Upper West Side Cheap (ish) Dinner Spots

Cheeseburger at Harriet's Kitchen

I live at 96th and Broadway, so many of these dinner options skew south of Columbia—but none are more than a 10-15 minute train ride away. Also, many of them deliver.

Gennaro
665 Amsterdam Ave. nr. 92nd St.
Well-executed pasta dishes and seasonal salads at reasonable prices. A neighborhood institution. Cash only, and wine comes only by the bottle (but they’ll let you take any leftover home with you).

Gray’s Papaya
2090 Broadway at 72nd St.
Recession special: $3.50 for two excellent hotdogs and a so-so papaya drink.

Harriet’s Kitchen
502 Amsterdam Ave. nr. 84th St.
A grubby take out counter with the best burger and fried chicken you’ll find in New York. Perfect hangover food.

Hunan Balcony
2596 Broadway at 98th St.
Not necessarily better than other Chinese take-out places in the nabe, but the first one I ever ordered from and I’ve stayed loyal. Try the well-named “Lover in the Stars” dish.

Indus Valley
2636 Broadway at 100th St.
Relatively pricey but yummy Indian food. Decent chat selection.

Max SoHa
1274 Amsterdam at 123rd St.
Another spot to get your pasta fix. Rigatoni with eggplant is my favorite. Cash only.

Noche Mexicana
852 Amsterdam Ave between 101st and 102nd
Cheap and tasty Mexican staples--tacos, burritos, and a huge plate of chilaquiles. Excellent fresh fruit shakes (just milk, no ice cream).

Pio Pio Salon
702 Amsterdam at 94th St.
Peruvian rotisserie chicken. Skip the fries and opt for an avocado salad instead.

Super Taco
96th St and Broadway, evenings and weekends only
I’m including this taco truck because it wins accolades from others, though I don’t like it all that much. It smells good every time I walk by, but I find the meat dry. I’ll admit it—maybe I’m an LA taco snob.

Swagat
411A Amsterdam, between 79th and 80th Sts.
Tinier than Indus Valley, another good Indian spot with excellent naan.

Other recommendations (tips from readers, but places I haven't been):

Voza
949 Columbus Ave between 106th & 107th Sts
Jessica says: It's a teeny hole in the wall, but the one dinner my fiance and I ate there was honestly one of the best meals I've ever had. Definitely the best food I've had since I've been in New York.