40 editor picks in New York City.
40 cheap eats places in New York City, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in New York City: the places editors actually return to. All New York City food.
Pino Pozzuoli's Carmine Street counter has folded the canonical New York slice in New York City since 1975. Located in Greenwich Village. Priced at $.
OrderPlain cheese slice, fresh out of the oven.
TipOrder at the counter, eat standing at the window. Pepperoni runs out by 21:00; arrive earlier if it matters.
S&S Cheesecake in the Bronx has baked one cake only since 1959 in New York City. Plain, dense, the canonical New York cheesecake, supplied to delis citywide.
TipCash only, weekdays only. Drive or take the 1 train to 238th; the bakery is two blocks west of the subway.
Ess-a-Bagel on Third Avenue has hand-rolled bagels in Midtown New York City since 1976. Boiled in barley malt water, baked on burlap, sold dense and seeded.
TipThe line is 30 minutes at 09:30 weekends. Order over the counter; pre-paid online jumps the line.
Zabar's on Broadway has anchored Upper West Side appetising in New York City since 1934. At 2245 Broadway. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.
TipTake a number at the appetising counter the moment you walk in; the bakery side has no number system.
Abraço on East 7th has poured a single-origin cortado in the East Village, New York City since 2007. Standing-only counter, olive oil cake, no Wi-Fi.
TipCash and counter-only. The savoury empanada is the lunch order; the olive oil cake is the dessert.
L'Industrie on South 2nd Street has sold $5 slices and a $7 burrata slice in Williamsburg Brooklyn New York City since 2017. At 254 South 2nd Street.
OrderBurrata square slice
TipOrder ahead online to skip the line. The burrata slice is the Instagram order; the plain is the better slice.
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.
OrderAdobada al pastor, three tacos with pineapple.
TipOrder at the till, eat standing at the counter. The Hudson Yards outpost is less crowded for the same taco.
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.
OrderSteamed beef momo, ten to a plate.
TipEnter the phone shop on 74th, walk to the back. The counter is to the left through the curtain.
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.
OrderArepa de choclo with mozzarella, sweet corn cake.
TipCash only at the counter. Take the arepas to the park benches across the street for the full Queens lunch.
William Greenberg Desserts on Madison Avenue has baked the canonical black-and-white in the Upper East Side, New York City since 1946. Schnecken.
TipOrder black-and-whites in the bigger six-inch size. Pre-order schnecken at Rosh Hashanah; they sell out a week ahead.
Uri Scheft's Breads Bakery near Union Square turns out the city's most-loved chocolate babka in New York City. Rugelach by the pound, challah on Fridays.
TipBabka comes hot from the oven at 11:00 and 15:00. Slice with a serrated knife at home; do not pull it apart while warm.
Kossar's on Grand Street has baked bialys on the Lower East Side of New York City since 1936, and is the oldest bialy bakery in the United States.
TipHours are cut short during the current renovation, so go before 14:00. Bialys are best within an hour of the bake; ask what came out last.
Russ & Daughters Cafe on Orchard Street is the sit-down sister of the Houston Street counter in New York City. Located in Lower East Side. At 127 Orchard St..
TipBrunch books two weeks out on weekends. Tuesday and Wednesday lunch is the easy walk-in for the same plates.
The Halal Guys cart at 53rd and 6th has served halal chicken and rice in Midtown New York City since 1990. At W 53rd Street and 6th Avenue New York.
OrderChicken and rice with white sauce
TipThe original cart sits on the southwest corner; a second cart on the southeast corner is the same kitchen. The line is shorter at the southeast.
Thiru Kumar's vegan South Indian dosa cart has run on the south side of Washington Square Park in New York City since 2001. Located in Greenwich Village.
OrderMasala dosa
TipCash only. The Pondicherry special is the cart's signature; the masala dosa is the entry-level order.
Birria-Landia is the Jackson Heights food truck that sparked New York City's birria craze, slow-cooking Tijuana-style beef served with consomme.
OrderTijuana-style beef birria tacos with consomme
TipOrder the beef tacos with a side of consomme and dunk each bite. Lines move fast and the truck runs late into the night on weekends.
Jason Wang's Xi'an Famous Foods has slung hand-pulled biang biang noodles in New York City since 2005. Located in Chinatown. Open daily 11:30-21:30.
OrderSpicy cumin lamb biang biang noodles
TipOrder the spicy cumin lamb biang biang noodles. The liang pi cold-skin noodles in summer are the secondary order.
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.
OrderSpicy pepperoni square slice
TipLines at 13:00 weekends run 45 minutes. Off-hours at 15:00-17:00 are the easy walk-up; the slice still holds heat.
Xi'an Famous Foods on St Marks Place sells hand-pulled biang biang noodles in New York City since 2005. Located in Chinatown. At 45 Bayard St.
OrderSpicy cumin lamb noodles
TipOrder the spicy cumin lamb biang biang or the spicy and tingly oxtail noodles. The cold-skin noodles are summer-only.
Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A boils bagels at dawn in the East Village, New York City. Eight cream-cheese flavours, hot bagels until they sell out.
TipSells out by 13:00 most weekends. Lunch arrives early; the lox sandwich is built thick.
Levain Bakery has baked the six-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookie in the Upper West Side, New York City since 1995. Two-tray racks, lines around the block.
TipThe original Upper West Side basement counter has the shortest line at 17:00. Heat one for ten seconds in your hotel microwave.
Veniero's has filled cannoli on East 11th Street in the East Village, New York City since 1894. Sfogliatelle, pignoli cookies, ricotta cheesecake.
TipCannoli are filled to order at the counter; never buy pre-filled. Espresso at the bar is the after-dinner move.
The Elk on Charles Street runs a quiet, daylight cafe in the West Village, New York City. Order the maple latte. At 128 Charles Street. Booking recommended.
TipTwo tables, four counter seats, no laptops at peak weekend hours. Tuesday afternoons are quiet enough to work.
Devoción on Grand Street in Williamsburg flies fresh-harvest Colombian beans into the cafe every week in New York City. Order the cold brew on tap.
TipThe greenhouse skylight room at the back is the working-from-cafe spot. Closes 19:00 on weekends, 20:00 weekdays.
Lexington Candy Shop at 83rd has poured chocolate egg creams from a 1940s Hamilton Beach mixer on the Upper East Side of New York City since 1925.
TipEgg cream is a $6 single-pour at the counter; the butter burger and the Lexington special sandwich are the lunch orders.
Sammy's Halal cart on Broadway in Jackson Heights, New York City has served Bangladeshi-style biryani and grilled chicken since 2001. Open daily 10:00-22:00.
OrderChicken biryani over rice
TipCash only at the cart. Ask for extra green sauce; the bright cilantro version is the menu's hidden detail.
King Souvlaki of Astoria has grilled pork and chicken souvlaki on a Queens corner cart in New York City since 2006. Open tue-sun 12:00-22:00.
OrderPork souvlaki pita
TipOrder pork souvlaki on a pita, fries inside the pita. The chicken is well-cooked; the pork is the better cut.
Adel's cart sits across from the Halal Guys at 53rd and 6th in New York City. Located in Midtown. Open mon-sat 11:00-22:00. At 1221 6th Avenue.
OrderChicken and rice with white sauce
TipThe line is half as long as the Halal Guys for arguably the better chicken. The white sauce is tangier.
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.
OrderVegetable curry over rice, $5
TipCombo curry plate: rice, three vegetable curries, a samosa, a chapati. Cash only. Eat on the bench out front.
Black Seed in Nolita bakes Montreal-style honey-water bagels in a wood oven in New York City. Smaller, sweeter, denser than the New York standard.
TipMobile order is the fastest line. The beet-cured lox sandwich is the cross-style order to share.
Balthazar Bakery on Spring Street in SoHo has supplied New York City's croissants and country breads since 1997. Open daily 07:00-19:00. At 80 Spring Street.
TipTake the morning pastry to the chairs at the Spring Street subway plaza; the bakery line moves faster than the cafe line.
Eileen Avezzano has baked mini cheesecakes on Cleveland Place in Nolita, New York City since 1975. Open mon-sat 09:00-21:00, sun 11:00-19:00.
TipThe plain or strawberry are the originals. The Oreo and the salted caramel are the indulgent picks; share two.
Saltwater Coffee on East 12th roasts daily in-house in New York City. Located in East Village. Order the filter coffee. Booking recommended.
TipThe communal table at the back is wifi-friendly until 16:00. Counter ordering only; no table service.
S&P Lunch on Fifth Avenue reopened the former Eisenberg's counter in Flatiron, New York City in 2022 under Court Street Grocers. Same egg cream.
TipThe chocolate egg cream is the order. The tuna melt and the Flatiron Delight sandwich keep the room's Jewish-deli line.
The 53rd and 6th late-night cart corner is a New York City institution: three carts side by side, the Halal Guys and two rivals, feeding bar crowds.
OrderLate-night chicken and rice
TipOrder from whichever cart has the shortest line; the three menus are nearly identical at this hour.
Uncle Gussy's cart at Park and 51st has grilled pork and chicken souvlaki for Midtown office workers in New York City since the 1970s. Tzatziki.
OrderPork souvlaki platter
TipLunch only, weekdays. The line moves fast at 12:30; the platter feeds two if you split.
Best Pizza in Williamsburg Brooklyn has sold $4 New York slices in New York City since 2010. At 33 Havemeyer St. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.
Order$4 white slice
TipThe 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.
OrderPotato knish
TipThe kasha knish is the second-pick if potato sells out. Order one with mustard and a Dr Brown's cream soda.
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.
OrderRice roll wraps
TipThe shrimp-and-scallop rice roll is the order. Cash only at the original; the second Brooklyn location takes card.
Junior's on Flatbush Avenue Extension has baked New York cheesecake in Brooklyn New York City since 1950. Cream-cheese-base, graham-crust, sour-cream top.
TipThe Brooklyn original is the right room. The Times Square outpost serves the same cake under different lighting.
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Satisfy your pizza cravings on a 3-hour walking tour of New York’s Greenwich Village. Sample 3 different pies in one of the city's most historic neighborhoods and tast...
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