The hearty iconic Texas chilis (all without beans, naturally), from mild to very spicy, are under $7.

The downtown deli offers up excellent filling sandwiches, from cold ones like the turkey sweet on a croissant to the hot-pressed pastrami, perfect for dining in or take-out.

For those Rainey Street/SXSW music events, the downtown pizzeria offers up various slice combinations with sodas, salads, garlic knots, etc., under $10.

Many of the east downtown and west downtown restaurant’s chicken tender meals, which come with sides like fries, are under $10.

The pan-Asian downtown restaurant just off Red River serves up thoughtful healthy bowls of curries, rice, and japchae for $10 and under.

Most of the regular-sized kebab wraps at the East Austin restaurant are under $10, with fillings like falafels, beef/map, and chicken.

Within downtown food hall Fareground is the Japanese stall Ni-Kome, which serves up $10 filling bowls of ramen. 

The lovely East Austin truck’s tacos are very inexpensive and delicious. Load up on the many offal varieties. 

Affordable breakfast seekers should head to the South Lamar truck for breakfast items like Texas hash, bacon-egg-cheese sandwiches, and an eggplant sandwich.