Kitchens in New York City rentals are notoriously small and are often part of an open-plan living room, which can be a challenge to live with if you’re spending more time at home—and cooking three meals a day.
Before the Covid pandemic, when offices and restaurants were fully open, having a small kitchen was something that a lot of New Yorkers didn’t mind so much. But now, unless you’re a take-out addict (which isn’t budget- or health-friendly), cooking just a few feet away from your couch or having to store weeks worth of groceries under your table isn’t ideal.
There are some organizational tips that help make the most of a small NYC kitchen, like making more use of your walls and even ceilings to hang new shelves and cookware racks. And, there are multi-use kitchen appliances and cookware like Suvie and the AlwaysPan that can help free up some cabinet space.
But if you are looking for a rental apartment, there’s something that can make cooking at home even easier: A kitchen that’s separate from your living space. Having a separate kitchen means your entire apartment won’t smell like whatever you’re cooking. And, it gives you a visual break from the rest of your apartment, which is ideal if you don’t want to look at the mess you made cooking dinner. If you can find an eat-in kitchen, that’s even better because it gives you a place for your work-from-home setup.
So, if you’re looking for a rental fit for pandemic cooking, here are five studio and one-bedroom rentals with a separate kitchen on the market for $3,000 or less a month.
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127 East 31st St., #3B,Midtown South
This no-fee studio is renting for $1,600 with two months free on a 12-month lease. Apartment #3B has a separate windowed kitchen (it’s small) plus hardwood floors, three windows, a ceiling fan, and a large closet. Trader Joe’s, Brother Jimmy’s, and Penelope are nearby.
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160 Orchard St., #2F,Lower East Side
This no-fee one bedroom, one bath is renting for $1,925. The apartment has a large separate eat-in kitchen and hardwood floors, a king-sized bedroom, several windows, and recessed lighting. The building has a live-in super and a virtual doorman. Houston Street Playground and eateries like Mr. Taka and Bareburger are nearby.
43-09 47th Ave., #5I,Sunnyside
This no-fee one bedroom, one bath is renting for $2,000 with two months free on a 12-month lease. The apartment has a separate windowed kitchen with stainless steel appliances plus hardwood floors, several windows, three closets, and a renovated bath. The building has a laundry room. The 46th Street/Bliss Street 7 subway station is nearby plus eateries like Mr. Burrito and I Love Paraguay.
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227 Mulberry St., #3D,Nolita
This no-fee studio is renting for $2,660 with three months free on a 12-month lease. Apartment #3D has a separate kitchen with a dishwasher and microwave plus hardwood floors, a large window, marble bath, and two closets. Amenities include a 24-hour doorman, gym, laundry room, and live-in super. The Grey Dog and CAVA are nearby.
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325 1st St., #D4,Park Slope
This no-fee one bedroom, one bath is renting for $3,000 with one month free on a 14-month lease. The apartment has a separate windowed kitchen with stainless steel appliances plus hardwood floors, four closets, several windows, high ceilings, and a foyer. Amenities include a laundry room and live-in super. Prospect Park is a 15-minute walk away.