The Best Lunches In Auckland For Under $15

Quirky and delicious, Mighty Hotdog is one of a kind. Known for its legendary hotdogs on a stick, this is a fantastic restaurant for cheap and cheerful lunches. The menu is separated into sausage, cheese and dessert – because hotdogs come in more ways than one. To ease newcomers into the cuisine, we have the original hotdog, made with chicken sausage, deep-fried to perfection and doused with sauce. A beloved flavour is the nacho dog, picture a mozzarella stick coated with nachos – too good to be true. All of Mighty Hotdog’s menu is $8 and less!

Pop by and sample deli life in its most authentic form at Federal Delicatessen. Whether you need a bottomless cup of Joe, a slice of pie, or a New York deli dish, you can find it all in one place. For lunch, we suggest the NYC-style hotdog with relish and Old Yella mayo. It is a classic dish that hits the spot every time! On colder days, we lean towards the mussel and pastrami chowder, served with kumara and a toasted bun. It would be a crime against your taste buds if you did not get a slice of pie during your visit; the NY cheesecake is infamous; you will understand the hype when you try it.

Hailed as one of Auckland’s tastiest eateries, Eden Noodles Café is a legend in the making. The traditional Sichuan cuisine is spicy, flavourful and moreish. The portion sizes are very generous, and the prices are budget-friendly. If you have not dined here before, you are missing out! Take home 20 pork and chive dumplings for only $15, or go for the real star of the show, the noodles. There are five types of noodles available; wide, thick, thin, kumara and rice. You cannot go wrong with thin noodles mixed with dry seafood and spicy beef in soup, with a layer of pork mince on top. Otherwise, the stir-fried chicken with fresh chilli on kumara noodles is divine. Most Eden Noodles’ dishes are less than $15 a portion, and there is usually a substantial amount of leftovers to enjoy the next day!

There is something incredibly promising about food trucks; you know you are in for something delicious, and Lucky Taco does not disappoint. The variety of taco flavours includes stewed zucchini, spiced fish, and skirt steak, and for the more adventurous diners, there is beef tongue. The DJ Slave is a mouth-watering creation that pairs slow-roasted, free-farmed pulled pork with melted cheese, coriander and lime sauce inside a toasted flour tortilla; this beauty will only cost you $8. Grab an Aguas Frescas to wash down your lunch; the agua de horchata is super tasty, made with sweetened, iced rice milk infused with cinnamon.

Eating cheap does not mean you cannot eat healthily; Revive Café is leading the charge with feel-good food. The well-balanced and nutritional meals offer a great source of energy to keep you going all day long. The menu is split into hot boxes and salad boxes; opt for the regular size to keep within your budget. Our go-to salad is the Asian carrot and parsnip salad with edamame beans, spring onions, mint and tahini dressing. When we are after something to warm us up, we go for the Indian lentil korma hot box with potatoes and brown rice. The guilt-free lunch tastes amazing.