Great places to lunch in Sydney's CBD for under $15?

December 7, 2009 1:30 AM

Know any great places to lunch in Sydney's CBD for under $15?

Building on this question, do you know of any great places to have a sit-down or take-away lunch in Sydney's CBD? (Also, coffee?)

To leave enough time to walk there, enjoy a meal with a friend and walk back within a 45 minute lunch break, it would probably have to be west of Hyde Park and north of Hay St, but I'll gladly brisk-walk for something out of the ordinary.

My staple at the moment is Central Baking Depot on Erskine St, with coffee from Mecca. Laksa King also on Erskine St, Naughty Chef in Hunter Connection, and Plan B next to Becasse are also favourites.

posted by carnival of animals to food & drink (9 answers total)

Menya's decent and cheap if you enjoy Ramen.
posted by Mil at 1:34 AM on December 7, 2009

Mamak Do NOT go anywhere else. This place is fantastic, fun, cheap and cheerful. And it has a SMH hat!
posted by taff at 1:35 AM on December 7, 2009 [1 favorite]

Sea Bay on Pitt St - you can probably get lunch for two for $15 if you're happy to skip coffee. The best dumplings and north Chinese food in Sydney for my money.
posted by girlgenius at 1:53 AM on December 7, 2009 [3 favorites]

Ichiban Boshi in The Galleries has great ramen, but you need to take a number. I've never been for lunch so not sure if it will fit the timeframe or not.

Akaneya on King St is also reasonably good and cheapish Japanese fare.
posted by smoke at 3:23 AM on December 7, 2009

Oooo, if Hay St's your boundary, Chinatown has a host of good options, also. For ultra-cheap the sussex st food court has some great food. Highlight is Happy Chef Noodles (seafood combination=bliss), but the viet place, Warra warra (Korean barbecue), and the sizzling plate joint are all pretty good too. It's also licensed upstairs, though obviously won't have that sit-down ambience.

Musashi, on the corner of Pitt and Hay is also a ripper place for Izakaya style Japanese, will squeak in around $15. I highly recommend Musashi.

For Korean, on Pitt (317A) Madang is good low key Korean. Seoul Ria is a bit more expensive, but really delicious (Goulburn St).

For Vegetarian Mama Chu's is pretty good value, I think it's on Pitt. Anywhere between Town Hall Station and Chinatown will be fine.
posted by smoke at 3:31 AM on December 7, 2009

I came here to recommend Menya as well. Best ramen I've had outside of Japan. Actually, better than a lot of the ramen I had in Japan.

The downstairs foodcourts in Chinatown are also surprisingly excellent.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 3:47 AM on December 7, 2009

Seconding Sea Bay, the dumplings are just to die for - you may have to queue on occasion for a table though, it is very popular.

The Civic Hotel has stellar mod-greek counter meals in the main bar for $15 at lunch. The slow roasted lamb shoulder is particularly divine. Service is fast and friendly and the carpet in the small room off the main bar really needs to be experienced.
posted by the.carol.baxter.experience at 1:04 PM on December 7, 2009

Yutaka on Bathurst St between Pitt and Castlereagh does all-you-can-eat Japanese for $14 at lunch time.

And seconding Mama Chu's - the variety of faux-foods constructed from gluten at that place have to be seen (and tasted) to be believed.
posted by girlgenius at 3:00 PM on December 7, 2009

For sushi I like Ippon, a cute little train place that's been in Sussex Street forever. Fresh and tasty.
posted by Georgina at 4:52 AM on December 8, 2009