As I mentioned in a previous article, South Beach restaurants are some of the best, but also the most expensive.  During my five years of living there as a broke college student, I would often scoop up my buddy Ida and drive across the causeway to eat at our cheap little grub spots.

The downtown Miami area is full of great little hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are both delicious and affordable.  Here I will share with you a few of my favorite restaurants in downtown Miami where it is possible for two people to fill up for $25 or less (this may not include drinks, tax, delivery and gratuity).

The Daily Creative Food Co.

If you want to eat well on a budget, The Daily is a fine option for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  A simple egg sandwich on a Kaiser roll starts at $3.00, but the menu also features breakfast wraps, omelets and pancakes that you can add a bunch of fun ingredients to.  The most expensive breakfast item is $9.95, unless you go completely over the top with the “build your own omelet” option.

For lunch and dinner, The Daily offers a huge choice of homemade soups, salads, sandwiches and paninis.  Most range in the $8.00 to $10.00 range, with a few costing $13.95 (my personal favorite, the Key West Shrimp salad, is worth every penny).

Aside from the Key West Shrimp salad I recommend the Hangover breakfast combo ($9.95), the Daily News Chicken Salad ($8.25) and the Printer panini ($8.50). If you have a little money left over after ordering your meal, I also recommend the homemade banana pudding if they haven’t already sold out for the day.

The Daily Creative Food Co. is located at 2001 Biscayne Blvd. Suite 107 Miami, FL, 33137; (305) 573-4535

El Palacio De Los Jugos

A true Miami staple, El Palacio De Los Jugos is both a market of fresh produce and an open-air restaurant that serves authentic Cuban food and fresh squeezed juices at low prices.  There’s nothing fancy about it, but the reasons I love it are that it’s easy to find parking, the food is legit and the service is always friendly. A Cuban sandwich is $4.95 and the most expensive menu items only cost $5.  At those prices, don’t skip a café con leche (only $1) or a fresh squeezed pineapple or tangerine juice.

El Palacio De Los Jugos is located at 2038 NW 27th Ave, Miami, FL 33142

Sabor a Peru

The thing to know about Sabor a Peru is that while the prices may not look very cheap, the portions are huge.  Two people can easily fill up by splitting an entree and either an appetizer or dessert.  My personal recommendations- lomo saltado ($12.99), a popular Peruvian dish of marinated Angus tenderloin, sliced and served over a mixture of white rice, sautéed onions, tomatoes and french fries.  Either start off with the mixed ceviche ($12.99) or end with the homemade cuatro leches ($3.99) and you have yourself an awesome meal.

Also worth mentioning is Sabor a Peru’s tropical fruit juices for $3.50- strawberry, mango, pineapple, guava, guanabana, passion fruit and more.

Sabor a Peru is located at 2923 Biscayne Blvd  Miami, FL 33137; (305) 573-9637

Also worth mentioning: Latin Cafe, Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, Premo’s Deli, the Filling Station & Garage Bar