Whoever said New York City, Chicago or Detroit were the best American hot dog destinations has clearly never visited the Northeast, because we are home to more frankfurter variations alone than the entire states of those rivaling cities. Our pocket of the country is the true sausage king.
Craving a saucy, meaty dog? Deerhead Hot Dogs is topped with secret brown sauce and fresh onions. Hungry for something more carb-focused? The Italian dog boasts cubed potatoes, peppers and onions between fluffy pizza bread. Fancy a cheesesteak on top of your dog? We’ve got that, too.
To celebrate National Hot Dog Day, then, don’t waste time with a Coney Island dog, or a street cart Nathan’s frank (even if Joey Chestnut has everyone thinking about them).
Here are outstanding places to grab a hot dog that are worth the drive.
Deerhead Hot Dogs I Newark and Wilmington, Delaware
Details: 620 S. Maryland Ave., Wilmington, 302-998-4191. And 1233 Churchmans Road, Newark, 302-266-9333. instagram.com/deerheadhotdogs.
An appreciation for old-school traditions is an ongoing theme at Deerhead Hot Dogs, which has been serving the same menu item at its two northern Delaware locations near Wilmington and near Stanton since 1935. The Single with Everything, its top seller, is split lengthwise and grilled, slapped with yellow mustard, sprinkled with a confetti of chopped raw onions and served on a steamed oval roll. What sets it apart from all other hot dogs, is the warm blanketing of Deerhead’s famous “secret sauce.” This thick, brownish concoction, a kind of hot dog chili, is sloppy, packs some heat, and the fiery punch to the taste buds can be a surprise to the uninitiated. What’s in there? Who knows? Trying to pry out more details about Deerhead’s secret sauce is like trying to gain security clearance to the CIA’s inner sanctum. Owners have kept their “secret” for 91 years. — Patricia Talorico, The News Journal
Gouldsburger’s | Haddonfield, New Jersey
Details: 109 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, 609-301-5293; 2 S. Main St., Medford, 609-257-4342; 1½ Crosswicks St., Bordentown, 973-864-3210; 685 Berlin-Cross Keys Road, Sicklerville, 856- 472-8269; 27 North Maple Ave., Marlton, 856-405-7719. gouldsburgers.com.
The best of two worlds, the Dirty Dog at Gouldsburger’s is an all-beef hot dog with a cheesesteak on top: 100% grass-fed beef hot dog, topped with shaved ribeye steak, fried onions and Cooper Sharp American cheese. It is considered a New Jersey style dog, because the cheesesteak is done “Jersey style,” Murray said. “Meat is chopped and with Cooper Sharp, not whiz.” — Celeste E. Whittaker, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
DeVito’s Dogs & Grille, Middletown, New Jersey
Details: 455 Route 36; 732-687-8124, devitosdogs.com
Craving a dog with bite? DeVito’s Dogs & Grille serves grilled ¼-pound Sabrett hot dogs with natural casing, which snap when you bite them. They’re delicious with a simple squeeze of mustard or ketchup, but “Mike’s Dog,” with spicy onion sauce, and the “Jersey Breakfast Dog,” a recent special with pork roll, maple bacon jam, hash browns and cheese, are a real treat. — Sarah Griesemer, Asbury Park Press
Destination Dogs | New Brunswick, New Jersey
Details: 101 Paterson St.; 732-993-1016, destinationdogs.com.
Taking a global tour through hot dogs is possible, as Destination Dogs — a bustling college bar with food as fun as its vibes — serves 26 frankfurters inspired by the world’s most iconic locations. Whether representing countries (France, Mexico and Argentina are on the menu) or cities (Waco, Kansas City and Chicago, to name a few), the inventive dogs are topped with accoutrements meant to transport your palate to places intriguing and exotic. Subtle airplane decor and international posters strive to do the same. At the heart of each travel-influenced dog lies an intentionally-selected sausage base. In some cases, that’s a traditional frank, but, for many dogs, the link is something more outlandish. The Greek “Achilles Meal” dog, for example, features a lamb sausage (topped with cucumber, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tzatziki and mint), while the Vietnamese “Bun Mi” showcases a Cantonese link (adorned with all the bánh mì classics). Our favorite: the Hidden Dragon, which, smothered in hoisin sauce and chili crisp cucumbers, is a Peking duck-reminiscent ode to China. — Kara VanDooijeweert, The Record and NorthJersey.com
Walter’s Hot Dogs | Mamaroneck and White Plains, New York
Details: 937 Palmer Ave., Mamaroneck, 914-500-5029; 186 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, 914-397-9406, waltershotdogs.com
For more than 107 years, Walter’s has been the undisputed king of hot dogs in Westchester. Generations of locals have grown up on its signature franks — split down the middle, grilled in a secret sauce, and served from an unmistakable pagoda-style stand. Part of the magic is in the hot dog itself: a proprietary blend of beef, veal, and pork that’s topped with Walter’s own mustard, giving it a flavor you won’t find anywhere else.
And while plenty of places pile on endless toppings, Walter’s keeps things simple with either mustard, ketchup, chili, cheese, or puffy potatoes (which is honestly all you need). Add in the fact that the iconic building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s easy to see why Walter’s remains one of Westchester’s top dogs. — Jeanne Muchnick, The Journal News
Dogtown | Rochester, New York
Details: 691 Monroe Ave.; 585-271-6620, dogtownhots.com.
This cozy counter-service restaurant offers 18 unique hot dog creations named after dog breeds, served with your choice of hot and nestled in sturdy French bread. For vegetarians, there are vegetable dogs, along with 10 toppings that don’t contain meat. The perennial customer favorite is the Cincinnati Red Dog, a classic chili cheese dog topped with homemade meat sauce and Cheddar cheese. But there are more unusual creations, like the Hawaiian Poi, made with grilled pineapples, bacon and barbecue sauce, and the Irish Setter, adorned with corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing and melted Swiss cheese. Its Junkyard Plates, made with homemade meat hot sauce and homemade mac salad, are also a major draw. When the weather is nice, bring your dog of the four-legged variety to hang out on the patio. — Tracy Schumacher, Democrat & Chronicle
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Best hot dog in the Northeast? 6 top spots worth the drive
Reporting by Jeanne Muchnick, Kara VanDooijeweert, Celeste E. Whittaker, Patricia Talorico, Sarah Griesemer and Tracy Schuhmacher, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeanne Muchnick, Kara VanDooijeweert, Celeste E. Whittaker, Patricia Talorico, Sarah Griesemer and Tracy Schuhmacher, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
