Sometimes after a hard hike, such as the Devil’s Path in New York’s Catskills, you want to treat yourself to something good. What better place to get some seriously good food than New York City?
Just a 2-hour drive from the Catskill Mountains brings you a whole world of food options. These are my top 5 recommendations for affordable restaurants in New York City.
Xi’an Famous Foods (西安名吃) (38 E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010)
I eat here every time I take a trip into the New York City. Founded in 2005, this family run business brought their recipe for ripped noodles from their home, Xi’an.
It’s a quick and delicious meal of hand ripped noodles and your choice of topping. My favorite, the oxtail. Amazing. Just be prepared to sit elbow to elbow with the person next to you as all tables and bar areas are shared.
Even Anthony Bourdain made an appearance here, so you know it’s gotta be good!
The address I include is just one of their multiple locations in the city. All are wonderful.
Totto Ramen (366 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019)
If you love ramen, this is the place to go. A small place tucked into the Hell’s Kitchen district. You sit up to the bar watching your meal being prepared, while another cook is stirring a huge vat of the delicious, though a bit salty, broth.
You can decide between a couple different types of ramen and get all the good things you love, like extra shitake mushrooms.
It is the perfect meal on a cold winter day and one of the best affordable restaurants in New York City.
ABC Kitchen (35 E 18th St, New York, NY 10003)
I love a good farm to table restaurant. This is a good date night restaurant, though of all the ones listed, this one is the most costly. You’re going to spend around$50 a person if you get a drink, an appetizer, and your meal, but it’s so worth it!
Located in the Flat Iron district, a foodie haven, ABC Kitchen has a very unique industrial meets Greek villa feel about it. The New York Times said, “the notion of the place is haute organic and Hamptons sustainable.”
The food is definitely a bit pricier but it’s a beautiful meal with items like braised grass-fed beef and house made ricotta ravioli. You will definitely need a reservation no matter what day of the week.
Boqueria Soho (171 Spring St, New York, NY 10012)
If you are into small plates and delicious Spanish foods, make sure to check out Boqueria Soho. It’s the perfect place to go with friends, as their tapas style meals allow for sharing.
We had recently been to Barcelona and this restaurant made me smile with memory of the amazing foods we had eaten there.
From patatas bravas to grilled octopus, the menu items were straight from Spain. Pair that with a beautiful glass of Rioja and you feel like you have been transported.
Food trucks
Though not a restaurant, food trucks are some of the best meals you will get anywhere. And New York is no exception. I love a good late-night visit to a food truck.
If you are on a budget, food trucks are the perfect option. Even if you’re not, food trucks give you a little taste of the plethora of food options in New York City. So many cultures are represented here and many show off their traditional cuisine at an affordable price from their own food truck.
Don’t be afraid of the food truck. People always seem to shy away from them because they fear unsanitary conditions. In our world of sterility we have lost that sense of adventure with our food, the sense of culture. But I bet, if you go to any other country you will see food trucks mostly overrun by locals looking for a good lunchtime meal.
Do as the locals do. Eat the meat on a stick, or if you are a vegan or vegetarian, get that falafel. Trust me, it will be worth it.
Concluding Thoughts
New York City is known for many different unique things to do, but one of the things it is best known for is it’s food scene. With so many different cultures represented you cannot go wrong.
My only recommendation is to get away from Time’s Square, where the food is overpriced and quite terrible for the most part. Only the tourists eat there, generally speaking you won’t see a New Yorker in one of those restaurants.
So, hop on the subway or take the time to walk the city, you never know what wonderful food options you will stumble upon. Trust me, you will be glad you did.
