Lunch for every budget in Brisbane City

Ever find that the majority of your lunch break is spent debating where to actually eat? With so many worthy options available in The City, this decision can often be a tough one. So here's our guide to the best lunch options in The City for every budget. 

Cash strapped?

The Bagel Boys, Adelaide St

The Bagel Boys specialise in traditional kettle-boiled bagels that are mixed, rolled, boiled and baked fresh every single day. Choose from 11 different flavours including poppy seed, sesame seed, soy and linseed, onion, garlic and jalapeno, or step it up a notch and try the premium bagels on offer featuring cinnamon and raisin, sunflower rye, blueberry or gluten free. These bagels are guaranteed to revive your lunchtime tastebuds. Check out The Bagel Boys' menu.

Our favourite: Smoked Salmon Bagel for $10

Govinda's Pure Vegetarian, 358 George St

You can't go wrong with this delicious vegetarian restaurant - offering all you can eat and drink "Feast Meal" for only $12.90, or $10 if you're a student. Expect fresh food cooked daily from the finest ingredients. Check out Govinda's menu.

Our favourite: Quiche + salad of the day for $9

Brisbane City Markets, Queen St 

Country comes to the city every Wednesday at the George St end of the Queen Street Mall. Whether you are a city worker, Queen Street Mall shopper or visitor to Brisbane, the market is the perfect place to grab a delicious bite, with many items being sold for under $10. Filled with fresh and exotic foods, the market is a unique and popular shopping experience. 

Our favourite: Literally everything 

Little Saigon Grill, Albert St

Little Saigon Grill is a modern Vietnamese restaurant purveying authentic, delicious and healthy cuisine. You will find Vietnamese classics on the menu including a range of rice paper rolls, bánh mì, pork and satay chicken skewers and sizzling crispy crepes for under $10.

Our favourite: Crispy Pork Belly Banh Mi Cart for $8.40

Miki Sushi, Adelaide St 

Miki Sushi offers high-quality and tasty sushi freshly made all day. The sushi is made fresh, all day long, by hand, and directly in front of you. Miki also caters for gluten-free and dairy-free, and special requests can be made to order. Check out the delicious product offering on Miki's Facebook.

Our favourite: Rainbow Roll for $3.00

Roll'd, Post Office Square & Queensplaza 

Roll'd serves grab-and-go Vietnamese street-style food favourites made fresh daily. Convenient and delicious, stop in for a rice paper roll or two, a roast pork noodle salad or classic pho before continuing on your shopping trip.Check out the menu on Facebook. 

Our favourite: Garlic prawn rice paper roll for $4.20

Steamed, Turbot St

Steamed serves up dumplings in three types; Harbin - pork and chive, Chicken Donggu - chicken with various spices, a vegetarian version called Zen, as well as Pork Clouds - wonderfully light and fluffy pork buns. Indulge in six dumplings of your choice and a pork cloud for $10. Check out the menu on Steamed's Facebook.

Our favourite: 8 x Harbin Pork Dumplings for $10 

Thr1ve, Adelaide St 

THR1VE is a wholefood cafe serving nutritionist approved paleo-inspired meals. With a focus on Paleo and Primal philosophies – think high protein and low carb with no added sugar – the menu at Thr1ve features delicious lunch bites for very affordable prices. 

For lunch choose between red quinoa and brown rice, baby spinach, rainbow slaw or Amaranth noodles as the base for your ‘Paleo Bowl’, top with protein and complete with sides including tomato salsa, zucchini fritter and roasted sweet potato. View Thr1ve's menu. 

Our favourite: The Clean Burrito with pulled pork for $14.50

Vege Rama, Post Office Square

Vege Rama is well known for delicious and nutritious vegetarian cuisine, cooked fresh daily from the finest ingredients sourced from local suppliers. Choose from delicious salads, multicultural curries and main meals ranging from small for $7.5 – and large for $11.5. All meals are produced from local, natural, organic ingredients, free of preservatives, additives and colouring. Check out Vege Rama's menu.

Our favourite: Large Veggie Boost salad plate for $13.50

Lunch out with friends for $20 and under

Bar Pacino, Eagle St 

Overlooking the stunning Brisbane River and Story Bridge, Bar Pacino offers a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere for you to sit down and enjoy a leisurely meal, as well as convenient grab and go lunch options if you're in a rush. Check out Bar Pacino's menu.

Our favourite: Flaked salmon salad for $18.

Botero House, Adelaide St

Botero House takes the honest and fun country roots of the roastery and blends it with Brisbane’s urban landscape to create a unique feel. Find a table and enjoy a range of lunch options that are both sustainable and tasty. Check out Botero House's menu.

Our favourite: Butter Chicken Burger for $17.

Brew, Burnett Lane

Brew is not only a great place for lunch or drinks with friends after work, it's also the perfect place to take some time for yourself. Find a space in the dimmed, rustic basement to enjoy some of the burgers or chipotle chicken wings for lunch, with a vast majority of meals available for the budget-friendly price of $17.50. View Brew's menu.

Our favourite: Signature Brew Burger for $17.50. 

Buffalo Bar, Mary St

Blazing with rockabilly soul, Buffalo Bar offers authentic American food, drinks and culture. Channelling the charm of the southern states, the bravado of New York and the cool of California, Buffalo Bar satiates hunger with American eats and quenches the thirst with an extensive drinks menu. Check out Buffalo Bar's menu.

Our favourite: Basket of Wings with celery, ranch dipping sauce and a topping of your choice for $14.50

Coppa Spuntino, Creek St

Brought to you from the dynamic duo Bonnie Shearston and Tom Sanceau of Red Hook and Public, Coppa Spuntino is a boutique pizzeria and charcuterie haunt. Bringing a little Italian-inspired flair to Creek St, you can enjoy delicious options such as mouth-watering wood-fired pizzas, scallops, stuffed baby squid and smoked ham hock terrine. View Coppa'a menu here. 

Our favourite: Tomato, bocconcini, basil pizza for $20

Corbett & Claude, Elizabeth St

Housed in the basement of heritage-listed Corbett Chambers building on Elizabeth St, indulge in flavoursome fare at Corbett & Claude. The laneway bar serves up wood-fired pizzas, share plates and antipasti perfect for sharing amongst friends. View the menu here. 

Our favourite: The Fireman with tomato base, mozzarella, grilled chorizo, capsicum, chilli oil & flakes for $20 

Fat Noodle, Treasury Casino & Hotel

Housed within the Treasury Casino & Hotel, award-winning celebrity chef Luke Nguyen's latest venture, Fat Noodle serves pan-Asian hawker-style food, including Nguyen’s own Vietnamese as well as Chinese, Thai and Malaysian. Opt for a lighter lunch of small plates in the $9-14 range including spring rolls, salt-and-pepper tofu, prawn and pork rice paper rolls. If you're in the mood for a heartier meal, the Vietnamese chicken salad or larger rice-based dishes and wok-cooked meals range for $16-20. Check out Fat Noodle's menu.

Our favourite: Pad Thai for $19

Felix for Goodness, Burnett Lane

Venture inside this quaint, light-filled space and sit on a stool overlooking the laneway and watch the world go by, or soak up the relaxed atmosphere inside. The lunch menu changes daily, but regular features on the menu are the seasonal garden salad, baguettes, organic vegetable tarts, and healthy sweets for under $10. Check out today's product offering on Felix's Facebook.

Our favourite: Abundant salad bowl for $16

Izakaya Kotobuki, Albert St

Sister venue of East Brisbane's Sushi Kotobuki, Izakaya Kotobuki on Albert St serves traditional Japanese cuisine, sushi and sake in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Sit on the tables surrounded by fluorescent orange Japanese lanterns and dine on fresh fusion sushi, Tamaki hand rolls as well as various rice and noodle dishes, or you can take away these bite size pieces of heaven. View the full menu offering on their Facebook.

Our favourite: Dragon Sushi Roll for $15.50  

Kiss the Berry, Creek St 

Kiss the Berry serves nutritious and organic Açaí bowls and smoothies. The wholesome Açaí bowl is made by blending up the frozen berries with fresh fruit and a dash of nudie juice, topped off with an organic hemp seed granola, locally sourced honey and some more fresh fruit. Check out Kiss the Berry's menu.

Our favourite: Snyckers Delight, medium bowl for $15 

Miss Kay's, George St 

Miss Kay's is the go-to place for authentic American-style fast food. The restaurant offers classic cheeseburgers using 300-day grain-fed beef, crispy fries, chicken wings and ice-cream sandwiches that can be washed down with a jug of your favourite cocktail. Check out Miss Kay's menu.

Our favourite: The Ludakrisp Burger for $12.50

New Shanghai, QueensPlaza

Located in QueensPlaza, New Shanghai's menu offers a vibrant array of tasty Shanghai-style soups, noodles, rice and vegetable dishes, as well as sensational dumplings – cooked using a special technique, an ancient family recipe passed down from generation to generation. View New Shanghai's menu.

Our favourite: Pot Sticker - pan-fried pork dumplings for $12.90.

Vapiano, Albert Lane off Queen St Mall 

Pop into Vapiano to treat yourself to made-to-order pizzas, fresh house-made pasta, hand-tossed gourmet salads and delicious dolci in a fun, relaxing atmosphere. View Vapiano's menu.

Our favourite: Margherita Pizza for $16

For the foodies for under $30

Public, 400 George St

Public offers a relaxed and yet totally chic environment. The food is designed to share, and the menu focuses on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, aiming to provide you with a fun dining experience, coupled with finesse. View Public's lunch menu.

Our favourite: the KFD- Kentucky Fried Duck for $15

Riverbar & Kitchen, Eagle St 

Riverbar & Kitchen has relaxed indoor and outdoor seating for you to have a bite to eat for lunch while admiring the incredible view. The bar menu features shared plates, grills and pizzas from the wood-fired oven and offers all-day dining from 7am to 11pm. As well as food designed by Matt Moran, the bar has a wide beer selection, contemporary and classic cocktails, and an extensive range of wines and champagne. Check out Riverbar & Kitchen's menu.

Our favourite: Potato gnocchi, rocket pesto, pumpkin, ricotta salata for $28