But there are still some killer deals on tasty eats. Some restaurants have been getting creative to offer an incentive to come in more regularly, which means you can satisfy your craving for a meal out without mortgaging your house. Others offer deals at certain times of the day. And still others offer a good meal at an easy-on-the-wallet price all the time.
Here are our favorite cheap eats in town:
The best meals for $10(ish) in Denver
Queen Arepa at Arepas House5505 West 20th Avenue, Edgewater
Price: $10.99
This food truck, which opened a stall inside Edgewater Public Market in 2019, serves up some of the finest Venezuelan specialties in the state. It offers a variety of arepas — grilled white corn cakes stuffed with various fillings — and several, including vegetarian and vegan options, are priced right around $10. We're partial to the Queen Arepa, which is filled to the brim with creamy chicken salad, sweet plantains, cheese and avocado two ways — sliced and as guasacaca (Venezuelan-style guacamole). And an arepa here is rich and satisfying, without making you feel like you need to take a midday nap.
Happy Lil’ Burgie at Odie B's
2651 West 38th Avenue
1350 40th Street
Price: $10
Don't let the classic burger at this sandwich spot that recently opened a second location in RiNo fly under the radar. There's a hefty Double Bodega Burger on the menu for $15, but you can also opt for the smaller and equally delicious Happy Lil’ Burgie, complete with grilled onions, the “fanciest sauce," and a thin, crisp yet juicy beef patty, creating the quintessential smash burger experience. While the Lil' Burgie only appears on the weekend brunch menu, guests can order it anytime.
Slice of the Day at Hops & Pie
3920 Tennyson Street
Price: $4.45
For over a decade, Hops & Pie has been a destination for fans of beer and pizza. In 2022, it changed up its game, switching to a lineup of pies in several styles, all now made on sourdough crust. The price of the slice of the day doesn't change, but the style does — it could be Detroit, New York or Sicilian. No matter what's on deck, though, it's sure to be delicious. You can get an extra $1 off the deal during happy hour, and you can add on any half salad for an additional $7 anytime.
Breakfast Burrito at La Abeja Restaurant
508 East Colfax Avenue
Price: $9.49
La Abeja’s breakfast burritos, which are served from 8 to 11 a.m., reflect a no-frills approach to the morning classic. While there may be cheaper breakfast burrito options in town, these are hefty enough to keep you satisfied well past lunch, with a warm tortilla generously filled with the staples — eggs, potatoes, cheese and stellar green chile, plus a choice of chorizo, ham or bacon.
Six-Piece Pierogies at Pierogies Factory
3795 Wadsworth Boulevard, Wheat Ridge
Price: $9.99
After arriving in Denver in 2005, Pierogies Factory owner Cezary Grosfeld noticed a lack of quality Polish options in the area and decided to open a food truck. Since then, the business has expanded, adding a brick-and-mortar location; both offer dishes like schnitzel, golabki (cabbage rolls) and kielbasa along with pierogi, of course. The six-piece deal — a half-dozen dumplings stuffed with filling options such as slow-roasted pork or potato and cheese, paired with onions and sour cream — is a perfect introduction to this eatery. You can also opt for the ten-piece for $12.49.
Soup bowls at Swing Thai
845 Colorado Boulevard
Price: $7 with tofu or veggies, $8 with chicken or beef
Swing Thai is affordably priced overall, with many entrees available for around $15, but our favorite cheap meal here is the large, steaming bowls of tom kha (coconut and lemongrass) or tom yum (lemongrass). For just $3 more, you can add rice noodles for an extra-filling meal.
Bean & Cheese Burrito at Tacos Selene
Multiple locations
Price: $6
Tacos Selene, which now has locations in Aurora, Littleton and Denver, has a well-earned reputation as one of the top taco joints in the metro area. While you can get a taco for around $2 each, the bean and cheese burrito should not be overlooked. Well-seasoned and velvety refried beans are topped with a blanket of melted cheese and wrapped snugly in a flour tortilla, resulting in a comforting yet indulgent meal. Dip your burrito into the house green salsa for an extra kick.
Banh Mi at Vinh Xuong Bakery
2370 West Alameda Avenue
Price: $8-$8.75
Banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich built on crusty baguettes, is one of the most dependable — and delicious — food options when you're looking for a complete meal on a budget, and Vinh Xuong makes some of the best in town. Every option is under $10, including the vegetarian-friendly spicy avocado. The bakery also offers a gluten-free take using rice-paper rolls instead of bread. The grilled pork boasts a stellar combo of sweet and savory flavors spiked with lemongrass, and it pairs perfectly with the accompanying cilantro, fresh cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon. If you can shell out a few extra dollars, pick up some of the other Vietnamese goodies on offer, including moon cakes and sesame balls.
Za Jiang Mian at Zoe Ma Ma
1625 Wynkoop Street
919 Pearl Street, Boulder
Price: $9.50
Using recipes from his mother, Edwin Zoe opened his Boulder restaurant in 2010 and added a Denver outpost near Union Station four years later. Both serve a menu of Chinese street food options like za jiang mian, a classic Beijing dish made with egg noodles, fresh vegetables and ground pork cooked with a savory bean sauce. It's an abundantly flavorful dish for a price that proves to be a hell of a good deal. Zoe Ma Ma has also long been tip-free, instead adding a flat 15 percent to every check for its employees.
The best food specials in Denver
These are the deals you can only get on certain days of the week, or at certain times.Monday
Angelo's Taverna: On Mollusk Mondays at both the East Sixth Avenue and Littleton locations, get a big bowl of mussels with bread for $7, or clams and linguine with a soup or salad for $17.
Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood: Get $1.31 oysters during Shuck Mondays at both the Cherry Creek and Lone Tree locations.
Dough Counter: Get 15 percent off your entire bill when ordering on the restaurant's website using code WEB15.
The Irish Rover: $1 sliders and comedy night at 8 p.m.
Odyssey Italian Restaurant: Any option off the pasta menu is $11.95 (normally $20) and comes with a Caesar salad and garlic bread.
Tuesday
Adobo: Enjoy discounted tacos all day ($2-$5).
The Castle Bar & Grill, Littleton: All burgers, which are some of the best in town, are buy one get one half off.
GB Fish & Chips: During Tilapia Tuesdays, each piece of tilapia is $1.50.
The Irish Rover: $1 tacos all day.
Marco’s Coal-Fired: Margherita pizzas are half-price ($7).
Wednesday
Adobo: 75 cent wings all day.
La Diabla: The Jose's Gone Fishing deal includes two al pastor tacos and a margarita for only $5, two fish tacos and a margarita for $7, or two free tacos with any cocktail purchase.
Thursday
The Castle Bar & Grill, Littleton: Get ten wings for $10.
Hop & Pie: Get a cheese Detroit-style for $7.50 all day (add toppings for $1.60 each).
La Diabla: Two-for-one bowls of pozole all day, available dine-in or takeout.
Weekday-only deals
Esters: Happy hour is available from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and includes $6 bites such as five buffalo wings, meatball focaccia sliders and spinach artichoke dip as well as a variety of drink deals.
Homegrown Tap & Dough: The lunch special available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday includes your choice of any individual pizza and choice of salad starting at $14.50.
Lady Nomada: Lunch special available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday includes one free round of chips and salsa and a choice of two items from a menu of favorites served with cilantro lime rice and black beans for $13.
Park Burger: Lunch special available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday includes a Park Burger, small fries and fountain soda for $14.
Everyday deals
Angelo's Taverna Denver: Daily happy hour, 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close, including $1.25 raw oysters, $2.75 chargrilled oysters, $8 eight-inch, one topping pizzas and more.
Cart-Driver RiNo: Get a Daisy pie topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil for $8 from 8 to 10 p.m. (regular price: $17).
Edgewater Inn Pizza: Locals Spesh available all day, every day includes a draft beer, slice of pizza and a Caesar salad for $12.
FlyteCo Tower: Basic Economy happy hour, after 7 p.m. daily, including a 10-inch cheese pizza for $7 or pepperoni for $8 and a pound of wings for $8.
Steuben’s: Happier Meal, available from 2 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close daily, includes a burger, fries and a beer for $13.
Woody's Wood-Fired Pizza, Golden: Salad bars and buffets are rare these days but Woody's still offers all-you-can-eat pizza, soup and salad for just $16.99 anytime.
Know of a great deal we missed? Email [email protected].
