Cheap Eats in New York (2025)
Since the 1990s, this East Village cabbie favorite has served vegetarian Punjabi staples, samosas, and chai at low prices. Praised by Gothamist and local food writers for generous combos and genuine community roots.
An East Village kosher lunch counter (since 1938) where pierogi, borscht, and challah sandwiches remain comforting and affordable. Featured by Time Out New York and cherished by locals for its historic counter and hospitality.
From the lines on the sidewalk, you’d think Taqueria Ramirez in Greenpoint was selling coveted chunky sneakers or square footage to add to your bathroom. It’s better: they’re serving some of the city’s best tacos. Taqueria Ramirez models itself after Mexico City’s legendary spots, complete with colorful plastic plates, as well as a choricera and comal custom made in CDMX. The pacing and set-up of the restaurant feel distinctly like what you’ll find at taquerias in Mexico City, too. Even if the line snakes down Oak Street, you probably won’t have to wait more than 15 minutes. The Taqueria Ramirez team doesn’t bother to make their own tortillas (there’s not enough space and the price of the tacos would have to go up). Other than selling the occasional $10 container of al pastor, they don’t offer takeout (although we did once see a guy fill an empty pizza box with twenty tacos). Taqueria Ramirez pretty much only does one thing, and that’s make exceptional tacos you’ll want second and third helpings of while leaning against a bar rail on the sidewalk. photo credit: David A. Lee Their tacos - which all cost around $4 - range from velvety, shredded suadero and al pastor, to longaniza with bright orange porky juices. The suadero stews for long enough, around three hours, so the lower belly cut of beef can break down. But our favorite taco remains the tripa, which is blowtorched to order and has such little chewy toughness it might be unidentifiable as a cow’s small intestine save for the iron-forward taste. Once they call your name for your tacos, dress them up with a slather of red or green salsa (green is slightly milder than red), finely chopped raw red onions, cilantro, and a hearty squeeze from a lime wedge. If you arrive past 8pm, it’s more than likely Taqueria Ramirez will have already sold out of campechano, suadero, and tripa. Don’t stress. We got there at 9:12pm on a recent visit and still had a great time eating sopping longaniza, sweet-then-salty al pastor, and squeaky nopales. The restaurant’s space only holds about ten people, most of whom will get to watch the action in the open kitchen from courtside seats at the counter. Otherwise plan on finding a spot to stand outside, while you already scheme the best possible time to come back for more tacos. photo credit: David A. Lee NYC Feature The New CDMX Spot About To Blow Up North Brooklyn’s Taco Scene Food Rundown Suadero Imagine a cow. Can you picture its udders? Hello udders. OK, suadero is the cut directly north of the udders in the area between the leg and the belly. It’s a pretty muscly area, but the secret at Ramirez is that they stew their suadero for three hours in lard and warming spices. You don’t eat this meat as much as you let it melt into your mouth. It’s like velvet or meat confetti, and you’ll want as much as possible hugged in a fat-soaked corn tortilla. photo credit: David A. Lee Longaniza The quintessential pork order here. The filling comes minced into crumbly pieces rather than ground (like you’d do with chorizo), with bright orange juices spilling out from the sides. We particularly like to add the spicy red hot sauce to this taco, since the meat has enough salt to hold up to the added chili rush. Campechano When you have two very good things at your disposal, why not combine them? This is the philosophy Taqueria Ramirez enacts in their campechano, a mix of tender suadero and sopping longaniza. Feel free to apply it to your own life somehow, too. Perhaps with friends or various tea bags you find in your pantry. photo credit: David A. Lee Tripa It’s unrealistic to designate favorites at a place serving some of the best tacos in NYC. Having said that, know that the tripa remains in contention for first or second place. After it’s been stewing, the team behind the counter blowtorches each mound of meat just before they hand you the taco. Even if you’re not typically pumped to eat offal, give this caramelized, crispy taco a go. photo credit: David A. Lee Al Pastor The only taco here that’s cooked on a trompo rather than in a bubbling comal. Considering this pork and pineapple taco is one of the more common styles you can find in NYC, it’s all the more impressive that Taqueria Ramirez makes one of the better versions we’ve had. The pieces of meat are noticeably larger than what you’ll find elsewhere, like you put four layers of crispy pieces of pork through a gigantic paper shredder. And, of course, it comes topped with a thin strip of pineapple for that unmistakable pop of sweetness. photo credit: David A. Lee Nopales Taqueria Ramirez would be a miserable place to take a vegetarian. That doesn’t mean these cactus tacos aren’t fantastic for omnivores too, though. The nopales mixture is cooked ahead of time with big hunks of tomatoes, fava beans, and half-inch blocks of squeaky queso añejo. There’s an option to add chicharrón for more crunch and crackle, but we like it without the pork just fine. photo credit: David A. Lee
The city’s birria wave-maker still slings affordable tacos and consomé from multiple trucks, with a new Flushing spot adding seats. Covered by Grub Street and Eater; lines form for rich, Tijuana-style beef folded into griddled tortillas.
Fast-casual Nyonya Malaysian cooking—nasi lemak, pan mee, kaya toast—at friendly prices. Run by chef-owner Kyo Pang; lauded by The Infatuation and Bon Appétit, and embraced by Lower East Side regulars all day.
A tiny Flushing legend famous for No. 6: pork-and-veg wontons topped with chili crisp. Frequently recommended by Time Out New York, Eater, and The Infatuation; a cash-only quick stop with enduring neighborhood ties.
Thiru Kumar’s Washington Square Park cart turns out vegan dosas and sambar for well under typical lunch prices. Shouted out by Gothamist and local critics; check social for hours as the schedule can shift.
Upper West Side standby for giant, fairly priced bánh mì, phở, and vermicelli bowls. Praised by Time Out New York and neighborhood press; takeout-focused with loyal locals and late lunch lines.
Since 1981, this Cantonese anchor has served wonton noodle soup, roast meats, and salt-and-pepper specials at modest prices. Featured by Eater New York and listed in the Michelin Guide; still cash-only, still essential.
We like Tonii’s for several reasons, the least important of which is that the walls are covered in adorable cartoon rice roll caricature. The most important reason is that they serve a short menu of things like curry fish balls, soups, and rice noodles, all for $4.50. Get the beef, shrimp, and roast pork rice noodles, and sit under one of their white tents in the middle of the blocked-off section of Bayard Street. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists.
A century-old Italian deli that still makes mozzarella daily and stuffs heroes like the Mama’s Special for friendly prices. Recently praised by The Infatuation; a pre–Citi Field ritual for many Queens locals.
