1. Munchies梦奇屋View In Map
When you’ve got the munchies, head to… um, Munchies. With tie-dye clad staff, tasty American and Tex-Mex grub at low prices, and two cosy branches, it’s a cult favourite among thrifty Shanghai diners. The menu is gaudy, and filled with classics like hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches and tacos. Their desserts and drinks are great too (Tsingtao for 8 RMB! Milkshakes for 15 RMB!), and nothing on the menu costs much more than 40 RMB. They deliver as well – free within 1km.

 

Add: 74 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu, Jing’An District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市静安区武定路974号, 近胶州路
Tel: 021 6218 4616
Opening hours: Sun-Thu 10:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-00:00

Add: No. 63 Shunchang Lu, near Jianguo Donglu, Luwan District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市卢湾区顺昌路563号, 近建国东路
Tel: 021 6311 3616
Opening hours: 10:00-22:00

2. Taco Loco View In Map
The day Taco Loco opened was a happy one for folk who don’t want to pay over the odds for a simple burrito. Taco Loco’s slim, white-walled café on Fumin Lu caters to the WiFi crowd who yearn for low cost Tex-Mex. Big, well-filled burritos and quesadillas for 28 RMB, juicy tacos for 12 RMB, all with a choice of pork carnitas, steak asada, or chicken, and dirt cheap Corona (15 RMB). ¡Arriba!

Add:185 Fumin Lu, near Julu Lu, Jing’An District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市静安区富民路185号, 近巨鹿路
Tel: 021 5403 2348
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10:00-00:00

3. Adobo Latin Flavor View In Map
Once you’ve exhausted Taco Loco’s menu, try Adobo’s equally cheap offerings. Their late night happy hour between 10pm and midnight gives you nachos for 3 RMB and beers for 5 RMB.

Add: 139 Tai'An Lu, near Huashan Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市泰安路139号, 近华山路
Tel: 021 6281 4891
Opening hours: 11:00-00:00

4. Saizeriya Ristorante e Caffe 萨莉雅View In Map
You either love Saizeriya or you hate it. The concept is bizarre – Italian trattoria done Japanese style. We’re not sure exactly what this means, but one thing’s for sure: it’s cheap. Two people can dine like royalty for around 50 RMB, including wine. The quality isn’t great, but it’s fine for the price. Many branches, but most popular are:

Add: B1, Sanwu Building, 555 Nanjing Xilu, near Chengdu Bei Lu, Jing’an District, Shanghai
地址:上海静安区南京西路555号三五大厦B1楼(近成都北路)
Tel: 021 6255 3754
Opening hours: 10：00-23：00

Add: 319 Tianyaoqiao Lu, near Nandan Donglu, Shanghai
地址: 上海天钥桥路319号近南丹东路
Tel: 021 6464 2887
Opening hours: 10:00-05:00

Add: 2F, 32 Wanhangdu Lu, Jing’an District, Shanghai
地址: 上海万航渡路32号2楼
Tel: 021 6258 5815
Opening hours: 10：00 – 5:00 

5. Coolzey 酷芝
This is a favourite for home delivery, but the restaurants themselves are surprisingly welcoming, with modern art prints on the walls, cosy tables and intimate lighting. The menu offers pizza, pasta, risotto, salads, and desserts, most costing between 30 RMB and 50 RMB. Find address info for all three Coolzey locations in Shanghai on their website.

6. Babela’s Kitchen 巴贝拉意大利休闲餐厅
Babela’s is similar in standard and reputation to Saizeriya, but special in its own way. The menu is a strange mix of European and Asian fare, and the drinks list includes such follies as coffee tea. No joke. Again, a couple can eat heartily for under 50 RMB. Branches all across town, in such salubrious locales as Hongkou Stadium metro station, Cloud Nine Mall near Zhongshan Park, and every other budget food hall you can think of.

7. Noodle Bull 狠牛独创牛肉面馆View In Map
Recently expanding its branches to the 1933 complex in Hongkou and the Channel 1 Mall on Changshou Lu, Noodle Bull started on Fumin Lu with a small but tasty selection of Taiwanese noodle bowls. Great for winter, these huge bowls of soup, beef, and noodles are cheap at around 25 RMB.

Add: 1F, 291 Fumin Lu, near Changle Lu, Xuhui District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市徐汇区富民路291号1楼, 近长乐路
Tel: 021 6170 1299

Add: 1-234, the 1933 complex, 10 Shajing Lu, Hongkou District, Shanghai
地址: 上海虹口区沙泾路10号1933老场坊1-234
Opening hours: 11：00 – 22：00

8. Cha’s 查餐厅 View In Map
One of the many benefits of this little joint is that it stays open until 2am. Other than that, it’s a steamy, aromatic, busy slice of Hong Kong, with all the cheap tasty dishes you’d find in a Mong Kok diner.

Add: 1F, 30 Sinan Lu, near Huaihai Zhonglu, Changning District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市卢湾区思南路30号1楼, 近淮海中路
Tel: 11:00-02:00
Opening hours: 021 6093 2062

9. Commando Chicken Express 客满多烤鸡View In Map
Chicken, chicken, and more chicken. This little rotisserie just off Changle Lu serves up baskets of roasted bird, accompanied by tasty fries, and a selection of sauces. Their meal sets are great value – 40 RMB for a half chicken, fries, and a drink. They deliver too.

Add: No. 18, Lane 339 Changle Lu, near Xiangyang Lu, Xuhui District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市徐汇区长乐路339弄18号近襄阳北路
Tel: 021 5403 2290
Opening hours: 11:00-22:00

10. Carl’s Jr.View In Map
Sick of McDonalds and Burger King, but don’t want to fork out 100 RMB on a gourmet burger? Then try Carl’s Jr. Free salsa, tasty burgers with lots of choices for toppings, cheese fries… A tad more expensive than McD’s, but still cheap, and well worth it.

Add: B1/F, Raffles City, 268 Xizang Zhonglu, near Fuzhou Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市黄浦区西藏中路268号来福士广场B1楼 (近福州路)
Tel: 021 6340 3663
Opening hours: 10:00 – 22:00

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