Papa Murphy's
1 / 25#25. Papa Murphy's
- Rating: 3.3/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3932 Hwy 52 North Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Rochester, Minnesota by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Rochester area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (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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Wabi Sabi Express
2 / 25#24. Wabi Sabi Express
- Rating: 3.4/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 100 1st Ave. Southwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
China Star
3 / 25#23. China Star
- Rating: 3.4/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2808 41st St. Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Kingdom Buffet
4 / 25#22. Kingdom Buffet
- Rating: 3.4/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1639 North Broadway Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Mess Hall Tavern & Grill at VFW Post 1215
5 / 25#21. Mess Hall Tavern & Grill at VFW Post 1215
- Rating: 3.4/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2775 43rd St. North West Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Veterans Organizations, Venues & Event Spaces, American
- Read more on Yelp
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Zadeos Pizza
6 / 25#20. Zadeos Pizza
- Rating: 3.4/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1021 15th Ave. Southeast Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
El Carambas
7 / 25#19. El Carambas
- Rating: 3.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1503 12th St. Southeast Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Cheap Charlies
8 / 25#18. Cheap Charlies
- Rating: 3.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 11 5th St. Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Diners
- Read more on Yelp
Godfather's Pizza
9 / 25#17. Godfather's Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1611 16th St. Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Pho Tai
10 / 25#16. Pho Tai
- Rating: 3.7/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1726 37th St. Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
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Grandma's Kitchen
11 / 25#15. Grandma's Kitchen
- Rating: 3.7/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1514 North Broadway Ave. Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
Bruegger's Bagels
12 / 25#14. Bruegger's Bagels
- Rating: 3.8/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 155 1st Ave. Southwest Ste 140 Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Salad Brothers Cafe & Deli
13 / 25#13. Salad Brothers Cafe & Deli
- Rating: 3.8/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 111 South Broadway Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
New China
14 / 25#12. New China
- Rating: 3.8/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2630 South Broadway Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Pi Wood-Fired Pizza
15 / 25#11. Pi Wood-Fired Pizza
- Rating: 3.9/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3932 Marketplace Drive Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
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Asia Fusion
16 / 25#10. Asia Fusion
- Rating: 3.9/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2711 Commerce Drive Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Ramen, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
Great Wall
17 / 25#9. Great Wall
- Rating: 4.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1516 North Broadway Ave. Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Pho Chau
18 / 25#8. Pho Chau
- Rating: 4.1/5 (461 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1014 Broadway Ave. North Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
City Market Downtown
19 / 25#7. City Market Downtown
- Rating: 4.1/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 212 1st Ave. Southwest Ste 12 Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Snappy Stop
20 / 25#6. Snappy Stop
- Rating: 4.2/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 37 9th St. Southeast Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Burgers, fast food, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
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China 1
21 / 25#5. China 1
- Rating: 4.3/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1117 Civic Center Drive Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Taco Jed
22 / 25#4. Taco Jed
- Rating: 4.3/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 808 Broadway Ave. South Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Tacos, Dive Bars, Music Venues
- Read more on Yelp
Nupa Mediterranean Cuisine
23 / 25#3. Nupa Mediterranean Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (415 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1035 Civic Center Drive Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Mediterranean, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
Nupa Mediterranean Cuisine
24 / 25#2. Nupa Mediterranean Cuisine
- Rating: 4.6/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 412 Crossroads Drive Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
El Super Gallo 1
25 / 25#1. El Super Gallo 1
- Rating: 4.7/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1831 24th St. Northwest Rochester, Minnesota
- Categories: International Grocery, Mexican
- 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.
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