<i>Good Food Under $30</i> editors Simone Egger and Nina Rousseau reveal 2013's award-winning cheap eats.
Simple in its premise and simply outstanding in its delivery, Mamak is fast, rowdy, no-bookings and well worth a wait.
Radio Mexico, St Kilda
Radio Mexico turns up the good times with a cute outdoor terrace, colourful interior, terrific tacos and pumping bar.
Dee's Kitchen, Dromana
Spicing up seaside Dromana, Dee's Middle-Eastern menu is regularly re-jigged and almost as reviving as a weekend away.
Small Victories, Carlton North
Adding fine-dining finesse to all-day breakfasts, Small Victories does brilliant sides with eggs and uses top-notch ingredients.
Non Solo Pasta, Docklands
The Bunga Bunga has a thin base and winning toppings of Berkshire pork sausage, fior di latte, porcini mushrooms, parmesan and parsley.
Eastern Dumpling House, Carnegie
Less than a tenner buys 10 to 15 pan-fried pot-stickers, xiao long bao and steamed dumplings hand-made here daily.
Silo by Joost, City
Zero waste and amazing tastes are achieved with raw and processed on-site ingredients. There's also a pretty fancy composting machine at work.
Monk Bodhi Dharma, Balaclava
A consistent go-to for interesting veg lunches and brunches, as well as speciality coffee and tea.
Ginger Garlic, Eltham
They've been in the business for 30 years and highly recommended in our books since 1999.
229 Dining Hall & Cafe, Post Office Hotel, Coburg
A clear winner, this baby's house-made brioche bun holds a seared wagyu patty, caramelised onions, mixed lettuce, gruyere, tomato, beetroot puree, garlic aioli and onion relish.
The Age Good Food Under $30 (formerly The Age Cheap Eats) will be sold for $5 with the paper this Saturday, March 16. It's also available in bookshops and at The Age online shop (theageshop.com.au) for $10.
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