Eat and Greet, Troy, New York Area Hot Dog Stands

Saturday, June 19, 2010 
 
Date Changed To:
Saturday, August 14th, 2010
Meeting point:
Park & Ride located at NYS I87 exit 19 (Kingston) 11am
 
If interested, I can take one person in my truck.  If you want to follow me, I will be at the Park & Ride at 11am.  It's about 40+ minutes to Gus' stand from Kingston.
If you know the location, you can go directly to Gus' on your own and we will meet up.
 
Bring CASH
Bring your camera
Bring your appetite
 
Google Map of Tour

1. Gus's Hot Dogs - Watervliet, NY
2. Hot Dog Charlies - Cohoes, NY

3. Famous Lunch - Troy, NY
4. Jack's Drive-In - Wynantskill, NY (optional)
5. Dallas Weiners - Kingston, NY
 


 

been to Gus's about 5 years ago..loved it !!
Great little mini hot dogs!!
( a common theme in that area,  I noticed!)

I'd love to go and hope to do so, but I can't plan that far ahead.  May I let you know as the date gets closer?

Billyboy, no problem.

Sign me up... I live just south of Kingston and will save the date.

I went to college in Albany and I don't think I had a single hot dog in the 4 years I lived in that city.  Has it become a hot dog city since I left in 1988? Or, since none of the places you listed are actually IN Albany, is it just something in the outskirts?

Wait...have I been out of college for twenty-two years?  How did THAT happen???

Pigiron


I went to college in Albany and I don't think I had a single hot dog in the 4 years I lived in that city.  Has it become a hot dog city since I left in 1988? Or, since none of the places you listed are actually IN Albany, is it just something in the outskirts?

Funny, I went to school in Albany in the early 80's and didn't know anything about their small hot dogs either.  The closest I had was at a small store on Central Ave. that sold cheesesteaks for 50 cents which I thought was a bargain until I saw that they used the same small buns as are typical of the upstate New York hot dogs.  They were about 5 inches long.

I have been back to the area since and found out about the small hot dogs.  They have been around in the Capitol District area for quite a while with Famous Lunch in Troy serving those critters since 1932.

I can't say for sure, as that date is too far out there, but we may try to meet you at the first two, since they are very close. Sad as it is to say, I've never been to Gus'....as I'm more of a dirty water hot dog w/kraut  kind of gal, but my hubby is definitely more of the meat sauce type of guy. Will try to keep the date in mind.

I just noticed this date is a week and change away...  Is the tour still on?

I'd love to go on this.... but I can't next weekend.  

I'm very interested if this date is changed though.

I am unavailable on the 19th so I would like to move the date out to a Saturday in August?
 
Saturday 7th
Saturday 14th - Is the official date.. Read top post for information.
Saturday 21st
Saturday 28th

I have never been to Hot Dog Heaven on Lark St. in Albany, NY.  But I have heard that is is good.  If any one is interested in tavern food try the South End Tavern in Troy.  I would check in advance because, years ago,  they closed for the month  of August to go to Saratoga Race Track. If you go, have the half and half sandwich.  It is 1/2 ham 1/2 swiss cheese with spicy mustard on good rye bread.  After you pick a date I will see if I can make it.
 
Walt

HDK - I'm available on the 14th or the 28th.

I'll give a couple of more days and make the decision on the date.

Pigiron


I went to college in Albany and I don't think I had a single hot dog in the 4 years I lived in that city.  Has it become a hot dog city since I left in 1988? Or, since none of the places you listed are actually IN Albany, is it just something in the outskirts?

Wait...have I been out of college for twenty-two years?  How did THAT happen???

Dear Pigiron,
 
These places have been around for ever. I am sixty and my dad took me to them when I still had feet in my PJ's.
 
Did you get off campus or date young ladies who are vegetarian?  I when to the University at Albany forty + years ago, and these places are not convenient to that campus.
 
Walt

The new date is Saturday, August 14th.  See the 1st post.

Is anyone driving up from New York City?  Might I be able to hitch a ride?  I can chip in gas/toll money.

HDK, is there a commuter rail/Metro North station at that Park & Ride?

BB: There's no rail service to Kingston, but Trailways bus operating out of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan does offer service to Kingston. Just how close to that parking lot they can let you off, I do not know. 

Gail and I may be able to do the Kingston part of the tour. If that works out for us, you could take the bus to New Paltz and ride to Kingston with us - if the Dallas Hot Weiners stop is moved up to the first stop on the tour...

Cheers, John 

I don't mind changing the schedule to accomodate a few folks.

@Billy Boy... Unfortunetly not.  A direct link to Kingston would be a Trailways bus from Port Authority to Kingston, NY.

Foodosourus showed interest...

HDK, I just looked up Trailways online and the bus station in Kingston is at 400 Washington Ave.  On Google maps it is just east of Forsyth Park in Kingston.  I'm not sure where that is in relation to the park & ride. Don't change the schedule on my account.  

Hello everyone ,

This date looks good as of now , Sat Aug 14th will pass the word around

Benzee

BillyBoy, I added the bus depot to the map I created for the tour. 

Map of Troy New York Meet, Greet and Eat

So far the following folks have replied:

Me
Foodosaurus
Benzee
Shmaboo

Possible:
Seafarer John
Waltpiii
TnTinCT
Billyboy

Rain or shine unless there is a major hurricane, volcano or earth quake.  All except for Gus's are indoors.

I am not sure yet. But if I attend, I will meet you at Gus's.
 
Walt

We are a definite maybe - waiting for some family reunion plans to firm up, but we will plan on joining if there is no conflict.  billyboy - if it makes sense for you to get to Hartford via Amtrak we could provide a lift to/from the train -

TnTinCT and BillyBoy...
TnTinCT, I assume you are taking I-84 West into NY and then taking I-87 North?
I am just throwing this out there... there is a Metro North train on the Hudson Line that goes to Beacon.  The Beacon station is not far from I-84 (about a mile), it's the exit right before the Beacon Bridge.

I think since we are so far north in CT we would normally head up to Mass Pike and west from there, rather than south to go north again.

HDK, please mark me as a maybe.  I'd like to attend but I'm not sure if the transit will work out.  I'll let you know as the date gets closer.

Okay billyboy.
I understand TnTinCT.

I added Helmbolds meat packing to the list as a possible visit.  I have asked them in the past if they provide tours but the answer was no, I will ask again LOL.  They close at 2pm on Saturday so the issue would be timing.  One good part about this tour is that all of the places are within 1 to 3 miles of each other.  We could hit the first two, jump down to Helmbolds and back up to Famous Lunch.  Anyway, you can check it out on the Google map I made.  See above.

Fritz Helmbolds is the local provider of many of the mini hot dogs that are sold in Troy.
 
 

I'd like to attend.  I live out by Syracuse now, but I grew up in Troy.  We'd argue over who was better, Charlie's or Famous Lunch.  (For years, they were two doors apart on Congress St.)   We never discussed Gus's, mainly because it was on the other side of the river, so we never went there. 

I still go back home 3-4 times a year to get my fix.  Only problem is, on recent hot dog pilgrimages, I've been adding Gus's to the rotation and they might be the best of the three.  It's kind of like football, "on any given Sunday" any of these places can give you the best little hot dog you ever had.  I bet that's true on Saturdays, too.

I'll see you at Gus's.