10 Cheap Eats in Noosa – Meals for Under $20

Looking for places to eat in Noosa that won’t break the bank? This post shares 10 of our favourite cheap eats in Noosa.

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Cheap eats in Noosa

It’s fair to say that Noosa is a pretty expensive destination. The boardwalk on Main Beach is lined with chic cafes, Hastings Street is full of fine dining restaurants, and even some of the standard, regular restaurants are pricier than they might be in other destinations. However, before I go any further I do want to say that in our experience, the majority of these pricier restaurants have been delicious, fresh, high-quality food. We don’t frequent them often on our budget, but the few times we have been, they have been worth the cost. But not all hope is lost! If you’re on a tighter budget, there are plenty of places around Noosa where you can pick up a filling meal for under $20. This post will share our top 10 favourite cheap eats in Noosa, to get you fed without breaking the bank.

🏝️ Looking for more Noosa info? Check out our Noosa Travel Guide for everything you need to know to plan a visit. Or if you’re looking for things to do in the area, read this post.

1. Raw Energy

Whether you’re looking for a sweet or savoury meal, Raw Energy has a range of fresh, light and healthy dishes with most being well under $20. Our favourites are their bowls, both the smoothie variety and savoury options. Their burrito and poke bowls are delish, but we can’t go past a colourful acai bowl either! Located on the riverfront in Noosaville, you can dine in, or take away and grab a waterfront spot on the lawn for lunch with a view!

Details:

• Location: 1/231 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville QLD 4566
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: dine-in or take-away

2. Rick’s Artisan Pies and Sourdough

Hidden away next to a petrol station in the industrial area of Noosaville, Rick’s is without a doubt the best bakery we have ever been to! Selling a lot more than just bread, you can pick up tons of different snacks and meals. As the name suggests, they offer pies (and sausage rolls and pasties) in more flavours than you could imagine. They also sell a range of pre-made baguettes, focaccias, sandwiches etc. which are great for lunch. And of course, there is a whole mouth-watering range of sweet and savoury pastries. You can easily fill up here for $10 or less, one of the most affordable cheap eats in Noosa!

Details:

• Location: 140-142 Eumundi Noosa Rd, Noosaville QLD 4566
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: take-away only

3. Raw and Rice

Raw and Rice are tucked right at the start of Hastings Street. They make healthy, fresh poke bowls. You can choose from a range of their suggested bowls, or you can build your own. You can choose your base (from options like brown rice, sushi rice, quinoa and more), your protein (like chicken, tofu, fish etc.) and then your fillings and sauce. Depending on the size and options in your bowl, it should come in at around $15. The bowls are huge, and I have struggled to get through the regular size. A fresh, filling meal for $15 isn’t bad in Noosa! 

Details:

• Location: 2/52 Hastings St, Noosa Heads QLD 4567
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: take-away only

4. A Taste of Spice

Good, cheap Asian food is hard to come by in Noosa! But A Taste of Spice in Noosa Junction is a great option. Offering cheap Chinese, Malaysian and Indian food, there is plenty to choose from on their menu. Everything is super affordable, and the serves are massive. If you’re on a shoestring you could easily fill up on a rice or noodle dish for around $15. The restaurant is also BYO any kind of alcohol, which is definitely easy on the wallet!

Details:

• Location: 4/36 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Heads QLD 4567
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: predominantly dine-in, take away is available

5. Zachary’s

Zachary’s is a popular pizza spot in Noosa, with restaurants in Noosaville and Hastings Street. Although you could definitely find cheaper pizzas at chains like Dominos or Pizza Hut, we always prefer to eat from local restaurants if possible. A large pizza can easily fill up two people, and most are under $25. We love the ‘Sicilian’ with gorgonzola… drool! We usually grab it takeaway and eat on the river or at the beach. But if you want to dine in, they do a good lunch special with a large pizza and two house drinks for $35.

Details:

• Location:
  • Hastings Street branch – 15 Hastings St, Noosa Heads QLD 4567
  • Noosaville branch – 271 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville QLD 4566
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: dine-in and take-away

6. Brown Rice

Sushi is usually a great go-to cheap meal all over the world. But let me tell you, sushi in Noosa is not cheap and quite frankly it sucks in most places! Brown Rice is inside the Noosa Civic Shopping Centre, and while the sushi is still not as cheap as we are used to in Melbourne, it’s really yummy and the best option in Noosa price-wise. If you want to sit down in the restaurant they have a sushi train (but costs can stack up pretty quickly doing this!). They make a range of bowls that are affordable and filling. Most bowls come with rice, a meat topping (like fried chicken, chicken katsu, marinated beef strips etc.), some salad and sauce. Most are under $15 and they are delish!

Details:

• Location: Noosa Civic ED building, Noosaville QLD 4566
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: dine-in or take-away

7. Oakberry Acai

For a fresh, healthy snack Oakberry Acai’s acai bowls are delicious and filling. More like an acai cup, they are deceivingly large, and one fills me up for breakfast or lunch. You can choose from an extensive list of unlimited free toppings, from fruits, to seeds and nuts, and nut butters. Located in Hastings Street, it’s the perfect meal to grab and bring with you to the beach on a hot day, and is one of the healthier cheap eats in Noosa. At the time of writing, the smaller size bowl was $12.

Details:

• Location: 9/32 Hastings St, Noosa Heads QLD 4567
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: take-away only

8. Mr Fish

Fish and chips is a guaranteed cheap meal, and in our opinion, Mr Fish is the best in Noosa! Located in Quamby Place, just a short walk from Hastings Street it is worth the trip. The potato cakes (or should I say potato scallops, being in Queensland!) are melt in your mouth, and the chips are hot and crispy. The serves are generous and a small chips, a piece of fish and some sides would easily feed two people for under $15.

Details:

• Location: 2 Quamby Pl, Noosa Heads QLD 4567
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: take-away, small tables outside to dine on

9. Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Co.

A Noosa institution, Betty’s Burgers in Hastings Street is the spot to go for delicious, affordable burgers. Made famous for their ‘concrete’ (frozen custard), this popular spot serves up a range of burgers for under $15 each. They have a nice indoor/outdoor restaurant you can sit in, or get take away and head to Main Beach across the road.

Details:

• Location: 2/50 Hastings St, Noosa Heads QLD 4567
• Opening hours: check updated hours here
• Dining area: predominantly dine-in, take away is available

10. DIY

Okay not officially a restaurant, but heading to one of the many supermarkets around the area and grabbing some ingredients for a BBQ or cheese platter is a great way to eat for cheap in Noosa. Basically everywhere you go has picnic tables and chairs, and BBQs are plentiful in the parks and along the river. You will enjoy a meal with a better view than any restaurant could offer. There is Woolworths in Noosaville and Tewantin, Aldi in Noosaville and Coles in Noosa Junction where you can grab some groceries.

Planning a trip to Noosa

Eating cheap in Noosa

I hope this post has given you some inspiration (and hope) on how to eat on a budget here in Noosa. It is an expensive destination, but there are so many cheap eats in Noosa if you are willing to hunt them out. And sometimes the food is even better! We have frequented many of the places listed here multiple times, not only because they are cheap, but simply because they are delicious! Let me know if you have visited, and have any other cheap eats in Noosa to add to the list! If you’re travelling to Noosa on a budget and looking for affordable accommodation, check out our posts on the caravan parks and hostels in Noosa.

☀️ Don’t forget to check out our Noosa Travel Guide and 30 Things to do in Noosa for more travel information and inspiration.