Lafayette Coney Island

Posted By Michael Stern on April 22, 2009 1:01 PM

No place is more passionate about Coney Island hot dogs than Detroit. Coneys are everywhere, but the most conspicuous evidence of the Motor City's obsession is a pair of rival restaurants that are right next to each other: American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island. To the casual observer, the two stores' Coneys are pretty much alike, but each has fanatical devotees. Cliff Strutz (buffetbuster) recently observed a scene on Lafayette Boulevard that showed just how faithful people can be to their favorite. Cliff wrote, "I had one of my all-time favorite Roadfood moments while I was in Detroit last weekend. After finishing a couple of Coneys, I was standing in the middle of the street taking photos of Lafayette and American Coney Islands. A car pulled up with two guys dressed in Red Wings clothing, obviously going to the game. One headed for the door at Lafayette and one for American, both ribbing each other for their poor taste in hot dogs. I find it very amusing that one just didn't say 'whatever,' and eat with his friend. But Coney loyalty is apparently more important." Cliff's accompanying photograph shows the two dog hounds each going to his favorite place.

Lafayette's beefy, crisp-cased hot dogs are not aristocratic. A naked one would be a bore. But nobody eats a Coney undressed. It is perforce a package, and it is in the packaging that diabolical harmony is attained. Spicy dog, soft white bun, smooth chili, bright yellow mustard and crisp onions (and maybe shredded cheese, too) all come together in a form of hash-house alchemy. When the craving for one (or more likely, four) of them strikes, the primest filet mignon could not scratch that itch. It is possible to order one with "heavy chili," but we believe the extra measure throws the precious balance off. Better to have your additional chili blanketing French fries or cheese fries. Or if you really like the chili, you can get a dogless bun filled with it.

Lafayette is open until 4am Sunday through Thursday, 5am Friday and Saturday nights, making it a choice destination after a long night of revelry. It opens at 7:30am (9:30 on Sunday) for gastronomic maniacs who need a brace of Coneys to start the day.

Overall Rating

Chili Dog

Vernor's Ginger Ale

Chili Cheese Fries

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Posted By Dave O'Ball on May 20, 2013 5:58 PM

Right next door to it's older brother, American Coney Island, this place is more blue collar worker than the more family friendly ACI.
Food wise they rate about the same. We did a head to head competition with one vote going to each. The thing is, I gave ACI the nod for appearance while Mrs. Sippi gave LCI the nod for serving Coke products instead of Pepsi.

Coney Island Hot Dogs are a Detroit specialty and Lafayette is in the cream of the crop.

Overall Rating

Chili Dog

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Posted By Asa Hearthrug on December 23, 2012 3:44 PM

Been going to this place for the past third of a century, and the coney dogs are superb, if properly dressed. One must experiment with the toppings to calibrate them to one's taste. For example, one can order a dog with "light chili only" or smother it with chili, cheese, onions, mustard, ...

The Lafayette offers a "loose burger" that is like Iowa's Maid Rite on a hot dog bun. This also needs to be properly dressed. My favorite menu item is the bean soup, Greek navy style. Western civilization owes its survival to this ambrosia, which fueled the oarsmen who powered the triremes that defeated the Persian navy at the Battle of Salamis in 480 B.C. This soup has a very precise recipe, with exactly 239 beans per quart. Because one more bean would make it ...

Overall Rating

Greek Navy Bean Soup

Chili Dog

Chili Cheese Fries

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