You rarely see the words “affordable” and “New York City” in the same sentence, do you? That is unless the word “not” is placed before the former.
New York City is notoriously expensive, possibly the priciest metropolis in the world. More than just the guts and the gumption to live in this infamously hectic metropolis, you'd need a lot of money to live comfortably here. Eating out, however, is a different story. The Big Apple surprisingly has several affordable restaurants that are still pretty upscale. From The Parlour Room to Sushi Lab, these spots allow you to indulge in high-quality cuisine for under $100.00!
La Grande Boucherie
Despite its fairly
grand name, La Grande Boucherie doesn't impose very high prices. The place undoubtedly exudes an upscale appeal, not to mention offering various expensive options, but it's still possible to dine here without spending more than $100.00 per meal. Their fixed-price lunch, for example, costs only $39.00 per person and includes Caesar Salad, Salmon Tartare, Croque Monsieur, and Mushroom Ravioli. Considering the quality of this place's haute cuisine, that's not a bad deal!
Address: 145 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019, United States
La Sirene
La Sirene is another French restaurant that's surprisingly affordable. This may even be what made it popular enough to open up multiple locations in various
New York neighborhoods. The one in SoHo, in particular, never fails to fascinate with its chic, Parisian-like space and scrumptious French dishes. Try their Roasted Escargots, only $28.00 per serving, and taste the flavors of the French capital for yourself. Prefer something lighter? Their French Ravioli stuffed with Comte cheese and dripping with Truffle Cream Sauce will only cost you around $22.00!
Address: 558 Broome St, New York, NY 10013, United States
Le Jardin Bistro
Can't get enough of (affordable) French food in New York City? Then check out Le Jardin Bistro on the Lower East Side. Don't be intimidated by its elegant chandelier-lit bistro and chic rooftop setting. The place may seem like it costs a thousand bucks, but their sumptuous meals hardly reach $100.00 per meal. Their fabulous entrees, which include Foie Gras Torchon and classic Escargots, only range from $16.00 to $36.00 each. Main dishes, on the other hand, range from $25.00 to $59.00 per dish. That's not bad considering their heavy-hitters include Coq au Vin, Bouillabaisse, and Soft Shell Crab Burger.
Address: 95 Delancey St, First Floor, New York, NY 10002, United States
Olio e Più
Escape to the ever-fabulous
Greenwich Village for this next hotspot! Olio e Più has long served as one of New York City's culinary gems. Even with an entire district claiming to champion Italian cuisine (Little Italy), this beloved restaurant still puts up a good fight. And how can it not when it whips up such excellent Fettuccine Pomodoro e Basilico, Saloppina al Limone, and Caponatina Siciliana? That's just for lunch, and the best part? They come at a fixed lunch price of only $29.00 per person!
Address: 3 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014, United States
Caffe Buon Gusto
A cozy, candle-lit cafe awaits foodies and lovers on a dinner date alike in Caffe Buon Gusto, one of the premier Italian hotspots on the
Upper East Side. While its location is notorious as one of the most affluent areas in New York City, you can rest assured that you won't encounter overwhelmingly high prices here. Their beloved pasta dishes only go for about $21.95 each, whether it be Penne, Linguini, or Rigatoni. If you want a specialty pasta instead, be it Paglia e Fieno Salmon or Lobster over homemade Black Linguine, they'll only cost you around $24.95 to $42.95 per dish.
Address: 236 E 77th St, New York, NY 10075, United States
Sushi Lab
Go to
Midtown Manhattan to indulge in the best, affordable sushi in all of New York City! It's here where you'll find the four-star Sanctuary Hotel New York, which, among other things, features Sushi Lab. This place is practically a godsend for foodies on a budget, as it serves its world-renowned sushi for less than $40.00 each! Yes, you read that right! The prices here rarely go up to $40.00 each! You can even indulge in their mouthwatering Salmon, Tuna, or Yellowtail sashimis for only $7.00 per piece. What's not to love?
Address: Sanctuary Hotel New York - 132 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036, United States
The Parlour Room
The Parlour Room may seem like a typical exclusive restaurant & bar that'll cost you more than your total monthly
living costs in New York City, but it's not! Though it's hard to believe, this fabulous hotspot offers a fixed-price lunch menu for only $60.00 per person! The price might still seem pretty steep for many of you, but it does come with many of the restaurant's best sellers. This $60.00-lunch will already serve you either Deviled Eggs or Chopped Caesar Salad for starters, an entrée of Seed-Crusted Salmon or Pan-roasted Chicken Breast, and your choice of dessert between Dark Chocolate Mousse, Vanilla Crème Brûlée, or Stone Fruit Pavlova.
Address: 70 W 36th St., New York, NY 10018, United States
Valerie
Valerie on W 45th Street arguably throws practically every other hotspot on this list out of the water with its intimately-lit, elegant space and affordable and globally diverse menu. You can start your dinner here with either Crispy Shrimp Bao Buns or Ahi Tuna Tartare, which only cost around $25.00 and $26.00, respectively. Continue on with any of their scrumptious entrees, be it a dish of Spring Risotto for only $31.00 or King Salmon Bouillabasse for $37.00. What more could you ask for?
Address: 45 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036, United States
Zou Zou's
Located on 9th Avenue, Zou Zou's is a delectable Mediterranean restaurant you shouldn't overlook! Admittedly, it has some of the highest prices among the relatively affordable hotspots on this list, but they're still not so high that one meal will instantly empty your wallet. Their Chef's Menu, for instance, only costs about $74.00 per person. A bit pricey for most, but considering it includes Yellowtail Mezze starters, your choice of either Grilled Branzino or Yemeni Au Poivre Kebab, a side of Wadi Rum Jeweled Rice or Charred Broccoli, and some Kataifi Cheesecake for dessert, it's not a bad deal!
Address: Manhattan West - 385 9th Ave Suite 85, New York, NY 10001, United States
Manhatta
Manhatta serves as the only
Michelin-starred restaurant on this list, and is admittedly also on the pricier side, but it's still worth checking out! If the New York skyline views didn't catch your attention, perhaps its mid-range prices will. Don't go for their three or four-course menus since they'll cut you back about $115.00 to $145.00 per person, respectively. Instead, you can save prices by ordering individual dishes, be it Beef Tartare with black sunchoke and Asian pear ($25.00), Amachi Crudo with pickled grapes, marcona almond and mint ($24.00), or Dry aged burger with koji onion, cooper sharp and chips ($34.00).
Address: 28 Liberty St 60th floor, New York, NY 10005, United States
You can still eat out at any of New York City’s upscale restaurants without the risk of getting bankrupt. The Big Apple has several chic hotspots where you can indulge in their haute cuisine for less than $100.00 per meal!
