As the Central Business District of the country, Makati is notorious for expensive everything: living area, parking space and even food. You can still, however, enjoy a culinary adventure while waiting for the next payday. Where to find awesome food for less than PHP200? Here are our picks!

1. American: Lazy Bastard (PHP180)

Too lazy to cook dinner? Then the Lazy Bastard is your new best friend! Their greatest achivement is to elevate ordinary hot dogs with thier fun combination of flavors. The hot dogs they use are far from the bold red hot dogs that Pinoys unfortunately love. We highly recommend the honey parmesan variant, but the kimchi hot dog is pretty good too. Here’s a tip for days when you miraculously have extra cash with you: the entrance to ABV’s Speakeasy is actually inside the Lazy Bastard. It’s always a good idea to sneak in and enjoy a cocktail or two. 22 Jupiter St. corner Galaxy St., Bel-Air, Makati; +63 2 8325330, Daily, 11am-3pm

2.  Vietnamese: Bon Banh Mi (PHP119)

Bon Banh Mi is pretty popular among Makati professionals. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s affordable and it tastes authentic. Even Sandy Daza himself took notice of this humble store owned by a real Vietnamese. They only have three regular items on the menu, and the traditional Banh mi is the most popular because of the explosive flavors. A Banh mi is only PHP119, so you’ll still have change for Vietnamese coffee! 8390 Mayapis Street, San Antonio, Makati City; Daily 7:30am-8pm

3. Indonesian: Warung Warung (PHP110)

We’ve searched high and low for good Nasi Goreng in the Philippines, but nothing quite compares to  Warung-Warung at the Legazpi Market. Their little stall is fascinating to watch! And there’s almost always a line. Warung Warung offers awesome value meal plates, but our favorite is plate number 1 with Nasi Goreng, Sate Ayam, Tulur Belado, Terong Belado and Bakwan. Yup, all those for only PHP110! The sad news? They only pop up at the Legazpi Market on Sundays. Legazpi Sunday Market, Herrera st. cor Legazpi and Salcedo V.A. Rufino St. Makati; Sundays, 7:30am- 2pm

4. Mediterranean: Beni’s Falafel (PHP185)

We all know that falafel is fried bean fritter, and more often than not, they’re just served as sides in Mediterranean restuarants. But at Beni’s, the humble falafel is the star. Their best-seller is a pita pocket packed with five pieces of crispy falafel. Load up on the creamy white sauce but take it easy on the chili. Eaten best if you can still afford a bottle of softdrinks with your meal. 4364 Valdez St, Poblacion, Makati; +63 906 3491300, Open 24 hours

5. Japanese: Wabi Sabi (PHP195)

Actually, Wabi Sabi is a Japanese-Vietnamese fusion noodle house, and it’s interestingly a vegetarian restaurant too. Their food is so good that you won’t even notice that you’re actually eating healthy stuff. Their menu changes occassionally so it’s best to check if they’re offering anything new or if they changed the prices. Our best picks for value for money are the shoyu ramen (PHP 130) plus the kua pao (PHP 65). 7274 Malugay Street, San Antonio Village, San Antonio, Makati; +63 2 5193950, Daily 12nn-9pm