time Out tip: There’s a Battambang and a Battambang II, one restaurant on either side of the Cabra tracks, both with the same owners and recipes. Head to the Broomfield Street one for no frills diner vibes or to the John Street one for more space and newer furniture.

Address: 96/98 Broomfield St, Cabramatta NSW 2166

Expect to pay: Noodle soups from $15, meat and rice and other mains $16–22 range

What is it? A classic Italian street food takeout specialising in the art of fried food from Fourth Village Providore chef Flavio Tosolini.

Why we love it: Listen to this line-up: bolognese-filled arancini, deep-fried lasagna, deep-fried cheesy-potato and fried pizza. That’s just the fried things, how about pasta served on newspaper sheets, pizza bread rolls filled with crispy pork belly, southern-style meatballs and Sicilian cannoli.

Time Out tip: Check their socials for specials, you might end up with a plate of lamb tagliatelle with olives and chilli or a fresh pesto over gnocchi.

Address: 6/12 Bayswater Rd, Potts Point NSW 2011

Expect to pay: $7-10 for a fried snack, and $21-27 for a pasta

What is it? Loyalists swear this is the best ramen in Sydney. Everyone else at least acknowledges it, along with Ichi Ban Boshi, was the first ramen in Sydney. Either way, duck your way past the traditional Japanese noren curtains hanging out the front and you’ll think you’ve been transported straight to a Fukuoka ramen house.

Why we love it: There are ten types of ramen to choose from – half with chicken soup, the other half with a rich pork tonkotsu broth, brimming with collagen, all with incredibly bouncy noodles.

Time Out tip: There’s often a queue but, unless it’s Saturday night, you usually won’t wait more than ten minutes.

Address: 125 Falcon St, Crows Nest NSW 2065

Expect to pay: $19-$23

What is it? A Cabramatta institution that’s barely changed in vibe or recipe (overnight broth, in-house butchery) since opening more than 40 years ago. 

Why we love it: There’s no clean answer to the question of best phở in Sydney but anyone who’s tried to answer will know Bankstown’s An Restaurant and Phở Tàu Bay. Of the two legends, Phở Tàu Bay is the cheaper option.

Time Out tip: Try the sate, they make their own.

Address: 12/117 Hill St, Cabramatta NSW 2166

Expect to pay: Just under $20 for a bowl of phở.

What is it? One of the best Thai restaurants outside the community hubs found in the city and the wider Cabramatta area. But unlike the famous Thaitown stalwarts, this isn’t vying for most authentic, this is modern Thai.

Why we love it: It feels like fine dining influenced Thai but with suburban prices. Makes sense, the owner and chef, Pla Rojratanavichai, worked in the kitchens of Mr Wong, Ms. G’s and Spice I Am before plating up tamarind pork ribs and larb tartare to Chatswood locals. 

Time Out tip: Each day features a quartet of lunch specials, each for just $14.50 plus a free drink.

Address: 7/370-374 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067

Expect to pay: Most dishes are in the $18-27 range.

What is it? When Taj Indian Streets opened, there was no Little India. Now surrounded by other Indian restaurants, sweet shops, and street food hawkers, Taj Indian Sweets is no less popular.

Why we love it: Taj boasts one of the biggest ranges of Subcontinental sweets in Australia – we’re talking probably close to 100 different chewy, sticky, stretchy, fragrant treats. They also serve a full breakfast featuring homemade breads, served with globs of melting butter, yoghurt and your choice of spiced extras. 

Time Out tip: Breakfast dishes are served all day, and the menu is 100 per cent meat-free.

Address: 91 Wigram St, Harris Park NSW 2150

Expect to pay: Most breakfast dishes are around the $15 mark or under. Curries are closer to $20.

What is it? This shop specialises in fluffy rounds of pita, scorched lightly on the grill and filled with slices of juicy pork or chicken thighs carved straight off the vertical spit. When they first opened, they were dubbed by locals as the best gyros in Sydney, with most attributing it to their pork gyros. There’s a lot more competition now but Gyradiko is no less popular.

Why we love it: The pork gyro hits the high notes with the crisp chips, thick tzatziki, slivers of sharp red onion and sweet tomatoes. If you really want to make a meal of it, order the pork or chicken on a plate.

Time Out tip: Although it doesn’t always hit the same heights, Victoria Yeeros serves cheaper gyros.

Address: 307 Forest Rd, Bexley NSW 2207

Expect to pay: $15 just for a gyro. $23 if you make it a combo

What is it? This café on Military Road dishes up large bento boxes, don bowls and Aussie classics with a Japanese twist. Ken hails from outside Osaka and brings their welcoming service and bold comfort food to his shop.

Why we love it: The karaage nanban bento comes with big chunks of juicy chicken and tastes like the ones you can get in Kyushu, where the dish originated. The bentos come with salad, two sides and rice, and is more than enough to fill you up.

Time Out tip: There’s a range of to-go items like large onigiri for $5.

Address: 67 Military Rd, Neutral Bay NSW 2089

Expect to pay: Don bowls start at $14.50 and bentos at $17.50

What is it? A Turkish kebab shop run by the Atilla family, the elder of which is a well-known Turkish butcher who once worked with many of Sydney’s early kebab shops. And by kebabs we mean both kinds, skewered meats grilled over charcoal, and doner kebab shaved into bread topped with whatever sauce you like.

Why we love it: A secret marinade makes the kebabs (the ones on a stick) as juicy, bouncy and tender as the best. Bread is made in-house, and the same bread is used as a plate for the meat – why waste any juice?

Time Out tip: The kebab sauce trinity is the Australian style, if you want to try a kebab Turkish-style, ask for just chilli. 

Address: 15 Auburn Rd, Auburn NSW 2144

Expect to pay: Takeaway kebabs are under $15. A plate of charcoal-roasted meat is about $40 and feeds two

What is it? Forget the sign promising Indian and Malaysian food. While both may be on offer, this is a Sri Lankan restaurant, one of the best and cheapest in town.

Why we love it: We love the huge bain-marie selection (pick a curry for every colour of the rainbow, or just peruse the pile of fried snacks), and the fact it’s open at 4.30am to distribute dosa, chai and hoppers to local workers.

Time Out tip: Anyone compelled to try as many flavours in one meal as possible should order a set, the most efficient use of your stomach and wallet’s resources.

Address: 126 Pendle Way, Pendle Hill NSW 2145

Expect to pay: Under $15

What is it? Choose your own adventure through an anthology of Lao snacks served out of a colourful stall in a Cabramatta mall.

Why we love it: It’s like being in the middle of a Lao or Isaan market – you can see mounds of fried taro, brittle banana fritters, more colours and textures of jerky than an American petrol station, parcels of sticky rice, sour Lao sausages, papaya salads made to order, and various chilli pastes each with their own personality, none of them quiet.

Time Out tip: Cabramatta malls are full of incredible, affordable eateries with little fanfare or reputation outside the area. Explore.

Address: 4/53-61 Park Rd, Cabramatta NSW 2166

Expect to pay: Depends what and how much you get. Many snacks are $1 each

What is it? An Indonesian diner serving food Padang-style, which here means a wondrous bain-marie section stocked with rendang, fried chicken, chilli-doused eggplant and curries that span every colour in the gradient between red and brown.

Why we love it: Having witnessed a boom in Indonesian openings, Sydney (particularly Mascot, the CBD and the Kensington-Kingsford area) is now dotted with similar Sumatra-style eateries. Most are delicious, all are great value but Pondok Buyung is special for being one of the first, one of the cheapest and one of the most delicious.

Time Out tip: Ask for extra curry gravy and, if inclined, extra sambal.

Address: 140 Anzac Parade, Kensington NSW 2033

Expect to pay: $13-15 depending on how many options you get and which of them have meat in them

What is it? This is how it usually works at New Shakthi, you pick your carb first – roti, dosa, rice, hoppers or noodles. That helps the next move, will you be getting sambar and chutney, or a set of curries? The reason we’re flagging this early is because the person behind you already knows what they want, and they’ve been waiting in line just like you.

Why we love it: It’s one of the busiest and most popular South Asian takeouts in Sydney for a reason – everything is packed with flavour and hardly anything is over $20.

Time Out tip: The lunch special gets you five curries and rice for under $17. A colossal amount of food for those who don’t run marathons or house babies in their abdomens.

Address: 42 Burlington Rd, Homebush NSW 2140

Expect to pay: The menu has an absurd amount of options, ranging from $11 for a simple dosa to close to $20 for a set of curries

What is it? Pochito feels part café, part restaurant and part Chilean community centre – while you wait for a coffee, empanada or alfajore (a shortbread-like biscuit with a layer of dulce de leche at the centre) you’ll listen to Latin American music, try to translate whatever is happening on the Chilean news, and consider which Chilean grocery items you might want to take home.

Why we love it: The family who run Pochito run it in the most family-oriented way. They chat to the customers, tell you about their memories of Chile and give recommendations on whether one man can finish a sandwich and a hot dog on their own (no, like everything in Chile, the servings here are massive).

Time Out tip: The chorrillana, a chip hill topped with strands of steak, caramelised onion and fried egg, is immense enough, both in size and calories, to feed two.

Address: 1021 Botany Rd, Mascot NSW 2020

Expect to pay: Under $10 for a colossal empanada, around $15 for a sandwich or hot dog, and up to $30 for a big main

What is it? Eastwood has a range of Cantonese barbecue shops but this long-running hole-in-a-wall might be the best of the lot. Founded by career barbecue chef Yong Luo, you just rock up and pick from a range of barbecued meats and offcuts.

Why we love it: There are three types of roast duck to choose from: special roast duck, soya duck and flattened roast duck. The BBQ pork and soya sauce chicken here are arguably the stars of the show. Both of these are extremely tender and juicy.

Time Out tip: If you like your BBQ pork rich, ask for the fatty cut. This place is cash only but they now accept PayID. 

Address: 25/1 Lakeside Rd, Eastwood NSW 2122

Expect to pay: Soya sauce chicken is $11.50 for a half serve, duck is $19 for a half. Split the pork with a friend for $19–$20

What is it? For Campsie locals, Jinweigu is a rare diner showcasing the culinary fares of Tianjin, and an extremely busy place to pick up breakfast or lunch. For others, it’s one of the best and cheapest point-at-thing-you-want hot cabinet restaurants in Sydney.

Why we love it: The range is absurd (mystifying thinking about how the chefs have time to make so many things every day), from jianbing (a crepe filled with meat, egg, pickles and really anything you can think of), egg and chive pies and other pre-fried snacks to rich stews with fatty hunks of lamb or tripe.

Time Out tip: If you’re looking for a very cheap meal, millet congee must be one of the most filling under $5 options anywhere in Sydney.

Address: 277 Beamish St, Campsie NSW 2194.

Expect to pay: Many menu items are under $10, the lunch box options are around $11-14

What is it? XDream is many venues in one. There’s what Sri Lankans would call a short eats store, a stall selling fried snacks. There’s a bread station where chefs flip and fry roti. There’s a breakfast service where locals ask for hoppers and vada with spiced coconut milk. And then there’s a bain-marie section of both Sri Lankan and North Indian curries, making a colourful section.

Why we love it: It’s extremely casual, lively and easy. The bain marie options are as rich or vibrant as their colours suggest, and it’s hard to spend $20, regardless of whether you pick pre-made bain marie options, biryani or kottu roti made to order.

Time Out tip: Yes, the XDream Jewellery down the road is related, the owner, Umakanthan Yogalingam, used to be a jeweller.

Address: 14-16 Aurelia St, Toongabbie NSW 2146

Expect to pay: Around $15 if you get a single meal, closer to $25 if you get snacks and extras

What is it? A family-run Lebanese restaurant serving the community for more than thirty years. While they serve Levantine mezze and barbecued meats all day on weekdays and into the evening on weekends, breakfast is the best-value meal.

Why we love it: When you get seated you’ll receive a massive stack of Lebanese bread, a challenge to finish the generously sized portions ordered with all the bread. Share the foul and fatteh with someone who can’t get enough of legumes – they’re served all day and show how versatile chickpeas are. Don’t skip their fresh falafel either, they’re consistently soft in the middle and hella crunchy.

Time Out tip: They’re cash-only – a fact well-known in the community, but a real obstacle for anyone who doesn’t know when the bill hits. Also, if you order a platter it comes with dips so there’s no need to order more on the side.

Address: 134A Waterloo Rd, Greenacre NSW 2190

Expect to pay: Starts from $12, if you share multiple plates it’s closer to $25

What is it? Sydney’s first bakery dedicated to Jamaican beef patties. They’re a cross between a Cornish pasty, an empanada and a croissant – a long way to say they’re incredibly delicious.

Why we love it: The crust is incredibly flaky – there are 27 layers of butter and each patty comes with a spicy kick.

Time Out tip: They don’t strictly have only beef patties here – there are vegetarian options that come with a coconut curry too.

Address: 109 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 2037

Expect to pay: The patties are $8-$9 each

What is it? This Tokyo-style ramen shop has built a mini empire across Sydney over the past few years with their housemade noodles, 20-hour pork broth and 10-hour chicken broth. Expect thin noodles for their ramen and thick noodles for their tsukemen.

Why we love it: The tsukemen is one of the best you’ll find in Sydney thanks to the whole grain noodles, delicious, slick and slurpable, served with an intensely savoury dipping broth.

Time Out tip: Order from the touchpad and customise nearly everything about your bowl of ramen. You can also find them in Newington, Lane Cove and Rosebery.

Address: 159 Concord Rd, North Strathfield NSW 2137

Expect to pay: Ramen and tsukemen range from $21–$25

What is it? Sydney has many Shaanxi noodle shops and My Aunt’s Handmade Noodle sets itself apart in the cheap eats stakes by serving delicious handmade fare with free refills and free soy milk. For that reason, you’ll often find queues, but they move quickly.

Why we love it: Any kind of wheaty noodle style you can think of, they have it. We’re partial to their signature biang biang noodles and even more partial to their generous portions. Did we mention the free noodle refills?

Time Out tip: There’s also a branch in Eastwood now. At either restaurant, don’t miss their chilli oil and garlic station. They also have a loyalty card where your 10th bowl is free.

Address: 226 Burwood Rd, Burwood NSW 2134

Expect to pay: Noodle dishes start at $15

What is it? This Thai eatery covers street food from all corners of Thailand, giving you choices you might not find at other restaurants. Pad Thai, Isaan larb, northern gang hung lay, southern gang tai pla – all under one roof. The menu can be daunting for newcomers but no fret, no section is any more delicious than the others.

Why we love it: They’re open late, and they serve an incredible bowl of boat noodles. The family recipe (from the owners’ mum) relies on a pork-broth enriched with blood and dark soy sauce for a deeply savoury taste. Try the kuay teaw moo tom yum for more sour notes.

Time Out tip: They’re BYO for $3.50pp, have a loyalty card, and they don’t hold the spice. Chonsiam and Charmhor are other great quality, affordable Thai noodle diners.

Address: Shop G06/323 Castlereagh St, Haymarket NSW 2000

Expect to pay: Single-serve dishes start from $16.90

What is it? You’ll find the small shop-restaurant-takeout joint in Rooty Hill, the centre of the Filipino community, where it’s been since the mid-'90s, making it one of the oldest Filipino eateries in Sydney.

Why we love it: It’s a two-generation family business focused on humble food, affordable prices and repping their community. The menu is long enough to fit all the classics – adobo, sisig, crispy pata and kare kare – and more specialised options like dinuguan (pork enriched with a blood and vinegar sauce), ampalaya con carne (stir-fried beef and bitter melon) and kilawin (sour pork cheek and pig ears), exactly the kind of dishes that flag this is here for the Filo community.

Time Out tip: The Kamayan isn’t the only great Filipino restaurant in Rooty Hill, it’s just one of the cheaper options. Cucina Manila and Mama Lor are also great options.

Address: 55 Rooty Hill Rd N, Rooty Hill NSW 2766

Expect to pay: Under $20 unless you get a particularly big, meaty item