Johnny's Hot Dogs
Butzville, NJ Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Johnny's Hot Dogs is a well known hot dog joint on U.
S. Route 46 near the Delaware Water Gap. This is a great place to hit
on a Sunday drive. Many thanks to Paul Bauke for info.
The place got its start in 1944 when John Kovalsky and his wife Louise opened a small hot dog stand nearby. It eventually moved to this larger Route 46 location, where the colorful signs, picnic tables and old-fashioned stand make it pretty hard to just drive past.
Hot dogs are deep-fried in peanut oil and served with fries, frosted mugs of birch beer and even buttermilk. And with an address in a town called Buttzville, how could you forget where you stopped?
UPDATE: Hot Dog Johnny's remains family operated and open along Route 46, with its classic roadside signs still welcoming travelers. 08-26
Clare and Carl's
Plattsburgh, NY Photo courtesy Mark Hobson
Here's an eatery , Clare & Carl's, located along Rt.9N, near Plattsburgh, NY. This is a place for Michigans (steamed hot dogs on a bun smothered in meat sauce) in northern NY. 01-07Many thanks to Mark Hobson for info.
Here's one sign that might leave you a little confused. The big red neon on the roof says TEXAS RED HOTS, but Clare & Carl's in Plattsburgh is famous for something called a Michigan.
Clare and Carl Warn opened this little Route 9 stand in 1942, and it still has plenty of old roadside character. There's carhop service, a noticeably sloping floor and that wonderful rooftop neon that looks especially good after dark.
The specialty here is the Michigan, a hot dog covered with a thick meat sauce that has become a North Country favorite. Pull up alongside the building and they'll still come out to the car to take your order. Better bring some cash, too. Credit cards haven't quite made it onto the menu.
UPDATE: Clare & Carl's remains open seasonally along Route 9, still serving Michigans beneath its classic TEXAS RED HOTS neon sign. 08-26
Super Duper Weenie
Fairfield, CT Photo courtesy Brett Leveridge
Fairfield, CT is home to the Super Duper Weenie. They appear to have only been around since the mid-1970s, but they've got the right look and attitude,
and the franks are quite tasty. This hot dog joint was featured on the David Letterman show. Check out their Super Duper Weenie website for more info. Many thanks to Brett Leveridge for info. 07-07
With a name like this, you almost have to stop. Super Duper Weenie sits along Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield, complete with a colorful roadside sign and a smiling hot dog pointing hungry travelers toward the building. The place actually started on wheels. The original Super Duper Weenie was a 1970s food truck that Gary Zemola tracked down and restored in the early 1990s. After the truck appeared in the 1999 PBS special A Hot Dog Program, business really started cooking. The permanent Fairfield location followed in 2000.
Super Duper Weenie close-up
Fairfield, CT Photo courtesy Brett Leveridge
These aren't just hot dogs tossed on a bun either. They're split, grilled and covered with homemade relishes, chili and other toppings. Super Duper Weenie later got another dose of television fame when Guy Fieri stopped by for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
UPDATE: Super Duper Weenie remains open on Black Rock Turnpike, and the roadside sign is still pointing the way. 08-26
Clare and Carl's
Super Duper Weenie
Super Duper Weenie close-up
