Avenue A Sushi
Affordable and excellent sushiâgo for the marble roll which is wrapped in white seaweed, a true delicacy. Friendly fun and delicious! If you don't like DJ music while you dine, however, this isn't your place.
Veselka
Half-century-old Ukrainian diner now has a snazzier decor and hipper clientele but still offers traditional Eastern European fare like pierogi, blintzes, stuffed cabbage, etc.
Chinatown Brasserie
Famous for its unusual take on dim sum items, some of which are available for dinner as well as lunch; its upscale Chinese-American food though not everyone loves this; and its cocktails. You will pay dearly for the experience - each plate of dim sum costs between $6 and $15 for an order of four dumplings, for example, with some plates as much as $22, and cocktails are $8-12 apiece if anything lower than usual for cocktail bars of comparable fanciness in this city but hardly cheap - but if you love dim sum and can afford the price, you'll probably find it an experience worth having. Reservations strongly advised.
Gandhi
Called by some the best Indian restaurant on the block others disagree, has an extensive vegetarian menu, tandoori specials, etc. Open seven days a week. Reservations not needed except for larger groups, which can opt for a party room.
Grand Sichuan International St. Marks
Serves reliably good Hunan and Sichuan cuisine. For best results, stick to those parts of the menu and avoid lunch specials. Large parties may need reservations.
Cafe Mogador
Serves Moroccan, French, and Middle-Eastern cuisine, all dependably good. The cafe is especially popular for weekend brunch, but a very good breakfast/brunch is available every day of the week. More dishes are on the brunch menu on weekends, but you are likely to wait a half hour or more for weekend brunch during peak hours.
John's of 12th Street
This old-school Italian-American red-sauce place has friendly service, ample portions, loads of atmosphere and a century's worth of history.
Life Cafe
Funky neo-diner is no longer the terrific bargain it once was, but is still a great place to people watch. Featured in the musical Rent. Also seen in the movie Joe's Apartment, when Joe first arrives in NY and is having coffee there while looking at apartment listings in the paper.
Mud
A real neighborhood hangout that offers terrific coffee and light meals.
7A Cafe
Snazzy yet affordable with a cut above diner food. Has a real East Village feel and a great view of Tompkins Square and the Avenue A street life. Some people find their food underwhelming, though.
Soba Koh
A small, comfortable, civilized restaurant serving delicious soba and desserts and playing sweet modern jazz on its sound system. Expect to pay roughly $20-30/person for dinner.
Menkui Tei
An authentic ramen house popular with Japanese people. In addition to various kinds of ramen, their gyoza are also popular.
De Roberti's
Old-school Italian pastry shop opened in 1904 and has been satisfying neighborhood sweet tooths ever since. Authentically old New York. Be warned that not everyone likes their pastries, however.
Caracas Arepa Bar
A small restaurant specializing in arepas, the Venezuelan answer to empanadas. They also serve Venezuelan empanadas, salads, desserts, etc., and very good fresh-squeezed juices. You may have to wait on line for a table at peak hours, but it is a very relaxing place to eat at the bar on off-hours. Prices have increased substantially $6 for one arepa, but the lunch specials are still the best value.
There are hundreds of eateries in the East Village, which is among the best neighborhoods in Manhattan for sampling a variety of different cuisines and has lots of good values at a wide spectrum of price points.
Veniero's
A fun little Italian pastry shop, according to some. However, others think it's been riding on its reputation for 20-30 years.
Hearth
An upscale American restaurant strongly influenced by Italian cuisine. Hearth is open for dinner only. Expect to pay roughly $80/person, including wine. Reservations recommended.