The Best Cheap Eats in Leeds

Eating out doesn’t have to cost a fortune – Leeds is bursting with brilliant bargain restaurants and cafes.

Sometimes you need a quick, satisfying and delicious meal that doesn’t make your contactless card groan in pain. Leeds is full of places that deliver exactly that – food that can tantalise your tastebuds when you need something cheap and easy to eat. If you’re breaking bread on a budget, waiting for payday or standing by for your student loan, this is where you can nab the most affordable meals in Leeds.

Quick picks: The best cheap eats in Leeds

Best for adventurous eaters – O’Delices D’appo
Best for meal deals – Mr Mackerel
Best for a delicious dinner on a budget – Kuala Lumpur Café
Best for a quick bite before a night out – Outlaws Yacht Club
Best for indulgent vegan food – Fat Annie’s

Bundobust

Credit: Bundobust

Reliably excellent, Bundobust combines Indian street food and a wonderful range of craft beer to stellar effect. What’s more, it’s all either vegan or vegetarian and it won’t break the bank. The focus is on small plates, with the likes of smacked khakri starting at £3.75 and the menu topping out at £8.50 for hero items like the paneer tikka and the chole saag. Drop in between 12 noon and 4pm from Monday to Friday to make the most of their Lunch Express deal, where you’ll get two dishes for £11.25. Take a pew on refectory-style seating or head to the courtyard for a cheap al fresco feed.

Opening times: 12pm-10:30pm Monday-Thursday, 12pm-11pm Friday & Saturday and 12pm-9pm Sunday.
What we order: The bhajis and tarka dhal with rice on the lunch express menu.
Find it: Bundobust, 6 Mill Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5DQ.

Manjit’s Kitchen

The wonderful Manjit’s Kitchen has graduated from food truck to market stall and bar in Leeds Kirkgate Market, but the menu of failsafe Punjabi classics is still the one many people have fallen in love with, albeit with some new gems. If there’s one dish you must try, it’s the paneer tikka flatbread– a concoction of perfectly spiced goodness that’s a steal at £7.50. The £7.50 two-curry thali is an epic meal for one, piled high with cumin rice, mixed salad and a roti, while the menu is stuffed with items delivering big flavour for small change.

Opening times: 11am-4pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The paneer tikka flatbread with some cucumber riata for dipping.
Find it: Manjit’s Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Jenny’s Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken and rice and peas in a cardboard box

Serving up sensationally spiced food from their spot in Kirkgate Market, Jenny’s Jerk Chicken is a Caribbean cracker that’s distinctly wallet-friendly. Dig into authentic mains like curry goat and brown beef stew for £8, with a variety of burgers for £7 – they come with your choice of coleslaw or plantain and sweet potato chips. The jerk BBQ chicken salad is a healthy but zingy option for just £5, while a selection of moreish meals accompanied by rice and peas or coconut rice and salad make sure you don’t leave hungry.

Opening times: 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The jerk BBQ chicken meal with coconut rice and a side of plantain.
Find it: Jenny’s Jerk Chicken, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Dough Boys

A great place to to feed your face in Belgrave Music Hall, Dough Boys dishes up some of the finest cheap food in Leeds. There’s an array of hand-stretched pizza for you to choose from, with something for vegetarians, vegans and carnivores. Queen Brie is a wondrous mix of red grapes and French brie, while Salami of Darkness mixes salami Napoli with spicy sausage and chillies. Slices range from £4.20 upwards, but the ‘half price slice’ offer that runs until 5pm on Friday and Saturday, and until 7pm from Sunday to Thursday, is one of the best bargains in the city.

Opening times: 12pm-11:30pm Monday-Wednesday, 12pm-12:30am Thursday, 12pm-1:30am Friday, 11am-1:30am Saturday, 11am-11:30pm Sunday.
What we order: A slice of the ‘Baa No More’ spiced lamb pizza followed by the ‘Mushroom For Improvement’.
Find it: Dough Boys, Belgrave Music Hall, 1-1A Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8JP.

O’Delices D’appo

There’s not many places where you can pick up a warming coconut chicken curry with a side of African patties and plantain, followed by a French pâtisserie dessert. But O’Delices D’appo isn’t like most places – it’s an absolute gem of an eatery tucked away in Kirkgate Market. You can nab yourself the aforementioned curry with plain rice for just £9, or get five homemade vegetarian pastels with an onion & tomato sauce for £6.50. Save room for dessert, though – with chocolate cake for £6, lemon tart for £5 and a tiramisu cup for just £4.50, it’d be rude not to!

Opening times: 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The attieke with chicken and a portion of puff puff for dessert.
Find it: O’Delices D’appo, Row 4, Unit 243, Leeds Kirkgate Market, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HL.

Amazing Gyoza

If you’re craving something quick, comforting and that won’t hit your wallet hard, then take a trip to Kirkgate Market and drop by Amazing Gyoza. Their menu lives up to the name, with incredibly tasty dishes including a filling chicken katsu curry don or refreshing teriyaki chicken salad for £7.50, or a platter of California rolls for just £6. But it’s gyozas you came here for – so we highly recommend ordering a gyoza bento. You can pick a base of sauce and carbs, a tasty side then choose your gyoza flavour – from cabbage & pork to cheesy corn & chicken – and get it all for a tenner!

Opening times: 12pm-4pm Monday-Friday, 11:45am-4:15pm Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The chicken curry rice bento.
Find it: Amazing Gyoza, Row 5, Unit 249, Leeds Kirkgate Market, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HN.

The Falafel Guys

A falafel wrap from falafel guys, at The Northern Market

It doesn’t matter if you descend into their SALT hideout, pop into Northern Market or stroll to their truck on Briggate, The Falafel Guys will send you packing with a bellyful of cheap deliciousness. The must-try staples here include the falafel balls in either a salad bowl or wrap for £6.95. This isn’t your drier-than-dust falafel, but a sphere of Middle Eastern flavour laden with garlic mayo, homemade beetroot hummus, fresh salad, chilli sauce and more. Add a side of grilled halloumi for just £3.95, or go for aromatic chicken shawarma at £7.50.

Opening times: The Northern Market outlet is open 11:45-10pm Monday-Saturday and 11:45-8pm on Sunday. The Briggate food truck is open 11am-6pm every day. The Granary Wharf Salt outlet is open 12pm-11pm Monday-Thursday, 12pm-12am Friday-Saturday and 12pm-8pm Sunday.
What we order: Falafel wrap with extra pepperoncini.
Find it: The Falafel Guys, outside Marks and Spencer, 47 Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6HF, SALT, Candle House, Granary Wharf, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4GJ & inside Northern Market, Old School Board, Calverley Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3ED.

Senbon Sakura

You might not immediately think of Japanese when looking for the best cheap restaurants in Leeds, but Senbon Sakura manages to do fabulous, authentic cuisine at a keen price. From £13.80, you can get a bento box set meal that has your choice of a meat, seafood or veggie dish accompanied by gyoza, rice, a marinated egg and mixed salad. For a tenner, you can get a hearty donburi bowl set meal with your choice of protein simmered together and served over rice. In the mood for a sushi smorgasbord? You can get the Senbon Sakura Sushi Roll Special, with eight large rolls, from £10.30.

Opening times: 11am-10pm Monday-Friday, 3pm-10pm Saturday, 2pm-10pm Sunday.
What we order: The spicy bulgogi donburi.
Find it: Senbon Sakura, 71 Great George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3BR.

Little Bao Boy at North Brewing Co. Tap Room

Four bao buns on a tabe at Little Bao Boy

Fancy some cheap eats with the bao factor? Head to North Brewing Co’s city centre Tap Room for one of the best things you can eat with a beer in Leeds. Two bao buns are just £11, a double dose of soft goodness with a truly tempting range of flavours. Do you go for the vegan pulled teriyaki mushroom, char siu pulled pork or the one that’s bursting with cauliflower in a crispy panko coating and doused with sweet chilli? The beef brisket bao is heady with teriyaki, pickled cucumber and spring onions, topped with LBB chilli oil mayo and toasted sesame seeds. Do one, do two, do them all!

Opening times: 12pm-9:30pm Sunday-Thursday, 11:30pm-9:30pm Friday & Saturday.
What we order: The hot honey KFB and the salt & pepper tofu baos.
Find it: Little Bao Boy, North Brewing Co. Tap Room, 3 Sovereign Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 43R.

Mr Mackerel

With a reputation for dishing up some of the best cheap eats in Leeds, Mr Mackerel has been reeling in customers for years. It’s not just about the fish sandwiches here, though at £6, they make for a filling meal on-the-go – add chips and a soft drink for just an extra £2. The menu also does brilliant lamb kofta wraps, chicken shish and burgers, with meat fresh off the grill. There’s a wide range of meal deals available too, such as six chicken wings with rice or chips and salad for a paltry £8.

Opening times: 9:30-5pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The lamb kofta wrap and chips.
Find it: Mr Mackerel, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Thai Aroy Dee

Low cost doesn’t mean low quality, and Thai Aroy Dee manage the tricky balancing act of keeping their prices down and the quality high. Expect a big menu of fragrant Thai classics, with veggie jungle, red and green curries starting at £8.95. The classic pad thai – noodles, meat, eggs, peanuts, bean sprouts and tamarind sauce – is just £8.95 too. Still hungry? Come any day between midday and 5pm and you can get two courses for £10.95, letting you add the likes of chicken satay and spring rolls. Bargainalicious.

Opening times: 12pm-10pm every day.
What we order: The lamb Massaman with some veggie spring rolls.
Find it: Thai Aroy Dee, 120-122 Vicar Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7NL.

Patty’s

Patty's Burgers, Belgrave Music Hall

Patty’s has been serving up bounteous burgers at a fair price in Belgrave for years. The Smash burger is sure to hit the spot – a Yorkshire steak patty in a taste tango with cheese, lettuce, pickles, fried onions and house-made burger sauce. Their mountainous platter of session fries are a chin-dripping beaut, with a vegan plant smash burger to boot. The burgers start from £8.95, with session fries coming in at £9.95. But they become one of the best cheap eats in Leeds every Sunday to Thursday, thanks to their incredible £5.95 saver menu.

Opening times: 12pm-9pm every day.
What we order: The beef smash and Stokely fries.
Find it: Patty’s, Belgrave Music Hall, 1-1A Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8JP.

Outlaws Yacht Club

The vibe at Outlaws Yacht Club is so laidback, it’s practically horizontal. The perfect hangout, it combines a cafe, bar, hair salon, record shop and exhibition space with great value food. Bar snacks include a perfectly prepped pork pie (£3.50), or you can bolster your beer with a side of local sourdough. Go for it with oil and balsamic for £3, or £4 for hummus, lemon and sumac spices. But the main event is The Outlaws Grilled Cheese – brie, emmental and cheddar are sandwiched between sourdough and melted to perfection for just £7.95.

Opening times: 11am-11pm Monday-Wednesday, 11am-12am Thursday-Saturday, 1pm-9pm Sunday.
What we order: The Outlaws Grilled Cheese.
Find it: Outlaws Yacht Club, 38 New York Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7DY.

Banh & Mee

BBQ Banh Mi at Banh & Mee

There’s a vibrancy about the Vietnamese food at Banh & Mee that will set you up for the rest of the day. Whether you’re after a bowl of pho, some slurpable noodles or the zingy delights of a bánh mì sandwich, they never disappoint – and it’s a bargain to boot. Unsurprisingly, the banh mi are the main event here, and you can get them with tofu, lemongrass chicken or BBQ pork for just £6.50. Their fried noodles with chicken, pork or tofu are just £7.50, while you can get pho from £9.50 – and it comes with a broth that has flavour so deep Tom Daley could dive into it.

Opening times: 11am-5pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The BBQ pork banh mi
Find it: Banh & Mee, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 31 New York Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Jino’s Thai Cafe

Two plates of Thai food on the table at Jinos Thai

This proudly independent Thai spot sends you home with a full stomach and an almost-full wallet too. It helps that it’s BYO when it comes to booze – and they don’t charge corkage either. As well as the Thai classics you know and love, Jino’s also specialises in street food and small plates – dive into four veg & tofu gyoza for £6.45 or a yellow curry for £14.45. The offers are great value too – their Tuesday Curry Club gets you any curry, jasmine rice and a beer, cider or soft drink for £15.95 and on Wednesdays you can choose any noodle dish and a drink for the same price.

Opening times: Lunch is 12pm-4pm Tuesday-Sunday. Dinner is 5pm-9pm Sunday-Thursday and 5pm-10pm Friday-Sunday.
What we order: Mixed veg pad thai.
Find it: Jino’s Thai Cafe, 38 North Lane, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3HU.

I am Doner

The affordable kebabs at I am Doner come with a side order of clean conscience. Unusual for a takeaway, they dish up lunch in 100% plastic-free packaging – they don’t even stock drinks in plastic bottles. No surprise that kebabs are the house speciality, and you can carry one away from as little as £7.49. There are loads of options around spice levels and what salad you want wrapped with your choice of falafel, chicken, doner, seitan or halloumi. The salad boxes are a great way to get all the taste with fewer carbs, starting from just £7.99.

Opening times: 5pm-9pm Monday-Tuesday, 12pm-9pm Wednesday-Thursday, 12pm-12am Friday, 12pm-1am Saturday, 4pm-9:30pm Sunday.
What we order: Chicken Shawarma meal deal.
Find it: I am Doner, 23 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3AA.

Franco Manca

An overhead view of three pizzas from Franco Manca with two salads on top a wooden table adorned with paper menus

Freshly-made sourdough pizza starting from under a tenner? It’s a no-brainer. Crafted from a 200-year-old sourdough stater from Napoli, you can expect perfectly -risen bases with that telltale sourdough chew. You can tuck into a classic margherita for just £9.95 or upgrade to the Franco’s version with buffalo mozzarella, Vesuvio-sourced tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil for £13.50. Elsewhere on the menu, you’ve got toppings that range from spicy salami to Ibérico chorizo, burrata to stilton.

Opening times: 11:30am-9pm Sunday-Thursday, 11:30am-10pm Saturday-Sunday.
What we order: The No.11 parmigiana.
Find it: Franco Manca, 1 Trinity Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6AP.

Kuala Lumpur Cafe

The first 100% Malaysian restaurant in Leeds, Kuala Lumpur Cafe specialises in its national dish – nasi lemak. This addictive and aromatic mixture of coconut rice, peanuts, anchovies, boiled egg, cucumber and chilli sauce is served with pretty much everything you can order here. There isn’t much north of £13 on the menu, meaning you can explore the rich taste of Malay food in dishes like masak kicap – a dark soy curry – and rich nyonya lime curries at a keen price. There’s choice galore in terms of protein with duck, beef, chicken and vegan options.

Opening times: The Headingley restaurant is open 5pm-10pm Tuesday-Thursday, 5pm-11pm Friday, 12pm-11pm Saturday, 12pm-9pm Sunday and is closed on Sunday. The White Cloth Hall outlet is open 12pm-9pm Tuesday-Thursday, 12pm-10pm Friday, 10:30am-10pm Saturday, 10:30am-8pm Sunday and is closed on Monday.
What we order: Chicken gulai curry and karipaps (mini pasties stuffed with chicken and potato).
Find it: Kuala Lumpur Cafe, 2-4 Bennett Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3HN & White Cloth Hall, 27 Crown Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7DA.

Scoffs

Credit: Scoffs

If you head to Horsforth, chances are you won’t miss the vividly painted building housing Scoffs. It’s a family affair, owned and run by a vegan mum and her daughter with a passion for plant-based food. The breakfast menu is served until 3pm, with the Macscoffin Sandwich for £6 and the ‘Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich’, which is sure to fill you up, for £9.50. At lunch, you can get jacket potatoes from £6 or something from their great range of sarnies from just £7, with options including everything from tofu banh mi to a hot Cuban affair with (meat-free) pastrami, ham, cheese, dill pickle and yellow mustard. It’s not just cheap – there are no animal derivatives used, and there’s a gluten-free menu too.

Opening times: Little Scoffs is open 10am-3pm Thursday-Monday and is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
What we order: The ultimate breakfast sandwich.
Find it: Scoffs, 86 New Road Side, Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS18 4LZ.

Fat Annie’s

Fat Annie’s is another place in Leeds Kirkgate Market to make a pilgrimage to in search of quality cheap eats the next time you need a bargain feed. They take their inspiration from New York’s street food scene but with an inventive meat-free twist. They serve up fabulous vegan dogs from £5.95, burgers from £6.50 and a whole array of sparkling sides. For just £5.75, it’s also hard to resist their ‘shakes with your meal, which come loaded with ice cream, oat milk and topped with whip and sprinkles for a real treat.

Opening times: 10:30am-5pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The Annie Mac hot dog with an oreo shake.
Find it: Fat Annie’s, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Noodle House

In the mood for noods? There’s no better place to visit than Noodle House, where you can really get some bang for your buck. Here, there’s fried rice, noodle soups, stir fries and more just waiting to be devoured. It’s their ‘roasties’ that are the star of the menu, though – that’s roast duck, soy chicken, char siu and crispy belly pork to me and you. It’s rare to see anything north of £15 on this menu, and you can pick up a selection of three succulent meats with a side of rice for just £12.50. Get in!

Opening times: 11:30am-8:30pm every day.
What we order: Roast chicken and roast duck stir fried noodle.
Find it: Noodle House, 20 Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PQ.

Mommy Thai

Not only is Mommy Thai one of the best cheap restaurants in Leeds, it’s also one of the most delicious. They dish up authentic Thai street food, and if you want it, they’ve probably got it. From Tom Yum to Pad Pak Ruam, Massaman to Pad Mee, you’ll never be short of delicious dishes. Visit on a weekday between 12pm and 4pm and you can feast on their lunch menu, which promises a starter and a main from just £10.95 – with classics on offer such as steamed pork dumplings and pad Thai, it’s a no brainer, really. Plus, pay with cash to get 10% off your bill.

Opening times: The Duncan Street restaurant is open 12pm-10pm Sunday-Thursday and 12pm-10:30pm Friday-Saturday. The Vicar Lane restaurant is open 12pm-10:15pm Sunday-Thursday and 12pm-10:30pm Friday-Saturday.
What we order: Sriracha chicken wings and veg khao pad from the lunch menu.
Find it: Mommy Thai, 7 Duncan Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6DQ & 110 Vicar Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7NL.

Sweet Saeeda

Bringing a taste of Tunisia to Leeds, you’ll find Sweet Saeeda in the 1981 Hall at Leeds Kirkgate Market – fresh, delicious and cheap are three words that come to mind here. You can start your day off with their Tunisian breakfast, made of two eggs, olives, hummus, Mechouia salad and fresh bread, served with mint tea for just £8.50. Their loaded sandwiches – with a choice of falafel, lamb, curry chicken and more – can be bundled with chips and a drink for just £8, or you can tuck into a chicken plate instead of a sandwich for £11. Yes please!

Opening times: 10:30am-4:45pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sunday.
What we order: The Tunisian breakfast.
Find it: Sweet Saeeda, Leeds Kirkgate Market, Unit 411, Row F, 1981 Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7JJ.

Spuddys & Wraps

Chef slicing shawarma meat on rotating spit in restaurant kitchen

You’ll probably smell the sizzling burgers and succulent chicken before you take your place in the queue at this humble little food van on Bond Street. It’s got everything you need for a tasty, quick lunch, with jacket potatoes with all the usual fillings starting from just £3.90, or a range of burgers with chips, salads and sauces from £7. You can treat yourself to lip-smacking chicken gyros for just £5, with the option to make it a meal with chips and a drink for an extra £2.50. With meal deals to boot, it’s no surprise this is such a favourite amongst Leeds’ hungry lunchtime crowds.

Opening times: 9am-9pm Sunday-Thursday, 9am-2am Friday-Saturday.
What we order: Jacket potato with tuna and lots of cheese.
Find it: Spuddys & Wraps, near The Pinnacle, Site 1 Bond Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5BQ.

Andrew Porter-Emery Senior Writer

Andrew Porter-Emery is a Senior Writer at Leeds-List with more than 20 years' experience writing about food, drink and culture across Yorkshire. An author of three books and former contributor to the Guardian, Observer, NME and The Face, he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Leeds – its restaurants, bars, live music venues and everything in between – and knows what separates good from great. When he's not writing, you'll find him at a city gig, at a table somewhere new or, ideally, reading a book in a pub with something interesting in his glass.