Dollar Grub: East Village

A gastronomic stimulus package of cheap eats below 14th Street, from samosas to 99-cent pizzas

January 12, 2009

"Where are we going to find one-dollar food in the East Village?" asks my skeptical photographer, Tod Seelie.

He's got a good question. A decade ago, the East Village was synonymous with dirt and grit, punks and drunks, along with a healthy dose of anarchist derring-do. But nowadays, as condos sprout sky-high and luxe-cocktail lounges and $25-a-plate eateries proliferate, the nabe's pierogie merchants and dirt-cheap diners are disappearing.

Peek behind the glitz and flash, however, and you'll find that cut-rate food still survives, and even thrives. From pizza to samosas to frosty cups of beer, downtown's dollar grub will never die. In fact, given the faltering economy and recession, one-buck food might not just be a blast from the past: It's also the tasty future. —Joshua M. Bernstein