When you’re trying to stick to your budget resolutions, are a frugal penny pincher or are just trying to avoid living on instant noodles before payday, eating out can be expensive and impractical. Lucky for you, the Sunshine Coast is rich with restaurants boasting some seriously killer deals that won’t break the bank.
If you’re looking for finger-lickingly good spots to make your new regular when you’re low on funds, check out our seriously drool-worthy lineup of 11 of the Sunshine Coast’s best cheap eats in 2024. Go forth and be thrifty.
Taps Mooloolaba
The Esplanade & Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba QLD 4557
Did you know you can get twice-voted best wings in Australia for just 50 cents a piece? If you head on down to Taps Mooloolaba on a Wednesday you can get yourself these wings all day with any drink purchase.
It’s a minimum of 10 wings, so all it will cost is one fiver. There’s eight tasty flavours to wrap your chompers around and with a huge selection of tap beer that changes every week, this deal will have you going back again and again.
Your Mates Brewhouse
41 Technology Drive, Warana QLD 4575
You can't talk about cheap eats on the Sunshine Coast without talking about Your Mates Brewhouse. Every afternoon from 3pm to 5pm, there's $6 snacky hour or you can grab a burger or salad with a wine or beer for $21 every day from 11:30am to 2:30pm.
Kids eat free all day on Mondays and you can score ribs with chips and salad for $21 from 5pm on Wednesdays. Join the parmy army, and get one in you every Thursday night—for just $21, you’ll get one of the best parmigianas on the Sunshine Coast and $5 off growler fills all day. They also offer up a vegan eggplant parmy. Swing by on a Sunday and score $1 wings and $15 cocktails from 3pm to 5pm. Hands down, this brewery is one of the best cheap eats on the Sunshine Coast in 2023.
Dirty Moe's
8 Esplanade St, Mooloolaba QLD 4557
Image Credit: Dirty Moes | Instagram
With its famous slow-cooked meats and great atmosphere, Dirty Moe's gets an even bigger seal of approval from us for serving up some of the Sunshine Coast's best cheap eats deals. We're talking $10 cheeseburgers (with a drink) on Mondays, brisket with two sides (mac and cheese, fries, cheesy garlic bread or salad) for $22 on Tuesdays and then double back on Thursday night from 5pm for their cheeky $17 burger and fries combo which is nothing if not generous.
If you've already indulged in their famous brisket, try the pork belly burger with coleslaw, chipotle mayo, cheese and caramelise onions, all loaded onto a milk bun. Dirty Moes also has not one, but two, daily happy hours from 3pm to 5pm and 8:30pm to 10pm.
La Canteena
19 Ocean St, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Image Credit: La Canteena | Instagram
If you’re near Ocean Street on a Sunday, skip in to La Canteena for some of the cheapest eats deals around. Open from midday on a Sunday, this funky Mexican joint boasts live tunes in the La Canteena Garden, frozen cocktail slushies and $5 chicken tacos.
Start your week strong with Margarita Monday and snag margi deals every Monday from 5pm. The ever-changing special deals are some of the best around, with delicious street food, killer cocktails and slurp-worthy sangria taking centre stage.
Miss Moneypenny’s
6 Hastings St, Noosa Heads QLD 4567
Image Credit: Miss Moneypenny's | Instagram
Offering $3 oysters and cheap seasonal spritzers every weekday from 3pm to 5pm, why aren’t you spending every afternoon at Miss Moneypenny’s on Hastings Street? Their oyster and spritzer sessions are the place to be after knock off and are perfect if you’re looking for something a bit special without dipping into your savings.
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Goodslice Pizza Napoletana
2/48 Aerodrome Rd, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Goodslice is up there with the best Italian on the Sunshine Coast and they're also one of the top contenders for best cheaps eats on the Coast.
Visit on a Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm and you can indulge in a pizza and peroni (or prosecco) for $20, Aperol spritz for $12 and focaccia for $12.
The Beach Bar & Grill
11 Mooloolaba Espl, Mooloolaba QLD 4557
We love a good steak as much as the next person and that’s why your best bet to help keep the budget intact is to wait until Tuesday, and then hit The Beach Bar & Grill for their $22 250g rump steak nights with chips and salad.
If that hadn’t already secured The Beach Bar & Grill’s spot as one of the Sunshine Coast’s best cheap eats, pay them a visit on a Wednesday night for a $22 burger and beer, $22 chicken parmy with chips and a salad on Thursdays and $32 half-kilo slow-cooked pork ribs with six chicken wings, chips and slaw on Friday nights. Phew.
Paradise Arcade
14 Arcadia St, Noosa Heads QLD 4567 &
20 Memorial Avenue, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Image Credit: Paradise Arcade | Instagram
Home to a massive range of tequilas, mezcals and cervezas behind their bar, and tacos, burritos and tostadas in the kitchen, Paradise Arcade is THE spot for a good Mexican experience in Noosa—and now Maroochydore, too.
An overall affordable menu which includes $8.50 tacos, 2 for $18 tostadas and $22 burritos in both their wrapped and bowled forms, you can plant yourself firmly in their colourful restaurant and not worry about the economics of eating out for once.
Kings Beach Bar
1/8 Levuka Ave, Kings Beach QLD 4551
Have we got a lineup for you. Monday: $6 tacos and $15 margaritas. Tuesday: $20 parmy with chips and salad. Wednesday: $20 pasta. Friday: $15 craft burgers. Sunday: $18 Bloody Mary's.
Sat right on the water at Kings Beach, Kings Beach Bar are serving up affordable meals all week and there’s live music on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays if those prices weren’t enough. If the repetition of meal prep is starting to wear on you, you know where to find us.
El Camino Cantina
154/164 Horton Parade, Maroochydore QLD 4558
The Tex-Mex taco-slinging legends at El Camino Cantina have a reputation for serving up some of the cheapest eats around and their reputation is well-earned.
Mondays are all about $1 buffalo wings and $5 tacos, Tuesdays are for $2 tacos, Wednesdays are for the 10c wings and 50% off fajitas are the name of the game on Thursdays. We'll see you there.
Umami Ramen
54-56 Aerodrome Rd, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Image Credit: Umami Ramen | Instagram
Raid the piggy bank and fulfil your ramen cravings at this authentic ramen joint located in the heart of Maroochydore.
The first dedicated ramen shop on the Sunshine Coast, nothing on Umami Ramen’s menu costs more than $21 (bar one Mooloolaba prawn-topped ramen) and their rich and creamy tonkotsu pork broth brings hungry patrons in droves. They also appeal to the vegetarian and vegans souls amongst us with their vegan ramen made with four types of mushrooms.
Coffee Cat
4/8 Levuka Ave, Kings Beach QLD 4551
Kings Beach Bar has some competition, because right next to them is the oh-so-sweet Coffee Cat. Swing by on any Thursday and you'll find $27 authentic ever-rotating curries and trivia, pizzas starting from $15 on Fridays and Sunday Roast (just like mum used to make) every Sunday for $25.
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Main image credit: La Canteena | Instagram
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