New York City is one of the most exciting food destinations in the world, but eating out can get expensive. Luckily, the city is packed with incredible budget-friendly eats that don’t compromise on flavor. In this guide, I’ll share 10 of the best cheap eats in New York City, all based on my personal experiences. Whether you’re craving classic New York pizza, iconic street food, or comforting mac and cheese, there are plenty of delicious options where you can grab a satisfying meal without breaking the bank.
1.) Ess-a-Bagel in Midtown, Manhattan
Ess-a-Bagel is famous for its huge, chewy bagels and generous cream cheese spreads. Their lox and cream cheese bagel is a must-try for a classic and authentic NYC breakfast. Their bagels are truly enormous and very delicious. For me, the food was plentiful, fueled and kept me going for hours. They offer coffee and other beverages, as well as a variety of pastries, along with the bagels.
Ess-a-Bagel was founded in 1976 by three Austrians, who came from a baking family, so baking the perfect bagel was a natural for them. Since then, they have become a local favourite, and have been voted Best Bagels in NYC for nearly 50 years. Their motto is “Everything on a Bagel!”.
Price range: $2.05 for a bagel, $10-$18 with toppings.
Location: today they are present in 5 locations in the city.
You can find here their website, menu, FB and IG page.
2.) Gray’s Papaya in Upper West Side, Manhattan
This legendary NYC hot dog is one of the best cheap eats in New York City. Gray’s Papaya serves grilled hot dogs with toppings like sauerkraut and mustard or onion, paired with their signature papaya juice. They offer bagels, breakfast rolls and coffee and other beverages besides the hot dog and various tropical drinks. The papaya juice is a must-try, it is really tasty.
The Recession Special, which is 2 hot dogs plus a medium tropical drink, is an unbeatable bargain in Manhattan.
Price range: hot dog from $1, to specials e.g. $7.5 for the “Recession Special”.
Location: 2090 Broadway, Upper West Side
You can find here their website, menu, FB and IG page.
3.) Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island, Brooklyn
Another must-try iconic hot dog spot. No trip to NYC is complete without trying a Nathan’s Famous hot dog. This historic spot started in Coney Island in 1916 with a $300 loan and the secret recipe of the owner’s wife. Since then, their snappy, grilled hot dogs remain a staple. If you’re visiting during summer, grab a hot dog and take a stroll along the boardwalk or have fun at the theme park.
In 1946 Nathan’s Famous added seafood products and its famous clam bar opened. In 2017 it became the first-ever Official Hot Dog of Major League Baseball.
Price range: around $6-$8 for a hot dog.
Location: Coney Island & multiple locations in New York
You can find here their website, menu, FB and IG page.
4.) Vinnie’s Pizzeria in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
They have a quirky, unique and creative take on pizza. A beloved Brooklyn pizzeria, Vinnie’s is known for its creative topping combos and even pizza slices served on top of a larger slice, pizza on pizza as they call. Serving the neighbourhood since 1960, without changing the original recipe. They are now known worldwide as one of the most inventive pizzerias.
Besides, Vinnie’s Pizzeria is world famous for its special boards, which feature delicious daily specials and groan-worthy puns. Their vegan and vegetarian options are some of the best in the city, making this a must-visit spot for pizza lovers.
Price range: $4-$6 per slice, their famous Pizza on Pizza Slice: $4.50 a slice, or $25 for large pie.
Location: 148 Bedford Ave (between 8th St & 9th St) Brooklyn, NY 11211
You can find here their website, menu, FB and IG page.
5.) Joe’s Pizza in Greenwich Village, Manhattan
A true, must-have, classic and iconic NYC slice. Joe Pozzuoli – who is originally from Naples, Italy, the birthplace of pizza – founded this pizzeria in 1975. Despite his age, he still owns and operates the restaurant. It is a favourite among New Yorkers and tourists alike. There is usually a long line waiting to be served, but usually the queue moves fast.
This proves it is also one of the cheap eats in New York City you can find. Go for a plain cheese slice for the perfect New York pizza experience. Or try the Sicilian, which is a thick-crusted and rectangular shaped slice.
Price range: $3.50-$5 per slice.
Locations: originally Greenwich Village, but since then they can be found multiple locations in the City.
You can find here their website and IG page.
6.) S’MAC in East Village, Manhattan
S’MAC, which is short for Sarita’s Macaroni & Cheese, is a mac and cheese lover’s dream. The restaurant serves customizable mac and cheese dishes with different cheeses and mix-ins. Sarita and her husband opened this restaurant in the summer of 2006. It was the first ever restaurant to offer exclusively mac & cheese, with the goal to elevate macaroni & cheese from a side dish to be a main dish.
You can chose between 4 sizes. You can also bring a frozen SMAC home or even build your own variation. Try the All-American with classic cheddar cheese for an authentic American taste. You can try even gluten-free options if you have any allergies. Comfort food either for lunch or dinner.
Price range: $8-$12 for the small size. For me, the small sized pan was enough.
Location: 197 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10003
You can find here their website, menu, FB and IG page.
7.) Joe’s Ginger in Chinatown, Manhattan
Budget-friendly dumplings and Chinese dishes are served in this hidden gem in Chinatown. Joe’s Ginger is a sister restaurant to the famous Joe’s Shanghai. This restaurant offer delicious soup dumplings at more affordable prices. At Joe’s Ginger, you can find Authentic Shanghai cuisine with some Hong Kong flare, which is known for its heavy and highly flavoured sauce made with soy and wine.
Therefore Shanghainese dishes are more rich in flavour than other Chinese cuisines. Hong Kong Style Shanghai Cuisine is a hybrid: traditional recipes and ingredients combined with Western influences. I tried a very tasty and filling shrimp noodle soup. Keep in mind, that they prefer cash, so bring some with you.
Price range: $4-$25 for appetizers to seafood.
Location: 25 Pell St, Chinatown
You can find here their website, menu and IG page.
8.) Taipei Hong in Flushing, Queens
If you’re looking for authentic Taiwanese cuisine, head to Flushing in Queens. Taipei Hong serves various Taiwanese snacks, including Taiwanese rice noodle soup, fried tofu, pig’s intestine, garlic pork, fried chicken, amazing beef noodle soup, scallion pancakes, and Taiwanese fried chicken at reasonable prices. Try the Seafood Mala Tang, which you can see on the image.
Or choose the shrimp noodle with sauce, both of them are really palatable. Flushing is a bit of a subway ride from Manhattan, if you stay there, but totally worth it.
Price range: $10-$15 for a full meal.
Location: 136-55 Roosevelt Ave Unit D Flushing, NY 11354
Here you can find their FB and IG page and reviews on Yelp.
9.) Wafels & Dinges in Bryant Park, Manhattan
In June of 1964 at the World Fair in Flushing, Queens the Belgian Waffle made its first American debut. And in October of 2007 Wafels & Dinges was born in a ‘68 Chevy Truck roaming the streets of NYC. Since then, they opened new places in New York City and even in Colorado. For a sweet treat in Midtown, grab a Belgian waffle from Wafels & Dinges.
Their waffles are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and topped with Nutella, fresh fruit, ice-cream, marshmallows or speculoos cookie butter. Get ready for a massive sugar shock.
Price range: $6-$15 per waffle.
Locations: several locations in the City.
Here you can find their website, FB, IG page, TikTok and YT Channel.
10.) Sprinkles Cupcakes in Upper East Side, Manhattan
Sprinkles cupcakes is a fun, unique cupcake experience, and a great stop for dessert. Since 2005 they offer moist, flavourful, premium and baked-fresh daily cupcakes in unique flavours like red velvet, banana, or salted caramel. Besides cupcakes you can try cakes, chocolates, cookies and more. They used to have a cupcake ATM, but it is no longer exist in New York City, unfortunately.
If you want to try how it feels buying a cupcake from an ATM, you have to check elsewhere, on other locations in the country.
Price range: $4-$6 per cupcake.
Location: 780 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10066
Here you can find their website, FB and IG page.
New York City is full of amazing food, and eating on a budget doesn’t mean missing out on its best flavors. Whether you’re grabbing a classic slice of pizza, a loaded bagel, or iconic hot dogs, these affordable eateries offer some of the best bites in the city. If you’re exploring NYC, make sure to add these cheap eats to your itinerary—you don’t need a big budget to enjoy incredible food in the Big Apple!
If you are curious about other guides besides cheap eats in New York City, check my previous posts about the City here.
