Sichuan$$east-villageMon-Tue 11:30-22:00, Wed-Sun 11:30-01:00
Han Dynasty's East Village outpost runs Chengdu-style numbing-spicy Sichuan in New York City. The dan dan and the dry pot are the room's calibration plates.
Signature: Dan dan noodles, Dry pot fish
Order: Dan dan noodles, dry pot fish, cucumber salad to cool.
Tip: The spice scale runs 1 to 10; the menu says 7 is hot, the kitchen means it. Start at 5.
Italian$$lower-east-sideFri-Sat 17:00-23:00, Sun-Thu 17:00-22:00
Spaghetti Incident on Eldridge runs a 30-seat pasta room in the Lower East Side, New York City. Order the spaghetti alla chitarra cacio e pepe.
Signature: Cacio e pepe, Spaghetti vongole
Order: Spaghetti alla chitarra cacio e pepe.
Tip: BYOB nights save the bill significantly. Reservations are easy if you sit at 18:00.
Taqueria$chelseaMon-Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00
Los Tacos No.1 in Chelsea Market has run Tijuana-style hand-pressed tortillas in New York City since 2013. Priced at $. Kitchen leans taqueria.
Signature: Adobada taco, Carne asada
Order: Adobada al pastor, three tacos with pineapple.
Tip: Order at the till, eat standing at the counter. The Hudson Yards outpost is less crowded for the same taco.
Chinese$jackson-heightsDaily 11:00-22:00
Lhasa Fast Food hides behind a Jackson Heights phone shop in New York City. Tibetan momos, hand-pulled thenthuk noodles, butter tea, cash-only counter eating.
Signature: Beef momo, Thenthuk noodle soup
Order: Steamed beef momo, ten to a plate.
Tip: Enter the phone shop on 74th, walk to the back. The counter is to the left through the curtain.
Caribbean$jackson-heightsSun-Thu 12:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00
Maria Piedad Cano started selling arepas under the 7-train tracks in Jackson Heights, New York City in the 1980s. Priced at $. Kitchen leans caribbean.
Signature: Arepa de queso, Arepa de choclo
Order: Arepa de choclo with mozzarella, sweet corn cake.
Tip: Cash only at the counter. Take the arepas to the park benches across the street for the full Queens lunch.
Levantine$$bay-ridgeTue-Sun 12:00-21:45
Rawia Bishara's Palestinian kitchen in Bay Ridge has served the borough Levantine food in New York City since 1998. Lamb fatteh, fried cauliflower.
Signature: Lamb fatteh, Stuffed kibbeh
Order: Lamb fatteh with toasted pine nuts.
Tip: Sunday family-style menu at $58 a head is the deepest value. Bring the appetite of two people.