Best cheap eats

Best cheap eatsSparky’s All-American Food

Photo: Philip Friedman

Winner Sparky’s All-American Food Inspiration struck Brian Benavidez while he was watching a documentary about frankfurters. “I couldn’t believe how everyone in the video was so happy eating hot dogs,” he recalls. In 2002, the novice cook opened Sparky’s in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a joint that specializes in hot dogs (beef or soy) and serves up stellar hamburgers, mac and cheese, hand-cut fries and homemade ice cream, too. But here’s the twist: Unlike your average burger-and-dog shack, all of Sparky’s ingredients come from local farms where produce is grown organically and animals are treated humanely. And so, Benavidez notes bluntly, “Parents can trust that the food has no creepy stuff inside, like leftover animal parts.” Offering quality food to a family of four for $20 or less—what’s not to love about that?

•135 North 5th St between Bedford Ave and Berry St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-302-5151)
•333 Lafayette St at Bleecker St (212-334-3035)

Runner-up Dumpling Man

At this north Asian eatery, mouthwatering hot pockets are stuffed with your kid’s favorite filling, be it pork, chicken, shrimp, veggies or even pumpkin pie mix. Best of all, you won’t shell out for the privilege: 10 dumplings will only set you back $6.

100 St. Marks Pl between First Ave and Ave A(212-505-2121, dumplingman.com).

And don’t forget...Street-food carts—everywhere

One reader’s write-in pointed us to the terrific and ultra-cheap falafel at the southeast corner of Broadway and 66th Street (just $2.75 per serving, and dripping with kicky tahini sauce). Grab a seat in nearby Richard Tucker Square and dig in.