11 must-try North Jersey hot dog joints

Esther Davidowitz
NorthJersey.com

New Jersey may be famous for its tomatoes, blueberries, corn and Taylor Ham, but many Americans, New Jerseyans among them, may not know that it is also the hot dog capital of the world. And North Jersey is its epicenter.

So says John Fox, and he should know.

If you're a hot dog fanatic, odds are you know who Fox is. Otherwise, let's bring you up to speed.  A recently retired post office worker from Hillside, Fox is the state's hot dog maven extraordinaire, a walking hot-dog Wikipedia. He's been on the Food Network. He's been featured in or consulted on articles, books and a slew of other television programs. He co-founded the Annual New Jersey Hot Dog Tour. He knows where frankfurters are manufactured, what's in them, their history, varieties, regional differences and he knows practically every cart, truck and storefront slinging dogs in the Garden State. 

Fox knows his dogs. And that is why we asked him to be our guide for our Hot Dog Food Crawl.

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"Hot dogs are a love of mine," he says — a love that many of us in North Jersey share with great pride.

After all, the Texas Weiner (no that's not a typo but Jersey's preferred spelling), despite its name, was birthed here, outside a hotel in Paterson, Fox reports. Sabrett, the hot dog found in so many street carts, food trucks and storefront shops across the nation, is headquartered in Englewood. And the "ripper," the descriptive name for a deep-fried dog that rips? Coined right here, too. And do we really need to point out that many of North Jersey's hot dog spots have made it onto numerous national Best Hot Dog lists time and time again. North Jersey is the big dog in the hot-dog world.

So let's go eat, as one chef lovingly put it, food in a tube.

Jersey Johnny's, Woodland Park

The hot dog from Jersey Johnny's in Woodland Park. With chili and onions.

There are three Jersey Johnny's in the state — the first to open is in Pequannock, the third opened earlier this year in Denville, and Woodland Park's opened three years ago. You can get just about any dog preparation here — among them: Wisconsin (with cheddar cheese), Chicago (mustard, onion, relish, tomato and pickle) and Heart Stopper (2 bacon strips, cheese, chili, onions, mustard, jalapeno and hot sauce). But our recommendation is the classic Jersey Weiner ($2.39; jumbo-sized $4.04), better known as the Texas Weiner, though of course it has nothing to do with Texas.

For the uninitiated, Fox says, the Texas Weiner was introduced in the '30s by John Paterliss at a stand in front of a hotel in Paterson. "No one knows why it's called Texas Weiner," he adds. But Fox suspects that having a Southern-sounding name gave it some cachet. Usually a Thumman's hot dog is used, made especially for deep frying by adding two ingredients: soy protein concentrate and semolina, according to Fox. "It's what makes it puff up." 

Hot dogs with mustard, chili, and onions from Jersey Johnny's in Woodland Park.

The Texas Weiner is topped by "chili" that's really not your traditional beans and meat chili but a somewhat sweet-tasting tomato-y sauce frequently seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, cinnamon and sometimes ginger. Fox notes that hot dog spots mostly use the same hot dogs for Texas Weiners, so what differentiates them is the chili sauce.

The way to order a Texas Weiner is "all the way," that is, with mustard, fresh chopped onion and chili sauce. 

Asked what’s in Jersey Johnny's chili sauce, manager James Missiris declined to answer. “It’s a top secret,” he said. It's no secret that it's delicious. 

Go: 1750 Route 46, Woodland Park; 973-837-8484, jerseyjohnnys.com.

Libby's Lunch, Paterson

The hot dog with chili from Libby's Lunch in Paterson.

This unassuming spot right by the Passaic River is the oldest operating Texas Weiner joint in the state; it opened in 1936. It's vintage Jersey: diner-like with a large counter, old-fashioned stools, green banquettes and lots of sepia photos on the walls. For many, Libby's Texas Weiner is "the standard and best in the state," Fox says.

Grab a counter seat or slide into a banquette and enjoy your Texas Weiner ($3.31 small; $3.26 large) served on a paper plate. There's no pretense here, only deliciousness. The chili is rather thin but nevertheless yummy.

The best part? Libby's Lunch has a bar. Our advice: Get yourself a nice mug of cold beer with that dog and, if it's a warm sunny day, take it outside where there's a picnic table, right by the river. Then if you've got time, walk across the street to view the Great Falls of Paterson.

Go: 98 McBride Avenue Paterson, 973-278-8718.

The Hot Dog Lady, Hillsdale

The all-beef hot dog with sauerkraut and mustard from the cart outside of Karl Ehmer Meats in Hillsdale.

Dolores Santucci, aka, the Hillsdale Hot Dog Lady, sells frankfurters and a variety of sausages from a cart right outside her son's European-style butcher shop on Broadway, Karl Ehmer's Quality Meats. She's there every day, she says, rain or shine, and she has done this for 17 years. "This is what you do for your children," she says. She's doing it at age 90. "If you don't use it, you lose it," she says with a big smile.

Dolores Santucci sells hot dogs and sausages from the cart outside of Karl Ehmer Meats deli, which is owned by her son, on Broadway in Hillsdale.

Santucci boils or grills all-beef and beef-and-pork Kotcher dogs ($3.25) and tops 'em with whatever your heart desires. “I’ve got everything,” she says. But, honestly, they don't need embellishments. We loved the dog simply with mustard or with mustard and sauerkraut. "This is the way I like to eat hot dogs," Fox says. "I want to taste the meat." Not surprisingly, he is opposed to the new "haute hog dog" craze, dogs topped with mac and cheese, deep-fried bacon, foie gras and a host of other unexpected stuff.

Gaetana Maiorino, who stops by at least three times a week, says The Hot Dog Lady's dogs are "the best in Bergen County." Lyndia Bassani is a big fan too. "I get whatever she gives me," Bassani says. "Everything is delicious." Her favorite toppings? Mustard and ketchup. 

Dolores Santucci sells hot dogs and sausages from the cart outside of Karl Ehmer Meats deli, which is owned by her son, on Broadway in Hillsdale.

"When the product is good, it sells itself," Santucci says. Inside the shop, you can purchase the product — hot dogs, bratwurst, chicken sausage and more —that Santucci cooks outside. But if you'd rather not do the cooking yourself, order your dog whichever way you like, take it to the park across the street, sit at one of the picnic tables, and just realize you're one lucky hot-dog eater. 

Go: 120 Broadway, Hillsdale;  201-664-1477.

Callahan's, Norwood

Dan DeMiglio, owner of Callahan's in Norwood.

Dan DeMiglio, the grandson of the founder of this legendary hot dog emporium, relaunched his family's beloved hot dog business three years ago, first as a food truck and then as a brick-and-mortar store in Norwood. (The original Fort Lee shop, which opened in 1950, closed in 2006.)

Many North Jersey hot dog lovers couldn't be happier. Callahan's famous deep-fried, extra-long hot dogs (made by Sabrett) are not only delicious but come, free of charge, with lots of nostalgia. Stepping into the Norwood shop is like walking back in time. The place is adorned with old-fashioned gas station motif — the tail end of a real red '57 Chevy sticks out of one wall, a huge plastic car engine hangs from the kitchen ceiling, vintage NJ license plates are tacked onto a side wall. And it's not Beyoncé or Drake playing in the background but Chuck Berry and The Temptations. Callahan's is designed to take you back to when America, DeMiglio has said, was a better, more united country.

The Super Dog with chili, foreground and The Original with sauerkraut.

We'll let the pundits argue about America's well-being today and yesterday, but no one can honestly argue that Callahan's "original" (9-inch long beef and pork hot dog; $4.25) isn't darn good.The "super" size is more than a foot long ($6.95). Toppings — sauerkraut, sauteed onions, bacon pieces — are each .$50 extra. The spicy homemade chili topping,  made with ground beef, brown sugar, all-spice, cayenne and crushed red pepper, has a way of sneaking up on you  — "It climbs," says chef Danny Fabian — but it's hard to resist. "Spicy is more popular than our mild chili," he reports. To cut some of that heat, Fabian recommends a side of sweet potato fries ($3.85). Also Yoo Hoo. "It cools it down a bit," he said.

Go: 10 Broad St, Norwood; 201-468-3641, callahanshotdogs.com.

Rutt's Hut, Clifton

Must-have iconic New Jersey foods. Rutt's Hut has been serving it's rippers (deep fried hot dogs) with special housemade relish since 1928 in Clifton.

This is easily "the most well-known hot dog joint in New Jersey," Fox says. It's been around since 1928. It has been featured in numerous TV shows.  Recently, the dailymeal.com published a list of the 75 best hot dog spots in the country. "Not just New Jersey," Fox notes. "The whole country." Rutt's was rated No.1.

What you need to know about this legendary place:

  • Rutt's Hutt coined the term "ripper," though alas it failed to copyright it. (The ripper costs $2.20.)
  • Those in the know order their dogs by using insider-ish terms that describe how long the meat is fried: The "in and out" frank goes in and out of the hot oil quickly; the "ripper" stays in the oil until its skin begins to rip; the "weller," Fox's favorite and mine too, is super-crisp outside and moist inside; and the "cremator" is charred until it turns black "and there's no meat substance left," says Bill Chrisafinis, a member of the family that owns the place, who has been working behind the counter for 10 years. 
  • Its bright green homemade relish, made with cabbage, carrots, onions, mustard and a slew of spices, is as famous, if not more so, than its dogs. "The relish separates us from all other places," Chrisafinis says."We sell it by the pint, the quart. The best gift people can bring to a BBQ is a pint of Rutt's relish." It is astoundingly refreshing and profoundly delicious. It's a Fox favorite. "It is the best hot dog topping," he says. "I'm not crazy about relish but I love theirs." 

Go: 417 River Road, Clifton. 973-779-8615, ruttshut.com.

Hiram's, Fort Lee

The fried hot dog with chili at Hiram's in Fort Lee.  Hiram's has been serving weiners for generations.

Who in North Jersey hasn't heard of Hiram's, a squat brick roadside stand that has been slinging hot dogs since 1928? There's a sizable outdoor area sporting picnic tables; the restaurant itself is divided in two. One side is a bar, where a bunch of men and women were sitting silently at the counter having beers and bar grub and staring at a TV screen showing a sports game. The other half, where the ceiling is low, the tables adorned with plastic squeeze tubes of mustard and ketchup, and counter is black and the orders taken on the back of a paper plate later used to serve your order. You can get burgers, grilled cheese, sandwiches, and of course the star attraction: hot dogs. Fox notes that Hiram's does not serve Texas Weiners per se — "Different chili," he explains — but classic deep fried dogs.

Hiram's in Fort Lee has been serving weiners for generations.

Fox likes them "even more than Rutt's," he admits.. They use the same Thumann's deep fryers, Fox reports, but bigger ones and the buns are toasted. "Small, cozy and the best atmosphere of any dog joint in the state," he says.   

Go: 1345 Palisades Ave., Fort Lee; 201-592-9602.

Some More Great Hot Dog Joints

Here are John Fox's other favorites:

Pappy's Diner: "Another old-time Passaic County Texas Weiner joint, Fox says. "My absolute favorite chili anywhere — unique, zesty sweet-and-sour chili sauce. Go: 315 Union Blvd. Totowa;973-595-1701. 

The Hot Grill: Along with Libby's, among the most well-known places serving Texas Weiners. Says Fox, "I've heard from distributors and others in the industry that the Hot Grill serves more hot dogs than any place in New Jersey. Go: 699 Lexington Ave., Clifton; 973-772-6000 thehotgrill.org

Hot Dog House: Popular place serving beef hot dogs prepared in water as well as beef/pork dogs that are deep fried. Go: 510 Route 17, Carlstadt. 201-935-5803.

Johnny & Hanges: Old time Texas Weiner joint. Choice of Thumann's deep fryer as well as a Thumann's beef dog. Go:  23-20 Maple Ave., Fair Lawn; 201-791-9060, johnnyandhanges.com.

Hank's Franks: Roadside joint serving boiled, all-beef Sabrett hot dogs. Go: 210 Route 46 Lodi; 973-473-8589.