Orlando isn’t just the City Beautiful, it’s also The City Delicious. From tortas and tacos, to burgers and buns, here are a few solid dishes that will save you the McShame of fast food while keeping your bank account happy.

 

Brooklyn Coffee Shop Besides coffee, this new option in the heart of Mills 50 also serves food. We like their shakshuka – eggs baked in a spicy red tomato-and-pepper sauce – served daily from 11 a.m. for $7, though $2 Empanada Mondays are also worth a look. Photo via orlando.treasures/Instagram
Black Rooster Taqueria You’ve heard of farm to plate, but how about farm to taco? For sustainably sourced, authentic Latin food-fare, look to the family-owned Black Rooster Taqueria. Open for lunch and dinner shifts; closed between 2 and 5 p.m. during weekdays and 3 and 5 p.m. during the weekends. Photo via blkroostertaco/Instagram
Foodoko Combine southern hospitality, japanese inspired cuisines, and a dash of Florida weirdness, and what do you get? FOODoko. Opened just last November, FOODoko offers a number of fairly priced and creative dishes–including what might be Orlando’s only sushi-burrito. Photo via avocaud0/Instagram
Cuban Sandwiches To Go This no-frills sandwich joint makes the Cuban classic an Orlando must-have: its 7” Cuban goes for just $4.99, and from what we can tell, drives people nuts. Purchases are cash only and seating is outdoors. Photo via johnniewreck/Instagram
Croissant Gourmet A tiny bit of France in Winter Park, which is rich in French restaurant options – but few as reasonably priced as this. The pressed veggie Provençal sandwich with pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella and roasted red bell pepper on baguette is just $7.90 and comes with a side salad. Salut, déjeuner! Photo via Croissant Gourmet/Facebook
Fat One’s Hot Dogs Ex-boy band star Joey Fatone returned to Orlando to open a hot dog stand, and we gotta say, we like the dogs better than the tunes. For an extra-authentic local meal, get the Cuban dog ($4.99) with a 100 percent beef hot dog, Swiss cheese, pickles and yellow mustard. Photo via fatonedogs/Instagram
Lazy Moon While not the most trustworthy source for history–Lazy Moon claims its origins in the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower–this casual college bar and pizza joint is well known for its super-sized slices and its friendly, picnic-tabled interior. Vegans can also enjoy Lazy Moon’s pizzas with dairy-free daiya cheese. Photo via steveeatsamerica/Instagram
Infusion Tea You don’t have to be a vegetarian to appreciate quality vegetarian cuisine–or quality prices. Try the Quinoa Caprese for just $8.50, or any one of their loose-leaf teas for $3.10 (single serving). Photo via vegetarian_notebook/Instagram
Johnny’s Fillin Station From its unusual origins in the shaved lemon-ice business, Johnny’s Fillin Station today offers American bar favorites like the barbeque burger, fried dill pickles, and chili cheese dogs. And a bar. And ceiling decorations. Photo via the1stnick/Instagram
Tin & Taco This might be on your radar as an after-the-bars stop, but it’s a treat for lunch too, if you’re downtown. Get your choice of protein in a set of tacos, a burrito, a rice bowl, a wrap, a salad or “in the bag” (served in a bag of Doritos). Their most popular seller is the “Buffalo Soldier”: shredded chicken, lettuce, celery, green onion, buffalo wing sauce, homemade ranch and blue cheese crumbles. Photo via tinandtaco/Instagram
City Diner For a casual and welcoming lunch, brunch, or breakfast, consider Chef Jeremiah’s City Diner. This family food spot may feel low-key, but a carefully made cuisine and a thankfully plentiful range of under $10 dishes make City Diner worth the trip downtown. Just be sure to get there before weekday closing hours at 2 p.m.; and on weekends, 1 p.m. Photo via lezbeinthekitchen/Instagram
Cindy’s Café Right across from Florida Hospital on North Orange Avenue, Cindy’s slings superior Cuban fare. Give the tripleta sandwich a try for $8 – steak, oven roasted pork, ham, potato sticks and “mayoketchup” (a pink sauce made of, yep, mayonnaise and ketchup). Photo via tsprouse/Instagram
Tortas El Rey It is the cheapest and the best sandwich stop we know, and there’s even a drive-through. Get a chorizo con huevo torta (Mexican sausage and egg sandwich) for $4.25. Still hungry? Pick up a huarache (fried masa with your choice of meat or veggie topping) for $3.25. Photo via hungrynhigh/Instagram
Pho and Roll Because who needs rock, anyway? Pho and Roll’s menu includes a tasteful variety of Vietnamese favorites, as well as a good number of vegetarian items. Try its Summer Rolls and Egg Rolls, both for under $5.00. Photo via meggiepooh1001
Oh My Gyro You’ve got hard choices to make with your 10-dollar bill here. If you get the platter (a foil tray stuffed with chicken, gyro or falafel) plus rice, salad and pita – for $6.99, you have enough left to also get a pistachio kulfi (Indian ice-cream pop) for $2.49. But if you get the sandwich – same meats and salad rolled up in a pita, but no rice – for $6.49, you can get a mango lassi ($2.99). Hmm. Photo via ohmygyro/Instagram
Wall Street Cantina Nestled inside the downtown eatery-cornucopia that is Wall Street Plaza, the Cantina offers an impressive selection of affordable Mexican fare. Mark your calendar and grab a friend for Taco Tuesday. Because everybody likes tacos. Photo via jatanamala/Instagram
Pearson’s Café Homemade breads, locally sourced coffee, and a bevy of soups, salads and sandwiches under $10–Pearson’s Cafe is one downtown, downtempo lunch and brunch option you shouldn’t miss. Orders are also available for catering and takeout. Photo via ryan_n_sky/Instagram
Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwhicheria Local art, tasty sandwiches, and no shortage of soothing, fresh brewed teas–all at a price that’s as agreeable as their $7.99 Tuscan Melts. Come here to ponder the nature of our Orlandan Life, or just come here to eat. Photo via pompomsteahouse/Instagram
Se7enbites Bake Shop We featured Se7enbites once before – in the very first 10 Under $10, in fact – but since then they’ve moved, expanded, and added savory options. Give the grilled pimento cheese with bacon a try ($8.75): white and sharp cheddar, seasoned cream cheese and applewood-smoked bacon. Photo via se7enbites/Instagram
The Taste of Yucatan There are so many choices here for a cheap lunch that it’s time to pass up your usual burrito. Try a salbute (a deep-fried corn-tortilla taco with onion and avocado, $2.95) filled with cochinita pibil, or a panucho (a salbute with refried beans inside, $3.05) filled with rajas poblanas (poblano pepper with onion, mushrooms, corn and cream), and still have enough dinero for a tamarind agua fresca ($2.25). Photo via flkillerqueen/Instagram