Dining out in NYC is one of our favorite things to do, but it can add up real quick. While we love to treat ourselves to a splurge meal once in a while, we also love restaurants that boast good vibes, awesome food, and reasonable dollar signs.
This month we ran around the city finding the best meals under $20 and restaurants that won't have you choosing between an expensive bowl of pasta or your wash and fold laundry service this month.
The best part? With each of these restaurants being part of the Bilt Dining network, you’ll earn bonus Bilt Points when you pay with any Mastercard®, Visa®, or American Express® linked to your Bilt Wallet.
Discover the five best meals in NYC below.
Glur: Pad Thai ($16)
Don't let the petite size of this small Thai restaurant in Chelsea deter you from discovering some of the best Pad Thai in NYC. Glur, which means “friend” in Thai, is about to be your new BFF. While there’s only seating for about 15 people, the stand-out Thai restaurant specializes in traditional dishes, and almost all are vegan and vegetarian friendly, with options to add meat to many of the dishes.
It’s hard to choose a favorite dish, but the Pad Thai and Red Curry really stole our hearts. The noodles in the Pad Thai are as light and fresh as the toppings. And the Red Curry packs the right amount of heat and is packed with veggies and your protein of choice.
Ferns: Fried Chicken Sandwich ($20)
Ferns, in the middle of the Lower East Side is such a vibe. It feels like a magical garden with walls covered in ferns and fairy lights everywhere. Which is a nice escape from the concrete jungle. This LES gem has happy hour specials every night and often live music.
Everything on the menu is under $20 and perfect for sharing. The Fried Buffalo Cauliflower appetizer is topped with a celery salad and has just the right amount of spice and crunch ($12 on the nightly happy hour menu).
The true star of the show though was the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($20). It’s dressed with a heaping mound of sweet pickled onions and fresh shredded cucumbers and served with a side of old bay fries that were perfectly crisp. And if you can't tell from the photo, this sandwich is plenty big enough for two, or one person with a large appetite.
Osteria Morini: Cappelletti ($15)
In the heart of SoHo where you can easily spend $47 on cupcakes at Baked by Melissa (ridiculously good cupcakes may I add), you can also find a great deal on incredible authentic Italian pasta dishes from Osteria Morini.
The menu typically aligns with the moderately to higher-priced digs in Soho, with the exception of Monday nights. Once a week diners can enjoy “Morini Mondays” where all pasta dishes are $15. This means you can indulge in their popular Cappelletti (originally $27) which is truffled ricotta ravioli with prosciutto, or the Fusilli ($28) which is topped with Neapolitan pork shoulder ragú.
Each night there is a pasta special, so make sure to find out what it is before finalizing your order. We got to try their fresh lemon pasta with a zucchini base. It was light and refreshing, which is exactly how our wallet felt after having an incredible dish for $15.
The Supply House: Nachos ($17)
If you don’t think nachos are a meal, then you’ve never tried this heaping mound of deliciousness from The Supply House, a cool neighborhood bar in the Upper East Side. This massive tray of chips is loaded with layers of queso and cheese and topped with chili, jalapeños, guacamole and sour cream.
Each night there are specials, like a burger and beer for $16 on Monday nights. We tried the French Onion Soup Burger and it was fantastic. Served on an english muffin, the burger was also a tender and flavorful treat.
Napoli’s Pizza - Vodka Pizza ($20)
It’s hard to believe, but some of the best pizza is right outside city limits. A short trip across the Hudson River will put you in Hoboken, NJ where Napoli’s Pizza serves up the best vodka sauce pizza. The specialty vodka pizza doesn't come with pepperoni, but you won’t regret piling it on.
Our favorite thing about Napoli’s? It’s BYOB. This means you can bring your own beer, wine, and even cocktails. There are two locations, one uptown and one downtown, so you can easily access Napoli’s Pizza from either the PATH train or the NY York Waterway Ferry.
Bottom Line
With the average rent in NYC being $4,395, we could all use an affordable meal. Follow our new monthly series, Out to Eat, to discover the best restaurants in our Bilt Dining portfolio.
Remember, when dining at a Bilt Dining restaurant, you’ll earn bonus Bilt Points when you pay with any Mastercard®, Visa®, or American Express® linked to your Bilt Wallet.