This is just a small selection of the many affordable restaurants that can be found in Manhattan, New York. Keep in mind that prices may vary depending on the specific location and the time of day.
The cost of a meal in NYC can vary significantly depending on a number of factors, including the type of restaurant, the location, and the specific dishes you order. In general, you can expect to pay more for a meal in Manhattan than in many other parts of the United States.
For a sit-down meal at a mid-range restaurant, you can expect to pay around $30 per person for a main course, not including drinks, appetizers, or dessert. This can vary depending on the specific restaurant and the dishes you order. For example, a meal at a fancy seafood restaurant might cost significantly more than a meal at a casual pizza place.
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, you can try eating at a food truck, street cart, or deli, where prices are often lower than at sit-down restaurants. You can also try eating at ethnic restaurants, which often offer more affordable meals than more mainstream restaurants.
Overall, the cost of a meal in Manhattan will depend on your specific tastes and budget. It’s a good idea to do some research and compare prices before deciding where to eat.
1. Kwik Meal
As mentioned earlier, Kwik Meal is a food cart located in Manhattan that serves halal dishes at affordable prices. There are a number of food carts in New York, one of the most popular choice is Kwik Meal NYC
2. Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles
This Chinese restaurant serves hand-pulled noodles and other dishes at affordable prices. Prices start at around $12 for a bowl of noodles.
3. Mamoun’s Falafel
This popular falafel chain serves sandwiches, platters, and salads at affordable prices. Prices start at around $5 for a falafel sandwich.
4. Katz’s Delicatessen
This legendary deli serves a variety of sandwiches, soups, and salads at reasonable prices. Hmm.. brace up for a long queue and a little pricier $25 for a sandwich
5. The Halal Guys
This popular food cart and restaurant chain serves a variety of halal dishes, including gyros, chicken and rice, and falafel sandwiches. Prices start at around $5 for a platter.
6. The Meatball Shop
This restaurant serves a variety of meatballs, sandwiches, and pasta dishes at reasonable prices. A plate of Mediterranean Chicken or Lasagna for about $25
7. Two Hands
This Australian-style café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner at affordable prices. Budget about $30 for a lunch. Do try out the Coffee here!
8. Taqueria
These Mexican restaurants serves a variety of tacos, burritos, and other dishes at reasonable prices.
9. Shake Shack
This popular chain serves burgers, shakes, and other fast food items at affordable prices.
10. Artichoke Basille’s Pizza
This pizzeria serves a variety of pizza, calzones, and other dishes at reasonable prices.
11. Saravanaa Bhavan
Great place for South Indian food. You should try out the famous Dosa, Idli and other south Indian dishes. Budget about $12-15
What to eat in NYC?
New York City is known for its diverse culinary scene, and there are many local delicacies to try. This is just a small sampling of the many local delicacies that can be found in New York City.
Best Local New York delicacy - Served by the Coolest restaurants
1. New York-style pizza: New York-style pizza is characterized by its thin crust and large, foldable slices. It is often served by the slice at pizzerias throughout the city.
Di Fara Pizza: This Brooklyn pizzeria is known for its delicious, made-to-order Neapolitan-style pies, which are topped with fresh ingredients and cooked in a coal-fired oven.
Joe’s Pizza: This Greenwich Village pizzeria has been serving some of the city’s best thin-crust pizza since 1975.
2. Bagels: New York City is known for its bagels, which are denser and chewier than other types of bagels. They are often served with cream cheese, lox, or other toppings.
Russ & Daughters: This iconic appetizing shop on the Lower East Side has been serving delicious bagels and smoked fish since 1914. The bagels are made fresh daily and are hand-rolled and boiled before being baked to perfection.
Ess-a-Bagel: This Midtown East institution has been serving up delicious, chewy bagels for over 40 years. Ess-a-Bagel offers a wide variety of bagel flavors and toppings, as well as a selection of spreads and smoked fish.
3. Hot dogs: Hot dogs from street vendors are a popular snack in New York City, and are often served with a variety of toppings, such as onions, sauerkraut, and mustard.
- Gray’s Papaya: This Greenwich Village hot dog institution has been serving up delicious franks since 1973. Gray’s Papaya is known for its “Recession Special,” which includes two hot dogs and a drink for a low price.
Papaya King: This Upper East Side hot dog stand has been serving up delicious franks since 1932. Papaya King is known for its tropical fruit drinks and its signature hot dog topped with sauerkraut and onions.
4. Pretzels: Soft pretzels, often served with mustard, are a popular snack in New York City.
The Philly Pretzel Factory: While this restaurant may be named after Philadelphia, it serves up delicious, authentic pretzels that are perfect for New York City snacking. The pretzels are made fresh daily and come in a variety of flavors.
Pretzelvania: This food stand in Times Square serves up classic New York-style pretzels that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The pretzels come with a variety of different toppings, including cinnamon sugar and jalapeno cheese.
5. Deli sandwiches: New York City is home to many delis that serve a variety of sandwiches made with cured meats, such as pastrami and corned beef.
Katz’s Delicatessen: This Lower East Side institution has been serving up delicious deli food since 1888. Katz’s is known for its pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, as well as its matzo ball soup and pickles.
Carnegie Deli: This Midtown deli is known for its massive sandwiches and classic deli fare. The pastrami and corned beef sandwiches are particularly popular, and the portions are large enough to share.
6. Knishes: A knish is a savory pastry filled with mashed potatoes, meat, or other fillings. It is a traditional Eastern European snack that is popular in New York City.
Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery: This Lower East Side institution has been serving up delicious knishes since 1910. Yonah Schimmel’s is known for its classic potato knishes, but also offers a variety of other flavors, including kasha, spinach, and sweet potato.
Knish Nosh: This Queens-based restaurant has a location in Midtown Manhattan and serves up delicious knishes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Knish Nosh offers a variety of different flavors, including potato, kasha, and spinach.
David’s Brisket House: While this restaurant is primarily known for its brisket, it also serves up delicious knishes that are perfect for snacking. The potato knishes are particularly popular, and come with a side of spicy mustard.
NYC liquor scene
New York, especially our focus area covering Manhattan offers a vibrant choice. There is a wide variety of places you can enjoy like,
Specialty liquor stores: for high-quality spirits including Astor Wines & Spirits, Park Avenue Liquor Shop, and Warehouse Wines & Spirits.
Cocktail bars: Offers a variety of creative and innovative drinks like Death & Co., PDT, and The Dead Rabbit.
Speakeasies: The hidden bars of NYC
Wine bars: If you are a wine lover, there are a variety of wine bars that offer a wide selection of wines from around the world.
Breweries and distilleries: Many of them offer tours and tastings like the Brooklyn Brewery, New York Distilling Company, and Chelsea Craft Brewing Company.
New York is known for its vibrant nightlife, but it’s pricey! Cheer up, it does offer many budget-friendly bars.
Here we give you a list of some affordable bars where you can join in the night party. Expect to pay about $5 for a beer
- Rudy’s Bar & Grill: Located in Hell’s Kitchen, Rudy’s is a dive bar with cheap beer and free hot dogs.
- 169 Bar: This dive bar in Chinatown has been around since the 1800s and offers a variety of inexpensive drinks.
- The Library: This East Village bar has a cozy atmosphere and offers happy hour specials and nightly drink specials.
- The Trailer Park Lounge: This fun and quirky bar in Chelsea is decorated like a trailer park and offers cheap beer and cocktails.
- Hair of the Dog: This bar in the Lower East Side offers a variety of beers and cocktails at affordable prices.
- The Crocodile Lounge: This bar in the East Village offers free personal pizzas with every drink purchase.
Speakeasies.. the hidden Bars of New York!
Speakeasies were popular during Prohibition in the United States. An interesting history of Prohibition..
Prohibition in the United States was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 to 1933. The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which established Prohibition, went into effect on January 17, 1920. The aim of Prohibition was to reduce crime and social problems that were associated with the consumption of alcohol, such as domestic violence and poverty. However, Prohibition ultimately failed to achieve its objectives and was widely regarded as a social and political disaster.
During Prohibition, organized crime syndicates arose to supply the demand for illegal alcohol. Speakeasies, or secret bars that served alcohol illegally, became popular in many cities, and a thriving underground economy emerged around the production and sale of alcohol. Prohibition also led to an increase in political corruption and a general disregard for the rule of law.
In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution repealed Prohibition, allowing the legal production, sale, and consumption of alcohol to resume. However, many states maintained their own laws restricting the sale of alcohol, and it wasn’t until the 1960s that most of these laws were repealed.
Today, Prohibition is remembered as a failed experiment in social engineering, but it has also left a lasting cultural legacy in the form of speakeasies, gangster movies, and the enduring myth of the American outlaw.
Many of these Speakeasies survive till today. Along with some interesting names it has the charm of those days of prohibition
Please Don’t Tell (PDT): PDT is a hidden bar in the East Village, accessible only through a phone booth in a hot dog shop. The bar offers a menu of inventive cocktails and a cozy atmosphere.
Attaboy: Attaboy is a speakeasy located on the Lower East Side. The bar has no menu and instead relies on the bartender to create customized cocktails based on the customer’s preferences.
The Back Room: The Back Room is a speakeasy located in the Lower East Side. The bar is hidden behind an unmarked door and features a vintage atmosphere with candlelit tables and velvet couches.
Bathtub Gin: Bathtub Gin is a speakeasy located in Chelsea. The bar is accessible through a secret door in a coffee shop and offers a variety of classic and modern cocktails.
The Raines Law Room: The Raines Law Room is a speakeasy located in Chelsea. The bar is accessed through a nondescript entrance and features a vintage atmosphere and a menu of classic cocktails.