Eating Through DC on a Budget: Must Tries Under $10 - Nomtastic Foods (2024)

We’ve been getting a lot of DM requests asking about cheap eats in DC so we decided to do a post on affordable options in the district. We haven’t decided whether this will be a part 1 or comprehensive guide that gets updated, but we’ll let you know soon-ish. Until then, here are some of our favorite budget-friendly go-tos!

This gem is one of our go-tos in Cleveland Park! They have amaaaazing subs and sandwiches that range from $6.50-$10.50. Our favorite’s their prosciutto ($7.50), but they also offer sopressata salami, turkey, genoa salami and more.

Each handheld comes with your choice of fixings (ie. lettuce, tomatoes, onions, hot peppers, Italian dressing, provolone), and they load you UP! Choose between a hard Italian sub roll or homemade focaccia. Their ‘za is fantastic as well, and they offer it by the slice for $2.50 a pop! We recommend getting full pies to go though since they freeze well.

We’ve been obsessed with their food for years now! Our go-tos are their spicy beef and spicy chicken salteñas, but everything they offer is delicious AND under $10. Expect savory, sweet magic in each bite; a tender shell filled with a hearty stew made with soft potatoes, olives, egg, Andean spices and your protein of choice. We’re usually full after 2, but you can get frozen (or baked) options to go in bulk for a discount.

It’s still insane to us that they only charge peeps $4 for this delicious sammie! Find them at The Wharf or Georgetown to enjoy. Your handheld comes stuffed with tabouli, lettuce, red cabbage pali salad, tahini and red sauce, and if you prefer, you can pay an extra buck to get a large salad bowl. Regardless, their zaatar fries are a must, and they’re only an extra $3. That’s $7-8 for a filling meal that will leave you completely and utterly satisfied. Go and get some.

If you haven’t had I Egg You yet, you’re high key missing out. Available from 8-1PM on weekends at ChiKo Cap Hill, all of their sammies are priced under $9. You can’t go wrong with anything you get, but our personal favorite’s their OG!

Think buttery deliciousness that will leave your tastebuds oh-so-happy. Their OG’s made with griddled milk bread, a brown butter egg and fontina cheese, and it’s simple perfection. Get two or enjoy a side of their basic breakfast potatoes for an unbelievable meal that’s only $10!

Firstly, we love that they’re open until 11PM everyday of the week. And we of course love how scrumptious their pupusas are. Priced at $3-$3.35 a pop, these handmade corn tortillas are stuffed with all kinds of goodies. We recommend their revueltas (pork and cheese) and their pollo y queso (chicken and cheese), but let us know if you like a different combination by commenting below.

Pearl’s is easily one of the best bagel spots in DC proper, and all of their sammie creations just so happen to be $10 and under. They have various combos available, but our favorite’s their Pharmacy special: an everything bagel with scallion and chive cream cheese, Epic Curing naked bacon and a fat tomato slice. The Frenchie and Classic Lox are also must tries!

If you follow us on @nomtasticdc, you already know we’re big fans of Andy’s. They’re definitely in our pizza top 10, and we especially love that they offer ‘za by the slice. We usually get pepperoni or margherita…or both depending on how hungry we are. Wiseguys is also a dope choice, and they offer specialty options so make sure to check ’em out as well.

$3 tacos? Um, the answer is always yes. El Sol has some of the yummiest tacos in the district, and if you’re unfamiliar with Chef Solis, he’s also the mastermind behind Mezcalero. Options include tinga, carnitas and chorizo – we definitely favor the former, but you can’t go wrong with any of the aforementioned proteins. Their menu boasts a slew of other $10 options so definitely make sure to take a look-see.

Alright Nomsters, that’s a wrap for today! We hope you enjoyed reading about some of our favorite cheap eats in DC – click here to see more from the capitol, and let us know if you have any topics you’d like us to cover moving forward. We update le blog every Monday, Thursday and Sunday so make sure you check back soon!