Cheap eats in New York City under $15: where and how

You can still eat a good meal in New York for under $15, but the price on the menu is not the whole story, and the number has crept up in recent years. Know which foods and neighborhoods keep the bill low and the number on the menu mostly takes care of itself.

What kinds of food cost the least?

The classic New York cheap meals are a slice of pizza, a bagel with cream cheese, a halal cart plate of chicken over rice, a falafel sandwich, a dumpling plate in Chinatown or Flushing, a banh mi, a taco from a truck or a Dominican lunch plate. A halal cart plate is large enough to feed two. Food courts in Flushing sell dishes for a few dollars each. A deli sandwich is more expensive but can be shared. Look for specials written on a board near the door.

Which neighborhoods are cheapest?

Queens is the easiest borough for eating well on a budget: Flushing, Jackson Heights, Corona and Elmhurst have food courts, carts and family restaurants. Sunset Park and Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, parts of the Bronx and Staten Island's Little Sri Lanka have low prices. In Manhattan, Chinatown, the East Village and Washington Heights have inexpensive options. Midtown lunch carts and halal carts serve office workers at low prices.

How do tax and tip change the price?

Sales tax is added to restaurant meals, so the total on the check is higher than the menu prices before a tip. At a cart or counter, a tip is not required, though a dollar or two is common when someone makes your food to order. At a sit-down restaurant, tip 18 to 20 percent.

Where can you eat free or nearly free?

The Queens Night Market sells international dishes from dozens of food stalls in the warmer months. Many food halls let you take small portions. Some museums and community events offer free food. Free is rare, but small portions at a market let you taste a lot for little.

When is lunch cheaper than dinner?

Almost everywhere. Many restaurants have lunch specials on weekdays with a main, soup or drink at a fixed price, often written on a board outside. A Chinese restaurant lunch special or an Indian lunch buffet can cost far less than dinner. Go at lunch and have a lighter evening.

How do you avoid hidden costs?

Check for a cover charge, a minimum spend at a table, a service charge on a large party and drinks that cost more than the food. Ask the price of bottled water before you accept it, because tap water is free and safe. Some restaurants charge extra for sauces or extra rice. Read the check before you pay.

What are the best habits for a visitor?

Eat the main meal at midday, walk, share dishes, and skip tourist streets. Use markets for fruit and snacks. Ask a local what they eat on a weeknight. Carry cash for carts and small shops, though most take cards. Look for lines of local workers and not lines of tourists.

Which dishes are worth the money?

Some cheap dishes are far better value than others. A halal cart plate is large and filling. Dumplings in Flushing or Chinatown are several dollars for a plate of eight. A pupusa from a Salvadoran counter or a Mexican taco from a truck is a good small meal. A bagel with butter or cream cheese is a classic breakfast. A slice of cheese pizza remains a New York ritual. Be careful with tourist-area slices, which cost more, and with premium bagel sandwiches, which can cost as much as a restaurant meal. Look at the size and think about whether a dish would feed two.

How can you save money on drinks and sides?

Drink tap water and skip bottled drinks, which are marked up. Share sides, since portions are large. Choose places that allow you to bring your own bottle, and use a refillable cup at coffee shops that offer a discount. Skip the extra sauce charges and ask what is included. If you drink alcohol, check for a happy hour, which many bars run on weekdays, but note that the offers vary. At a food court, buy one dish from each stall and share.

Finally, think about timing and logistics. Lines for the best cheap food are often longest at noon, so go at 11:30 a.m. or after 1:30 p.m. Carry hand wipes, since many cheap meals are eaten standing on the street. In winter, look for hot soup and dumplings, and in summer, for cold noodles and shaved ice. A few blocks off a tourist route, prices fall noticeably, and the food is usually just as good.

If you are traveling on a tight budget for a week, mix cheap meals with one or two treats, and keep a running total so that small purchases do not drift upward unnoticed.

Cheap eating in New York depends on timing and neighborhood. Go for lunch rather than dinner, since many places run lunch specials, and look outside the busiest tourist streets. Carts, counters and bakeries are quicker and cheaper than sit-down restaurants, and many take cash only, so carry some. Share larger plates, ask for a small size if the menu offers one, and check prices before you order, because menus change. Remember that tax is added at the register and that a tip may be expected at some counters.

How do you keep track of the best cheap meals in New York?

The best cheap meal is the one you can find again, and the dish matters more than the address. In the Mosey app, rate the cart plate, the dumplings or the slice by the dish, add a tag such as Great Value or Good Portions, and keep them in a list by neighborhood. Share the list with a visiting friend on a budget, and follow friends who eat cheaply across the five boroughs. Best in town and Top 3 lists build from what people rate, so a good slice rated today helps the next diner.

Rate the best cheap thing you ate this week in the Mosey app and start your list.

More guides to read next:

• Manhattan Chinatown food guide: dim sum, dumplings and bakeries
• Gluten-free and vegan restaurants in New York City: eating safely
• Halal and kosher food in New York City: carts and certification

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.