Cheap Eats: Where to Eat in the Lower East Side, New York City
The Lower East Side has been an exciting foodie destination for quite some time now. We love its diversity of food options. So with that in mind, here are our cheap eats picks on where to eat in the Lower East Side, New York City. Be sure to check out our other cheap eats posts: the best fried chicken, lunch on the go, desserts and more!
Trapizzino – 144 Orchard St
Trapizzino specializes in dough pockets stuffed with Italian fillings like rosemary chicken, beef meatballs and oxtail ragu. It is kind of like a fancy hot pocket and it is an incredibly delicious! Best of all, these sandwiches are $8.
Kopitiam – 151 E Broadway
If you are looking for something exciting and for something a little different, we recommend Kopitiam, a Malaysian cafe. They have all sorts of interesting items on their menu like a fried oyster omelette, ikan bakar (spicy grilled stingray) and the national dish of Malaysia, nasi lemak (a coconut rice dish with chili pasta, cucumbers and a hard boiled egg).
Taco Recipes – 23 Essex St
Taco Recipes is a small Mexican takeout lunch spot with yummy items like steak burritos, shrimp tacos and chicken taco bowls. It is our go to place in the neighborhood if we want something fast, cheap and tasty! Everything here is easily under $10.
Scarr’s Pizza – 22 Orchard St
P.C.: yelp, Mike C.
Scarr’s Pizza is a retro, old school pizzeria in the Lower East Side. We stick with either their cheese slice or their Sicilian slice if you are looking for nice thick pizza crust. Scarr’s Pizza is a great late night option in the area.
Cheeky Sandwiches – 35 Orchard St
P.C.: yelp, Jack K.
Cheeky Sandwiches is a tiny hole in the wall but they make incredible sandwiches for cheap! We love their fried chicken sandwich ($6.50) or their fried shrimp poboy ($8.50). Just be prepared to take your sandwich to go since there isn’t much seating at their restaurant.
The Pickle Guys – 357 Grand St
P.C.: yelp, Julee W.
If you love pickles you have to check out the Pickle Guys. They have a small shop but a huge variety of top notch pickles and pickled vegetables. It is a great spot to pick up a quick snack on the go.
Two Bridges Diner – 89 Canal St
Finally, old school diners are getting harder and harder to find in New York City so that is why we were very excited when Two Bridges Diner opened recently! You can expect huge portions and great prices here. Their chicken parmigiana, moussaka and chicken souvlaki are all delicious. Trust us for about $12 you will have enough food for two!