Let’s be honest — you splurged all of September trying every restaurant on your Instagram feed. New York City is one of the most expensive places to live and it can be hard to budget. Never fear, we tracked down seven of the most affordable places to eat near campus when you’ve had enough of the Cluckstein chicken, but your wallet needs a break. 

Bagel Bob’s

51 University Place, New York, NY 10003

Bagel Bob’s is the best way to burn that extra cash in your wallet, and their 10% off NYU student discount makes the quick dash between classes extra alluring. A five-minute walk from Washington Square Park, Bagel Bob’s has a variety of bagels and cream cheese flavors. Some of the most popular cream cheese flavors include strawberry, scallion, cinnamon walnut raisin, and garlic and herb. The standard bagel without cream cheese costs $1.40. With cream cheese, a bagel can range from $3.25 to $4.95.

The Halal Guys

307 E. 14th St., New York, NY 10003

The Halal Guys always comes in clutch at 11 p.m. This Middle Eastern eatery sells a variety of platters that include rice, a choice of meat or falafel, lettuce, tomato and slices of pita bread. They filled my platter generously and the food tasted amazing! These platters range from $10.29 to $11.29, and they also sell gyros for around $9. The Halal Guys is filling, affordable and open late, so if you are up until 2 a.m. studying for midterms, this is the place to go.

Dorado Tacos & Quesadillas

28 E. 12th St., New York, NY 10003

One thing that many students have pointed out is the struggle to find good Mexican food around campus besides the food truck outside of Bobst Library. Dorado sells tacos, quesadillas and burritos for reasonable prices. Their burritos range from $7 to $13, the tacos are all under $5, and the quesadillas range from $5 to $10. The California Burrito, with your choice of filling and fries, guacamole, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese and sour cream is a must try.           

Golden Krust

47 W. 14th St., New York, NY 10011

Though Jamaican food can be expensive in Manhattan, food from the chain restaurant Golden Krust can fill you up for a great price. Golden Krust is known for its delicious beef patties, which are savory crispy pastries filled with seasoned ground beef that only cost $4 to $5 each. If you don’t eat beef, they also offer chicken or shrimp patties, and if you’re vegetarian, they also sell a Beyond Meat patty and a veggie patty alternative.

Captain Cookie & The Milkman

741 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

If sweet o’clock hits and you’re a dollar short from stockpiling Insomnia Cookies, Captain Cookie & The Milkman is about to be your go-to. The cookies here are $2 each and come in many classic flavors such as chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and funfetti. For a dairy-free alternative, their vegan chocolate chip cookie is especially delicious. 

MIGHTY Bowl

120 MacDougal St., New York, NY 10012

Before you head towards Chipotle or Cava, have you had a bowl inspired by cities like Tokyo or Bali? MIGHTY Bowl is an Asian-inspired build-your-own-bowl eatery. Their bowls range from $12 to just over $14 and leave you with plenty of leftovers. When I went, the service was great and the food definitely matched the energy. The Seoul bowl is my go-to, and it has all the grilled steak, kimchi, scallions, bean sprouts, cucumber salad and roasted sesame seeds you could possibly eat.

Taco Mahal

73 7th Ave. S., New York, NY 10014

Have you ever wondered what an Indian-style taco would taste like? Well, you obviously haven’t been to Taco Mahal. This restaurant specializes in roti and naan tacos. You can choose from a variety of fillings such as chana masala, chicken curry or saag paneer. Get three roti tacos for around $11 or one naan taco with a side and a drink for $15.

Contact Jhenesis Hines at [email protected].