Cheap bites of the Big Apple
Mercedes Maguire gets expert tips on saving in New York City
Avast, pulsating city and the cultural centre of the US, New York City is one of the most exciting places on Earth, but it also has a reputation for being one of the most expensive. As the city recovers from the pandemic, with visitor numbers around 85 per cent of what they were in 2019 – of which Australians make up the fifth-largest visitor group – we asked a few locals how they save money in the city that never sleeps.
Eating out
New York City has some of the best bars and restaurants in the world, but they’re not cheap. Aussie expat and tourism marketing manager Catherine Andruchowycz has found a few ways around the pricey bills.
“Happy hour in New York is the absolute best,” she says. “For example, Bobo in the West Village (5pm-7pm) has $8 wine, $1 oysters and $10 cocktails and the Arlo in Soho (4pm-6pm) has $12 cocktails, $6 beer half-price oysters.”
She suggests following @meetyouat_ on Instagram for a list and Google maps link.
In terms of getting into popular restaurants, the best bet for a last-minute table is to arrive at opening, around 5pm, and nab a spot reserved for walk-ins.
Winter wonderland
Like any major city, it’s more affordable to visit in its downtime. New York City works hard to attract visitors in January and February through the NYC Winter Outing campaign, says Britt Hijkoop of NYC & Company.
NYC Hotel Week offers savings of up to 23 per cent at more than 140 hotels such as The Beekman and Hard Rock Hotel. NYC Restaurant Week offers fixed menus for under $60 at fine-dining and suburban eateries in all five boroughs. And Broadway Week offers two-for-one tickets to a variety of popular and new shows.
Must see
If you want to tick off a few landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and the Museum of Natural History, you can save up to 42 per cent with a City Pass for $US129 an adult and $US109 per child. If you’re short on time, the C3 Pass ($92 for adults and $72 for kids) will save you up to 34 per cent on three attractions (pre-book tickets at citypass.com/new-york).
Getting around
The best way to get around New York is on the subway, but it can be overwhelming. Andruchowycz says the Citymapper app is the best way to navigate the subway system and the most affordable way is to buy a seven-day pass at a subway station for a week of unlimited rides for $33 (versus $2.80 for a single ride). If you want to get a cab, she says the app Curb uses a flat fare rate with no surge pricing at peak hours like Uber or Lyft.
Coffee
More and more great Australian coffee outlets are popping up in New York thanks to the demand. Hijkoop says Australianinspired Bluestone Lane has outlets throughout the city. But also keep an eye out for Little Collins (which also serves Vegemite toast), Little Ruby’s Cafe,
Hutch & Waldo and Two Hands.