Inexpensive eats — NYC

Inside

• Top pick: Studio Cafe,* 8th floor of Whitney Museum, near High Line. — Accessible with museum admission. Tips: Casual. Pay what-you-wish admission, 7-10pm Fridays. Great views of city and High Line, indoors and outdoors.
• Otto pizza (by Chef Mario Bitali), West Village, 1 block from Marlton Hotel. There is casual seating in front and formal dining room in back. There is a casual menu — don’t see it on the website. Nearby: Le Pain Quotidien cafe fare is next door to the Marlton. Japonica has good lunch specials and is also a popular neighborhood pick.
• Cafe Bouchon, Shops at Columbus Circle, third floor — Gourmet French-American, casual, coffee, soups, sandwiches. Counter service and cafe seating (not dining room).
• Momofuku noodle bar (opened or will open soon on same floor)

• District (first floor) and Hudson Eats (2nd floor, nice indoor and outdoor views seating) food courts — Brookfield Place* by World Financial Center +

 

East Village

(vegan-friendly)

• Superiority Burger — veg “hole in the wall,” by a chef who left a gourmet restaurant
• 00 pizza
• Dun-Well Donuts
• Van Leeuwen ice cream

West Village/SOHO

• Raku Udon — SOHO location has more offerings for vegans
• Junzi — “flavorful, healthy and unfussy Chinese home food for the many”

Outside

Put on your warm clothes for these

• Broadway Bites,+ Herald Sq. (near NY Penn Sta) — Street food stands from the world over and cafe seating.  Casa Toscana is the best for coffee, pastry between meals. Our run group goes to the by Col. Circle.
• Chelsea Market,+ Chelsea — Buy stuff inside and eat outside on wooden benches/recliners on High Line, with views.* A few CM recs: Chalait, Ninth St Espresso (both also have good coffee/tea), Beyond Sushi (veg, warm combo menu), Nam Pung Sandwich shop, Berlin Currywurst, Los Mariscos (separate entrance). High Line visitor info.
• Another coffee spot to warm you up nearby at Blue Bottle Coffee, 15th St.
• Le Pain Quotidien (LPQ) Central Park locations — two: close to West side and East side (by scenic boat pond) 72nd st entrances. This is best nearby place to go if visiting Met Museum of Art too.

* Nice views from seating outside.

+ Review the food court maps before you enter — can be a bit overwhelming 🙂

I can give more specific recs depending on type, specific ethnic areas (J-town, K-town) and location. So many! There are more delish nice food courts. If it’s a nice day and enough time, I also recommend taking a Citibike around Central Park.

Happy Eating!