NYC restaurants?

Too many to pick from. Any favorite cuisine or dietary requirements?
Is "we" a couple, family, friends? Which time of the year?

What does inexpensive mean to you? NYC dining budgets are usually higher than in most of the country.

One of NYC's joys is that there's good food on almost every block, at least in Manhattan, with a wide choice of ethnicities in any neighborhood. I suggest using Google Maps (or whatever is on the iPhone) to look for restaurants near wherever you'll be staying. You will probably have a considerable choice. FWIW, there's lots of good Asian food in Chinatown and lots of good Italian food in Little Italy (duh...).

How far downtown? Da Andrea for Italian, 2 locations one in Chelsea, one in Greenwich Village. Bobo for French Bistro food, on W 10th St in West Village. Veselka for Ukrainian food, East Village...if you can be more specific with your location, I may have other suggestions...

You have to do Katz's Deli for lunch on the LES. I always recommend visitors pair that with an apartment tour at the Tenement Museum.

I had great dinners at Ci Siamo and Balthazar a couple years ago. Both are in Lower Manhattan.

Ci Siamo is in Hudson Yards, on the far west side. It is excellent.

I would NOT go to Little Italy for Italian food....apart from one or two restaurants, they are mostly tourist traps that locals do not patronize.

There are wonderful Asian restaurants all over the city now, not only in Manhattan Chinatown, but it would be best if you give us more information now act you are looking for and your price range. For some restaurants--all of the popular ones--you will need to make reservations online days or even weeks ahead.

How about Eataly? its an interesting shopping experience as well as having multiple respectable food options. There's a location in the World Trade Center and one in the Flatiron district.

Another vote for Veselka. We love their Medovyk cake.
Kevin

I would NOT go to Little Italy for Italian food

I'd recommend Caffe Roma on Mulberry for dessert. Their ricotta cheesecake is some of the best cheesecake I've ever had.

Just check out “Resy’ they list the best spots in NYC…but know that it is impossible to get in to the best rated-I tried for 2 months and never scored. So also check out Eater NYC, they have more casual well-regarded restaurants.
Have a blast in the Big Apple!
JP

Yeah, Little Italy is really in the Bronx these days...