Here, grilled cheese receives the star treatment & all sandwiches are under $11. Try the rich melted Gouda, offset with pickled jalapeños, sweet guava jam & creamy black-bean hummus on brioche ($10). Read more.
French-leaning small plates can be cobbled together to compose an excellent & affordable meal here. Try the classic croque madame ($10) or the brandade ($9), a pot of featherlight whipped salt cod. Read more.
The star of the no-frills menu here is the sizable cheeseburger ($12): Made with well-seasoned, griddled patties, the hefty sandwich oozes melted American cheese from beneath a toasted potato bun. Read more.
Graze on dishes like creamy mac ’n’ greens ($14)—a blend of collards, Gouda, New York cheddar & Comté—or rib-sticking dirty rice and shrimp ($11). Close with the shareable spiced chocolate cake ($10). Read more.
At this Chinatown bistro, curry and coconut perfume the air, as husband-wife team Marc Kaczmarek and Mei Chau bustle around, hefting giant portions of homestyle Malaysian fare at Lilliputian prices. Read more.
Try a more faithful rendition of pad thai here: banana leaves topped with tangles of pork-fat-rendered rice noodles, tasty dried shrimp, preserved radish, sour tamarind and crunchy peanuts. Read more.
Barbecue is a cornerstone of cheap eatin’, and there’s no better spot for carnivorous feasting on a budget than Hugh Mangum’s packed East Village smokehouse (TONY’s pick for best new 2013 BBQ joint). Read more.
For little more than a Hamilton, you can load up on a panino built atop a trusty loaf—the combo of salty prosciutto, rich buffalo mozzarella and pickled shishito peppers is a standout. Read more.
