Eating is one of our favorite things to do--you might have noticed.
But dining out in NYC, especially at an acclaimed, buzzy restaurant, can cost upwards of a month’s rent. (And we’re trying to save up for a summer trip to the Hamptons.)
Here are seven affordable Michelin-starred restaurants in NYC that won’t put you in the poorhouse. And yes, you can even order dessert.
Located inside the chic Ace Hotel, this cozy Flatiron gastropub is serving up contemporary British comfort food like fried sweetbreads ($19), braised lamb belly ($17) and seafood sausage ($19). Hey, we can swing those prices.
16 W. 29th St. (at Broadway); 212-679-1939 or thebreslin.com
Old-school Shanghai favorites like steamed whole fish ($24), tea-smoked duck ($21) and smoked dumplings in chili oil ($8) are leagues above your run-of-the-mill takeout. No offense, General Tso.
13 E. 37th St. (at Madison Ave.); 212-213-2810 or cafechinanyc.com
We’re drooling over the ostiones empanizados, aka fried oysters with chili mayo ($16). And don’t even get us started on the pescado con elote with cheese-smothered corn (market price, but always totally reasonable).
5-48 49th Ave. (at Vernon Blvd.), Queens; 347-448-6040 or henrinyc.com
Yep, eating funnel cake for breakfast ($14) is officially a thing. But maybe even better is the $58 four-course tasting menu for dinner.
135 N. Fifth St. (at Bedford Ave.), Brooklyn; 718-218-8191 or delawareandhudson.com
OK, the burger is $24. But it’s one of the best damn burgers in the entire state of New York, and it’s topped with cheddar and caramelized onions. (In other words, it’s worth it.)
113 Macdougal St. (at Minetta Ln.); 212-475-3850 or minettatavernny.com
Take a field trip to Brooklyn’s Columbia Street waterfront--it’s a lot cheaper than a trip to Thailand, but the food is just as amazing. The coconut curry with minced prawns is a flavor explosion ($16), and don’t forget to order the papaya pok pok ($11), the salad to end all salads.
117 Columbia St. (at Kane St.), Brooklyn; 718-923-9322 or pokpokny.com
Those delightful microgreens on your raviolo? Oh, those were grown in the restaurant, on the herb mezzanine. NBD. The menu rotates daily to feature fresh ingredients, but mains typically max out at $30.
149 Broadway (at Bedford Ave.), Brooklyn; 718-384-0673 or meadowsweetnyc.com
