This Armenian-Lebanese fast-casual spot serves up extraordinary meals in less time than it takes to order an Uber, and often for $10 or less. Try one of the massive bowls, perhaps grilled halloumi or kofta on a bed of toasted couscous — herb-flecked, fluffy, and the size of marbles — piled high with fattoush, pita chips, and dips.

This iconic 24-hour bakery has no end of Italian sweets, but don’t sleep on the savory offerings, including thick Sicilian slices and arancini, gooey in the center and the size of a fist. But the real stars are the half-calzones, $16 but hefty, stuffed with chicken parmesan; sausage, pepper, and onion; spinach and cheese; and more, all enveloped in a golden, glistening crust. One makes two meals, at least.

Argentinian co-owner Melissa Stefanini — a transplant from Los Angeles, like her Buenas partner Sebastian Galvez — started selling empanadas because she couldn’t find authentic ones close to home. Purists will be happy with her classic ground-beef-and-onion version, but creativity, and affordability, is what makes Buenas shine.

Shakshuka, red lentil soup, dolma (stuffed peppers), and other specialties are on the menu at this Turkish restaurant in Brookline. Yesim Otsuz, from Antalya, Turkey, along the Mediterranean coast, cooks the food of her homeland for guests, who can sit at tables inside or out.

Come with a small and hungry group and be prepared to share. The staff are efficient and professional, buzzing through this perennially busy Cambridge staple with plates of piping hot fresh dumplings. It would take months to move through Dumpling House’s entire menu. But to start, order up a pitcher of coconut soju, and spicy braised eggplant, steamed soup dumplings, and Szechuan dried crispy spicy chicken.

Almost nothing is over $20 at this trio of Colombian restaurants in East Boston, Brookline, and Revere. The dishes range from crisp, compact beef empanadas (a savory steal at $1.50), to cornmeal-crusted stewed chicken turnovers ($3.50), to thinly pounded fried chicken drenched in a velvety mushroom cream sauce, enough for three people at just $17.

We have mixed feelings about letting this secret out, but here goes: Evergreen, right off the Orange Line’s Green Street Station, is a delicious and affordable spot with something to delight everyone. The egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on an English muffin comes in under $5 — and is exponentially better than the similar offering at a certain ubiquitous local chain. A weekend splurge is the Golden Avocado Toast, with hard-boiled eggs and balsamic glaze, at about $13.

In a lunchtime landscape of assembly-line bowls, Flavor Boom! breaks the mold with tall cartons of rice, vegetables, and meats from around the world — Indonesian-inflected, milky beef rendang; Thai-inspired shrimp curry; a garlicky Moroccan blend of stewed eggplant and chickpeas. These one-tub meals are about $11: cheaper than a plane ticket (and most sandwiches), and a transportive midday pick-me-up. In addition to a downtown location, find outposts in Jamaica Plain and Watertown.

Gene Wu’s hand-pulled noodles had already won a following when he opened this, his second restaurant, in 2013. (He now has branches in Woburn and Westford as well.) They are magnificent: thick, chewy, rustic, and topped with chili oil, cilantro, and drifts of raw garlic or cumin-laced lamb. You can also get them in steamy soups. The Downtown Crossing restaurant serves flatbread sandwiches (hence its name) for around $6, plus spicy lamb skewers, and other specialties from Wu’s native Xi’an.

Fast and affordable, the sandwiches feature tender meat, crispy fries, and delicious sauces — tzatziki with pork and mustard sauce with chicken. Other classics such as the Greek salad, the souvlaki, and the spanakopita are also hits, or venture deeper into the menu for under-the-radar gems like the kolokithokeftedes (zucchini fritters) or gemista (stuffed pepper and tomato).

You don’t have to play (or even like) golf to go wild over Alex Sáenz’s restaurant inside the Robert T. Lynch Municipal Golf Course, which is open to the public. A 1930s clubhouse with wood paneling is the setting, though you can sit outside overlooking the links. The chef is known for his fried chicken sandwich ($13), fish and chips ($16), pulled pork ($12), and more — all at prices you don’t usually associate with food at the 19th hole.

A pretension-free ode to an only-in-Massachusetts rivalry: South Shore bar pizza versus North Shore roast beef. Bar pizza is the burnt-edges exemplar of the form, coated to the edges with burbling mozzarella and cheddar; the roast beef here is best savored “Arbeez” style, piled onto a griddled roll and folded into puddles of American cheese sauce. Take either to go from Bow Market for under $15.

Herbaceous, umami-packed ingredients tie together the grain bowls, wraps, and noodle soups that have made this local vegetarian chain a staple for the health-conscious. Finish your meal with a fruit smoothie or cold pressed juice; it’s affordable fast-casual fare at its most nourishing. There are locations around the Boston area, as well as more in Dedham, Lowell, and Salem.

Maurice and Marion Hill (they’re the M&Ms) started the family barbecue business in 1982, but their grandson Geo Lambert took over and took it to new heights with his food truck, catering business, and, since 2020, his restaurant inside Dorchester Brewing Co. The ribs, brisket, and pulled pork are justifiably famous – and make their way into towering sandwiches.

The bonus at this family-friendly East Boston gem is that it offers delights from three culinary traditions. Mi Pueblito’s Mexican food, such as the chiles rellenos and fajitas, is sublime, as are Guatemalan and Salvadoran dishes including a cheese and loroco pupusa that has an intoxicating aroma from its edible flowers. There’s also a wide range of breakfast dishes at each of the restaurant’s two locations.

Originally located at Super 88 food court near Boston University, Pho Viet’s settled into a nearby storefront several years ago (and there’s a second location in Newton Centre). But it’s still run by the Tran family, and counter service is just as fast. The Vietnamese menu is interlaced with some Chinese and Thai ideas. When it’s hot out, go for cooling fresh spring rolls, rice vermicelli bowls, and a plump bánh mì.

Looking for a fast casual place in Coolidge Corner with omelets, sandwiches, salads, and pizza – packed with fresh ingredients? We’ve got you covered here in Coolidge Corner. The restaurant’s name, Pure Cold Press, suggests a trendy juice bar, but it’s much more than that. Owner Haim Cohen’s all-Kosher menu includes shakshuka, a spicy Asian quinoa wrap, and a burrito with vegan Impossible meat.

It’s not officially the end of winter in Boston until Sullivan’s opens on Castle Island. Enjoy a juicy burger or snappy Kayem hot dog (add chili and cheese, because why not?) while taking in the gorgeous views, all without breaking the bank. Don’t miss the hand-cut onion rings, and top off your meal with a soft-serve ice cream. The iconic food stand has been around for more than seven decades, and there’s a reason for the constant lines out the door.

The space — much like its other location in Roslindale — has an intimate old-world feel, making for a great date-night experience where diners can choose from outstanding takes on aromatic biryani, red-hot vindaloo, and smoky tandoori chicken, in what could be one of the quietest restaurant spaces in all of Boston.