Eat well in New York City for under €15 a plate: the locals'-budget edition.
Eat well in New York City for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
2 Bros has sold a $1 cheese slice on St Marks Place in the East Village, New York City since 2009. The slice is the city's floor price; 17 locations citywide.
Try: $1 plain cheese slice
Tip: The slice is reheated, not fresh; ask for a hot one and they cook a new pie. Cash only.
Prince Street Pizza in Nolita has sold the cult $6 spicy spring square slice in New York City since 2012. Sicilian crust, cup-and-char pepperoni, hot honey on the side.
Try: Spicy pepperoni square slice
Tip: Lines at 13:00 weekends run 45 minutes. Off-hours at 15:00 to 17:00 are the easy walk-up; the slice still holds heat.
L'Industrie on South 2nd Street has sold $5 slices and a $7 burrata slice in Williamsburg Brooklyn New York City since 2017. Lines run around the block on weekends.
Try: Burrata square slice
Tip: Order ahead online to skip the line. The burrata slice is the Instagram order; the plain is the better slice.
Best Pizza in Williamsburg Brooklyn has sold $4 New York slices in New York City since 2010. Charcoal-fired oven, ten-table counter, plain and white slices the staples.
Try: $4 white slice
Tip: The white slice with sesame seeds is the cult order. Cash only; the line moves fast.
Yonah Schimmel's on East Houston has baked potato knishes in the Lower East Side, New York City since 1910. Wood-fired oven in the basement, retail counter on the street.
Try: Potato knish
Tip: The kasha knish is the second-pick if potato sells out. Order one with mustard and a Dr Brown's cream soda.
Mamoun's on MacDougal has sold falafel sandwiches in Greenwich Village New York City since 1971. Falafel, hummus, baba ghanouj, shawarma; under-$10 plates, cash counter.
Try: Falafel sandwich
Tip: Open until 04:00; the bar-closing slot is the busiest. Order the falafel sandwich with hot sauce; ask for extra tahini.
Xi'an Famous Foods on St Marks Place sells hand-pulled biang biang noodles in New York City since 2005. Eight stools, fast service, lamb-and-cumin or pork ragu under $15.
Try: Spicy cumin lamb noodles
Tip: Order the spicy cumin lamb biang biang or the spicy and tingly oxtail noodles. The cold-skin noodles are summer-only.
Shake Shack opened its first cart in Madison Square Park in New York City in 2004. Danny Meyer's burger stand; the original outdoor location with park-bench seating.
Try: ShackBurger
Tip: The line is shortest at 10:30 (breakfast) or 15:00 (post-lunch). The Concrete frozen custard is the editor pick.
Ihawan on 70th Street in Woodside Queens has run Filipino BBQ in New York City since 1987. Pork skewers, lechon kawali, silog breakfasts; under-$15 plates, family-style.
Try: Pork BBQ skewers and silog plates
Tip: The pork BBQ skewers are the lunch order. Sinigang soup is the cold-weather pick. Cash and card accepted.
Joe's Steam Rice Roll in Flushing Queens has run Cantonese steamed rice rolls in New York City since 2017. Eight fillings, two sauces, $6 to $10 plates, counter service.
Try: Rice roll wraps
Tip: The shrimp-and-scallop rice roll is the order. Cash only at the original; the second Brooklyn location takes card.
Punjabi Grocery & Deli on East 1st Street has fed cab drivers $5 curry plates in the East Village, New York City since 1994. Open 24 hours, all vegetarian, all halal.
Try: Vegetable curry over rice, $5
Tip: Combo curry plate: rice, three vegetable curries, a samosa, a chapati. Cash only. Eat on the bench out front.
Peak food season in New York City is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. New York City rewards trust.