Highest-rated cheap eats in Springfield 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 Springfield 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.

J Parrino's Queen City Deli

1 / 29

#29. J Parrino's Queen City Deli

- Rating: 4.1/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1647 Sunshine St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Delis, Diners
- Read more on Yelp

Jimmy's Egg

2 / 29

#28. Jimmy's Egg

- Rating: 4.1/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3315 East Battlefield Road Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Koriya

3 / 29

#27. Koriya

- Rating: 4.1/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4121 South Fremont Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Korean, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp

Pappy's Place

4 / 29

#26. Pappy's Place

- Rating: 4.1/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 943 North Main Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Barbecue, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Wicked Wok

5 / 29

#25. Wicked Wok

- Rating: 4.1/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4852 South State Hwy Ff Battlefield, Missouri
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

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Amigos Mexican Restaurant

6 / 29

#24. Amigos Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.1/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2118 South Campbell Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Tortilleria Perches

7 / 29

#23. Tortilleria Perches

- Rating: 4.2/5 (375 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1601 West Sunshine St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

El Sombrero

8 / 29

#22. El Sombrero

- Rating: 4.2/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1529 West Battlefield St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Bao Bao Chinese Bistro

9 / 29

#21. Bao Bao Chinese Bistro

- Rating: 4.3/5 (186 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2101 West Chesterfield St. Unit A104 Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Tacos el Gordo

10 / 29

#20. Tacos el Gordo

- Rating: 4.3/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5360 South Campbell Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Pizza House

11 / 29

#19. Pizza House

- Rating: 4.3/5 (188 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 312 East Commercial St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Classic Rock Coffee

12 / 29

#18. Classic Rock Coffee

- Rating: 4.3/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1900 West Sunset St. Ste A116 Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Music Venues, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Neighbor's Mill Bakery & Cafe

13 / 29

#17. Neighbor's Mill Bakery & Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1435 East Independence Ste 110 Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Neighborhood Pizza Cafe

14 / 29

#16. Neighborhood Pizza Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3550 North Glenstone Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

St. George's BBQ

15 / 29

#15. St. George's BBQ

- Rating: 4.4/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3012 South National Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

Skully's

16 / 29

#14. Skully's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1427 East Cherry St. Ste A Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

Godfathers Pizza

17 / 29

#13. Godfathers Pizza

- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5453 South Ff Hwy Battlefield, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Smokin' Bob's BBQ

18 / 29

#12. Smokin' Bob's BBQ

- Rating: 4.5/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3309 East Sunshine St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

European Cafe

19 / 29

#11. European Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 207 Park Central East Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

College Street Cafe

20 / 29

#10. College Street Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1622 West College St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

Cafe Cubano

21 / 29

#9. Cafe Cubano

- Rating: 4.6/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3650 East Sunshine St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Cuban, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

Travellers House Coffee & Tea

22 / 29

#8. Travellers House Coffee & Tea

- Rating: 4.6/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2151 West Republic Road Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

Elotes Don Toño

23 / 29

#7. Elotes Don Toño

- Rating: 4.6/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1314 South Glenstone Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

I Love Tacos Taqueria

24 / 29

#6. I Love Tacos Taqueria

- Rating: 4.6/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 600 Broadview Place Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

The Sub Shop

25 / 29

#5. The Sub Shop

- Rating: 4.6/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1721 East Seminole St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Kingdom Coffee

26 / 29

#4. Kingdom Coffee

- Rating: 4.6/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 211 South Market Ave. Unit 100 Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

The Hibiscus Jerk Hut

27 / 29

#3. The Hibiscus Jerk Hut

- Rating: 4.6/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1834 North Glenstone Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Caribbean, Food Trucks, American
- Read more on Yelp

Sub Shop

28 / 29

#2. Sub Shop

- Rating: 4.7/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 456 West McDaniel St. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

El Cafecito - The Little Coffee Shop

29 / 29

#1. El Cafecito - The Little Coffee Shop

- Rating: 4.7/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2462 South Campbell Ave. Springfield, Missouri
- Categories: Latin American, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- 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.