east-village
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.
east-village
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.
nolita
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.
williamsburg
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.
williamsburg
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.
lower-east-side
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.