Where to find some of Columbia’s best cheap eats

After a summer of splurging, it’s not just college students who are looking for inexpensive meals – the kind you can get without seeing golden arches in your rearview mirror.

The good news is, Columbia has no shortage of restaurants, gourmet shops and grocery stores with good – and often healthy – cheap eats. Here’s a sampling.

Village Idiot

Weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., diners at the Village Idiot in Five Points can get two slices of pizza and a drink for $5.99, or one slice, a house or Greek salad and a drink for $6.99. The restaurant also offers BOGO large pizzas from 5-10 p.m. in conjunction with its Wednesday trivia nights (dine-in and pick-up only) and $10 three-topping large pizzas Thursday nights.

11 a.m.-until Tuesday-Sunday, at 2009 Devine St. (803) 252-8646, https://villageidiotpizza.com

Tsunami

If sushi is what you’re craving, check out Tsunami’s happy hour food specials from 4-7 p.m. daily featuring a three-roll special for $9.99 and the teriyaki combo for $9.99. Happy hour also features wine specials of half-off by the glass and domestic beers at $2.50 each. Tuesday nights features 30 percent off for military, firefighters and law enforcement officials with a current work badge or pay stub.

4 p.m.-midnight daily at 700 Gervais St., Suite A. (803) 312-9911, www.tsunamicompany.com

Pawleys Front Porch

Pawleys Front Porch in Five Points features daily specials including half-priced menu nights from 5-8 p.m. Tuesdays (excluding oysters and crawfish). Wednesdays, tacos are two for $5, or two tacos and a margarita for $10 all day. Sundays, students receive a 20 percent discount with a valid student ID.

11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday at 827 Harden St. (803) 771-8001, www.pawleysfrontporch.com

Piggly Wiggly Deli

So it may not be on a list of official Columbia restaurants, but the deli inside Piggly Wiggly on Devine offers some significant bargain lunch deals, including day-old leftovers at $1.99 for a large serving of a side or meat, or $2.99 for an entree and two sides. Typically, foods include traditional Southern cooking such as fried chicken, greens, barbecue, macaroni and cheese, green beans, field peas, mashed potatoes and ham.

7 a.m. -10 p.m. daily at 3818 Devine St. (803) 256-3433

Tombo Grille

If a dinner special is what you’re looking for, you can get more than you bargain for at Tombo Grille on Monday nights, when $9 gets you a burger, a beer and live music. Tuesday nights, the eatery features $5 pizza specials and $15 per bottle wine specials.

5:30-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5:30-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 4517 Forest Drive. (803) 782-9665, www.tombogrille.com

Mack's Cash Grocery

To go where the locals go for a cheap but solid weekday lunch, check out Mack’s Cash Grocery on Main, where cheeseburgers are priced at $3.10, onion rings are $1.70 and a drink $1.15 (For you nonmathematicians out there, that means lunch is less than $7). For a healthier but still inexpensive option, choose the Greek salad with a drink for only $5.70.

6 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1809 Laurel St. (803) 779-9858

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Where to find some of Columbia’s best cheap eats."