NYC is his culinary dollar store.
Reformed gambler Marco Lombardi is a human truffle hound when it comes to finding cheap eats in New York City. The Big Apple content creator regularly scours Gotham’s underbelly for food that fills bellies sans emptying wallets, scrounging up back-alley banquets for as little as $5.
Some of Lombardi’s scores are nearly one-third of the price of a Big Mac “steal” in NYC nowadays, like a massive pork chop, rice and greens for $7.50 at Chinatown standby May Wah Fast Food and the legendary Souvlaki Lady’s $5 chicken skewers.
“I always say the mom-and-pops are the engine to our city,” Lombardi told The Post. “Without them, New York City would not be the same. We all can’t afford a $20 sandwich.”
The 32-year-old street foodie has featured many of these bargain bites on his “4 spots $20” series for his 225,000 Instagram followers, many of whom are battered by the inflation-fueled food prices in NYC where dining out today costs nearly 6% more than last year.
“Dollar pizza is not even a dollar anymore. Inflation’s killing the vibe,” Lombardi lamented.
The Gothamite sympathizes with the city’s cash-strapped epicures because he was one: He used to work for the Department of Transportation, paving roads and repairing potholes, but blew all his money due to a decadelong sports betting addiction.
“I lost over $150,000 gambling,” Lombardi said. “When I was 28, 29, I had $0 in my bank account, and I worked my entire life. I would go to New Jersey every day just to gamble and come back home.”
When Lombardi decided to give up gambling, he happened to be at a Chinatown noodle den.
“I remember going to [Great NY] Noodle Town and getting a $7 dish, and I was telling myself, ‘I got to
f–king change my life,’ ” recalled Lombardi, who was living with his parents at the time. “I was like, ‘What am I going to do?’ And I’m like, ‘I’ve got to do something I love.’ “
After collaborating with other online personalities, he eventually started his own foodie TikTok page, amassing nearly 50,000 followers overnight. He’s now making food content full-time and partnering with brands such as Chevy, Poland Spring and Popeye’s Chicken.
“I literally don’t think I would be here right now if it wasn’t for all this food,” said Lombardi.
Now, his goal is to represent NYC’s hidden gems and help “people who can’t afford these super expensive spots.”
Since he knows that feeling all too well, Lombardi has become adept at sniffing out deals. His pro tip? “These cheap eats are in lower-end neighborhoods” where you really “need to know where to look,” he said.
And he’s adamant that the “cheap eats” label doesn’t mean poor quality.
“When I think of cheap eats, I honestly think of New York City in the ’90s,“ he said. “It’s a grandmother trying to make ends meet for their family. These restaurants have been around for 25 to 30 years. Why should they change the price … don’t fix what’s not broken.”
Here are Lombardi’s five favorite eats for $5 or less.
Tacos Al Gusto cart: Corona Plaza
The non-descript cart in Corona Plaza has maintained its prices, including the five tacos for $5 deal, through the pandemic to help the community.
The tacos al pastor are his favorite. “They have a little cilantro and little diced-up pineapples in it, and you can put your own sauces on there,” said Lombardi. “It’s very simple. I love simplicity when it comes to food.”
102-96 Roosevelt Ave., Corona, NY 11368
Elsa La Reina de Chicharron: Inwood
Another steal is the lunch special of slough-off-the-bone tender stewed chicken with rice and beans at Dominican depot Elsa La Reina de Chicharron. “It tastes straight like a home-cooked meal,” gushed Lombardo.
4840 Broadway, New York, NY 10034
Wah Fung No. 1: Chinatown
Not all these affordable eateries are in far-flung neighborhoods. One of Lombardi’s go-to discount chomping grounds is Manhattan’s Chinatown, where he recommends Wah Fung No. 1 Fast Food’s $5 char siu bowls with “very juicy” pork rashers that come in a “hefty” portion. It regularly draws lines around the block.
79 Chrystie St., New York, NY 10002
Color World: Harlem
Harlem standby Color World serves Jamaican staples for a steal, including oxtail, rasta pasta (Caribbean-Italian fusion featuring pasta festooned with shredded chicken and peppers), and of course, its city-renowned jerk chicken.
“Their jerk chicken is so tasty that they went from grilling on the sidewalk to a successful storefront,” Lombardi said in a December Instagram video, adding that he wanted the aroma injected directly into his veins.
305 E. 116th St., New York, NY 10035
20 Gram Café at Jubilee Marketplace: Greenpoint
Lombardi described the $2.55 burger slider at Brooklyn’s Jubilee Marketplace as “elevated White Castle.”
“You hear [about] a $2.55 burger, you’re like, ‘No way,’ ” he said. “Then you just take the first bite and then you’re like, ‘Wait a second…who the hell is back there making it?’ “
145 West St., Greenpoint, NY 11222
