Cheap Eats: The Best Pasta Dishes Under $20 in New York City
A good cheap eats spot is invaluable and you can find many throughout the city. In particular, there have been a number of semi-recent good cheap eats spots serving amazing pasta and we can’t be more excited! So with that in mind, here are the best pasta dishes under $20 in New York City.
The Sosta – 186 Mott St
P.C.: yelp, Patricia C.
There are many good pasta spots in the Little Italy, Nolita and SoHo area but The Sosta is one that stands out. It is a hip new quick serve, counter service Italian restaurant that specializes in pastas. We have tried the spaghetti pomodoro and we loved it. We are definitely looking to go back and try their other pastas too.
Aunt Jake’s – 151 Mulberry St
Another restaurant that stands out in the area is Aunt Jake’s. Their fresh pastas are outstanding. We love their cavatelli with roasted garlic pecorino sauce and their braised rabbit tagliatelle. It is also a lot of fun to see them making the pasta as you walk in. You can try some of their pastas on our A Taste of Mulberry Street tour!
Porsena – 21 E 7th St
Chef Sara Jenkins’s Porsena is one of favorite restaurants for pastas in New York City for some time now. All their pastas are just amazing but we are always keeping an eye out for their ragus. They are pure bliss with every bite and their rabbit ragu that we tried awhile back is probably one the best things we have ever had. Most of their pastas here will be about $20.
San Marzano Pasta Fresca – 117 2nd Ave
P.C.: yelp, Don R.
San Marzano Pasta Fresca in the East Village is renowned for their $9 fresh pasta dishes and it is easily one of the best cheap eats hotspots in New York City. This place is very popular but we are making it our goal to try all the pastas here. We have tasted their wild boar ragu (great with their pappardelle) and the classic spaghetti with meatballs and both were top notch.
The Grotto Pizzeria & Restaurant – 69 New St
P.C.: yelp, Crepe Diem
The Grotto is another great cheap eats spot and we are usually eyeing their baked pastas. This is a bit of hidden gem and it is one of favorite places for lunch when we are in the Financial District.
Pepe Rosso To Go – 149 Sullivan St # 1
P.C.: yelp, Elsa C.
Pepe Rosso To Go is a no frills Italian cafe with delicious paninis and pastas. This is the perfect place to satisfy your pasta cravings and this is another restaurant where you can’t go wrong with any of their pastas but the spaghetti bolognese has been a staple for us here.
Pasta Wiz – 60 N 1st St, Brooklyn
P.C.: yelp, Alexander D.
Finally an honorable mention goes to the Pasta Wiz. Pasta Wiz in Williamsburg has been creating a quite the buzz with their Harry Potter inspired theme and decor. The combination of pasta and Harry Potter is a little weird at first but this is a fun place to dine in and their arrabiata sauce is quite tasty. Pasta Wiz is opening a new location in the Greenwich Village (129 MacDougal St) soon too!