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It ain’t easy to get a leg up in New York: it seems that the city grows more expensive with every passing day. Even small, cheap pleasures such as the now-fading “dollar dumpling deal” are going the way of the dodo: as recently as a few years ago, Chinatown was littered with hole-in-the wall dumpling spots where you could grab five fried porky beauties for just a buck. Today, though, well-trodden joints such as Vanessa’s have raised their prices and lowered their portions: typically, $1.50 will only get you a measly 4 dumplings. If your wallet’s too thin and your stomach too empty to deal with such inflation, never fear: we’ve ferreted out the seemingly last dollar dumpling deals in the city. Eat up before prices rise again.
Kai Feng Fu
This Sunset Park stalwart serves up four piping hot fried pork-and-leek dumplings for just a buck; for $2.50, you’ll get eight boiled dumplings. The best deal, by far, is their 25-pack of frozen dumplings that you can make at home: at $5 per bag, each juicy dumpling costs just 20 cents. 4801 8th Ave, Brooklyn; 718-437-3542
Fried Dumpling
As its name implies, the thing to scarf at this tiny Chinatown spot is a five-piece (!) order of fried pork dumplings, price tag $1. Getting them to go? A 30-piece bag of frozen dumplings costs just $5, or about 17 cents per piece. 106 Mosco St; 212-693-1060
Jin Mei Dumpling House
Also located in Chinatown, this dumpling joint serves up five crispy pork-and-chive potstickers for just one dollar. Unlike the other spots on this list, at Jin Mei you can also opt for your dumplings steamed at the same low, low price. 25B Henry St; 212-608-8962