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20 Affordable Lunch Picks for dineL.A., Summer '14

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2008_10_hasmaps.jpgdineL.A. is here for another 10 days or so, and that means cheap(er) meals all around, including lunch! And for just $15 or in some cases $20 or $25 at really nice restaurants, you can get a solid two or three course meal. It's the ideal situation to get those unadventurous office workers out for lunch instead of at the lunch room heating up their boxes of frozen food. Here now, 20 affordable lunch spots to hit for dineL.A. this summer. Remember, the bonanza ends on July 27 so act quickly.

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Badmaash

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This Downtown Indian restaurant, just steps from Civic Center and its requisite office culture, a super affordable 2 course lunch (and just $18 for three courses) including chicken tikka poutine and basmati rice pudding for dessert.

Ciboteca

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For someone who likes a bit of everything, Santa Monica's Ciboteca is putting together a lunch box of a choice of panini like mortadella or speak with porcini-truffle cream. Throw in a salad, a pastry, and soft drink for just $15.

fundamental LA

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While the normal lunch menu here is quite affordable already, the $15 lunch for dineLA essentially throws a drink, side, and cookie for a few bucks more. Try the albacore tuna conserva sandwich or roast beef sando with walnut romesco.

Colori Kitchen

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This popular every day Italian restaurant on the southern edge of Financial District affords two courses for $15, with a small caprese or green salad (or soup) coupled with fettucine alfredo or spaghetti with meatballs, among other things. White fish or salmon rounds out the savory offerings.

Open Sesame

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This accessible Middle Eastern restaurant on Beverly pits beef shawarma or chicken shawarma served with garlic sauce and cucumber pickles. Throw in an app like vegetarian grape leaves or fried cauliflower to start the meal. Just $15.

Pono Burger

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This Santa Monica burger joint housed in a bunker-like structure is offering a slew of 1/3 burgers paired with two kinds of fries (choose wisely) for $15. Cooked over a real fire and packing 1/3 lb of meat per burger, it's a hearty meal on the Westside.

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana

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Pick a salad, like the panzanella or beet salad, then have a whole wood-fired pizza like the Margherita or spicy Diavola, for just $15. Perfect for MDR and Playa Vista office workers.

MessHall Kitchen

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This casual Los Feliz eatery affords two courses for $15, like a kale caesar salad or corn fritters, then a heritage turkey burger or grilled ham and cheese for the elevated summer camp dining experience. Dessert is another $9 but features things like strawberry shortcake or banana cream jar pie.

RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen

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This expansive eatery in Century City has a $15 lunch with a solid number of choices, from 8 appetizers (pick one) and 6 entrees (pick one), like green mango and papaya salad and wok fried shrimp. You also get a dessert, like mixed berries with strawberry sorbet.

Hostaria Del Piccolo

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A bargain lunch for the area, try a beef carpaccio as the first course then move onto a pizza or pasta, like the gnocchi or sausage rigatoni, or the buffalo mozzarella margherita.

Les Noces du Figaro

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This uber-French bistro in the heart of Historic Core has classics like quiche lorraine, and onion soup to go with croque monsieur, salmon salad and smoked salmon panini.

The Larder at Burton Way

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This casual cafe in Mid-City has a choice of soup or market lettuces to start, a trio of veggies and grains or the Pilgrim, a Thanksgiving sandwich or roast beef sando. Throw in bread pudding and it's a mere $15.

The Village Idiot

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This Melrose gastropub has plenty of choices for just $15 per person, including ale-steamed mussels, kale salad, chopped salad, griddle burger, and fried chicken sandwich. Oh and fish and chips, of course.

Warren's Blackboard

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At just $15, diners get a choice of burrata crostini with grilled corn or watermelon salad with humbolt fog cheese to start before moving onto a Korean braised short rib sandwich or summer bean saute. There's also a stone crab melt with tomato jam. Hard to find a better deal in the Valley.

The Biergarten at The Standard, Downtown LA

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Sitting on a rooftop's certainly not a bad place to enjoy a nice, inexpensive lunch. Try one salad like the red cabbage and apple, then choose a German sausage like currywurst. You also get a 6 oz pour of beer, not enough to inhibit any post-lunch office work.

Lucques

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A tad more than the $15 range, this $25 lunch in one of the most gorgeous daytime patios in the city is well worth it. Suzanne Goin prepares a sweet corn soup with charred jalapeno, a chopped chicken fattoush salad with romaine lettuce, or eggplant and sweet pepper dish with dandelion. Get dessert as well for a supplement, like a bittersweet chocolate torta with coffee ice cream for $10.

Nick & Stef's Steakhouse

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This $25 lunch special affords a table at a classy Downtown steakhouse. Choose a kale salad, soup, or petit caesar to start, an oak grilled salmon or petit Chateau sirloin, and a white chocolate lime bar or s'mores for dessert.

Polo Lounge

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This classic power lunch spot in Beverly Hills has two courses for $25, including the burger and grilled peach salad as options.

Lukshon

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For $20, enjoy two courses like Hawaiian butterfish with pickled watermelon radish or sichuan dumplings made with kurobuta pork. A glass of wine or beer is just $5 more.

Water Grill

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For $25, enjoy a slew of seafood like New England clam chowder, white shrimp banh mi, swordfish with braised eggplant, and Fijian albacore nicoise salad, just steps from the beach.

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Badmaash

This Downtown Indian restaurant, just steps from Civic Center and its requisite office culture, a super affordable 2 course lunch (and just $18 for three courses) including chicken tikka poutine and basmati rice pudding for dessert.

Ciboteca

For someone who likes a bit of everything, Santa Monica's Ciboteca is putting together a lunch box of a choice of panini like mortadella or speak with porcini-truffle cream. Throw in a salad, a pastry, and soft drink for just $15.

fundamental LA

While the normal lunch menu here is quite affordable already, the $15 lunch for dineLA essentially throws a drink, side, and cookie for a few bucks more. Try the albacore tuna conserva sandwich or roast beef sando with walnut romesco.

Colori Kitchen

This popular every day Italian restaurant on the southern edge of Financial District affords two courses for $15, with a small caprese or green salad (or soup) coupled with fettucine alfredo or spaghetti with meatballs, among other things. White fish or salmon rounds out the savory offerings.

Open Sesame

This accessible Middle Eastern restaurant on Beverly pits beef shawarma or chicken shawarma served with garlic sauce and cucumber pickles. Throw in an app like vegetarian grape leaves or fried cauliflower to start the meal. Just $15.

Pono Burger

This Santa Monica burger joint housed in a bunker-like structure is offering a slew of 1/3 burgers paired with two kinds of fries (choose wisely) for $15. Cooked over a real fire and packing 1/3 lb of meat per burger, it's a hearty meal on the Westside.

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana

Pick a salad, like the panzanella or beet salad, then have a whole wood-fired pizza like the Margherita or spicy Diavola, for just $15. Perfect for MDR and Playa Vista office workers.

MessHall Kitchen

This casual Los Feliz eatery affords two courses for $15, like a kale caesar salad or corn fritters, then a heritage turkey burger or grilled ham and cheese for the elevated summer camp dining experience. Dessert is another $9 but features things like strawberry shortcake or banana cream jar pie.

RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen

This expansive eatery in Century City has a $15 lunch with a solid number of choices, from 8 appetizers (pick one) and 6 entrees (pick one), like green mango and papaya salad and wok fried shrimp. You also get a dessert, like mixed berries with strawberry sorbet.

Hostaria Del Piccolo

A bargain lunch for the area, try a beef carpaccio as the first course then move onto a pizza or pasta, like the gnocchi or sausage rigatoni, or the buffalo mozzarella margherita.

Les Noces du Figaro

This uber-French bistro in the heart of Historic Core has classics like quiche lorraine, and onion soup to go with croque monsieur, salmon salad and smoked salmon panini.

The Larder at Burton Way

This casual cafe in Mid-City has a choice of soup or market lettuces to start, a trio of veggies and grains or the Pilgrim, a Thanksgiving sandwich or roast beef sando. Throw in bread pudding and it's a mere $15.

The Village Idiot

This Melrose gastropub has plenty of choices for just $15 per person, including ale-steamed mussels, kale salad, chopped salad, griddle burger, and fried chicken sandwich. Oh and fish and chips, of course.

Warren's Blackboard

At just $15, diners get a choice of burrata crostini with grilled corn or watermelon salad with humbolt fog cheese to start before moving onto a Korean braised short rib sandwich or summer bean saute. There's also a stone crab melt with tomato jam. Hard to find a better deal in the Valley.

The Biergarten at The Standard, Downtown LA

Sitting on a rooftop's certainly not a bad place to enjoy a nice, inexpensive lunch. Try one salad like the red cabbage and apple, then choose a German sausage like currywurst. You also get a 6 oz pour of beer, not enough to inhibit any post-lunch office work.

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Lucques

A tad more than the $15 range, this $25 lunch in one of the most gorgeous daytime patios in the city is well worth it. Suzanne Goin prepares a sweet corn soup with charred jalapeno, a chopped chicken fattoush salad with romaine lettuce, or eggplant and sweet pepper dish with dandelion. Get dessert as well for a supplement, like a bittersweet chocolate torta with coffee ice cream for $10.

Nick & Stef's Steakhouse

This $25 lunch special affords a table at a classy Downtown steakhouse. Choose a kale salad, soup, or petit caesar to start, an oak grilled salmon or petit Chateau sirloin, and a white chocolate lime bar or s'mores for dessert.