Let’s eat (on a budget)!

New York is home to a plethora of first-rate chefs who dish out top-notch creations, from savory slices of pizza on the Upper West Side to flavorful deep-fried Memphis chicken wings on a hidden corner in Harlem. Whatever the craving and whenever the hour, you can find most any dish in New York.

Five years ago, during my first trip to New York, I quickly learned that as a night owl with a perpetual appetite for food, I would never go hungry. I actually stayed at the Hilton in 2008 and discovered the halal cart outside the hotel at 2 a.m. (a must for convention-goers).

Since then, I’ve spent many a weekend in New York with my college friends in Williamsburg, where I witnessed herds of people gather at Smorgasburg, a Brooklyn food market, to enjoy beer cheese and the new ramen burger.

This summer, co-workers and I even brainstormed ways to bypass the snaking line outside Dominique Ansel Bakery, which forms as early as 5 a.m. for a chance to bite into the cronut, the lovechild of the croissant and doughnut.

From traditional to innovative, food is an adventure in the Big Apple. It’s even more of an adventure as an intern with a minimal salary in New York, and so I had to scour the city for the best culinary deals.

But night after night, I’ve left with my belly full of great food without an empty wallet.

Here are my top five cheap eats in the city:

Prosperity Dumpling

Average price: $4

Address: 46 Eldridge St.

Hours: Monday-Sunday 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Chinatown is known as a hidden gem for lip-smacking meals under $5, but many locals pledge loyalty to Prosperity for their unrivalled prices and the delicious pork and chive dumplings. One of those hole-in-the-wall establishments that locals learn by word of mouth, Prosperity Dumpling is hidden among the neighborhood’s maze-like streets. The small space that encloses the dumpling shop produces a steady flow of wholesome dumplings for the lines that often extend out the door. Favorites among the regulars include the Peking duck seafood pancake ($2) and an order of four pork and chive dumplings ($1). Everything in the restaurant is made fresh by the eatery’s four cooks and right before your eyes, including the refreshing soybean milk. You can easily satiate your appetite at Prosperity and after your meal, explore Chinatown and the many storefronts scattered along Canal Street.

Koronet Pizza

Average price: $4

Address: 2848 Broadway

Hours: Weekdays 10 a.m.-3 a.m.; weekends 10 a.m.-4 a.m.

If you’ve spent any time at Columbia University or Barnard College, you know about Koronet Pizza. Situated next to Mel’s Burger Bar, a popular watering hole for many Columbia students, Koronet is popular on a Saturday night or when you’re craving pizza on a weekday evening. A jumbo slice of pizza (the length of an arm) runs for $4. While this is no gourmet pizza, it is a quick and delicious fix, the service is great and you will be guaranteed a full stomach.

Sullivan Street Bakery

Average price: $3.50, with some of the more costly items $8

Address: 236 Ninth Ave. (between 24th and 25th streets).

Hours: Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

If you want to enjoy the culinary pickings that Manhattan has to offer, throw those diets out of the window. This well-loved boulangerie has developed a large fan base. Based in Hell’s Kitchen, the restaurant’s menu are full of common ingredients such as rich mozzarella and ample amounts of seasoned prosciutto. The bomboloni ($3.50), and an airy vanilla-bean custard, has dashes of lemon zest and tangy orange notes, topped with a perfect coating of sprinkled powdered sugar. Its thin-crust, golden pizzas topped with high-quality ingredients such as Gruyère and rosemary are also a steal at $3.50 a slice.

Artichoke Basille’s Pizza and Brewery

Price Range: $4.50

Address: 328 E. 14th St. (between First and Second avenues)

Hours: 4-5 p.m.

The East Village is perpetually bustling, and Artichoke is no exception. Boasting a diverse menu with offerings such as crab pizza (think: a crab cake on pizza dough), pizza-lovers can rejoice. Artichoke Basille’s signature creation, of course, is a pizza topped with artichoke-spinach dip slice, with the bechamel-based sauce and pockets of cheese and soft artichokes. The slices are large and tantalizingly creamy, and the dough is on point — puffy and thick enough to contain the heavy sauces, while still retaining the classic crunchy crust.