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Spread The News: 8 Brilliant Budget New York Eateries

by Dave Lee
15 April 2013 6 Comments

You’ve saved for months to get the cheapest flights and hotel and you’ve made it to New York for a week’s mayhem in Manhattan. But where to eat without blowing the budget?

McSorley’s Ale House - Order one beer, get two. Brilliant…

John’s Pizzeria (AKA John’s of Bleeker St)

Apparently the water in New York is ideally suited to making great pizza dough. Not sure how true that is but certainly the pizza at this no-nonsense brick oven pizza joint is as good as you’ll find anywhere on Earth. They famously refuse to sell their mega-thin crust pizza by the slice so the choice is simply 14” or 16” and a few basic toppings. Share with a friend or two and a pitcher of draught beer and you’ve got a genuine taste of Greenwich Village. A favourite of regulars Jack Black, Regis Philbin and Simon Pegg.

Corner Bistro

Proud of being the only bar on the south of Manhattan to carry on serving right through the events of 9/11, the Corner Bistro is the nearest thing to a real life Cheers you’re likely to find. More of a bar with food, this Greenwich Village local’s favourite has friendly staff, a great and eclectic jukebox and is right next to NYU, meaning you can sit at the bar with a burger or a bowl of great chilli and watch students, tutors, regulars and village characters come and go.

Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridian

Now this is a real must-go. Just one block south of Central Park, in the corner of the reception of the very grand Le Parker Meridian hotel you’ll see a red velvet curtain. Snaking round the curtain you’ll usually find a queue of native New Yorkers waiting with uncharacteristic patience to get inside the Burger Joint. Belying its grand surroundings the Burger Joint is a tiny, basic 18-ish seat diner serving only a small selection of drinks, fries and the best burgers you will ever, ever, ever eat. Trust me, the reason the place is permanently packed with residents is that they know something they don’t want the tourists to. Well now you do.

Katz’s Deli

An obvious choice but you really can’t argue with its inclusion on a budget eats list. Katz has sat on a street corner on the Lower East Side since 1888 and has become an institution not because of the films shot in there or because it’s in every travel guide but because it serves superb, honest, cheap-ish, Jewish-based grub from a bafflingly huge menu without fuss or flash. You could survive on one of their Reuben sandwiches for about 3 days.

Worth noting is that if you order one beer you always get two (no idea why but it suits me) and all of the food is designed to be eaten with the insanely hot mustard that’s left in mugs on the tables

McSorley’s Old Ale House

Doesn’t have a great choice of drinks (light or dark and that’s it) or a wide assortment of dishes but walking into this East Village watering hole is like walking onto the set of Deadwood. It’s barely changed since it opened in 1854 and, despite being popular with the likes of Woody Guthrie and other left leaning politicos, was the last bar in America to allow women through its doors. Worth noting is that if you order one beer you always get two (no idea why but it suits me) and all of the food is designed to be eaten with the insanely hot mustard that’s left in mugs on the tables. While it’s a bit too popular with the tourists these days a couple of hours whiled away inside is quite a unique experience.

Schiller’s Liquor Bar

Even if this Lower East Side bar/ eatery didn’t serve very marvellous European meets NY-style food and spot on cocktails it would be worth a visit for it’s brilliant design. Its butcher’s shop/ chemist/ drinking den interior is superbly styled and everything from the menus to the crockery to the toilet seats has been perfectly thought through and delivered. The menu is eclectic and disarmingly honest – when’s the last time you saw the wines divided into ‘cheap/ decent/ good’ on the menu? While staring at the fixtures and fittings try the Schiller’s steak sandwich washed down with the best Mojito outside of Cuba.

Ferrara Bakery & Cafe

Bang in the middle of what’s left of Little Italy is the Ferrara Bakery, a delight for Godfather/ Goodfellas/ Sopranos fans everywhere. Not because it’s ever featured in any of those productions (although Don Corleone was shot about 100 yards away, film fans) but because from the second you walk in you just know that Ferrara’s has been at the heart of the Italian community for as long as there’s been one. It only really serves cakes and coffee but a quick stop for a cappuccino and a cannoli will see you leaving with a bada-bing in your stride.

Ear Inn

Also known as the Green Door, the Ear can date its history as far back as 1817, although it didn’t actually start serving drinks till the 1890’s. Located in SoHo, a block away from the Holland Tunnel it’s simple, cosy, friendly and features regular jazz nights that attract some of the finest players in the city. The menu changes all the time but is as unpretentious and inexpensive as the excellent beers and wines. A wonderful place to spend a few hours in when your feet start to ache.

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image descriptionCOMMENTS

Dave 9:46 pm, 25-Feb-2011

It's been a few years so I don't know if it's still there byut the Times Square Deli Diner on W 44th Street used to serve as fine a burger as could be found, at McDonald's prices. It was also a few doors from Jimmy's Corner, the greatest boxing bar in the world.

Johnny L 1:35 am, 26-Feb-2011

Wrap n Run Lex and 78th. Tell Goerge Richie The Bum sent you for a discount. Apart from McSorleys, these aren't really cheap are they?

Dave lee 12:05 pm, 26-Feb-2011

I think they're pretty cheap, Johnny. Certainly you'd struggle to find cheaper places that aren't generic chain eateries or take-aways. I also selected places where you get a definite taste of New York in the atmosphere as well as the cuisine. I think UK tourists would class all of these as good value.

paul brady 10:12 am, 27-Sep-2011

As a New York regular for the last fifteen years i would agree with Dave , spot on , ive been to all of the above.

mike 4:38 pm, 5-Nov-2012

carnegie's deli on 7th avu & 55 street & arie's deli on broadway and 83rd, forget the price , the food at both of these are out of this world, if you are on a budget one meal could last you two days easy.try the woddy allan at carnegies, well worth it.

Kitty 4:47 pm, 14-Nov-2012

Thanks for this - I am heading over to NY in a couple of weeks and it is always good to have some recommendations. I am ready to stuff myself senseless!

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