Budget Guide
Cheap Eats NYC: 10 Great Meals Under $15
New York is expensive. But the best food in the city is often the cheapest. A $4 slice at Joe's beats a $40 entrée at most tourist restaurants. Here are 10 meals that prove it.
Joe's Pizza Plain Slice
The benchmark New York slice. Fold it lengthwise.
Chopped Cheese
Ground beef, onions, American cheese on a hero roll. The Harlem original.
Gray's Papaya Recession Special
Two hot dogs with mustard and sauerkraut plus a papaya drink.
Egg Cream
Chocolate syrup, whole milk, seltzer. No eggs. No cream. A New York original.
Soup Dumplings (8 pcs)
Pork xiao long bao. Bite a hole first, drink the soup, then eat.
Knish
Baked potato knish. Dense, savory, and filling. A Lower East Side institution since 1910.
Egg Tarts
Flaky pastry shell, silky egg custard. The best version in Chinatown.
Black & White Cookie
Soft lemon cake, half vanilla fondant, half chocolate. Must be eaten same day.
Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles
Hand-ripped biang biang noodles with cumin lamb. The spice is real.
Murray's Bagel with Schmear
Hand-rolled, boiled, baked. Plain bagel, plain cream cheese. No toasting.
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