Consider this our cheap eats Hall of Fame.
You know the places: perennial lines, dedicated fans, head-scratching finances. Year in, year out, they’re the ones that deliver an oasis of value in a desert of high prices.
Jethro’s Fine Grub
If you check your pride—and we’re not condoning this, mind you—three can dine on the $10 full stack of four hubcap-sized pancakes.3420 Dunbar St., Dunbar; 3455 Fraser St., Fraserhood
Wakwak Burger
Yes, it’s no longer the $2.85 that gave birth to its original name (it’s a whopping $3), but this Japanese-influenced bun and patty combo is still a steal.Granville and Pender, Downtown
Jack’s Place at Army and Navy
A lunch counter in the original Gastown pioneer that’s been selling grilled cheese sandwiches for $1.75 since Gerald Ford was president.36 W Cordova St., Gastown
The Capital
An entire menu at $4.95 can either be a siren call (crispy chicken wafflewich) or a warning to heed (the blackened fish tacos), but this place is a West End temple of cheap eats. Parking will cost you more.1178 Davie St., West End
Duffin’s
Random word generators couldn’t come up with a menu as eclectic as the one at this seriously South Main spot. A machaca torta ($4.24) with a slice of banana cake ($1.70) washed down with a single espresso ($1.75) and a dozen old-school doughnuts to go ($8—$1 cheaper and infinitely better than Tim Hortons).1391 E 41st Ave., Kensington
Save on Meats
The Icarus of Vancouver cheap eats never quite fulfilled its promise as an honest place with honest food, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. And the $4.99 traditional breakfast (eggs, hash browns, toast) allows one to dip their toes into the Gastown brunch bonanza without breaking the bank.43 W Hastings St., Gastown
