Budget Crunch: 10 delicious deals to try now

Got $10 and a friend? Then we've got 10 tasty deals you must try now.

1. Pastaria is ramping up its happy hour by introducing a new Aperitivo Menu, which includes colorful, $7 summer cocktails and table-sharing snacks like the $9 ’nduja risotto balls and the $7 fried potatoes with salmoriglio sauce. The new bites are perfect for unwinding and noshing with friends, but keep in mind, this menu is only available Monday through Friday from 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Plan to get there on time by leaving work early. (You were going to anyway.)

2. Take a deep dive into the farthest recesses of your couch and you can swing Syberg's $7 blue plate specials like a culinary Jacques Cousteau. The plates change daily to the whim of the head chefs, but regular recurring items have included a Buffalo shrimp wrap with a side of fruit and country-fried steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. Sometimes there’s even a helping of fried chicken.

3. If you’re jones-ing for a great burger, EdgeWild Bistro & Tap in Creve Coeur has saved you a seat. On Tuesdays from 4 to 10 p.m., check out its $5 burger night, where they serve a traditional hamburger with fries, chips or creamy coleslaw. This thing comes fully loaded with toppings piled sky-high on a juicy, mouthwatering all-beef patty.

4. Closer to the city and still want to get your burger fix? Tucker’s Place in Soulard has you covered. Every Monday through Friday until 4 p.m. you can get its signature, charbroiled 9-ounce Tucker Burger, complete with a side and beverage for a hard-to-beat $6. Think it might be a late night with friends? Take advantage of the late-night happy hour from 9 p.m. to midnight and save on $2 bottles, pints and well drinks.

5. When you find yourself in the valley after a sprint of power shopping, visit Brick House Tavern & Tap during its lengthy happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. for a few good eats like soft pretzels, deviled eggs or spiked calamari for a mere $5 each. Toss in an extra two bucks and go for the specialty snacks like crispy ducks wings or Buffalo chicken meatballs. Add a $3 domestic draft on top of that, and you’ve got yourself a mini-meal.

6. Sure, you can splurge for the fancy stuff, but this super cheap Chinese food has got us all aflutter. At the recently opened Dollar Express Chinese Restaurant in Overland, traditional Chinese fare is $1 per scoop. Yes, you read that right. Throw down a couple bucks for some spicy Kung Pao chicken, egg rolls and crab rangoon, and you’ll still have cash for a second helping. If you’re looking for a king’s feast on a commoner’s budget, you’ve come to the right place.

7. Start your week off right at Bella Milano for Martini Mondays, where you can get martinis and select appetizers for $5. Think of it as good motivation for a hectic workday. If you need more than an appetizer to fill you up, stick with $10 lunch specials offered weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. With items like the Thai chile pasta or the honey pecan white fish, you won’t regret it.

8. Soulard restaurants are rocking lunch deals like nobody’s business. At Epic Pizza & Subs, splurge on a generous slice of cheesy, pizza goodness with a side salad and drink for $9.09. Known for their New York-style slices with thin crust and fired in the brick oven, just the way a pizza pie should be.

9. Almost everything on Steve’s Hot Dogs menu is Budget Crunch friendly, but for a real treat, watch for the weekly specials like this week’s T-Ravasaurus Rex Dog: a quarter-pound Nathan’s hot dog with Anthonino’s Taverna toasted ravs and mac n cheese. The dog is complete with red sauce and Parmesan cheese. Mention the weekly word (check social media), and get $1 off your total.

10. Fried chicken takes a long time to prep, so avoid messing up your kitchen and check out Helen Fitzgerald’s in Kirkwood on Sundays and Mondays, where you can get a colossal four-piece fried chicken meal and side for a cool $8. That’s plenty of yardbird to split between you and a friend and still have money to tip.

Kevin Korinek is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for making homemade pie.