Hot Dog Tour of New England

Hey everyone, myself and a friend of mine are huge hot dog fans. We are lucky enough to be able to travel the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut areas for work. We are looking for the best hot dog places, all stlyles and are asking for everyone's favorite places. If possible, what type of cooking method, favorite toppings, and the town they are in. Thanks in advance.

With gas prices being what they are, you can start here.
www.hotdogsafari.com
Chow Jim

Thank you Jim, it does appear to be a great place to start. Anyone else out there from other areas of the state?

Danbury, CT - JK's Texas Hot Weiner
New Britain, CT - Sahadi's Hotties
Southington, CT - Saint's (Queen Street)
Newington, Ct (I think) Doogies (home of the 2 footer)
Newtown, CT (rte 25) - Swanky Franks (new location)
Newtown, CT (rte 25)- Botsford Drive in
Bethel and Brookfield, CT - Roadside chili house

Most of these places are very well known and have been reviewed on here so if you query hot dogs by state you can get maps, reviews, etc. I am not a bigtime hot dog lover so I can't offer any favorites.

Part of the problem in compiling such a list is including the short-season hot dog carts of merit.
For example:
Speed's, Newmarket SQ, Boston,MA-marinated, basted,grilled 1/4 to 1/2 pound dogs.
Fred's Franks, Wakefield,MA. [url]www.fredsfranks.com[/url] He uses a Big Green Egg and grills them.
The Sausage King of Nashua, Nashua,NH http://www.thesausagekingofnashua.com-Located at 2 different Home Depot stores in Nashua.
The Sausage Guy, outside Fenway Park, Boston,MA http://www.sausageguy.com/

In the Worcester MA area;

George's Coney Island - Small (12/1) Kayem frank, skinless grilled in a steamed bun. The big draw is the meat sauce, order them "up", sauce, onions and mustard.

Hot Dog Annies - Kayem skinless (10/1)grilled. The special BBQ dog is simmered in a sweet, tangy BBQ sauce. Unique flavor. (Actually in Leicester MA)

Moe's Hotdogs - Truck on Grafton St. Grilled Kayem NC (8/1) Good chili dog, special is 2 dogs, chips and a soda $3.50. Moe is a character worth the trip, the dogs are GOOD!

Hotdog Express - Park Ave. Choose your dog, NC, skinless, All Beef, Hebrew National 1/4 lb. Then choose your method, steamed or grilled. Toppings galore. Good fries too.

Nearby
Southboro MA
The Hotdog Truck - Kayem NC (6/1) steamed in water, beer and onions, served on a grilled roll. Two dogs, chips and soda $4. http://www.thehotdogtruck.com/

Leominster MA
Elvis' Hotdogs - RT 13. Variety of dogs, many different presentations. From Chicago dogs to kraut and chili.

RI
Olneyville NY System - A RI specialty, thin NC franks cut off a long rope, the meat sauce is the thing that makes these worth the drive. http://www.olneyvillenysystem.com/home.asp

Thanks for all the replies. We appreciate your input and will do our best to try most of these spots during the coming months. For all the rest of you, please feel free to jump in. STAR 0082

bigdog540,

Thanks for the informative post. I like that you included the brand of dog. I've had Kayems while in Maine and it is a very good dog, especially grilled.

John,

Thanks for the feedback. I spend time trying to find different brands of dogs around the MA and NH area. Kayem is the most common frank around here. In retail outlets there are some other very good brands, Grote & Weigle, Old Neighborhood, Deutchmacher, Pearls. Pearl being the only all beef frank of the bunch. I suspect some places use Deutchmacher or Old Neighborhood, but claim they are Kayem because the Kayem name has a good reputation. My taste buds tell me they aren't all Kayem, but as to IDing each I don't have the expertise you have.

There was a stand in Brentwood NH, DS Dogs, that told me he was using Old Neighborhood when I asked, he has since gone out of business. This is a very good beef/pork dog. They also make store brands. My father worked for Market Basket and I know the Market Basket NC dogs are Old Neighborhood.

Flo's in Maine use to use Shield's brand, but Shield's is out of business. I don't know what Flo's serves now. Shield's was a beef, pork and veal dog, NC but milder than the Kayem beef and pork. Kayem also makes Schonland's brand, it's also beef and pork but has more spice to it. Extra garlic and pepper. I prefer it to the Kayem Old Tyme.

The opportunity to sample dogs at different places is no where near the realm of the NJ area. New England has fewer hotdog stands than northern Jersey. And, all beef dogs are a rare find at a dog stand in NE.

bigdog540,

What do you think of Pearl? I've heard that they are very good, but have yet to try one. No one near me carries this dog. I e-mailed the company and was told that I'd have to order 10 pounds. They are supposed to be a well spiced, tasty beef dog.

John,

I like the Pearl. It's a spicy (for New England)all beef dog. They make a 8/1, 6/1, 4/1, 2/1 and a 1lb. dog. The thing I find different with them is the casing. Most of the NC franks I've had have a lamb casing. I find the Pearl a thicker, tougher casing, may be hog casing?? They are also a thicker dog. I think you'd find them mild. Compared to other beef dogs I've tried, Hebrew National, Sabrett's they are nowhere near as spicy.

By the way, BJ's recently started to carry the Thumann's blue and white pack, 5 lbs for $17.49. These are one of my favorites when fresh, the ones I froze picked up a perfumy taste. It may have been my freezer or the way I packed them.

Speeds in Boston serves Pearl, and he simmers in apple juice and brown sugar before he grills them. I've tried this by putting a tray of apple juice, mixed with brown sugar and horseradish mustard on indirect heat on the grill with foil on top. When they come to the simmer I remove the foil and let them simmer until I'm ready to serve. Then I move them to the direct heat, directly on the grill grates and brown them. This makes the casings nice and snappy, but not chewy.

There is a local chain, The Halfway Cafe, that serves the 1lb. dog. It's called the Safari dog, named after the HotDog Safari, a local charity event. This is one big dog. They grill it and serve in a special roll, like a sub roll, with a pile of handcut fries for $7.95. A real bargain as long as you have time for a nap after lunch.
http://www.thehalfwaycafe.com/
http://www.hotdogsafari.com/2006/index.asp

I buy the Pearl's at BJ's, but not all in my area carry them. When I asked the guy at the Westboro MA store why the Auburn MA store didn't carry them, he said they are not a warehouse item. Rather they are delivered by Pearl directly to the store. Recently the Auburn store started to carry them. They only sell a 2.5 lb. box, of 4/1. That's 10 dogs for $7.49.

If I ever make it to the NJ tour I'll bring you some.

Thank you Big Dog and John Fox. Your insight is greatly appreciated. Still looking for comments from others! Enjoy the Holiday Weekend. Star 0082

I am not a big hot dog fan, personally although I like them on occasion I am no expert on the nuances of the differnt dogs....but here are a few in Mass:

Lawton's in Lawrence is pretty famous and has been around for many years.

Elliot's, with locations in Chelmsford and Lowell is also well known locally.

Tex Barry's Coney Island with locations in Attleboro and in Taunton (my preference is the Attleboro loaction)...

There is a seasonal ice cream stand in Northboro that does a GREAT Chicago style dog....I will post the name as soon as I can. I will have to drive by it again since I can't remember now.

Lawton's- A very unique spot to say the least. It's actually a diner thats sitting right on a sidewalk. It also has an active fire hydrant inside. It's been a few years but I think they use to cook their barkers in oil.
Anyone visiting that area be carefull, they strictly enforce the parking regulations there. Chow Jim

Wistah,

The place in Northboro you are thinking of might be Beezer's. It's an old Dairy Queen turned into a summer drive-in style ice cream shop on Rt 20. I know they serve a Chicago dog. They serve Vienna Beef on a poppy seeded roll. Full line of Chicago salad toppings included.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdog540

John,

I like the Pearl. It's a spicy (for New England)all beef dog. They make a 8/1, 6/1, 4/1, 2/1 and a 1lb. dog. The thing I find different with them is the casing. Most of the NC franks I've had have a lamb casing. I find the Pearl a thicker, tougher casing, may be hog casing?? They are also a thicker dog. I think you'd find them mild. Compared to other beef dogs I've tried, Hebrew National, Sabrett's they are nowhere near as spicy.

By the way, BJ's recently started to carry the Thumann's blue and white pack, 5 lbs for $17.49. These are one of my favorites when fresh, the ones I froze picked up a perfumy taste. It may have been my freezer or the way I packed them.

Speeds in Boston serves Pearl, and he simmers in apple juice and brown sugar before he grills them. I've tried this by putting a tray of apple juice, mixed with brown sugar and horseradish mustard on indirect heat on the grill with foil on top. When they come to the simmer I remove the foil and let them simmer until I'm ready to serve. Then I move them to the direct heat, directly on the grill grates and brown them. This makes the casings nice and snappy, but not chewy.

There is a local chain, The Halfway Cafe, that serves the 1lb. dog. It's called the Safari dog, named after the HotDog Safari, a local charity event. This is one big dog. They grill it and serve in a special roll, like a sub roll, with a pile of handcut fries for $7.95. A real bargain as long as you have time for a nap after lunch.
http://www.thehalfwaycafe.com/
http://www.hotdogsafari.com/2006/index.asp

I buy the Pearl's at BJ's, but not all in my area carry them. When I asked the guy at the Westboro MA store why the Auburn MA store didn't carry them, he said they are not a warehouse item. Rather they are delivered by Pearl directly to the store. Recently the Auburn store started to carry them. They only sell a 2.5 lb. box, of 4/1. That's 10 dogs for $7.49.

If I ever make it to the NJ tour I'll bring you some.

Bigdog540,

Again, thanks for the info. I've heard that Pearls are spicy, but they would be compared to the milder beef/pork dogs that are more common in New England. It's good that you compared them to other all beef dogs. Have you heard of Morrison & Schiff? This is the name of a kosher hot dog that was very popular in New England. They went out of business some 20 years ago, but the brand was ressurected by 2 grandsons of the founder of the company. It has been available for close to a year now in the Boston area.

I have heard of Morrison & Schiff, but have not found them locally. I remember them from the 70's and 80's, and read somewhere on Roadfood.com that they were making a comeback. I checked for a website but didn't find any. If someone knows where they are sold I would like to try them.

quote:

Originally posted by John Fox

bigdog540,

What do you think of Pearl? I've heard that they are very good, but have yet to try one. No one near me carries this dog. I e-mailed the company and was told that I'd have to order 10 pounds. They are supposed to be a well spiced, tasty beef dog.

Let's start a hot dog cooperative!

Morrison & Schiff just started to produce again after a long hiatus.
It's an all beef n/c kosher dog with a loyal following.
Currently one spot I'm shure of that carrys them is Lavien's Mkt. on Lowell St. in Peabody Ma. The section of Lowell st. between Rt#1 and Rt#128. I also heard that a couple of markets in Brookline are carrying them also. They are currently trying to expand their market presance. Chow Jim

Hey there, I want to thank all who responded, I am a little supprised that I didn't hear from Rhode Island and and much from New Hampshire or Vermont. Oh well, thanks again, and please feel free to add to the topic anytime. Take care, Star 0082

Hotdog Safari is Sunday at Suffolk Downs. One price admission for all the dogs, sausage, ice cream and soda you can eat. And it's all for charity. I'll post brands and reviews next week.

Morrison & Schiff dogs are as good as I remember. They are in some Stop & Shops and a few Kosher markets. i found the phone number for them.617-342-7447 They were helpful!

Just checked with the company. They are selling to Stop & Shops(some) Two places call ed the Butcherie in Canton, ma and Brookline ,ma a place Levines in Peabody and Hurwitz's in Framingham. They are hoping to expand to all markets shortly.

It is nice to see another kosher brand out there again

Bought a package of Morrison & Shiff barkers yesterday. Don't know why, I'm not that big of a hot dog fan.
I was in the area, went to breakfast in the same complex, worth the trip alone. Three eggs, 2 bacon, 2 sausage, home fries, toast, coffee and 2 large pancakes all for $5.95. The Family Fare on Lowell St. in Peabody Ma.

After breakfast I walked over to Larry Lavien's butcher shop/deli in search of the barkers. Unfortunatly they had only skinless barkers, if I have to eat one of these I prefer the n/c. They wern't cheap either, $4.39 for a 12oz. pk, 7 barkers. They do have the name of the Rabbi that supervised the packing process on the lable though. Maybe after they gear up production the price will back off a bit, I know, wishfull thinking.

On a side note, Lavien's deli appears to be quite a spot, my first visit there. They were preping for the day, 4 or 5 people behind the cases, many chickens comming out of the ovens, briscits off to the side and so on. There is no table seating but a small counter with a few stools. And all these years I thought it was just a plain old butcher shop, wrong again Jim.
I will make it a point to return soon for lunch. Chow Jim

The Morrison & Schiff dogs are 4.29 in most stores. some Stop & Shop stores had them at 3.99. Levines and the Butcherie are 4.29. Still Less than the Hebrew National and very good. You are right maybe they will drop in price soon.

Morrison & Schiff dogs are available at Levine's, The Buctherie and some Stop & Shop stores.

They have a great flavor, not too spicy no after taste.

Rhode Island hot dogs can be summed up as NY System hotdogs (only in RI - NOT NY - don't ask). While they are available at a number of places, we've found the best & most consistant to be at Wein-o-rama at 1009 Oaklawn Ave in Cranston (only open until about 2pm). http://www.quahog.org/attractions/index.php?id=67


If you want a late afternoon / night stop - Harry's at 2168 elmwood ave is quite good, but a distant second to Wein-o-rama. http://www.quahog.org/cuisine/index.php?id=46

They must be ordered - "two (or three), all the way" & best with a coffee milk (again, don't ask).

While enjoy a chicago dog occasionally & similarly, I occasionally like NJ dogs, I eat at Wein-o-rama at least once a month.

you must stop at Tom's in Whately,Ma. I-91 north,exit 22,follow rt5 north about a mile and a half.Tom's is on the left.they close at 4pm on weekday's,a little later on weekend's.steamed footlong's. I just can't pass this place if I know their open.

Hey BigDog540, you still out there. I would love to know where Beezers is and any other hot dog place you can think of in Central Mass. I've been to George's Coney Island and think they are about the best coney style dogs I've ever eaten. My next quest will be Hot Dog Annie's . Sure would appreciate you digging into your memory banks for any other places worth the visit. Thanks, Tom from Star0082

Thanks Dirtdog58, I've been to Tom's. I'm always amazed when a place that can't be seen from the main road, doesn't advertise, and only has a couple of picnic tables in the open does a business like they do. I don't think I've ever been there when there weren't 10 or more cars with customers in them. I think they employ about 6 people on any given day. It's amazing. If I ever write a tour book on Massachusetts Hot Dogs they will be there. Have you ever tired the Hot Dog Man on Main Street in Greenfield? I stopped there the other day and got one from his cart, it was very good, he was pleasant and friendly. It seemed like everyone who walked down the street knew him, cars honked and waved, people walking by waved. It's worth a stop. Tom from Star0082