by Isabelle Esteves

Created on: April 23, 2008   Last Updated: May 23, 2012

The secret to cheap eats in Philly is to get creative. Take advantage of coupons and 2 for one specials. Eat where the locals eat and try that special restaurant for lunch when you can always find a better deal.

Go to the Reading Terminal Market and buy some fresh food from the Amish farmers and have a picnic. This is a favorite way of this writer  to save money. You can pick up a nice piece of cheese, some homemade bread, fruit and a sweet treat and you don't have to spend a fortune. The best part is that everything is fresh and local.

If you are hungry and just need a bite to eat take a stroll through Whole Foods on South Street. You will get enough samples to hold you over and it won't cost you even a dime unless of course you taste something you love in which case you will just buy a little more.

While you are on South Street two favorites restaurants are the South Street Diner with huge portions and reasonable prices and Copabanana for monster burgers that are big enough to share. Kickin martinis too, the key lime martini is awesome.

When this writer is in Cosi is a favorite stop. There are locations all over the city but these three are in areas that most tourist will be passing so they are very convenient.

12th and Walnut
2nd and Lombard
4th and Chestnut

In case you are not familiar with Cosi they are a chain of semi-fast food restaurants that are modeled after a Parisian Cafe. Their signature dish is their hand tossed Cosi salad served with the very addictive Cosi flat bread. You can have the salad made with your choice of ingredients and there are a lot of choices. Prices are extremely reasonable.

Their Brie and fruit appetizer is a great choice.  It consists of a large piece of Brie with strawberries and grapes and of course the Cosi bread. If you have an Entertainment book you can get a discount or a free S'mores dessert, they bring a little brazier to your table with marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey bars and you melt the marshmallows yourself. It is a lot of fun especially for children. You can get one of their square bagels for breakfast or a sweet treat in the afternoon. They have a nice selection of coffees and teas and delicious hot chocolate.

Buy a copy of the Entertainment Book. There are 76 choices of fine dining to choose from with a 2 for the price of one coupon. The Entertainment Book pays for itself with one dinner and if you buy it in the Spring it is only $15 and no shipping. 

Go to Skyauction.com and bid on some dining certificates for restaurants in Philadelphia. I have done this several times and not only was it a great deal but I got to try some new restaurants.

Go to restaurant.com and see what bargains they have for Philadelphia. You can often find a coupon that you pay $10 for that entitles you to $25 at the restaurant. That will save you $15 off of your meal or meals.

It isn't hard to eat cheap in Philly you just have to think like a local. One more suggestion if you can get a free breakfast at your hotel or if like me you choose a B&B then you are going to save a lot of money right there. We usually only eat two meals and a snack when we are vacationing. We often have an afternoon stop for tea and a sweet, it makes us much less hungry when it comes time for dinner and it is just such a relaxing way to spend a late afternoon half hour.

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