Now that I live in New York City, I get asked many questions from my friends back home. One of which is, “Where do you guys go and get food?” Since my own school does not have a dining hall, I was able to have the opportunity to explore different places to eat around the city. Even though food in general in New York is expensive, I was able to pick some places where it has great food and is budget friendly. So, here are my recommendations for my top 10 restaurants for my fellow New York City students (everyone who doesn’t live in the city can try these too, you know, wink, wink).

1. Jack’s Wife Freda

If you want a great instagram and great food at the same time, this is one of the places to go. With two locations downtown in Soho, the restaurant is especially great for brunch on Sundays, or a nice dinner with your friends. They also have healthy choices too, which is a plus.

2. Spring Natural

The next place is the location right next to Jack's Wife Freda. Spring Natural is also a great place downtown right off the six train. The restaurant has many healthy meal choices. Even though some dishes on the menu are a little expensive, it’s a great place to sit outside (when the weather is nice obviously) and enjoy a nice meal.

3. Barking Dog NYC

The Barking Dog NYC is personally my go-to restaurant when I don’t know what to eat. They have a lot of options, from pasta to wraps, and have other locations around New York City. It is also affordable and dog-friendly!

4. The District

Looking for a place to treat yourself with your friends? District, located on the Upper East Side, across from the Barking Dog NYC, is a great place to get a little bit more dressed up and have specialty dishes. If you are into sports and want to enjoy some wings and watch the game at the same time, this is a great place to do so.

5. Midnight Express

Personally, I think this is the top place to go for food at midnight. If you can’t find a place to sit down and eat, go to Midnight Express. This diner is also on the Upper East Side and is opened 24r hours and serves everything on the menu all day.

6. Cafeteria

Located on the West Side, Cafeteria makes a great selection of brunch-themed dishes and a lot of appetizers to share with friends. They have many dishes like their delicious Mac n’ Cheese and Green Eggs and Ham. The restaurant overall has a great menu for a nice meal, when we all want to treat ourselves to another nice meal.

7. Pizza Beach

Yes, the name is Pizza Beach. The place has a very surf-like feel when you walk in. This place may be a little bit on the pricey side, but they have great flat bread pizza’s and other dishes in addition to it. If you are having a bad day and want to have an awesome meal, head right over to Pizza Beach for one.

8. by CHLO

An all-natural vegan place in downtown Manhattan located on Bleecker Street is what I call genius. This location has many healthy choices and is guaranteed that everything served there is made homemade and naturally every day. The restaurant by Chloe is the place to have food that is vegan and fulfilling.

9. Burger Heaven

This restaurant is great for take-out and on-the-go meals. It is also a nice, casual lunch location. It’s one of those places where they have great burgers and french fries. There are other locations around New York City. I recommend this place to anyone who is looking for something quick to eat or something to eat on their lunch hour.

10. Harbs

This is one of my beloved places to get a cup of tea and have a nice brunch. This location also on the Upper East Side just opened in late 2015 as a Japanese Bakery. It's a great place to sit down to eat and have a delicious Sunday Brunch.