The lightly blistered franks straight from the griddle at Gray's Papaya are good at any time of the day, but particularly excellent as fuel for a bar crawl or the morning after a night you went hard. One clocks in at the bargain price of $1.75. Sauerkraut and onions are both free, and should always be added. [Foursquare]

Ukrainian grandmothers from the church across the street run the kitchen at this tiny canteen, stirring large pots of beet borscht and folding potato-stuffed varenyky by hand. The dumplings, topped with fried onions, are the standout item. They're sold individually for 50 cents; order four for a perfect snack. Keep in mind, Streecha is only open Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. [Foursquare]

New Flushing Bakery turns out fresh trays of exceptional Portuguese egg custard tarts ($1.25) throughout the day. The creamy vanilla infused center is barely set and held together by a very flakey crust. If the tarts are cold, go for a walk and return when the next batch has been dispatched from the oven. [Devra Ferst]

Almost nothing at Uzbek restaurant Chayhana Salom tops $10, but for a snack, stick to their traditional savory pastries called samsa ($2), which can be filled with lamb, chicken, or pumpkin. Think of it as a baked empanada that went and hung out in Uzbekistan for a while. Pick up a bag on the way to the beach for optimal snacking. [Foursquare]

Hidden away under the Manhattan Bridge, the Taste of Northern China’s skewer masters roast meats and peppers on sticks, but the prime snacktime order is the shop’s hefty pancake-shaped bread ($1.25) that’s decked out in a coat of cumin, salt, and chili and served on two sticks to help keep it upright. Watch out, it’s served piping hot and that chili packs a punch. Bonus, it's Ligaya Mishan approved. [Google Street View]

During the summer months, old school sweet spot Court Pastry Shop opens a window to the street and scoops (well, with a spatula) giant mounds of Italian ice in flavors like pistachio, cherry, and lemon. Even in a $2 small cup, mixing two flavors is allowed. Just eat it fast, the thin paper cups don't do much to keep the dessert from melting. [Foursquare]

Right around the corner from Lam Zhou, Yi Zhang Fishball slings a diner's choice of wheat or rice noodles into a plastic to-go container and douses them with peanut sauce and a sprinkling of chives for $2. The containers are hefty and filling. Just make sure you mix that sauce through to give all of the noodles a good coat. [Yelp]

Trinidad natives Noel and Geeta Brown bring in ingredients weekly from their mother country to keep the doubles ($1.50) at their tiny shop as close to what you’d get on the island as possible. Fried bread is stuffed with curried chickpeas along with tamarind, apple, and mango sauces, and of course hot pepper. Beware of the lines on Saturdays — they’re long but generally move pretty quickly. [Foursquare]

Most diners at Vanessa’s go straight for the dumplings, ignoring the other options like the filling sesame pancake. They shouldn’t. A triangle piece sliced like a pizza is cut down the center to make a sandwich that can be stuffed with eggs, meat, or vegetables. For $2, pick the veggie filling, which comes with slightly pickled carrots, cilantro, and cucumber, lending the pancake sandwich a little crunch. [Foursquare]

Hidden on the 2nd floor of Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya, Cafe Zaiya is routinely filled with ex-pats craving home. At snacktime, pick-up a kombu (seaweed and salted plum, $1.75) or salted salmon ($1.95) onigiri. A heap of rice pressed neatly into a triangle and wrapped in crispy nori paper. Note, there's an extra layer of plastic between the rice and nori, to keep the snack fresh; pull the red tab to remove it. [Devra Ferst]

Robert Sietsema is a fan of the fresh Jamaican patties here, stuffed with a choice of beef, chicken, or vegetables for $1.70. "All are quite spicy," warns the cheap eats master. Keep in mind, there are only two chairs in the shop, so snag them if they are open, or plan to take your patty on the road. [Yelp]