Recession Specials Offer Good Food for Bad Times

Does Milano Market know your order by heart? Do they have your address on file for delivery at Ollie’s and Thai Market?

If one of these statements is true, it may be time for a cuisine makeover. Luckily for the Ham Del-weary, recent economic conditions have given students a new reason to eat out. In order to attract business as neighborhood residents feel tight on cash, local restaurants have begun to offer “recession specials.”

Campo (Broadway between 112th and 113th Streets) offers a plethora of deals. Their Sunday Feast is a perfect way to end a long weekend and celebrate finishing (or beginning) your homework. It includes a five-course dinner for $19.90.

On Mondays, thirsty and thrifty students alike can enjoy a half-price bottle of wine with purchase of a meal. Campo also serves all-you-can-eat pizza with salad and dessert for $19.90 on Tuesdays. On Wednesdays, their spaghetti and meatballs with salad and dessert for $14.90 is the perfect way to enjoy the almost-weekend. Campo’s capitalization on current bad times means great food for great prices almost every day of the week.

Other locations throughout the city, from haute cuisine restaurants such as Le Cirque to street food venues like Gray’s Papaya, are slashing prices and offering deals to keep their tables full as customers tighten their purse strings. Le Cirque (East 58th Street at Lexington Avenue) has extended its Restaurant Week prix-fixe deals through February, meaning if you missed your opportunity in January, you still have another week to get a three-course prix-fixe for $24.07. Gray’s Papaya (Broadway and 72nd Street) serves two franks and a small drink for $3.50, a great deal for on-the-go dining.

For those who want to sample fine wines and Italian cuisine without the hefty price tag, try ‘Cesca (164 West 75th Street). Only a short subway ride from Columbia, ‘Cesca offers great Italian fare, and on Mondays, they slash prices on wine by the bottle. A three-course prix-fixe is also available for $31 before 6:30 on weekday evenings.

Slightly closer to campus, Jamaican-French fusion restaurant A Café and Wine Room (973 Columbus Avenue at 108th Street) continues to maximize quality of food for every dollar. Bring your own alcohol and enjoy the cozy setting for a nice but price-efficient dinner. Patrons who arrive before 8:00 p.m. can also enjoy a $20 two-course prix-fixe menu.

While recent weeks have seen notable closings in the restaurant scene, the time has never been better for students to take advantage of affordable deals to dining out. Enjoying some of the great food New York has to offer also helps support the city’s battered restaurant industry—because happy diners mean happy restaurateurs.