1
Order: Cappuccino
"Bright Temple City coffee shop serving espresso drinks, matcha, and pastries from Colossus in Long Beach."
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Where can I eat well for under $20 in SGV?
Big flavor, small bill. The SGV specialty.
Fresh ranking. Your vote shapes it.
The short answer
Locals' current top pick for cheap eats in SGV is Yutori Coffee in Temple City (get the cappuccino), followed by Coconut & Co. in Alhambra and Ladd Coffee in West Covina. Best is relative, so filter by price and vibe below, and vote for the pick you'd stand behind.
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2
Order: Mango Sago Coconut Milk
"Women-owned Alhambra dessert and beverage shop bringing Southeast Asian flavors to coconut water, coconut shakes, sago drinks, and kaya sweets."
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3
Order: Coconut Water Matcha
"A Korean-style coffee counter inside Haven City Market known for cream-top drinks and rotating seasonal specials."
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7
Order: Matcha Latte
"A community-suggested matcha cafe with SGV locations in City of Industry and West Covina."
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8
"Navis Bakery in Rosemead might give your favorite Cuban spots a run for their money. Their chicken tamales pack heat from the salsa verde, and the meat stays surprisingly moist."
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9
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12
"Vietnamese spot in San Gabriel. Banh mi."
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13
"San Marino cafe with a modern Chinese and drinks menu."
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14
Order: Fish Taco
"A newer Alhambra location of Baja Mar Taco, tucked into the Valley-Fremont Plaza on West Valley Boulevard, running a different $1.99 taco special every weekday: shrimp on Monday, a…"
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15
Order: Fresh Strawberry Donut
"A Route 66 donut institution in Glendora, open since 1972 and best known for seasonal donuts stuffed with fresh strawberries or peaches."
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16
Order: Handmade Dumplings
"A bare-bones City of Industry shop for handmade dumplings and noodles at an unusually approachable price."
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17
"In Monterey Park, Pronto Donuts is slinging donuts, burgers, and subs all under one roof."
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18
"Budget-friendly Mexican breakfast stop."
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19
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20
"Hue Thai Bakery in Rosemead is a go-to for banh mi done right. Their #1 special is packed with all the meats, crisp veggies, and a perfect mix of pate and mayo."
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21
"If you're craving a fast and delicious burrito, Burrito Express in Pasadena has been doing it right since 1978."
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24
"American spot in Pasadena. Breakfast burrito."
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25
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26
Order: 3-Piece Fried Chicken
"A Pomona fried chicken institution running since the 1960s, known for a secret spice blend some regulars swear beats KFC, and hand-rolled bread that eats almost like King's Hawaiia…"
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27
Order: Beef Noodle Soup
"A low-key, family-run Taiwanese restaurant in Hacienda Heights with beef noodle soup, a broad menu of Taiwanese specialties, and deli-style side dishes."
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28
Order: House Special Guilin Rice Noodles
"A community-suggested Hacienda Heights shop specializing in Guilin rice noodles with combinations of crispy pork, beef, pork intestines, tripe, and sour bamboo shoots."
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29
"Affordable Chiu Chow/Hong Kong style noodle and cafe dishes with strong value."
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30
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31
"Vietnamese spot in San Gabriel. Banh mi."
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32
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34
"Bakery spot in San Gabriel. Bakery."
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35
Order: Fish tacos
"El Taco Nazo in Baldwin Park came through the SGV Eats sweep around fish taco recommendations. It is a casual SGV taco stop with fish and shrimp tacos as the obvious move."
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36
Order: Dried Intestine Noodles
"A small, family-run Sichuan noodle shop in Rowland Heights with beef noodle soup, dan dan noodles, spicy wontons, and customizable heat levels."
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37
"If you love tacos packed with flavor, Secret Taco is a must-try. The smoky char on the meat is incredible, and their al pastor with pineapple on top is delicious."
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38
"Panda Innovation Kitchen in Pasadena has stuff you won't find in regular Panda Express locations, like the scallion pancake burrito and more."
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39
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40
"Taiwanese spot in San Gabriel. Taiwanese breakfast."
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41
"Chinese spot in San Gabriel. Rice plates."
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42
"Hong Kong Cafe spot in Rowland Heights. HK cafe."
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43
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44
"Arcadia shabu and sushi spot combining hot pot and Japanese fare in one sitting."
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45
Order: Yuzu Chicken Soup Dumplings
"Luscious Dumplings is a family-run northern Chinese dumpling shop on Duarte Rd, the second-generation home of a San Gabriel original that opened in 2001, with Michelin Guide plaque…"
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46
Order: Beef Noodle Soup
"A hole-in-the-wall Chinese cafe in San Gabriel that's easy to say yes to: prices lower than most similar spots, a menu with a little bit of everything, and open until 2am."
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47
"The food court inside The Square, next to GW Supermarket on Garvey."
From the guide
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48
"Budget-friendly Chinese cafe and lunch-special stop."
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49
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50
"A compact Arcadia food court where seven or so stalls cover a lot of ground: hand-cooked noodle soups, a Taiwanese-style combo deli, Korean tofu, ramen, sushi, pastries, and boba."
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51
"Kang Kang Food Court is the kind of place you go to when you want something affordable, filling, and packed with flavor."
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52
"Affordable Chinese noodle hole-in-the-wall."
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53
"If you want a spot in SGV with a huge menu and a touch of elegance, Grand Harbor in Temple City might surprise you. You can go for dim sum or dinner."
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54
"If you're looking for value, Fuxing Spring in Monterey Park is tough to beat."
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55
"Dessert spot in Rowland Heights. Walnut pastry."
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56
"MJ Valley is the type of neighborhood restaurant people return to when they want a reliable meal."
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57
Order: Rice Rolls
"Milk & Co. is the kind of Hong Kong cafe where you come for affordable comfort food, big portions, and old school flavors that still feel hard to find in SGV."
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58
Order: HK Style BBQ Combination Plates
"A Hong Kong style cafe in West Covina known for its HK style BBQ combination plates."
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59
Order: Beef Chinese Hamburger
"Bingz Crispy 'Wich is the chain's first US location, a new counter at Tawa Gateway Plaza in San Gabriel built around the Chinese hamburger: a light, crispy pancake split open and s…"
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