Quick and cheap bites in New York City – Soho/Greenwich Village – part 1

Today’s post was written by a very special person: Thiago, my husband. He worked for a while in Soho, one of my favorites New York’s neighborhoods, and, having lunch there, in the crazy New York rhythm, he discovered a lot of nice and cheap places. He has put together the tips of places he loves and worth it and we’ve divided this series into three posts! I hope you like it!

IMPORTANT: the average price per person at these places is $10.

After three years working in Soho, NYC and going out to grab lunch almost every single day, it follows below the first part of my list of favorites spots: The Macdougal Street block between Blecker and Washington Square Park is the real Greenwich Village’s gastronomic paradise. Let’s start the list from there:

1. Kati Roll – Kati Roll is a chain specializing in a type of street food originated in the city of Kolkata in India, the famous “Kati Rolls”. My favorite definition: a kind of Indian “burrito.” My absolute recommendations here are the “unda” rolls, my favorites are the Unda Chicken Roll and the Unda Beef Roll, of course, with the Mango Lassi to drink on the side. For those who do not know, lassis are Indian yogurts blended with some fruit and seasoning. The classic is the mango lassi. The mixed berry one is also super popular. In addition to my two favorite rolls, I also recommend the vegetarian rolls, the Chana Masala Roll, made with chickpeas, and Aloo Masala Roll, very similar to the famous Indian samosas, with tomatoes and green peppers. The main difference between the rolls and the unda rolls is that the Flat paratha bread for the unda rolls is layered with a griddled, freshly beaten egg. For lunch, I usually have two rolls. Just the right size for me. I’m a lover of Indian food and spicy food in general. The Kati Roll, besides connecting these two characteristics, also adds a dose of practicality in the middle: the rolls are an excellent option for those who do not want to stop to eat.

Address: 99 Macdougal Street (between Bleecker and West 3rd Street).

2. Masala Times – The Masala Times serves a wide variety of Indian and Middle Eastern dishes, from Tandoori, Kebabs, Samosas to almost all types of curry. My recommendation at Masala Times is the “box” or “curry box”. Here you can choose a protein (one among the various vegetarian options, chicken, fish, shrimp or lamb) and the curry/seasoning (the most famous, Tikka Masala, Vindaloo, and Curry), plus your choice of rice or bread. The “box” also has an onion salad and the famous daal, an Indian red lentil soup. My favorite choice is the Chicken Tikka Masala box. If you really like spicy food, try the Chicken or Lamb Vindaloo. But be careful, the Vindaloo of the Masala Times is one of the hottest of the city. The first time I had Chicken Vindaloo there, I could feel the pepper on my lips and could barely finish it.
The decoration of the restaurant is super cool and is inspired by the Bollywood movies. Not only that but also the soundtracks. The restaurant is open until late, from Sunday to Thursday until 3 AM, and Friday and Saturday until 5 AM. Excellent choice for the late-night.

Address: 194 Bleecker Street

3. Mamoun’s Falafel –  as the name speaks for itself, the Mamoun is an establishment specializing in falafel. For those who do not know, falafel is a deep-fried ball, regularly made from ground chickpeas. They also have a delicious Chicken Kabob and Lamb Shawarma to supplement the famous sandwich or plate. My recommendation here is the house’s most popular request, the “falafel sandwich” that is served on pita bread with hummus, tomato salad, and lettuce and, of course, the falafels. If you’re super hungry, a perfect combination is the “falafel plate” with an additional chicken kabob (also known as chicken shawarma), very common in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Opened in 1971 and since then considered by many the best falafel in town, the Mamouns is another excellent choice for late-night. They are open every day until 5 am. Lines are common, but they usually move very quickly, the staff is super fast in attendance and preparation. Credit card payment is accepted only for charges over 20 dollars.

Address: 119 Macdougal Street (between Bleecker and West 3rd Street).

4. Go! Go! Curry! – Despite the name, the Go! Go! Curry! is not an Indian or Thai restaurant, but Japanese. Specialized in Japanese curry, which is quite different from the curries used in the Indian and Thai cuisines. My recommendation here is the “Home Run Curry”, for which you can choose between pork (the traditional) or chicken along with rice, the delicious Japanese curry, also a pork sausage, a boiled egg, and a giant shrimp.
The name “curry” scares a lot of people by being usually associated with a super-hot pepper. However, the Japanese curry is very different. It has a sweet taste at first and is well seasoned, but the hot level is not nearly as spicy as Thai or Indian curry. In addition to this location in Soho, the chain is in other six places in Manhattan. For those who enjoy Japanese cuisine, but have never experienced anything beyond Sushi and Ramen, the Japanese Curry is surely a “must” for your trip to New York.

Address: 231 Thompson Street (between Bleecker and West 3rd Street).

5. Calexico – It took me years to understand, but I finally got it, it was not by accident that my coworkers took me for lunch in this place on my very first day of work here in the Uncle Sam’s land. Unquestionably the best burrito you’ll find in New York. Aside from the burritos, the “rolled quesadillas” (which you can ask to add rice and beans) and the tacos are also exceptional. My recommendation: Burrito. Any. You have no wrong choice of burrito here. After three years eating at least once a week in Calexico every single week I can say that I had phases, the phase of the Pollo Asado Burrito, the Chicken Mole phase, the Chipotle Pork phase, the Gringo Ground Beef phase and the phase of the Black Bean Burrito. Ahh, I also had the “rolled quesadillas” phase for all previous combinations, of course, always with the addition of rice and beans. My order of preference if I were to order a burrito at this very moment that I am writing (Wednesday at 10:30 PM): 1. Chipotle Pork Burrito, 2. Chicken Mole Burrito or 3. Black Bean Burrito (vegetarian option).
To “grab” a burrito at Calexico’s Soho cart is an authentic New York experience by itself. Walk on Prince street at lunchtime, see the real masters of the Mexican cuisine preparing your burrito while, at one of the rare times of the day here, you can take a few minutes to breathe, look around and be grateful for being living in New York.

Important details about Calexico cart in Soho: Cash only. Average wait time in the line is between 10 and 20 min. (Peak hour is usually between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM). Opening days and hours: The Calexico cart is only there from Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. If you go during peak hours, be sure to write down your order number to facilitate the pick-up when your number is called.

Address: 132 Wooster St (between Prince and Wooster Street).

Did you like Thiago tips? We will have more tips soon!