Often people ask me where to go for dinner as I have  become the person you go to when going out. Instead of listing off some of my picks willy-nilly, I am going to start posting them in segments.

This one deals with cheap eats and was inspired by my friend Jenny Neal who had me on her WIOX radio show The Economy of…, where we talked about how to eat out on a budget in New York.  I would post it here but can’t seem to get it small enough, so stayed tuned on that front!

Linnea Covington’s Top 10 Cheap Eats in NYC:

1. Zaab Elee: Some of the best, most authentic Thai in the East Village, and super affordable.
2. Caracas: They serve luscious Venezuelan arapas and amazing micheladas in two locations, the East Village and Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
3. Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwich Shop: More of a lunch place, but they serve some of the best bahn mi I have ever had. Their pho is good too.
4. Veselka: For solid Ukrainian food (especially late night), this joint serves traditional pierogies, borsht, and potato pancakes.
5. Saraghina: When numerous well-reputed magazines review a place deep in Bed-Stuy, it’s got to be good. They aren’t wrong, this Neapolitan pizza place is great, especially in the summer in their garden sipping the house red.
6. Coppelia: Not only is it surprising that this 24-hour Latin diner in the Flatiron keeps prices low, but owner Julian Medina serves huge portions. You can easily get a dish and an appetizer for two people and be stuffed.
7. Mary’s Fish Camp: This West Village seafood place isn’t cheap, but for the kind of food Mary Redding serves, it’s a great deal. My favorite, her spicy conch chowder.
8. Saravanaa Bhavan: If you want an elegant setting to enjoy this classic South Indian restaurant you can head to the Upper West Side. Or hit up Curry Hill for a more laid back dinner of dosas. Either location is delicious and cheap.
9. Dutch Kills: They don’t serve food at this bar, but in the day of $15 cocktails, it’s nice to find a place that doesn’t charge so much. The only catch, it’s in Queens, but hey, it’s owned by Sasha Petraske so you get points for swank.
10. The Meatball Shop: There are three locations of this amazing spot, which serves an array of meatballs, seasonal salads, roasted veggies, and risotto. My favorite is there original in the Lower East Side, especially for lunch. Check out this Q&A I did with them a few months ago!

There you have it. Let me know if you try any of these and what you would add to the list.

After my dear friend Allan bought me my first bahn mi from Nicky’s in Cobble Hill, I became an addict.  Now, everyday, all the time, I want more bahn mi.  Yesterday, I happened to be by the other Nicky’s in the East Village, so I caved in and got one. Biting into the warm baguette, pickled carrots, bits of jalapeno, pate, roasted pork, cilantro, and sliced pork, my mouth and brain entered a happy place.  For a measly $5 my tastes were satisfied and I left with a smile on my face. Now, I want another one!