Midtown West

Luckily, you needn't head far from Times Square to score a stellar meal. On calmer side streets and in adjoining Hell's Kitchen are excellent options for budget travelers and expense-account diners alike. Some of the best steak houses and Italian restaurants are here, and many eateries offer budget pre-theater dinners and prix-fixe lunch menus.

It's also on the side streets that you'll find pockets of local flavor tucked away, so don't dismiss this part of town as all hustle-bustle. As you try to keep pace with the mass of crowds and fight your way across intersections, take a moment to tune out the frenzy and open your eyes to what you're passing by.