Alyssa Haak

New York City has some of the best restaurants and chefs in the world, but sometimes you just want to get out into the countryside and enjoy your food in relative tranquility. A two-hour drive might seem like a lot for lunch, but these days we're looking for any excuse to get out of town even for a minute—especially if it involves destination-worthy grub. So rent a car, hop on the LIRR or Metro-North, and head out to these delicious vineyards and eateries. RECOMMENDED: All of the best day trips from NYC

Dollar-off happy hours that go until 7pm are kind of…useless. Thankfully, these bars in NYC offer real deals at times when you can actually enjoy a drink—from a Park Slope sports bar to a Greenpoint dive, drink on a budget without rushing from work. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to happy hours in NYC

The city’s best salads are hardly the only good-for-you grub to come in a bowl—there are plenty of options for cheap health bowls in NYC. Whether you’re craving a SoCal-style smoothie or umami-rich bowls from vegan and vegetarian restaurants, we found the best options that all clock in at $10 or less. After all, not every day can be a day for burgers in NYC. Read on for the best cheap health bowls in NYC, with calorie-conscious offerings that satisfy sweet tooths and savory seekers alike. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to cheap eats in NYC

Bargain sandwich hunters should never relegate themselves to only a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich from their local bodega. New Yorkers love any meal stuffed between two slices of bread and we have the variety to prove it. Whether you’re hankering for a melty grilled cheese or a gut-busting chicken parm from one of the city’s best Italian sandwich shops, we found them all at prices that still leave room for a bottle of suds from a beer store. These are the best cheap sandwiches in New York. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to cheap eats in NYC

Cosme, Black Seed Bagels, Marea, Sadelle’s. You think you know the powerhouses behind these brand-name restaurants in NYC, right? Wrong. Instead of the big-name male chefs, it’s actually these four talented New York women who are the ones cooking in the kitchen night after night, ensuring the city’s best dishes exceed customers’ expectations. Meet Daniela Soto-Innes, Dianna Daoheung, Lauren DeSteno and Melissa Weller, the next generation of the city's chefs.

Although it seems the poke wave is cresting, there’s nothing fishy or flash-in-the-pan about bowls of seafood, rice and light vegetables done right. This Murray Hill iteration combines the Hawaiian dish with some distinctly West Coast sensibilities, serving fresh, super-filling dishes of ahi tuna drizzled with shoyu and sesame oil over white rice ($11.50), as well as an avocado-heavy, chili-dusted salmon tostada boasting a warm, freshly made tortilla that tastes oh-so–Left Coast ($6).

In a city packed with calzones, pasties and Jamaican meat pies, it was odd that no restaurant served panzerotti. Thank God, then, for this Greenwich Village newcomer. The half-moon pastries here come with either sweet or savory fillings, like their international cousins. There are spins like the original Mr. Panzerotto with tomato sauce and mozzarella ($6) or Mr. Chicken with poultry and pesto ($7). End the meal on a sweet note with the Miss Nutella, in which the signature ingredient is blended with ricotta ($6).

One of Rome’s top street foods has arrived on the LES—and it ain’t no dollar slice. Trapizzini are, basically, Hot Pockets. Hearty bread supports a meaty, stewlike filling in versions such as pollo alla cacciatora, stuffed with tender pulled chicken, or braised-beef–heavy Genovese (both $6). Does the rotating menu encourages repeat visits? Yes. It does.

The first Mario Batali–Joe Bastianich opening in a decade is reason enough to celebrate, but the fact that they landed chef Anthony Sasso from Casa Mono to run the kitchen is icing on the cake. Deal seekers should skip the main dining room in favor of the tapas bar, where Instagram- and share-worthy jamón de la Bellota, served with buttered toast and cantaloupe ($18), not to mention Spanish-shore–nodding patatas bravas covered in a thirst-inducing blend of miso mayo and sea urchin ($8), keep the tipplers tickled.

While Chinatown’s ever-expanding arm may be stretching into Little Italy and Soho, the rest of Manhattan’s Chinese food still, for the most part, needs to up its game. This Morningside Heights dumpling spot is an exception: It churns out classic kimchi-spiked steamed-pork dumplings ($8) and not-too-doughy pork xiao long bao ($8.50) that almost compete with the killer versions at Joe’s Shanghai. Nestled next to Columbia University, La Salle is something of a go-to for hangover-nursing students. And if it ever starts staying open past 10pm, we’re guessing it’ll be a destination for sobering after-party eats, too.

Charlie Chen, a chef poached from Michelin-star chain and soup-dumpling heavyweight Din Tai Fung, is at the helm of the city’s newest addition to the xiao long bao craze. There are other familiar Chinese dishes on the menu—we wouldn’t scoff at you for digging into a plate of dandan noodles ($16)—but with this sort of chef-and-chain pedigree, the dumplings take the limelight. Rotating specials highlight seasonal flavors and keep you coming back, but menu essentials like the pork-soup, mushroom (both $10) and indulgent, cooked-in-pork-fat seafood ($12) servings of dumplings nail it every time.

Manhattan’s only Bolivian restaurant (housed in, of all places, a subway food court at Columbus Circle) grew out of Smorgasburg, where brothers Alex, Patrick and David Oropeza served their family’s recipes. With no seats at this stand, you’re best off opting for portable sandwiches and pasties. Grab a chicken salteña ($6), a flaky pastry filled with a stewy meat center that’s traditionally eaten as breakfast but is appropriate for any time, or the triple-pork-threat chola ($11), a street sandwich that combines braised pork shoulder, pork belly crackling and house-cured bacon.

Last December, the Queens Crossing mall unveiled a foodie haven on its second floor, with stalls touting Taiwanese bubble tea (Happy Lemon) and South Korean comfort food (Tori). But for our money, Japanese chef Takanori Akiyama’s Curry Bo takes the Asian-flavored cake, with sinus-clearing curry plates ($7.50 to $9.75) bursting with flavors—all are made with a two-weeks-aged roux of chili peppers, garlic and 16 other spices—such as a veggie-friendly mushroom-and-tomato and meaty options like katsu, a Japanese pork cutlet.

The team behind Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is further staking its claim on Brooklyn with this waves-making Fort Greene food hall specializing in free-range Amish chickens. Swing by Gotham West Market’s sister location for a midday Mr. Crispy sandwich ($8) or a heartier three-piece fried chicken paired with salt-and-vinegar fries, and white beans with chorizo and kale ($13). You can’t lose with any of those choices, but the budget winner is the whole spatchcocked chicken feast that comes with fries, hot-from-the skillet fried broccoli brown rice and pickled vegetable coleslaw ($32). It’s quite the deal when split four ways.

Co-owners Dave Oz and Michael Kaplan (Stone Street Coffee) might be meat obsessives. (Their midtown spot’s name refers to the utensils used to shred the slow-roasted pulled beef and chicken in its sandwiches.) But lighter, more inventive options abound, too, like tzatziki-slathered spaghetti squash topped with apple-and-goat-cheese slaw ($8).

Ivan Orkin’s claim to fame is obviously ramen (Ivan Ramen). But the chef is a culinary globe-trotter, and his latest stand at Hell’s Kitchen’s Gotham West Market focuses on staples from his hometown of New York. Taking on the city’s arguably quintessential dish, the all-important pizza pie, his new spot has slices with exceptionally light crust—thanks to the artisanal Central Milling flour, cake yeast and a nearly three-day fermentation—most appreciated in Corner’s no-nonsense Margherita slice ($3.25).

This comfy Lower East Side takeout den—named after, yes, the Guns N’ Roses album—is all about long pastas, any of which can be served in a paper cone for easy portability à la old-school Italian street fairs. Designed to aid the twirl of the noodle on a fork, cones include the Chitarra, a mix of house-made mozzarella, spaghetti, basil and tomato sauce ($14); the sautéed-garlic and pancetta-boasting Bucatini Amatriciana; and the healthy nut-friendly Kale Pesto, with walnut, pesto and Parmesan cream sauce (both $13).

A bit broke this week, huh? We feel you. As part of this week’s cheap eats issue, in which we divulge the latest and greatest in discounted dining, we also compile a few of the most dirt-cheap-iest standards in NYC, from one-buck pastries to late-night Latin American favorites. Check out the killer deals below—and if you’re jonesing for more than just affordable grub, discover the best cheap things to do in NYC.   $1 EATS Three beignets at Cheeky Sandwiches (35 Orchard St, 646-504-8132; $1) A doughnut at Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop (727 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, 718-389-3676; $1.19) $2 EATS Leg of chicken at Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen (115 Columbia St, Brooklyn, 718-855-4668; $2.75) Chee cheong fun (rice-noodle rolls) at Hong Kong Dim Sum (777 60th St, Brooklyn; $1.75–$2.25) Frankfurter with sauerkraut, onions and relish at Papaya King (various locations; $2.25) $3 EATS Falafel sandwich at Oasis (161 North 7th St, Brooklyn, 718-218-7607; $3) Blue morning glory sticky rice with grated coconut at Kopitiam (51B Canal St, 646-894-7081; $3) Cherry sweet-cheese kolache at Brooklyn Kolache Co. (520 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, 718-398-1111; $3.50) Steak taco at Guac (179 Ave B, 212-254-4822; $3.75) $4 EATS Meatballs at Atlantic Social (673 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, 718-623-2852; $4) Six dumplings at Shanghai Traditional Dumpling (6319 Eighth Ave, Brooklyn, 718-745-2620; $4) Chuzo desgranado at Arepa Lady (77-02 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, 347-730-6124; $4) Moroccan carrot salatim (Is

With apologies to the Bard, would a dumpling by any other name taste as sweet? To celebrate the first-ever National Dumpling Day, swing by Sara D. Roosevelt Park from noon to 5pm tomorrow for the 12th Annual Chef One NYC Dumpling Festival—which unites stuffed-dough masterpieces culled from around the world. Nibble on international offerings like Indian chicken curry samosas, Italian ravioli, and Latin empanadas in addition to Japanese gyoza, sticky rice spring rolls and the namesake Chinese steamed dumplings. Snack a la carte or purchase the $20-for-four passport, with proceeds benefiting the Food Bank For New York. Beyond the meaty pockets, check out activities like a giant dumpling cutting ceremony, Korean drum performances, and the event's main attraction: a $2000-prize dumpling eating contest judged by world-famous competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi. Starting at 1pm (and likely ending five minutes later), intrepid eaters will go head to head with last year's champ Molly Schuyler to beat her mind-boggling record of 90 dumplings in two minutes. Not feeling competitive? Enter to win raffle prizes from the event sponsors including round-trip tickets from Delta or snap a photo with the walking Dumpling Mama mascot. Dumpling mascotPhotograph: Facebook/NYC Dumpling Festival