Budget Crunch: 8 delicious deals for $10 or less

Got $10 and a friend? Then contributor Kevin Korinek has 8 delicious deals to try now.

1. Happy hour equals family hour this month at Pastaria in Clayton. Snag the kids from school or practice and head to the Clayton eatery from 3:30 to 6 p.m., when everything on the kids menu is half off and a Margherita or pepperoni pizza for $10.

2. Bolyard's Meat & Provisions in Maplewood brings out my inner carnivore. It's always a solid spot for great sandwiches, but now the butchers are getting into the breakfast game. On Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, get a stellar, southern-style breakfast sandwich for $6 or biscuits and gravy for $5, made with locally sourced buttermilk and house-made sausage. Get there early – once they run out, you've got to wait until next weekend to taste these gems.

3. Feeling lucky, punk? Head east to Recess Brewing in Edwardsville today, Jan. 23, and spend $5 for a pint of its best-selling IPA 2211 (named after Dirty Harry’s badge number) and keep the special-edition glassware for another $5. After that, head next door to the Wildey Theatre to catch a screening of the Clint Eastwood classic, where more beer will be available on draft.

4. Do you like beer and cheese? Do you like parties? Then this one’s for you. Parker’s Table in Richmond Heights is hosting a $10 beer and cheese party today, Jan. 23. Sample a number tasty treats including imported cheeses, sausages and domestic beers and wines from across the region.

5. Clementine’s Creamery rolled out new flavors – Mugolio and Butternut Squash Sorbet – that are too intriguing to pass up. Mugolio is concocted from a distinctive syrup made with wild herbs, maple amd the buds of Italian Mugo pines. For those who wish healthy eating had a bit more pizazz, the Butternut Squash Sorbet features mango and squash evenly matched with seven different vegetables to create this unique flavor. Two scoops (we vote one of each flavor) costs just $5.

6. Nudo House in Creve Coeur (yes, that’s them on the February cover of Food and Wine Magazine) has long been a fan of hometown UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley – so much, they named an off-menu sandwich after him. “The Chosen One” K.O.rean BBQ Bahn Mi for $8 features bulgogi beef, house kimchi, pate, pickled carrots, cucumbers and jalapenos in a crunch baguette.

7. The Heavy Anchor is probably one of best places for southside good times. A great happy hour now rounds out the regular offerings of cheap drinks, hilarious open mic nights and hip indie bands. Grab an $8 pizza and enjoy $1 Pabst Blue Ribbons for a tasty, budget-friendly meal from 5 to 7 p.m.

8. The newest taqueria in town has breakfast covered. Bring this coupon to Taco Buddha, and when you order four breakfast tacos, and you’ll receive a fifth one free. Choose from potato, spinach or spicy chorizo, with jalapeno or roja sauce on a flour tortilla. You can split them with your co-workers, but I recommend eating them all yourself. No judgment here.

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