By: Iris Estrada
iris.estrada1@gmail.com

Being a student often means having to pass on eating out in order to save money for more important things: rent, books and booze.

But you don’t have to give up restaurant trips because you’re living on a budget. Instead, students and other folks looking to save a buck can head over to any of the following places for simple, no-frills, affordable food.

Maxwell’s Plum is downtown on Grafton Street. Get there before 3 p.m. on a Saturday for the $2 Maxwell’s Style Breakfast. With the purchase of a beverage — coffee is $2 and includes free refills — you get three eggs, two slices of whole-wheat toast, five strips of bypass in a skillet and a hefty serving of fries. If you like a quiet setting, Maxwell’s might not be the place to go. Saturdays mean loud crowds, and waiting for a seat can test your patience.

Next time you’re in the mood for a cheeseburger, skip the fast food emporium and head to the Westcliffe Diner, at the corner of Oxford Street and Bayers Road. A chatty married couple joke with customers while cooking up diner classics for a handful of regulars. A juicy, well-seasoned, hand-shaped patty and a side of fries sets you back $4.75. Wash it all down with a tasty milkshake for only $2.25, a price that would make Vince Vega proud.

Half-convenience store, half-pizza joint, Big Al’s Pizza can’t pull off poutine, but boy do they know pepperoni! A medium pepperoni pizza from this Gottigen Street shop costs $6.99. Perfect sauce-to-cheese ratio with small, crispy pepperoni — not salami, with which most Halifax shops top their pies. This deal is a greasy delight for any junk-food enthusiast.

But what if you like the big, bologna-like salami used for pepperoni? No problem! Leave your friends at Big Al’s while you head next door to Kit Kat’s Pizza. Don’t let the run down exterior turn you off; experience a thick crust slice, packed with toppings and oozing with a heavy layer of glorious mozzarella for only $2.65. If you’re looking to share, their large pepperoni pie is an even $10.

If you feel like a cold brew, head to Trader’s Bar inside the Delta Barrington hotel. If you buy a pint of Garrison beer, you can pay $5 to access their all-you-can-eat mussel buffet.

Finally, The Cafe on Gottigen Street, near Cornwallis, offers lunch specials for $5.70 which include a salad, rice pilaf, roasted potatoes and a variety of main courses. These change on a daily basis and range from pasta to quiche.

If you’re looking to save cash, cooking at home is the best way to go. But not everyone has the time — or the skill — to whip up a meal.

Whatever the reason, restaurants will always be there to do the cooking for you. If you search hard enough, you can find spots that will fill you up without
emptying your wallet.