chloedickensonLast Updated on 1st June 2026
This guide about the best cheap eats in NYC contains affiliate links; please see my disclaimer for more.
Are you looking for the best places to eat in NYC on a budget? My huge guide includes all the best cheap eats in Manhattan and beyond!
New York City is famous for its world-class restaurants and high-end dining establishments, but just because it’s renowned for being one of the most expensive cities in the world, doesn’t mean that you can’t find cheap restaurants in New York as well!
On my many trips to the Big Apple, I’ve discovered some of the best cheap eats in New York, including affordable restaurants, breakfast deals for just $3, plus crazy cheap pizza slices, hot dogs, burgers, and more!
If you’re heading to NYC on a budget and looking for the best cheap food in New York City, check out my huge guide below!
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Where to find the best cheap eats in NYC
I am so excited to share this guide to the best cheap restaurants in New York City! Whether you’re looking for affordable breakfast deals, grab-and-go bites such as bagels, hot dogs, pizza slices, burgers, dumplings and more, or you’re looking for some of the best restaurants in NYC on a budget, I’ve got you covered!
Please note that this guide to the best cheap eats in NYC isn’t exhaustive and includes just a few of the best and most affordable restaurants in New York City, based on my own personal experience, and of course, there will be dozens more good cheap eats in NYC that I will have missed. I will endeavour to update this guide with more recommendations for the best cheap New York food as and when I experience it for myself!
You can save a copy of this map of the best cheap eats in NYC via Google MyMaps!
1. Gray’s Papaya
What to order: Bacon/sausage, egg, and cheese roll with coffee for $3.
Located on the Upper West Side, just a few blocks from the American Museum of Natural History and Strawberry Fields in Central Park, Gray’s Papaya is a place that many tourists miss because it’s not located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.
However, if you’re looking for a place with some of the best cheap food in NYC, Gray’s Papaya should 100% be on your radar! With breakfast sandwiches starting at just $2.75 and $3 deals on breakfast sandwiches and a coffee, Gray’s truly is one of the cheapest places to eat in Manhattan!
- Affordable item: $2.75 breakfast roll.
- Opening hours: Sun to Wed, 8 AM to 10 PM. Thurs to Sat, 8 AM to 11 PM.
- Menu/website: Gray’s Papaya NYC.
- Address: Gray’s Papaya, 2090 Broadway, New York, NY 10023.
2. Sofia Pizza Shoppe
Cheap eats NYC order: Classic pizza slice from $3.40.
While there are many cheap pizza slice shops in NYC (including $1 Pizza, Dollar Pizza Slice, 2 Bros. Pizza, 99 Cents Fresh Pizza, etc), I personally would rather pay a couple of dollars more for a much better slice (in my opinion!). I’ve tried many of the 99¢ and $1 pizza slices, and I always just personally opt for a slightly more expensive place, such as Sofia Pizza Shoppe!
The classic slices at Sofia Pizza Shoppe start at around $3.40, so they’re still crazy cheap, filling and delicious!
- Affordable item: $3.40 classic pizza slice.
- Opening hours: Mon to Weds, 11 AM to 8 PM. Thurs & Sun, 11 AM to 9 PM. Fri & Sat, 11 AM to 10 PM.
- Menu/website: Sofia Pizza Shoppe.
- Address: Sofia Pizza Shoppe, 989 1st Ave., New York, NY 10022.
3. North Dumpling
What to order: 10 dumplings for $4.50.
North Dumpling was on my to-eat list in New York City for a very long time, so I was super excited to finally try it for the first time in October 2024, and it certainly didn’t disappoint!
The whole menu at North Dumpling is insanely cheap, with the most expensive thing on the menu being 40 frozen dumplings for $14! They also have 10 pork and chive dumplings for $4.50 (my personal favourites!), wonton soup for $3, 4 spring rolls for $4, and beef noodle soup for $9!
- Affordable item: $3 soups and $4.50 dumplings.
- Opening hours: Daily from 10.30 AM to 10.30 PM.
- Menu/website: China North Dumpling.
- Address: North Dumpling, 27A Essex St, New York, NY 10002.
4. Crif Dogs
What to order: Hot dogs from $4.75.
As well as being one of the best places for cheap food in New York City, Crif Dogs is also home to the not-so secret speakeasy bar, Please Don’t Tell. While the speakeasy certainly isn’t a cheap place to eat and drink in NYC, Crif Dogs is, with their signature pork and beef hot dog costing less than $5.
They also have burgers for less than $10, as well as tater tots for less than $5, so if you’re looking for super cheap, but still delicious, quick bites to eat in NYC, make sure to add Crif Dogs to your itinerary.
- Affordable item: $4.75 hot dog.
- Opening hours: Sun to Thurs, 12 PM to 2 AM. Fri & Sat, 12 PM to 3 AM.
- Menu/website: Crif Dogs.
- Address: Crif Dogs, 113 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009.
5. Bagels on the Square
What to order: Bagel with bacon scallion cream cheese from $4.75.
Similarly to pizza slices, New York City isn’t short on excellent bagel spots, but finding a bagel place that’s both incredibly cheap and tasty can be a little trickier.
I have so many favourite bagel spots in NYC (including Leon’s Bagels, Tompkins Square Bagels, and Pio Bagels), but my go-to cheap bagel spot is Bagels on the Square in Greenwich Village (it’s actually just next door to the Carmine Street branch of Joe’s Pizza!).
The bagels here are crazy cheap, with a plain bagel with butter costing just $2.25, bacon scallion cream cheese costing $4.75 (my number one favourite!), and their breakfast special sandwiches ranging from $5.25 to $9.
- Address: Bagels on the Square, 7 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014.
- Affordable item: $4.75 for bagels.
- Opening hours: Daily, 6 AM to 5 PM.
- Menu/website: Bagels on the Square.
6. Empanada Mama
Cheap eats Manhattan order: Empanadas from $4.85.
There are five branches of Empanada Mama in NYC, including Times Square, East Village, Lower East Side, Hell’s Kitchen, and the Upper East Side, so chances are, you’ll always be close enough to a branch!
These super cheap empanadas start at just $4.85, but they also have a dinner menu as well, consisting of various sandwiches, arepas, soups, salads and more. Their sit-down restaurant menu items aren’t the cheapest, but you can get 40+ different empanada flavours from just $4.85 each!
- Address: Empanada Mama, 765 9th Ave, Manhattan, NY 10019. (Multiple locations).
- Affordable item: $4.85 for empanada.
- Opening hours: Vary depending on the branch.
- Menu/website: Empanada Mama.
7. Joe’s Pizza
What to order: classic pizza slice from $5.
For one of the best cheap eats near Times Square, head to the Broadway branch of Joe’s Pizza where you can get a classic slice of NY pizza from just $5. As I mentioned above, there are many other places that offer cheaper pizza slices, but Joe’s is an absolutely iconic institution and well worth the few bucks more!
For just $4.50, you can get a super delicious slice of classic NY pizza, as well as whole pizza pies (although, these will obviously cost a lot more!). There are five branches of Joe’s Pizza in New York City, including three in Lower Manhattan, and one in Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan, respectively.
- Affordable item: $5 for classic NY pizza slice.
- Opening hours: Sun to Weds, 10 AM to 3 AM. Thurs, 10 AM to 4 AM. Fri & Sat, 10 AM to 5 AM.
- Menu/website: Joe’s Pizza NYC.
- Address: Joe’s Pizza, 1435 Broadway, New York, NY 10018. (Multiple locations).
8. Tacombi
New York cheap eats order: Tacos from $5.49
Tacombi is one of the best inexpensive NYC restaurants which serves scrumptious Mexican food across multiple branches throughout the city, including the Financial District, Upper West and Upper East Sides, Bleecker Street, Williamsburg, and more.
In addition to their tasty tacos (ranging from $5.49 to $6.99 per taco), they also offer quesadillas, burritos, and various other entrees.
- Affordable item: $5.49 tacos.
- Opening hours: Vary depending on the branch.
- Menu/website: Tacombi.
- Address: Tacombi, 255 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014. (Multiple locations).
9. Broad Nosh Bagels
NYC cheap eats order: Cream cheese bagel from $5.50.
Broad Nosh Bagels is one of my favourite bagel spots in New York, and they’re also one of the best cheap eats in Midtown NYC, with two branches in Midtown (one next to Columbus Circle and one just a few blocks from Times Square).
The bacon, egg, and cheese bagel is my go-to order at Broad Nosh but at $9.50, it’s not the cheapest item on the menu. However, you can also get eggs on a bagel, cream cheese bagels, or scallion cream cheese bagels from just $5.50, making it one of the best cheap breakfast places in NYC.
- Address: Broad Nosh Bagels, 587 9th Ave, New York, NY 10036. (Multiple locations).
- Affordable item: $5.50 bagels.
- Opening hours: Vary depending on the branch.
- Menu/website: Broad Nosh Bagels & Cafe.
10. Los Tacos No.1
What to order: Tacos from $5.65.
Los Tacos No.1 are one of the most highly-rated and sought-after taco places in New York City, and rightly so; they’re absolutely incredible!
There are seven Los Tacos No.1 branches in Manhattan, with my favourites being Times Square and Chelsea Market, and the Adobada (marinated pork) and Pollo Asado (grilled chicken) are my go-to taco orders! Tacos start at $5.65 for one and they’re worth every single cent!
- Affordable item: $5.65 tacos.
- Opening hours: Vary depending on the branch.
- Menu/website: Los Tacos No.1.
- Address: Los Tacos No.1, 229 West 43rd St, New York, NY 10036. (Multiple locations).
11. McSorley’s Old Ale House
What to order: Sandwiches from $6.
I mention McSorley’s Old Ale House in almost all of my NYC food and drink guides and that’s because it truly is one of my favourite spots in the city.
While it’s more famous for only serving two drinks (light and dark ale), its sawdust-strewn floors, and no-frills service with cash-only bar, McSorley’s also has a pretty decent and very affordable food menu consisting of items such as $6 sandwiches, chilli and soup, $6.50 hot dogs, and $10 burger with fries.
- Affordable item: $6 sandwiches and soup.
- Opening hours: Mon to Sat, 11 AM to 1 AM. Sun, 12 PM to 1 AM.
- Menu/website: McSorley’s Old Ale House.
- Address: McSorley’s Old Ale House, 15 E 7th St, New York, NY 10003.
12. Stage Door Deli
Cheap food Manhattan order: Breakfast sandwiches from $6.25.
Stage Door Deli is one of the best affordable restaurants in NYC that serves more food options that you can count! It’s also just over the road from the One World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, so it makes for an excellent cheap breakfast spot before you visit these iconic NYC locations.
While not every single item on the menu costs less than $10, you can get many dishes such as pancakes, bagels, French toast, and even full breakfast platters for less than $10.
- Address: Stage Door Deli, 26 Vesey St 1st Floor, New York, NY 10007.
- Affordable item: $6.25 breakfast sandwiches.
- Opening hours: Mon to Fri, 3.30 AM to 9 PM. Sat, 3.30 AM to 7 PM. Sun, 5 AM to 6 PM.
- Menu/website: Stage Door Deli WTC.
13. 7th Street Burger
What to order: Cheeseburger from $6.50.
For another one of the best cheap places to eat in NYC, head to one of the many branches of 7th Street Burger across Manhattan and Brooklyn, including East Village, West Village, Nomad, SoHo, Times Square, Williamsburg, and more.
At 7th Street Burger, you can get a cheeseburger for as little as $6.50, plus fries for $4.50. It’s another great place for a cheap NYC dinner with kids as every branch is super laidback with truly delicious burgers!
- Affordable item: $6.50 cheeseburger.
- Opening hours: Vary depending on the branch.
- Menu/website: 7th Street Burger.
- Address: 7th Street Burger, 1177 Broadway, New York, NY 10001. (Multiple locations).
14. Mamoun’s Falafel
What to order: Falafel sandwiches from $8.
I was always super adamant that I didn’t like falafel until I tried it at Mamoun’s Falafel on a food tour of Greenwich Village and after eating it, I couldn’t believe that I’d been missing out on it all my life!
There are many affordable items on the menu at Mamoun’s, including $8 classic falafel sandwiches, and $3 sides such as hummus, seasoned rice, and baba ganoush.
- Affordable item: $8 falafel sandwich.
- Opening hours: Vary depending on the branch.
- Menu/website: Mamoun’s.
- Address: Mamoun’s Falafel, 119 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012. (Multiple locations).
15. Bánh Mì Saigon
What to order: Bánh mì sandwich from $9.
While, unfortunately, you’re not going to get Vietnamese food as cheap as it is in Vietnam itself, Bánh Mì Saigon comes pretty close to affordable Vietnamese food in NYC.
Predominantly specialising in the quintessential Vietnamese pork sandwich, Bánh Mì Saigon also serves pork rolls, chicken rice dishes, steamed rice noodles, and more, all for around $10.
- Affordable item: $9 bánh mí sandwich.
- Opening hours: Tues to Sun, 10 AM to 5.30 PM.
- Menu/website: Bánh Mì Saigon.
- Address: Bánh Mì Saigon, 198 Grand St, New York, NY 10013.
16. Smashed
What to order: Cheeseburger from $9.
Smashed is one of the best cheap NYC restaurants if you’re looking for super delicious, no-frills burgers from $9, as well as fancier burgers for $11 to $15.
They have four branches in NYC, one in the West Village, East Village, one in Time Out Market DUMBO and Union Square.
- Affordable item: $9 classic Smashed cheeseburger.
- Opening hours: Vary depending on the branch.
- Menu/website: Smashed NYC.
- Address: Smashed NYC, 516 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014.
Best cheap eats in NYC – conclusion
I really hope you found this guide to the best cheap eats in NYC useful and I hope it’s inspired you to discover some of the more affordable places to eat in NYC!
Do you have any more recommendations for the best cheap places to eat in NYC? Let me know in the comments or in my New York Facebook Group!
