A long list of meals that are $10 or under in Tucson

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. It’s something I don’t even have to tell you: life is expensive. The cost of gas, the cost of groceries, the cost of rent.

But if you’re itching to support local, here’s a long list of restaurants that offer meals for $10 and under. Near the end of the list, you’ll find suggestions for lunch specials (which might not all be under $10 but are generally good deals) and early bird breakfast deals.

All of the prices in this story were pulled from menus on restaurant websites or recent Yelp images. Be aware that prices might change and the dollar amounts I include here don’t include tax. This story was last updated on March 23, 2026.

Know of any other eats that are $10 or under? Let me know!

Meals that are $10 or under, no matter the time of day

Mexican food

• El Sur — There are three dishes on the vegan menu, all of which are $10. That includes a burrito, fajitas and three soft tacos. Location: 5602 E. 22nd St.
• Monster Sonoran Hot Dogs — You can, of course, get a Sonoran hot dog here for under $10, but my favorite is the birria grilled cheese for $8. Location: inside American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
• Paco’s Mexican Food — With the exception of two items, the entire menu is under $10. That includes combo plates, burritos, taco salads, chimichangas and tortas. Location: 5563 E. Grant Rd.
• St. Mary’s Mexican Food — All 10 of the combo plates are under $10. You can also get several tacos, tostadas or burros under the $10 mark. I personally love their red chile beef. Location: 1030 W. Saint Marys Rd.
• Tacos Apson — The fan favorite at Tacos Apson is probably something with meat, which is for good reason. But my go-to is the Taco Chino, which is literally just a tortilla filled with refried beans … and it’s only $1. Location: 3501 S. 12th Ave.
• Taqueria Juanitos — Burritos are all under $10 at Juanitos, but I have my eye on one of the platos that comes with two tacos, beans and rice for $7.50. Location: 708 W. Grant Rd.
• Taqueria Pico de Gallo — Most burros and most tortas are under $10. You can get a chicken torta with a 16-ounce drink for $9 or two green corn tamales with beans and rice for $8. Location: 2618 S. Sixth Ave.
• Tanias 33 — Get a large burrito or a taco salad for $10, or you can order a 32-ounce serving of soup for $9. Location: 614 N. Grande Ave.
• The Quesadillas — Most of the quesadillas, which are served with a bean taco on the side, are no more than $9.50. You can get your quesadilla filled with barbacoa, chorizo, pork, chicken or veggies but my favorite is the carne asada. Location: 2418 N. Craycroft Rd.
• Sonoran hot dogs!!! From anywhere!

Sandwiches and handhelds

• 4th Ave Deli — All of the hot dogs are under $10 and three of the sandwiches, including twists on a classic BLT, are exactly $10. Location: 425 N. Fourth Ave.
• Aspasia — If you pay with cash, you can get pita wraps for under $10 here. A few salads are also under the $10 mark. Location: 2310 N. Country Club Rd.
• Banhdicted — There are eight banh mi options on the menu and every single one is under $10. Location: 1980 W. Orange Grove Rd. and 6878 E. Sunrise Dr.
• Bobo’s Restaurant — Get a grilled cheese sandwich and fries for under $10, plus breakfast favorites. Location: 2938 E. Grant Rd.
• Bubbe’s Bagels — My go-to at Bubbe’s is a plain (sometimes garlic) bagel with plain cream cheese … and it’s $3.85! But if you want something a little more hearty, they’ve got bagel sandwiches filled with ham and cheese, egg and cheese, egg salad, tuna or a reuben for under $10. Locations: 1101 N. Wilmot Rd. and 1865 E. River Rd.
• Cafe 54 — Over at Cafe 54, you can get a BLT with your choice of a side for $9.50. For 50 cents less, you can get half a sandwich and a soup or salad. Location: 54 E. Pennington St.
• Med Cuisine — Most of the pita wraps at Med Cuisine are under $10, including ones with lamb, falafel and chicken. Location: 1763 E. Prince Rd.
• Oh My Chicken — Order the deluxe chicken sandwich and fries for $9.49. If you don’t want fries, it’s $7.49. Location: inside Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway Blvd. The Campbell location has a slightly different menu!
• Serial Grillers — Get a quarter-pound burger for $8.49, which comes with cheese and a selection of free toppings in addition to chips, coleslaw or potato salad. Two specialty burgers are also under $10. Locations: 5737 E. Speedway Blvd. and 7585 S. Houghton Rd.
• Slice & Ice — There are 14 sandwiches on the menu and every single one is under $10. Among the 12 pizza pies on the menu, every single one is also under $10. Locations: 1905 W. Grant Rd. and 6810 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
• Sunny Daze Cafe — Get a grilled cheese and pickle sandwich served with a side for $8.99. The breakfast menu also includes items under $10. Location: 4980 S. Campbell Ave.
• The Original Mr. K’s BBQ — All five sandwiches on the menu are under $10. My favorite is the sloppy Joe, but I’m also a fan of the pulled pork. Location: 6302 S. Park Ave.
• Tuxon Chix — There are several options at Tuxon Chix that come in under $10. Get a classic chicken sandwich for $5 and add fries to make your total $9. You could also get two chicken tenders and fries for $10 or four chicken wings and fries for $10. Location: 5524 E. Grant Rd.

Pizza (and a couple salads + one pasta option)

• Arizona Pizza Company — Get a large slice of cheese pizza with a fountain drink for $10. Location: 4955 N. Sabino Canyon Rd.
• Brooklyn Pizza Company — You can get two slices of cheese pizza for $7.34. Toppings are $1.50 each! Location: 534 N. Fourth Ave.
• No Anchovies — Pizza slices with cheese, pepperoni or mushrooms are under $5 at No Anchovies. You can also get a Caesar salad, a house salad or a pasta bowl for $9.95. Location: 870 E. University Blvd.
• Slice & Ice — There are 14 sandwiches on the menu and every single one is under $10. Among the 12 pizza pies on the menu, every single one is also under $10. Locations: 1905 W. Grant Rd. and 6810 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
• Time Market — Pepperoni slices are $4.50, cheese slices are $4. A large kale salad is $10. Location: 444 E. University Blvd.
• Upper Crust Pizza — Get a large slice of cheese pizza with a fountain drink for $10. Location: 1909 E. Grant Rd.

A couple other dishes

• China Pasta House — The menu is filled with items under $10. I love the Spicy Hot Noodles ($8.99), but you can also order dumplings, rice and lots of other noodle dishes. Location: 430 N. Park Ave.
• Wings and Rice — Get five chicken strips for $9.99 or a combo of two chicken strips with small fries, a small fried rice or a side salad for $7.99. Location: 5502 E. Pima St.

Lunch specials, some of which are not under $10

• El Minuto — From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, you can order an $8.25 lunch special at El Minuto. There are six options on the menu. Location: 354 S. Main Ave.
• Fentonelli’s Pizzeria & Bar — For lunch only, you can get two slices of pizza for $10. Location: 7262 N. Oracle Rd.
• Jaime’s Pizza Kitchen — From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, get a slice of pizza with one topping, a side salad and a fountain beverage for $10. Location: 312 E. Congress St.
• Maru Plus — There are seven lunch specials here. The most affordable is $10, which comes with eight pieces of gyoza, rice and miso soup. Location: 2741 N. Campbell Ave.
• New York Pizza on Broadway — From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, get two slices of cheese pizza and a soda for $8.75. Location: 8771 E. Broadway Blvd.
• Saffron Indian Bistro — The all-you-can-eat lunch buffet is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., priced at $15.95. Location: 7607 N. Oracle Rd.
• Silver Saddle Steakhouse — Choose from a list of sandwiches, including barbecue beef, ham, turkey and a BLT for $11.95. Steak is also on the lunch menu. Location: 310 E. Benson Hwy.
• Taqueria Pico de Gallo — From 5-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, you can get $1.75 tacos. Location: 2618 S. Sixth Ave.

Most Chinese restaurants offer lunch specials that often include some combination of an entree, a cup of soup, rice and an egg roll for $10-$13. This list is not comprehensive, but restaurants include: China Szechwan, Jun Dynasty, Guilin Chinese Restaurant, Ba-Dar, Golden Dragon, Golden House, Great Village and La Bella China.

A handful of Thai restaurants offer similar lunch specials such as Bai Thong and Char’s Thai.

A few early bird breakfast specials $10 and under

• Baja Cafe — Four of the five early bird specials are under $10. Order from 6-8 a.m. weekdays. (And if you count a Snickerdoodle pancake as a meal, that’s $7.50 all the time!) Locations: 7002 E. Broadway Blvd. and 2970 N. Campbell Ave.
• Bobo’s Restaurant — Before 8 a.m. on weekdays, get two eggs with home fries and toast for $3.99. Location: 2938 E. Grant Rd.
• Frank’s Restaurant — Before 9 a.m. on weekdays (excluding holidays), you can get two eggs, hashbrowns and toast for $5. There are also breakfast specials on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for $10 and under. Location: 3843 E. Pima St.
• Joe’s Pancake House — On weekdays, get one egg, toast, hashbrowns and your choice of bacon/sausage/ham for $5.99. There’s also a French toast option for $6.99 and a two-pancake option for $6.49. Location: 2532 S. Kolb Rd.
• Millie’s Haus — Get bacon or sausage, two eggs, toast and bottomless coffee for $8.99 before 8 a.m. Location: Trail Dust Town, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Rd.