New
York On Any Budget
New
York City is a vacationer's paradise. True, it can be expensive,
but even on a limited budget you can have a great time, see all
the sights, eat at exotic restaurants, and still have enough money
left over to take in a show. The secret is to follow the lead of
the natives.
Do
you want to see the Statue of Liberty? You can wait on line for
up to two hours to take the ferry to Liberty Island for $7.00, or
get on the Staten Island Ferry which runs about every twenty minutes
and costs nothing for a round trip. The Staten Island Ferry has
been free for years.
Have
your camera ready for some great shots of the New York skyline from
the harbor... Wave at Lady Liberty as you sail past her... Get a
hot dog and soda at the snack bar, and for under $10.00 you've had
a great sightseeing adventure and lunch!
Wander
back up to the South Street Seaport after your ferry ride and discover
Old New York. Here you can check out lots of free
entertainment in the form of street entertainers with food pushcarts
everywhere, dispensing everything from pretzels to hot dogs to shish
kebab.
The
area also comes complete with modern day shops and restaurants.
Supplied by the landmark Fulton Fish Market, (which has since been
moved to the Bronx), these restaurants are great for any seafood
dish. If fish isn't what you had in mind, New York offers an array
of international cuisine.
Cucina
della Fontana at 368 Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village is a favorite
Italian eatery. The food is good and the glass-enclosed garden makes
for a romantic dinner and with the price per person around $25.00
it's a real bargain. After dinner take in the sights and "people
watch" in Greenwich Village... a great way to walk off the
pasta.
Benny's
Burritos at 113 Greenwich Avenue is a fun place to sample Mexican
food and people watch at the same time. With margaritas the price
will be below $20.00 each for healthy portions. The service and
décor aren't the best in town, but it's a fun place.
Kiev
at 117 Second Avenue in the East Village offers Ukrainian food at
under $15.00 each. They are open 24 hours and serve up 
traditional
herring salad, blintzes, challah, pierogies and borscht. This is
no place for dieters, but a real treat for hearty eaters.
If
you want to sample real New York Pizza try John's Pizzeria. Pizza
is a mainstay in the New Yorker's diet and the "best"
in New York is a hotly debated topic. The thin crust and brick oven
baking make this one of the main contenders. The original downtown
location at 278 Bleecker Street is in Greenwich Village. There's
also one at 48 W. 65th Street - a great place to find an inexpensive
meal in the Lincoln Center area.
Chinatown
offers so many good, inexpensive places to eat that you can take
your pick. The hints are to look for the places where you see locals
eating or where you see a line forming. If you want a truly oriental
dining experience, try letting the waiter recommend a specialty.
Check the menu before you go in, some of the more popular places
can be expensive.
If
you plan on splurging for fine dining, New York is the place to
be. Aureole at 34 E. 61st Street is at the top of many lists. The
food is New American, the service is European. Dinner is prix fixe
$63 ($85 for the tasting menu). Charles Palmer's restaurant gets
rave reviews from the entrees to the desserts. If you can only try
one fine dining experience during your stay, make it this one.
Make
sure that you call well in advance for reservations at any of these
restaurants and always check the prices since they can change quickly.
More
resources to cheap eats in New York:
Time
Out New York Eating & Drinking Guide
Citysearch
New York Restaurant Guide
Digital
City New York Restaurant Guide
About
the Author
Margaret Chiffriller is one of the founders of the Chiff.com
Directory, a guide to the best pop-up free, content rich
sites on the Web... and the Chiff
Local e-Biz Directory, created especially for businesses
searching for a fast, affordable way to get found online.
