Z Beans Coffee - Cotton Ave.
1 / 28#28. Z Beans Coffee - Cotton Ave.
- Rating: 3.8/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 311 Cotton Ave. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Macon by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Macon area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (out of 4) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
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Pho Saigon
2 / 28#27. Pho Saigon
- Rating: 3.8/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3076 Riverside Drive Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
Nu-Way Weiners
3 / 28#26. Nu-Way Weiners
- Rating: 3.8/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 148 Emery Hwy Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Fast food, Hot Dogs, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
Margaritas at Mercer Village
4 / 28#25. Margaritas at Mercer Village
- Rating: 3.9/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1602 Montpelier Ave. Ste 106 Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Finchers Barbecue
5 / 28#24. Finchers Barbecue
- Rating: 3.9/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3947 Houston Ave. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
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Papouli's Mediterranean Cafe & Market
6 / 28#23. Papouli's Mediterranean Cafe & Market
- Rating: 3.9/5 (217 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 121 Tom Hill Sr Blvd. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
Cox Cafe
7 / 28#22. Cox Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 694 Lower Poplar St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Macon Pizza Company
8 / 28#21. Macon Pizza Company
- Rating: 4.0/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5978 Zebulon Road Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Fincher's Barbecue
9 / 28#20. Fincher's Barbecue
- Rating: 4.0/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 891 Gray Hwy East Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Barbecue, Southern, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Wagers Grill & Bar
10 / 28#19. Wagers Grill & Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3914 River Place Drive Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Sports Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
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Ingleside Village Pizza
11 / 28#18. Ingleside Village Pizza
- Rating: 4.1/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2395 Ingleside Ave. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
Ming's Restaurant
12 / 28#17. Ming's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4650 Forsyth Road Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
El Sombrero Mexican Grill & Bar
13 / 28#16. El Sombrero Mexican Grill & Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4646 Forsyth Road Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
El CarnIval Latin Food Store and Restaurant
14 / 28#15. El CarnIval Latin Food Store and Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4009 Pio Nono Ave. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Pig on a Pie
15 / 28#14. Pig on a Pie
- Rating: 4.2/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4921 Riverside Drive Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Pizza, Chicken Wings, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
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La Bella Morelia
16 / 28#13. La Bella Morelia
- Rating: 4.2/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 524 Mulberry St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Jeneane's At Pinebrook
17 / 28#12. Jeneane's At Pinebrook
- Rating: 4.2/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4436 Forsyth Road Macon, Georgia
- Categories: American, Southern, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp
Roly Poly Sandwiches
18 / 28#11. Roly Poly Sandwiches
- Rating: 4.2/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 624 New St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
Satterfield's
19 / 28#10. Satterfield's
- Rating: 4.2/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 120 New St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
Johnny V's
20 / 28#9. Johnny V's
- Rating: 4.2/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5854 Columbus Road Macon, Georgia
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
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J & F Caribbean Delight
21 / 28#8. J & F Caribbean Delight
- Rating: 4.2/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1686 North Atwood Drive Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp
Tommy's
22 / 28#7. Tommy's
- Rating: 4.3/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5580 Thomaston Road Ste 10 Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Bakeries, Donuts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
3 Countries
23 / 28#6. 3 Countries
- Rating: 4.3/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 195 Spring St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Mexican, Cuban, American
- Read more on Yelp
Just Tap'd
24 / 28#5. Just Tap'd
- Rating: 4.4/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 488 1st St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Gastropubs, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
The Bear's Den
25 / 28#4. The Bear's Den
- Rating: 4.5/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1191 Oglethorpe St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
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Chico and Chang
26 / 28#3. Chico and Chang
- Rating: 4.7/5 (401 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3850 Riverside Drive Ste A Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Korean, Mexican, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
Macon Bagels
27 / 28#2. Macon Bagels
- Rating: 4.7/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 470 3rd St. Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Bagels, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Medi's Mediterranean Fusion
28 / 28#1. Medi's Mediterranean Fusion
- Rating: 4.8/5 (406 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1687 Bass Road Ste 103 Macon, Georgia
- Categories: Indian, Mediterranean, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 388 metros.
