Intrepid Baton Rouge diners know that delicious meals can often be found in unsuspecting places.
Enjoying a tasty and filling meal for 10 bucks and some change is still a viable option.
From markets to gas stations to bistros, here’s a list of budget-friendly options:
La Morenita Meat Market
Taco combo at La Morenita Meat Market
BY MADDIE SCOTT | Staff writer
This Latino, Spanish-only grocery store, at 7981 Florida Blvd., has a hot food kitchen and dining area equipped with breakfast and lunch plates, tacos, burritos, gorditas, quesadillas, pupusas and more. For the quantity and quality, these meals are well-priced.
La Morenita Meat Market, 7981 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, has an $8.99 taco combo deal with access to a self-serve toppings bar, as pictured on Aug. 19, 2025.
BY MADDIE SCOTT | Staff writer
The taco combo, a deal with three tacos (choice of flour or corn tortilla and seven meat options) and a 16-ounce fountain drink for $8.99 is delicious and a great deal. It comes with access to a self-serve toppings bar with several sauces, lime, cilantro, lettuce, pico de gallo and onion.
The tacos are stuffed with lots of meat — a good bang for the buck. The soda is cold and refreshing, and the Spanish music on the store speakers adds an upbeat ambiance.
American Market
Turkey Cajun po-boy at American Mart is a winner.
BY JAN RISHER | Features editor
Some of the best meals can be split and shared between two people.
Located conveniently for 91 students, especially at the intersection of Nicholson Drive and West Lee Drive, this little market has quick grabs like mixers, seltzers and snacks, but the real star of the show is their sandwich counter.
For $10.50, customers can order a deli po-boy, Zapp’s chips and a 20-ounce fountain drink. The Cajun turkey po-boy is a local favorite, but there are 14 total meat options including roast beef, pastrami, smoked sausage and pulled pork.
Save More Market
The 16-inch fried shrimp po-boy at Save More Market
BY MADDIE SCOTT | Staff writer
Looking for fried-something po-boys? This local market and gas station chain features fried shrimp, oyster or fish po-boys starting at $8.
Bread is the make-or-break of a po-boy, and Save More Market gets three shipments of French bread every week from Leidenheimer Baking Company in New Orleans — so it’s soft, fresh and makes for a delightful bite.
The original Save More Market opened at 2956 Nicholson Drive in the 1990s when the shrimp po-boys used to be $3.99. It’s grown to six locations across Baton Rouge.
Today, the shrimp po-boy is still a good deal. The 16-inch option runs about $9. The 32-inch sandwich for about $16. Talk about a bargain!
Umami Japanese Bistro
The "Sexiest Woman Alive" roll from Umami.
PROVIDED PHOTO
If you want a sit-down spot with table service, this bistro’s happy hour keeps the bill low.
On Mondays to Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 3930 Burbank Drive, customers can order from a list of $4 to $5 plates, including pork dumplings, yellowtail roll or edamame. There’s three nigiri options, four roll options as well as vegetable and tofu plates.
But wait, it gets even better! For drinks, customers can order two-for-one drafts and house wines. There’s also $5 house saki, hot or cold.
For an early date night, Umami is a great deal. Order a salmon roll, snow crab roll, pork dumplings, cucumber and crab stick salad and two beers — and the bill is about $25 plus tip.
Blue Store Chicken
Cashier Deonshae Matthews shows off a plate of fresh chicken wings at the original Triplett’s Blue Store on Mills Avenue in Baton Rouge.
STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK
Ah, yes, the beloved local fried chicken chain.
Fun fact: The original location, 605 Mills Ave., got its iconic blue exterior because the owner’s wife bought a few discount cans of blue paint at Home Depot. When customers started calling it the blue store, the owner decided to make the name official.
With eight locations, Blue Store Chicken’s menu varies between each spot. Some have red beans, some have crawfish pies, but they all unite on the universal love for fried chicken.
The price may slightly vary depending on which spot you visit, but a highlight is the three-piece fried chicken combo with fried rice with two sides for about $9. Sides usually include a roll, salad, potato log and eggroll. The plate is very brown, meaning very delicious.
Albasha Express
The chicken shawarma plate at Albasha Express on Lee Drive is seen, Monday, August 25, 2025, in Baton Rouge, La.
STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK
The $14 chicken shawarma plate at Albasha Express is worth it because its big portions can feed two.
The plate comes with feta cheese salad, rice, hummus, pita bread and a heaping serving of thin-sliced chicken shawarma marinated in garlic, olive oil and spices. There’s also a children’s chicken shawarma plate for about $9, still with a decent amount of food.
With 13 locations across Louisiana, Albasha offers a healthy spread of Greek and Lebanese food. Some spots are more restaurant-style, and some are designed for takeout, like the Albasha Express locations, which have drive-thrus.