The 25 best cheap eats in NYC

You can get NYC’s best new fried chicken sandwich in two sizes, including the $9 ‘Lil Rowdy, at Unapologetic Foods’ Rowdy Rooster. Its marvellous Indian fried chicken is available across five heat intensity levels and served on excellent pao that mirrors the bread at the groups Dhamaka, which was also the best new restaurant of 2021, farther downtown. 

Reopened last summer as The Good Fork Pub, this Red Hook favorite has plenty of large plates, plus peak-form bar snacks like the kimchi beer cheese with fried wontons. Both are plated in abundance, and happily pair the airy, creamy dip with its crispy, crunchy vehicles.

This venerable 400-square-foot counter spot has been slinging kosher faves and classics since 1938. Its $7 breakfast, available until 11am, comes with two eggs any style, home fries, B&H challah bread, orange juice and coffee or tea. 

At $8, this downright delicious dish is beloved local favorite Punjabi Grocery & Deli's most expensive item. It includes a heaping helping of rice alongside three vegetarian mains like chana masala, saag paneer or dal. 

This Bed-Stuy stalwart specializes in two things: bake and (you guessed it) doubles. The former fills its handheld fried dough buns with saltfish or sand shark and tops it with a tangy-sweet tamarind sauce. The latter wraps baras around a savory potato-channa curry. 

Dumpling aficionados trek to this tiny shop to order the No. 6: A dozen pork wontons doused in roasted chili oil and topped with a smattering of diced pickled vegetables on a Styrofoam plate. It's super popular even among more than 30 menu items.

This terrific slip of a space serves smaller portions of its big, steamy bowls of soup all day long. Choose between the lentil and tom yum options for a soothing, $6 snack. Pata Paplean also has fun, colorful cocktails for $11 each. 

Peppa’s Jerk Chicken perfectly grills its bird with hints of smokiness permeating throughout the juicy meat. It's $8 lunch option comes with rice and beans or white rice alone, your choice of gravy, and salad, steamed cabbage or sweet plantains on the side. 

Tucked inside the basement of the Hare Krishna temple in Downtown Brooklyn, Govinda’s is one of the best vegetarian restaurants in NYC. It's $10 lunch comes with three frequently updated buffet items that might include items like samosas or spinach and tofu curry.

Chopped cheese is among NYC's most famous foods, and Blue Sky Deli's (also referred to as Hajji’s) is the best known of them all. Not only is it filling and flavorful, but you can also get it 24 hours a day. 

Dating back to 1971, this south Brooklyn restaurant’s roast beef sandwiches are legendary: Layers of thinly sliced meat are folded and pressed between toasty kaiser rolls. For the full experience, get the classic and top it off with the requisite “cheez” sauce. 

You’ll find lots of options under $10 at Joe’s Steam Rice Roll (Which also has locations in Soho and on the Upper West Side), and the titular Cantonese specialty is among our favorites. It’s available with fillings like beef, pork, shrimp, and curry fish ball for $5-$10 depending on size and variety. 

Known to its fans as “the jewelry store one,” the tiny Chinatown takeout operation does indeed share space with an accessories counter. Regardless, the prices, succulent pork preparations and crispy-chewy bread that’s baked in-house make it even easier to appreciate the unique location.

Taqueria Al Pastor just opened its second Brooklyn location late last year. Its titular tacos are top-notch: Teeming with strips of marinated pork sliced right off the trompo, onion and pineapple, all atop house-made corn tortillas. They're $4.50 a pop and so generously portioned that two are rather filling. 

Chef JJ Johnson’s take on crab rangoon packs a generous helping of crab with garlic-herb cream cheese inside a perfectly crispy wonton skin. FieldTrip's bowls also start at $8.45. 

Chef-owner Ricardo Barreras has another hit here at Pilar Cuban Eatery’s sister spot. The breakfast empanadas come with eggs, cheese and chorizo or plantains inside. Impossible frita is available as a vegan option alongside roasted veggie and chicken varieties. 

This savory tofu pudding is notably silky and packed with accoutrements. The addition of pickled radishes, fried shallots, sesame oil and dried shrimp make the whole bowl sing. A larger size is also available for $8.50. 

Consider this Williamsburg staple your no-frills, no-fail best bet for a toasty falafel sandwich, stuffed with a bounty of pickled veggies that would be good enough to order on their own. Plus, it’s equally filling and delicious at noon or midnight. 

This casual lunch counter in the Bronx focuses on all things pork, with recipes of Puerto Rican and Dominican provenance. Cuchifritos are the fan-favorite, the standout morcilla (aka blood sausage) in particular.

The green plantains with beef are tops at this Puerto Rican favorite that turned its beloved street fair appearances into a well-regarded, permanent location. 

Of course there was going to be a slice included among NYC's best cheap eats, and Paulie Gee’s sells some of the best of 'em. Yes, $5 is still a little high, but even $1 doesn't get you as much pizza as it used to, and the Freddy Prince sesame-bottomed Sicilian-style square comes topped with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce and pecorino Romano.

This Inwood food truck grew its devoted following to two casual sit-down spots in Queens and on the Lower East Side. Several patacón varieties are available, and the Cubano is especially delicious sandwiched between the smashed plantains.

What began as a modest cart now has a brick-and-mortar shop still specializing in arepas and other Colombian bites in Jackson Heights. Many of its menu items are under $10, and the cheese arepa de choclo is $7.62. 

This popular, Big Easy–inspired sandwich shop offers a taste of New Orleans on the outskirts of Chinatown. The shrimp and oyster po'boys are the signature offerings, but fried chicken with gravy is our fave. Homey, southern touches abound, like the Big Shot soda served in charming, no frills digs.

“Smør” means “butter,” which is fitting, as smørrebrøds—open-faced toasts with buttered rye bread—are this shop’s signature. The curried herring is a canary-hued treat that's only available on the 10am-4pm menu.