They say it costs $20 to walk around the block in NYC. Honestly, they are not wrong. I don’t usually Google “cheap eats in city X” when I travel (probably because I often travel to countries like Sri Lanka and Poland where eating out even at great restaurants is affordable), but I did Google “cheap eats in New York” because yikes! Getting the bill at a restaurant is not for the faint of heart, especially if you travel as a family of four.
The good news is New York has amazing food for every budget, you just need to know where to find it. And I am here to share my favorite finds with you. Just so we are on the same page, by “cheap eats” I mean a meal that would cost about $15 or preferably less.
This list is, by no means, complete, so if you have recommendations for cheap eats in NYC, leave a comment below!
Pizza is the most obvious option when it comes to cheap eats in New York. The average price for a slice is around $4-5, even at the most popular spots with a line of hungry New Yorkers and tourists outside. Joe’s Pizza is one of the most popular pizza restaurants in Manhattan, frequented by celebrities. Most recently Dua Lipa and Rihanna visited the place, and Scarlett Johansson named it her favorite slice in the city on Jimmy Fallon.
The restaurant was founded by Joe Pozzuoli, an immigrant from Naples, Italy, where pizza was born, back in 1975. In the past decades, it has become a true New York institution while maintaining high quality and staying down-to-earth. The space is quite small and simple, with limited seating. Lots of people enjoy their slice on the street, right outside the shop. Expect to stay in line, but it moves quickly. And have some cash ready, as they do not accept credit cards.
By the way, if you are into visiting filming locations, a scene from Spiderman 2 was shot here! You can check more NYC cafes and restaurants that were used as filming locations in this blog post of mine.
Joe’s Pizza — 7 Carmine St (this is the original location, they have a few more in the city)
Washington Square Park (and the historic Washington Square Arch), the Friends apartment building at the corner of Bedford Street and Grove Street, Bleecker Street (one of the most popular streets in Greenwich Village with plenty of shops and restaurants), the building where Carrie Bradshaw lived in Sex and the City and Magnolia Bakery where she had cupcakes with Miranda in one of the episodes (apart from cupcakes, try their banana pudding).
John’s of Bleecker Street is another legendary NYC pizza restaurant that has been around since the beginning of the 20th century. It was originally opened by Giovanni “John” Sasso, an Italian immigrant, on Sullivan Street, but moved to 278 Bleecker Street later. So that’s where the name comes from.
Apart from being around for over a hundred years, this spot is known for using a traditional coal-fired brick oven. Unfortunately, they don’t sell pizza by slice, but you can buy a whole one for $22-26 which is enough for 2 people.
You can pay by cash or card. Expect lines around lunch and dinner time, but maybe if you are lucky you can meet a celebrity while waiting. John Stewart, Emma Stone, and Jimmy Kimmel among many other celebrities are patrons of this place.
John’s of Bleecker Street — 278 Bleecker St
Washington Square Park (and the historic Washington Square Arch), the Friends apartment building at the corner of Bedford Street and Grove Street, Bleecker Street (one of the most popular streets in Greenwich Village with plenty of shops and restaurants), the building where Carrie Bradshaw lived in Sex and the City. If you walk a little further (about 20 minutes), you’ll find Chelsey Market, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Pier 57 Rooftop Park.
If you find yourself in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, check out Essex Market. It has a history that stretches back as far as 1818 when dozens of independent pushcart peddlers sold all kinds of foods under the open sky in LES. The actual indoor market was first opened in 1940. It has gone through many perturbations, including financial troubles, relocation, and renovations.
Today, Essex Market is located in a newly renovated building at the intersection of Essex and Delancey Streets. It’s modern, spacious, with a sun-lit mezzanine, and offers some of the most delicious cheap eats in New York. Even around lunch and dinner time it doesn’t feel too crowded and you can always find a table to sit down at on the mezzanine.
I’ve tried Unregular Pizza and Zerza Moroccan at the market both of which were great. Unregular Pizza sells slices that vary in price from $4.5 to $11. Zerza Moroccan has a falafel sandwich for $13, a lamb pita burger and the signature beef stew sandwich for $15.5, and other delicious Mediterranean specialties.
A few other restaurants at Essex market that were on my radar but I didn’t get a chance to try are Sugar Sweet Sunshine bakery (try their banana pudding), Kotti Berliner Döner Kebab (döner is always an affordable option), and Nordic Preserves.
Essex Market — the intersection of Essex Street and Delancey Street
The Tenement Museum, Museum of Chinese in America, Chinatown (granted, there are plenty of cheap places to eat in Chinatown, too, but it’s not a long walk to Essex Market), Museum at Eldridge Street. Since Essex Market is located in the Lower East Side, you might find my post on the best things to do in LES useful.
Another popular indoor market with plenty of options is Urbanspace Vanderbilt. We visited during lunchtime and it was extremely crowded. We managed to find a table, but the mealtime definitely felt a bit rushed and hectic. However, they offer a great variety of affordable meals.
My favorite was Mysttik Masaala which specializes in Indian food — try their naan wraps! I had one with chicken tikka masala ($16.50) and it tasted fresh and flavorful. The kids had oatmeal with berries from Playa Bowls. They also offer acai bowls and smoothies (the prices are between $13 and $17) which makes it a perfect breakfast spot. Kuro-Obi makes delicious ramen and Pita Yeero offers Greek gyros.
Urbanspace Vanderbilt — 230 Park Ave
Bryant Park, New York Public Library, Summit One Vanderbilt, Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, and Empire State building (17 min walk).
The popular Italian marketplace is an attraction in and of itself. There are 3 locations in NYC: in Flatiron district, SoHo, and downtown. Eataly is an enormous space where you can easily spend several hours, checking out artisan Italian products, having coffee and a pastry at the cafe, or dining at one of the restaurants. The latter, however, can turn out to be pricey.
If you are looking for an affordable meal, there’s a counter that sells panini on the ground floor. Panini are priced between $12 and $20 and make for a filling meal. Fresh bread is cut in half and stuffed with all kinds of Italian goodness, like mortadella and pistachio, Prosciutto and Mozzarella, and Soppressata.
I was at the Flatiron district location with my family. There was no sitting right at the panini counter, but we found a table a little closer to the exit. You can also take your panino and enjoy it on a bench in Madison Square Park, just across the road.
Eataly — 3 locations in NYC, check Google Maps
Flatiron location: nearby you’ll find Flatiron building, Madison Square Park, Gramercy Park, The Friends Experience.
Downtown location: nearby you’ll find 9/11 Memorial Museum, One World Trade Center, New York Stock Exchange, Oculus World Trade Center.
SoHo location: nearby you’ll find Ghostbusters Headquarters, Museum of Chinese in America, Color Factory.
Just opposite Eataly Flatiron, in Madison Square Park, is located a New York staple — Shake Shack. And while these days you can find their burgers and milkshakes in many U.S. cities as well as abroad, this here is the original location.
Shake Shack was opened as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park back in 2001. You can still find hot dogs on their menu, an underrated snack, but their burgers are the star of the show. Considered gourmet, they feature Angus beef patties, their signature sauce, and buttered buns. The milkshakes are made with Shake Shack’s signature frozen vanilla custard and feature flavors like strawberry frosted donut, chocolate salted caramel, and peaches and cream.
Shake Shack — Madison Square Park, 23rd Street and Madison Ave (this is the original location, there are many more in NYC)
The original location is close to Flatiron building, Madison Square Park, Gramercy Park, The Friends Experience. There are many more Shake Shack locations in NYC, so wherever you are just check if there’s a branch near you.
Los Tacos No. 1 was founded by three friends from Tijuana, Mexico, and Brawley, California. Their mission was to bring traditional Mexican flavors to the East Coast. Their specialties are tacos and quesadillas that include such classics as carne asada, adobada, and even grilled cactus. They mostly use family recipes.
The menu is short and sweet. During lunch time there are often long lines that move pretty quickly. Tacos are about $6 a piece, breakfast burritos are $7.
Los Tacos No. 1 has 10 locations in NYC currently, so it’s a great place for a cheap meal whether you are exploring Tribeca, Noho, or Times Square. I tried the original location at Chelsea Market.
Los Tacos No. 1 — the stand at Chelsea Market is their original location, but there are many more in NYC.
Whitney Museum of American Art, the High Line, Pier 57 Rooftop Park, Little Island, Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
Russ & Daughters is an iconic bagel shop in the Lower East Side of Manhattan (if you are after the most iconic meals in NYC, check out this post of mine). It was opened in 1914 and, over a century later, is still considered the best place for traditional New York bagels.
The space is quite small and almost always crowded. As you enter, take a little numbered ticket and wait till it’s called. The line moves fast, so while you are waiting make sure to figure out your order or you’ll be faced with half a dozen questions at the counter (which was exactly what happened to me the first time around).
There’s no seating inside, so you’ll have to enjoy your bagel on a bench just outside the shop or on-the-go. If you do want to sit down, there’s a Russ & Daughters cafe, also located in the Lower East Side, but it’s definitely pricier than just grabbing a bagel at the shop.
Apart from bagels that are, of course, heavenly (the amount of cream cheese is extremely generous), I also tried their seven-layer halvah. It’s superb and makes for a great edible souvenir to bring from New York.
Update: a classic bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon is currently $17. To be honest, the price has gone up quite a bit in the recent years. When I originally wrote this post, it was under $15. At $17, these bagels hardly fall under the category of cheap eats in NYC. Still, better than most sit-down restaurants where you’ll easily pay a $100 for a meal for two.
Russ & Daughters — 179 E Houston St (this is the original shop location, they have 3 more cafes in NYC)
The Tenement Museum, Museum of Chinese in America, Chinatown, Museum at Eldridge Street, Essex Market.
Another great place if you are looking for bagels is Zabar’s. It’s a New York institution that has been a staple in the Upper West Side since 1934 when it was opened by Louis and Lillian Zabar. Zabar’s is a classic NYC deli that offers cold cuts, cheeses, smoked salmon, and pastries.
Their bagels are very generous and will fuel you up for a day of sightseeing in New York. I tried the classic bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon which was fantastic. There’s no place to sit inside, but you’ll find a couple of tables where you can have your meal standing up.
Update: just like in case with Russ & Daughters, the prices have gone up. A classic bagel with cream cheese and lox is around $17.
Zabar’s — 2245 Broadway
American Museum of Natural History, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Central Park. You can also take a self-guided walking tour around Upper West Side: there are many beautiful streets and historic buildings. If you are looking for more delicious food, Levain Bakery is nearby: try the chocolate chip walnut cookie.
Mamoun’s Falafel is one of the most famous options for cheap eats in New York. It was established in 1971, with its first location opening in Greenwich Village. Over half a century later, they have expanded into a chain with a presence not only in NYC, but also in New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
I tried the restaurant on the Upper West Side. It was a fairly small place with no inside seating, but a few tables outside, on the sidewalk. The menu is quite straightforward: you can choose between falafel, shawarma (slices of lamb) or chicken kebab served either as a sandwich in pita bread or deconstructed, on a plate. They also offer traditional Middle-Eastern sweets like pistachio and walnut baklava. I got a plate of falafel and my husband tried the shawarma sandwich — everything tasted fresh and delicious. Falafel sandwich is around $7, shawarma is around $10.
Mamoun’s Falafel — multiple locations in NYC, check Google Maps
Greenwich Village location: nearby you’ll find Washington Square Park (and the historic Washington Square Arch), the Friends apartment building at the corner of Bedford Street and Grove Street, Bleecker Street (one of the most popular streets in Greenwich Village with plenty of shops and restaurants), the building where Carrie Bradshaw lived in Sex and the City.
East Village location: nearby you’ll find Tompkins Square Park, St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery.
Upper West Side location: nearby you’ll find the American Museum of Natural History, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Central Park.
Xi’an Famous Foods is, hands down, one of my favorite places to eat in New York and I never miss a chance to devour their (indeed) famous hand-pulled noodles when I visit. The restaurant was launched by Jason Wang and his father David, Chinese immigrants from the city of Xi’an, back in 2015 and has grown into a chain of 15 locations all over New York.
As the business grew, the high quality stayed the same: they still make their own chili oil and hand-pull noodles to order. I love how simple and down-to-earth their restaurants are. The restaurants often feature an open kitchen so you can watch the cooking process. Pretty much every branch has a line of people waiting, but it moves fast.
Be aware that most dishes are quite spicy, bold flavors are their signature. Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles (just under $15) is, probably, their most popular dish: wide hand-ripped noodles are mixed with slices of spicy cumin lamb and Xi’an’s own soy and black rice vinegar sauce.
Xi’an Famous Foods — there are 15 locations in NYC so wherever you are, just check if there’s a branch near you.
Blue Park Kitchen is a perfect choice if you are looking for a healthy nourishing meal. You can order one of the ready-made options off the menu (like turkey meatballs and lemon ricotta bowl or roasted chicken breast with fennel slaw) or build your own by choosing grains, greens, protein, and vegetables.
Blue Park Kitchen places an emphasis on using local and seasonal produce; the menu changes twice a year to reflect the seasons. They have vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Their signature bowls cost around $15.
There are two locations in NYC: in the Lower Manhattan and in Midtown. I visited the former with my kids. The plan was to feed them something healthy before grabbing spicy noodles from Xi’an Famous Foods for me and my husband. The kids loved their bowls and I ended up stealing some of their veggies while waiting. I don’t have any pictures, unfortunately, because the food was gone too fast.
Blue Park Kitchen — 70 Pine Street and 666 3rd Avenue
Lower Manhattan location: nearby you’ll find the Federal Hall, the Charging Bull statue, and Battery Park. It’s also a great lunch spot if you are taking the ferry to Staten Island to see the Statue of Liberty.
Midtown location: nearby you’ll find the Empire State Building (a 20-minute walk), Bryant Park, New York Public Library, Summit One Vanderbilt, Grand Central Terminal, and Chrysler Building.
This iconic bakery in the Lower East Side was opened by Yonah Schimmel, a Romanian rabbi, in 1910. The original shop remains on East Houston Street to this day. For over a hundred years it’s been a family business.
A knish (k is pronounced) is a snack brought to New York by Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century. It consists of creamy mashed potatoes wrapped in thin dough and baked. The fillings vary, at Yonah Schimmel’s Bakery, for example, you can find knishes with cabbage, kasha, mushrooms, and spinach, but potato is the most popular one.
At $5.5 a piece, knishes are some of the most affordable foods you’ll find in New York. They are quite heavy, too: 1 or 2 knishes are more than enough for a filling breakfast.
As much as I hate saying this about such an iconic shop, in my personal opinion, the bakery is only worth checking out if you are exploring the Lower East Side. I wouldn’t make a trip out here just for the knishes. The potato knish I tried was fine, but just didn’t hit the spot. For me, a visit here was more about history than taste.
Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery — 137 E Houston St
Tourist attractions nearby: the Tenement Museum, Museum of Chinese in America, Chinatown, Museum at Eldridge Street, and Essex Market.
Downtown bakery has been around for 30 years and become a staple in the East Village serving Pueblan and Mexican-American foods. Don’t let the word “bakery” in the name confuse you: although it started as an Italian bakery, it gradually switched from baked goods to tacos and burritos. In 2023 the restaurant was closed, but later that same year reopened again under the name Downtown Burritos.
The menu is almost unchanged and so are the reasonable prices. Burritos are around $13-15. I tried huevos rancheros which were excuisite. The place is quite small with limited sitting inside. However at 8 in the morning I didn’t have a problem getting a spot by the window to have breakfast and people-watch.
Downtown Burritos — 69 1st Ave
Tompkins Square Park, Museum of Ice Cream, Tenement Museum, Essex Market.
Spicy Village is one of the many restaurants in Chinatown where you can find a delicious and affordable meal in NYC. Their signature dish is da pan ji, or spicy big tray chicken. Unfortunately, I didn’t try it (I didn’t do my research well, but now you know what to get there!)
I had the lamb tripe soup with noodles. Funny thing: the waiter asked me three times if I actually wanted the soup because it was made with stomachs and hearts and I had to assure her I was fully aware what I was ordering. Anyway, the soup was a bit underwhelming, so I ordered soup dumplings and those were crazy good! 9 pieces cost $9.
The spicy big tray chicken is $21.5, but is (apparently) easily enough for two people. It’s a dish native to Xinjiang region of China: bone-in pieces of chicken in a sauce made with Sichuan peppercorns and star anise. There’s an option of adding hand-pulled noodles.
Spicy Village — 68 Forsyth St B
Mott Street (Chinatown’s unofficial “Main Street”), Museum of Chinese in America, Manhattan Bridge entrance, Museum at Eldridge Street.
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I write stories about food, travel, and my life as a mom of two boys. Home is Russia, but somehow also Sri Lanka and Hamburg, Germany. Go figure.
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