5 Can't-Miss Hot Dog Destinations
They're all in New Jersey
Our collection of places specializing in franks in the five boroughs has become rather slender. Most represent the city’s classic hot dog form — I’m talking Gray’s Papaya and its distinguished ilk: thin, griddled, all-beef franks in a natural casing, smeared with mustard and heaped with sauerkraut or sweet stewed onions.
But Jersey is a different hot dog land, parsed into territories depending on how the sausages are cooked and dressed. Most in this article are deep fried, though griddle cooking and even steeping in hot water are also common. The toppings include something usually called Texas chili — though it really originated as a Greek ground meat sauce, seasoned with onions and cinnamon. But other toppings are common and many places offer novel combinations. The New Jersey hot dog scene is livelier than our own by several degrees.
Here, then, are five of our favorite weenie spots, all within striking distance by car, Uber, or sometimes trains and buses.
Johnny & Hanges
23-20 Maple Ave, Fair Lawn, NJ
J&H was founded in Paterson in 1939 and moved to Fair Lawn a little over a decade ago. It occupies an imposing brick structure with a green mansard roof that overlooks New Jersey Route 208. It uses a beef and pork frank made by Thumann’s of Carlstadt, New Jersey and deep fries them in the “Texas hot wiener” style. “All the way” ($3.50) means chili, mustard, and chopped onions, and other toppings include sweet or spicy relish, fried onions, liquid cheese, and coleslaw. A foot-long is also available, and the hamburger with cheese and chili is quite good, too.
Hiram’s
1345 Palisade Avenue, Fort Lee, NJ
Hiram’s — or more formally Hiram’s Roadstand, founded in 1932 — falls into the genre of roadhouse: a combination hot dog restaurant and roadside bar, where there’s a counter for ordering and takeout on one side, with a beer bar in the same room perpendicular to it, with TVs tuned to sports. The place once again uses Thumann’s beef-pork franks, which are “french fried” according to the sign on the squat brick building. These ($3.75) may be dressed with chili, cheese, or chili and cheese (the cheese is actually a slice of American cheese), or a sour onion relish you put on yourself from a container on the counter. An Italian sausage sandwich is also available, as are some exemplary onion rings. Wash everything down with Yoo-Hoo — invented in nearby Garfield in 1928.
Rutt’s Hut
417 River Road, Clifton, NJ
Picturesquely located on a bluff overlooking the Passaic River, Rutt’s Hut, founded in 1928, is the mother of all New Jersey hot dog stands. The franks made by Thumann’s are beef-pork, with a natural casing. These tear when deep fried, and are hence known as “rippers” ($2.35). The relish is made in-house, a combination of cabbage and mustard, and who knows what else. Go to the glassed-in fast-food counter on the river side of the building; the balance of the imposing frame structure is a tavern. The bathrooms are located there, and it’s worth a walk through to marvel at its century-old interior. The sprawling menu includes such things as Buffalo wings, stuffed clams, Taylor ham sandwiches, and … duck!
Jimmy Buff’s
60 Washington Street, West Orange, NJ
Founded in 1932, Jimmy Buff’s represents a maverick style sometimes known as Italian hot dogs ($8.45). These are pork and beef franks fried in an oil bath visible behind the counter and placed not in a hot dog bun, but in a small round loaf of white bread that probably originated in Sicily. The dog (one or two extra may also be loaded into the bun) is then topped with sauteed onions and peppers, and — multiplying the starch component — fried potatoes. The effect is sublime, and Italian sausage may be substituted for the hot dog at an additional 50 cents.
Boulevard Drinks
48 Journal Square Plaza, Jersey City, NJ
New Yorkers have no excuse not to visit this iconic Jersey City classic, founded in 1937 and located next door to the ornate Loew’s Theatre on Journal Square, right across the street from a PATH station. The “drinks” part refers to the sort of chalky drinks made famous by Papaya King, and apart from those, Sabrett hot dogs are the only thing this narrow all-yellow storefront does. The franks ($3.75) are all beef, natural skin, and pop when you bite into them. Toppings include mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut, and the store’s own “chili,” which tastes of raw onions and meat.
