How much money for food in NYC?

Question

My boyfriend and I will be spending 3 nights and 2 days in NYC and I was wondering how much money would we need for food? Breakfast not included(complimentary breakfast at hotel)...

So we arrive Friday evening and leave Monday morning

??

thanks for the help!

Answer 1

It really depends on what kind of food you're looking for, the type of dining experience, which parts of NYC you go to, etc... For example

Mid-town- very touristy so more expensive

East side- ave 1, around 8 to 14th street, pretty cheap

Flat-iron- moderate to expensive

There are plenty of places to find cheap food as well as more expensive food for a fine dining experience. If you're going on a moderate budget, for 2 people, I'd wager around $20 for lunch (including tip per person) and $35 for dinner (per person including tip, appetizer, entree, dessert) for each day. This is supposing you're going to a decent place, where you sit down and dine.

Here is a blog entailing a range of cheap eats to fine dining with lots of pictures and in depth reviews of the restaurants.

http://www.savory-bites.com/blog

Answer 2

Depends on where you go. You can find food for pretty cheap......

Answer 3

It's impossible to give you a dollar amount - that depends on your tastes, your appetites, your locations, etc.  But, I can give you some suggestions and advice.

Try to avoid the chain restaurants and try not to eat in the Times Square tourist traps - if you are staying midtown in the 40's and 50's, head west to Eighth and Ninth Avenues and eat where the New Yorkers eat - the food's better and cheaper.

One of the biggest bargains in New York is Gray's

Papaya - there are several locations - in Greenwich Village on the Corner of Sixth Avenue and West 8th Street and on the Upper West Side on 72nd and Broadway.  For a little more than three dollars you get two excellent hotdogs and a tropical fruit juice drink - there's no seating - people eat standing up at counters facing the busy street and people watch - or get them to go and sit on a park bench.

My favorite Mexican restaurant is Del Valle Tehuitzingo on Tenth Avenue and 47th Street. Excellent prices, generous portions, very plain, but spotlessly clean. The servers are very pleasant, but service is usually very slow. They have a very extensive menu and daily specials, most of them aren't listed online.

http://menupages.com/screenmenu.asp?rest...

La Bonne Soup on 55th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues (near St Patrick's Cathedral and Rockefeller Center) - excellent food - good deals.

http://www.labonnesoupe.com/

Empanada Mama on Ninth Avenue and 53rd Street - good, inexpensive food - slow service - empanada's are about $2.50 and arepas are less than $5.

Near Times Square - Walk down 32nd Street between Broadway and Fifth (near Macy's and the Empire State Building) - there are more than a dozen Korean restaurants - all price ranges - most have menus posted outside - there are specialties like BBQ and dumplings - read the menus and choose one - Korean food's delicious.

Go downtown - have lunch in Chinatown - most restaurants serve lunch for less than $6. Go to the East Village - there are many ethnic restaurants that are extremely cheap - try something you've never had before. While you're in the East Village try some french fries at Pommes Frites on Second Avenue and St Mark's Place - its not a restaurant - all they serve are potatoes with different toppings - they put them in a paper cone, so you can eat them while you walk.

http://www.pommesfrites.ws/

Split a Vietnamese sandwich from Nicky's on East 2nd Street and Avenue A (eat your sandwich on a bench in Tompkins Square Park)

http://www.nickyssandwiches.com/

Try some Arepas on First Avenue and 7th Street (they're really good here)

http://www.caracasarepabar.com/

Further downtown in the area of the Staten Island Ferry that passes the Statue of Liberty, if you go to the World Financial Center, be sure to get some ice cream at Custard Beach - my favorite flavor's Creme Brulee.

The most "New York Experience" you can have is Katz's Deli on the Lower East Side - the best corned beef and pastrami in the world - sandwiches are huge - split one.  Sit in the self-service section, not waiter service - tip the counterman when you order your sandwich - give him a dollar or two before he makes your sandwich - your sandwich will be even bigger than the one a waiter would bring you - you also get a complimentary dish of pickles.

http://www.katzdeli.com/

Try a Cuban sandwich (split it) - a great one is in Chelsea on Eighth Avenue and 20th Street - Havana.  While you're there visit the Chelsea Market on Ninth Avenue and 15th Street - get a free sample at Fat Witch Brownies.  The fish store there has wonderful soups.

I hope I've given you some ideas - remember lunch usually costs less than dinner - we have great food here and, you're going to have a great time!

Answer 4

Get more money than what you would spend in your city

Answer 5

it depends where you go. but i recommend that you take at least like $200 when you go out to eat.