Budget Crunch: 8 delicious deals to try now

Got $10 and a friend? Then contributor Kevin Korinek has eight delicious deals to dig into now.

1. Judging from the number of taquerias in St. Louis – both traditional and experimental – this city has a love affair with tacos. Lindenwood Park’s Snax Gastrobar has your back this month with Taco Tuesdays, featuring $2 tacos and $4 margaritas. The rotating selection of traditional and veggie tacos will satisfy, but try a few from the WTF (weird taco filling) menu, where the chefs try out eccentric flavor combinations, like Reuben or meatloaf tacos.

2. Known for stellar fare like shawarma sandwiches and house-made hummus, I’ve got my eyes on Layla’s gourmet burger. Dine in on Wednesdays and get Layla’s standard burger and fries (with any drink purchase) for $8. Don’t let the name fool you; this isn’t a standard sandwich: pasture-raised beef on a brioche bun is topped with cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce, tomato, sumac onions and Chartreuse pickles.

3. 2nd Shift Brewing offers a piece of free glassware on Keep the Glass Wednesdays. Each week, $10 gets you a 12- to 14-ounce pour of a 2nd Shift brew served in that week’s selected glass. Previous offerings included a balloon glass featuring the brewery’s feline mascot, Sunshine, and a coffee mug (perfect for sipping coffee Liquid Spiritual Delight).

4. Square One Brewing Co. has it all – a brewery, distillery and an inspired kitchen to keep things interesting. Square One’s a Build-A-Burger night on Tuesdays from 5 to 9 p.m. mean a single patty starts a mere $3. Choose from a list of add-ons like cheese and tomatoes – but those are extra, so keep it simple to keep it Budget Crunch friendly.

5. If it’s Mexican you crave, Rosalita’s Cantina gets you what you need fast with one of the earliest happy hours in town. It kicks off at 3 p.m. with $3 off appetizers like butternut squash tamales, delicious sopes or a mile-high mound of house-made nachos. Add a $4 Rosie’s Favorite Margarita or a $2.50 draft beer, and the rest of night should take care of itself.

6. Craft breweries are one of the best kept secrets for lunch specials, and Third Wheel Brewing in St. Peters has one of the best deals around. Head for the The Window Kitchen at this popular brewpub Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the $8 lunch special that comes with fries or side salad and soft drink. Choose from items like the classic brew burger, chicken or veggie wraps, house-made beer cheese soup or chili, which comes loaded with cheese and red onion. Not enough time to sit and enjoy? Order online for carryout.

7. Pretzels are one of the most perfect foods ever created. The satisfying crunch, the mouthwatering salt – throw-in something sweet, and you’ve got a trifecta of flavor difficult to find elsewhere. In October, celebrate National Pretzel Month at The Fountain on Locust with its pretzel ice cream cone for another $1.50. It’s best enjoyed with a heaping scoop of the delicious Zanzibar chocolate ice cream – some of the richest, creamiest chocolate ice cream I’ve experienced.

8. Unlike its name, the kitchen at Boundary seems to have no limits on shareable comfort foods. In addition to an assortment of great happy hour goodies from 4 to 6 p.m., Boundary now offering its classic burger and fries for only $5. The burger is a house blend ground of ground chuck topped with aged white cheddar on a brioche bun, and it is not to be missed. While you’re there, take advantage of a $3 draft of 4 Hands Incarnation IPA or the Charleville Tornado Alley Amber – perfect compliments to the perfect Budget Crunch.

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