New Yorkers are known for a lot of things, but one thing that goes unnoticed is their love for eating out! In the Upper Eastside, it is hard to walk around without seeing New Yorkers enjoying a hot meal and socializing. One thing that I absolutely love about New York is its diverse selection of different cuisines. You can find Mexican, Korean, Chinese, Indian… you name it! As an international student, eating food that reminds me of home is something that gives me so much joy and comfort. Because of the variety in food, New York has been the perfect place to find food that cater to my home cravings. Below, I have listed a few of my favorite places that I have gone to with their price range, and my thoughts on the restaurant overall!
Tacombi
Tacombi has definitely been one of my favorite places to go to when looking for a quick and satisfying meal. They serve Mexican food, and are especially known for their delicious tacos. My personal favorites are their pork tacos and their corn esquites! Their price ranges from 3.95- 12.95$, so they are especially nice when you are on a budget.
The Tacombi Restaurant website: https://tacombi.com/
North Dumpling
This store was one that my roommate had found on TikTok and we had decided to try it out. We were definitely not disappointed. Not only is this place affordable, but its delivery in taste and quantity of food went beyond what I had expected. North Dumpling is a Chinese food store that has dumplings, sesame bread, noodles, and much more. I usually get the sesame bread and some pork dumplings when I go, and it never fails to satisfy! They also offer frozen options for dumplings in bulk, so if you are like me and want less time to meal prep, this is the place to go! Their price ranges from 3-5$.
North Dumpling Website: http://www.china-north-dumpling.com/
New Wonju
Image from NY Restaurants Guide 
Me enjoying Korean food at Wonju
My bias definitely goes to any place that offers Korean food, so Wonjo was definitely a top choice for me! Not only is there a vast selection of food you can choose from like Korean BBQ, Udon, and Kimchi Jjigae, but each meal comes with a lot of different side dishes, so there are so many flavors to choose from!
In the image above, I had ordered a dish called Kimchi Jjigae (a warm kimchi soup with different meats inside), and Bo Ssam (steamed pork wrapped in napa cabbage) along with different side dishes. This meal was a good mix of spicy food and something a bit milder; it definitely satisfied me and left me with a good amount of leftovers to eat later! Wonjo’s prices range from 15-30$ for noodles, bibimbop, Bo Ssam, etc. for one person, and other meat combos for Korean BBQ (2-3 ppl) will range in the 100$.
Wonju Restaurant Website: https://newwonjo.com/