Eat Cheap, But Well
NORTHERN LIBERTIES
Honey’s Sit ‘N’ Eat Make a pre-work visit to Honey’s any weekday (8 a.m. to 10 a.m. only) for the $3.95 breakfast special: two free-range eggs cooked your way, with potato latke, grits or home fries; toast or biscuit; and bottomless coffee. It may cost almost as much as your entire meal, but splurge on the $3 fresh-squeezed orange juice. 800 North 4th Street, 215-925-1150, honeys-restaurant.com.
UNIVERSITY CITY/ WEST PHILLY
Desi Chaat House They’re typically served as street snacks in India, but there’s nothing wrong with making a full meal out of chaats, especially when the most expensive ones here cost $6. A favorite is the papri chaat ($5), a combination of crunchy, crispy fried dough pieces, cilantro, chickpeas, mango, chilies, tamarind sauce, yogurt and masala spice, all tossed together into a filling treat. 501 South 42nd Street, 215-386-1999, desichaathouse.com.
Kabobeesh It’s not a particularly pretty spot — and the huge TV blaring Middle Eastern soap operas doesn’t help — but don’t let that keep you from the vast $10.50 platters of fantastic Pakistani kebabs — the boneless lamb and chicken versions are best — served with fresh naan, veggie sides, a pile of rice, and an addictively spicy yogurt-chili sauce. 4201 Chestnut Street, 215-386-8081, kabobeesh.com.
Pod All-you-can-eat sushi at a Starr restaurant, $25 per person, Tuesday nights after 9 p.m. What else do you need to know, other than reservations are highly recommended? 3636 Sansom Street, 215-387-1803, podrestaurant.com.
Vietnam The Vietnamese food you crave — crispy spring rolls, char-grilled lemongrass chicken, beef-stuffed grape leaves, tender pork meatballs, with fish sauce and lettuce- and rice-paper-wrap fixings — and that’s just the $25.95 barbecue platter. Then there’s the coconut-spiked pork clay pot ($12.95), fried rice to dream about ($9.95) … are you hungry yet? 221 North 11th Street, 215-592-1163, and 816 South 47th Street, 215-729-0260; eatatvietnam.com.
CHESTER CO.
Iron Hill Brewery For pizza and craft-beer fans (and who isn’t a fan of one or the other?), Iron Hill offers quite a deal: two personal pizzas and a growler (four pints) of the brewpub’s beer for $25, available to-go only. Just call in your order by 10 p.m. seven days a week, at any of the restaurant’s eight locations, and swing by to pick it up. Multiple locations; ironhillbrewery.com.
Three Little Pigs A deli that offers gourmet sandwiches, served on house-baked bread, with swanky ingredients at totally not-swanky prices? We’re sold, especially round these parts. Take the High Street: honey ham, brie and spicy mustard ($6.75). 131 North High Street, West Chester, 610-918-1272, threelittlepigswc.com.
