5 Denver restaurants for dinner on a budget

If you’re increasingly disillusioned by the rising cost of going out to eat in metro Denver, you’re not alone. The price tag for dining out increased by 5.7% in July compared to the same month in 2023 because of increased labor and lease costs, according to federal inflation data.

But plenty of restaurants are still serving great meals at a price point that won’t cause heartburn.

Take Gaia Masala & Burger, which partners Hira Kunwar and Nandalal Nyaupane opened on Boulder’s University Hill in 2019 to offer a low-cost, late-night option for University of Colorado students who wanted to try comforting classics with a twist.

Kunwar and Nyaupane have since expanded to Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins while keeping prices low. It doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room on revenue, Kunwar said, but the pair have made it work.  

Kunwar previously worked as a dishwasher, line cook and head chef at CU Boulder, so he’s familiar with how much students can afford to pay for a meal. “They don’t have enough money for food,” he said, laughing. “That’s why we have the best quality for a lower price.”

Folks visiting Gaia for the first time usually comment on two things, Kunwar said – the unique dishes and the low prices. One of the most popular orders is the tikka masala burger, combining lettuce, mint, red onion, cucumber and tikka masala sauce with a side of fries for $15.

While Quiero Arepas owners Igor and Beckie Panasewicz now sell homemade arepas starting at $12 at three locations, the couple’s dream of working together started with a Cherry Creek Farmers Market booth, a camp stove and a few hundred dollars borrowed from family.

Despite how much the business has grown, they’ve stuck with the kind of arepas Igor ate growing up in Venezuela – simple, inexpensive and delicious.

“We try to keep prices as low as we can,” he said. “While also maintaining a clean menu and using high-quality ingredients,” Beckie added.

The restaurant hasn’t permanently raised prices since 2019, even during the pandemic, though a few market fluctuations have caused temporarily higher prices. “We’re not trying to gouge people and we feel that a lot even when we go out as customers – it can be frustrating,” she said.

Whether you’re pinching pennies to splurge on a multi-course feast or looking for an easy meal during rent week, here are five Denver restaurants where you can eat dinner for $20 or less:

Gaia Masala & Burger

Whatever kind of food you’re hungry for and whenever it hits, Gaia Masala probably has it covered. The late-night eatery blends American, Mediterranean and Indian cuisines to offer a wide selection of classic and fusion dishes.

Wings start at $5 for three pieces, burgers at $8, cheesesteaks at $12 and pizza at $15. Vegan and vegetarian options abound, and those who save room can order the sweet and sticky gulab jamun for $4 more.

609 Grant St. and 1530 Blake St.; www.gaiadenver.com.

Quiero Arepas

Made from scratch, hand-held and available with eight different fillings, the arepas at Quiero Arepas will likely have you coming back for more tomorrow (and the next day… and next week.) The menu is also 100% gluten-free thanks to the cornmeal-based arepa dough.

A vegan arepa stuffed with beans, avocado and sweet plantains starts at $12, while the queso arepa features mozzarella and muenster cheese, avocado, fried plantains and guasacaca for $13. Arepas stuffed with ham, chicken, beef or smoked salmon range from $12 to $15.

1859 S. Pearl St. and 3200 Pecos St. (in Avanti); quieroarepas.com.

Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery

Denver’s only Native American restaurant started cooking up hearty plates and bowls in 2008 and still sells crave-worthy dishes like fry bread stuffed with braised bison or red quinoa and wheatberry posu bowls loaded with vegetables.

Diners can choose between six bases and five proteins, customizing their meal with toppings like Osage hominy, roasted green chiles and elderberry vinaigrette. Plates start at $10 for vegetarian and $12 for meat, and an order of bison ribs will only set you back $16.50.

3536 W. 44th Ave.; tocabe.com.

Gyros Town

Started as a food truck in Lower Downtown in 2017, Gyros Town soon expanded to a brick-and-mortar restaurant to offer even more Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.

Load up on appetizers like falafel and baba ghanouj starting at $8 or dig into chicken shawarma for $9, a Greek salad with meat for $16 or a beef kafta kabob for $18.

2276 S. Colorado Blvd; food trucks at 2009 Larimer St. and 1216 20th St.; gyrostownrestaurant.com.

Crown Burgers

If the giant red arrow pointing to the Crown Burgers drive-through isn’t enough to catch your eye, follow the smell of sizzling burgers and fresh steak fries (which you can get smothered with red or green chile).

A quarter-pounder with cheese will set you back $9, or level up to the pastrami-topped royal burger for $11. Diner standbys like a tuna melt, BLT or chili dog are $7.50, and can be polished off with a chocolate, vanilla, banana or strawberry milkshake for $5.

2192 S. Colorado Blvd.; www.crownburgers.org.