A trip to New York without eating a hot dog is an imperfect trip, but I can't imagine any New York visitor ever having done that. Even though New York may be the number one culinary city in the world with numerous high-end steakhouses, sushi bars and other chic restaurants, the Big Apple is still a hot dog city at heart.
The love affair began in the mid-19th century when German immigrants began selling sausages on the corners of Bowery Street. Now the official food of baseball games and summer festivals, the hot dog has become a national addiction and can be found on food carts on every corner. Not a bad choice to fight hunger quickly, but I would like to introduce you to the top 5 hot dog shops in New York.
1. NATHAN'S
Nathan's is legendary and the hot dog of all hot dogs! The most famous location is in Coney Island. Every year the restaurant owner organizes a hot dog eating competition. Who can eat the most hot dogs in a certain amount of time. A big event, local televisions and newspapers cover the event, and now the world media too. The subway ride there is approximately 1 hour from Times Square. Otherwise there are numerous food carts and branches in Manhattan.
2. PAPAYA DOG
I often stop by the West Village Papaya Dog after parties, which is open 24 hours a day and is the official "dealer" for Manhattan's students and young night owls. The prices are low and the hot dogs are varied. From the traditional to the exotic hot dog with pineapple and turkey, there is something for everyone. There are numerous branches in Manhattan.
Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn tour
Discover the real New York!
3. SCHALLER'S STUBE
There's a lot of history behind NYC hot dog stands (the good ones anyway), and Schallers Stube is no exception. A sort of millennial offshoot of its grandfather next door, the nearly century-old Yorktown butcher Schaller & Weber, the parlor sells various types of sausages (Brat, Knack, Bauern) as well as other old-world sausages like kielbasa and Leberkäse. The hot dogs come in an excellent Balthazar brioche bun, and the toppings are exotic, although my favorite is the simple bratwurst/sauerkraut/mustard, the "Classic" ($7). Everything on the menu left me happy and full mind you.
4. CRIF DOG
I would like to say in advance, my favorite shop! Welcome to Crif Dog! Not only are there delicious hot dogs here, the store itself has a telephone booth that is the entrance to one of the coolest bars in the city. The hot dogs served here are delicious and famous throughout New York. The best thing, however, is that you can get hot dogs in the back room bar. The problem, if you don't know anyone there, is that the wait to enter the bar is at least 2 hours, although you can kill that time eating hot dogs and playing 80s retro video games, so it's not a problem.
5. FELTMAN'S
Feltman was born in Germany in 1841 and emigrated to America in 1856 at the age of 15. He was the inventor of the hot dog. Last summer I called the "Feltman Frank" probably the best sausage you'll ever eat in your life, and I still stand by those words. The Feltman's "All-Beef Frank" is "crisped" to perfection and has a real depth of flavor that isn't lost whether with spicy grilled sauerkraut ($4) or smoky chili ($6). There's now a Feltman's stand where it all started in the 1860s, on Coney Island across from the Cyclone, some say, so you can finally get something good to eat out there. Noticed the swipe at Nathan's?