Top 10: What's for Lunch in Birmingham For Less Than $10
Carryout or dine-in choices fill appetites for wraps, salads, soups, burgers and ethnic fare.
Papa Joe's spreads out an array of sandwiches on baguettes, pitas and focaccia, with half-portions available.
Alan Stamm
Photos (8)
Photos
It's called a lunch break for a reason, so break out of your routine and break away from the workplace or the kitchen at least once a week. Step away from that microwavable tray or plastic bag, and step out for something different.
A roundup of in-town and nearby options could fill a sizable directory, which is what Patch compiled here, with five dozen restaurants searchable by cost or cuisine. Today's roundup focuses on diverse picks for budget-friendly mid-day meals. Some selections leave room for a beverage without exceeding $10. Pizza is skipped because there are enough choices for a separate Top 10 list in coming weeks.
1. Mideastern: Phoenicia on South Old Woodward, which lets you order online for advance preparation or takeout, has some lunch items within today's range — including kafta, Lebanese salad and shawarma chicken. Elie's on Pierce has seven Mediterranean pita rollups for $4-$5. La Feast, which opened late last year on East Maple, has 11 specialty sandwiches under $4. A colorful service counter tucked in a front corner of Papa Joe's has falafel, tabbouli, hommous, fatoush salad, grape leaves, chicken kabob, chicken shawarma and Middle Eastern salad. All four sites have outside tables.
2. Mexican: Qdoba Mexican Grill at East Maple and Poppleton offers five types of burritos, five taco varieties, five nachos, four quesadillas, three taco salads, Mexican gumbo and tortilla soup. Outside seating and online ordering available.
3. Asian: Tangy choices are Mountain King on South Old Woodward for Chinese cuisine, Sy Thai Café on Hamilton and New Bangkok on North Old Woodward.
4. Italian: Salvatore Scallopini on North Old Woodward has an $8 daily pasta special and 11 more pasta choices under $10. Sandwiches include "The Great Muffaletta," with a money-back guarantee if it doesn't satisfy. On South Adams, Primo's (locally owned since 1978) has spaghetti, ravioli and lasagna takeout choices.
5. Sushi: Tokyo Sushi and Grill on East Maple has a broad sushi and sashimi selection, plus Japanese dishes such as udon, soba noodles, donburi, tempura and teriyakis. Bento box and boat assortments are offered at lunch-friendly rates. The owners are Chris and Ritsuko Sayanthone of Laos and Japan, respectively. Fresh sushi varieties are also rolled daily at Kroger and Papa Joe's.
6. Sandwiches: With subs, pitas, paninis, focaccia, wraps, baguettes and crisp ciabata, Birmingham is far from a plain tuna-on-white town. This lunch staple rises beyond ordinary at Phat Sammich (46 choices!), Toss-ups, Panera, Cosi, Olga's Kitchen, Old Woodward Deli, Pita Café, How About Lunch, Whistle Stop, Zuma, Dick O'Dow's, South Bar, Elie's, Papa Joe's, Quiznos, Bagel Factory Café, Einstein Bagels and Hungry Howies.
Chef Whitney Smith is justly proud of Commonwealth Café's fried egg and cheddar sandwich, served with salad, guacamole and salsa. Primo's also makes 10 submarines, including vegetarian.
7. Burgers: Hunter House earns the first mention as a Birmingham icon with five-decades-long roots. Two picnic tables out front fill up this time of year. Grills also are hot at Dick O'Dow's, Whistle Stop, Max & Erma's and other all-American lunch joints with pickles, onions, fries and ketchup. South's version comes with avocado salsa and cilantro sour cream. Even Primo's flips burgers and cheeseburgers to go.
8. Smoothies: At another end of the food chain, enjoy a light, healthful "meal in a cup" at Beyond Juice. Fruit and yogurt blends can be jazzed up with papaya nectar, cranberry sauce, orange juice. nuts, honey, cream of coconut, protein powder, wheat germ, ginseng, soy powder or other stuff. Sandwiches and salads also are available, and two small tables are on the sidewalk. Outside seating also is available on Pierce at Elie's, which has eight smoothies and eight raw fruit juices — all at $5. Olga's serves seven flavors of Suncoast Smoothies.
9. Soup: Rotating daily temptations at Cosi, Panera, Toast, Max & Erma's, Zuma, Commonwealth and elsewhere can include cold gazpacho or vichyssoise at a few spots this season. In the Rail District, the Whistle Stop is known for thick chicken noodle soup. On Hamilton Row, Quattro serves exquisitely seasoned minestrone and tomato soup.
10. Salad: Available virtually everywhere, with these menus among the most extensive: Max & Erma's has six entree salads, Phat Sammich on Woodward and the upscale Quattro each have five, while South has four within this column's price ceiling.
Other speedy lunch choices include Leo's Coney Island, Village Coney, Greek Island Coney, Kentucky Fried Chicken (drive-through option), Market Square (takeout only) and Kroger's deli (ditto).
Next time it's too nice to stay in for lunch, try different cuisine or a new spot — maybe even a park bench picnic. And when it's rainy or your turn to plan an office lunch meeting, Eton Market, Primo's, Papa Joe's and What's For Lunch can deliver fresh fare, utensils and napkins.
Did you find a new lunch destination or want to recommend an item at one of these?
Tell us in the comments.
In This article
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Phoenicia
588 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Elie's Mediterranean Grill
263 Pierce St, Birmingham, MI -
La Feast
297 E Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI -
QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL
795 E Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI -
Mountain King Chinese Restaurant
469 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Sy Thai Cafe
315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, MI
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New Bangkok Thai Bistro
183 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Salvatore Scallopini Italian Ristorante
505 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Primo's Pizza
996 S Adams Rd, Birmingham, MI -
Tokyo Sushi & Grill
225 E Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI -
Kroger Food and Pharmacy
685 E Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI -
Papa Joe's Gourmet Market & Catering
34244 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Toss-Ups
34623 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Panera Bread
100 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Cosi
101 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Olga's Kitchen
138 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Old Woodward Deli
768 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Pita Cafe
239 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
How About Lunch
33757 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Whistle Stop Restaurant
501 S Eton St, Birmingham, MI -
Zuma Coffee House
207 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Dick O'Dow's
160 W Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI -
South Bar
210 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Quiznos
185 N Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Bagel Factory Cafe
1120 E Lincoln St, Birmingham, MI -
Einstein Bros Bagels
176 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Hungry Howies Pizza & Subs
33901 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Commonwealth Cafe
300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, MI -
Hunter House Hamburgers
35075 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Max & Erma's
250 E Merrill St, Birmingham, MI -
Beyond Juice
270 W Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI -
Quattro Pizzeria & Wine Bar
203 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, MI -
Leo's Coney Island
154 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Village Coney
653 S Adams Rd, Birmingham, MI -
Kentucky Fried Chicken
33900 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI -
Market Square
1964 Southfield Rd, Birmingham, MI -
Greek Islands Coney Restaurant
221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, MI
Janis Tsai
2:23 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
GREAT article. I love food and I love spending as little as possible. I live in Birmingham, and this is such a great restaurant guide. I have often walked by these restaurants without a second glance because I thought they were too expensive. I will definitely be checking out some of this article's recommendations.
Kim Littlefield
3:07 pm on Friday, June 17, 2011
Yes, awesome article! Also want to recommend Stacked Deli in the sandwich department: (http://birmingham.patch.com/listings/stacked-deli)