In the world of hot dogs, sometimes bigger isn’t necessarily better, especially if you’re familiar with the pint-sized sausages considered iconic in upstate New York’s Albany region. The area around the state’s capital city, like much of the Northeast, was home to millions of Europeans who had emigrated in the early 20th century and brought their love of sausages with them from home. The next step seemed obvious: Entrepreneurs opened Americanized updates on the classic: hot dog joints that served as a quick lunch and a nostalgic trip to the past.
Many have endured: Purveyors like Famous Lunch, Hot Dog Charlie’s, and Gus’s have been around for more than 75 years, and while prices have changed a little, the recipes and vibes have not. The dogs, which average about three inches long, are usually grilled and served on a special-size bun topped with mustard, diced raw onion, and a meat-based chili sauce. The taste and “snap” of the dog is similar to a classic Ball Park Frank, but the two-bite size is both unexpected and fun to eat.
The exact origin story of the hot dog’s size is murky, but Helmbold’s, a Troy-based butcher with German roots, is credited with creating the miniature version in the early 20th century. What may have started as a novelty soon became an indispensable food tradition in the Albany area, and although it’s just a theory, some say that the smaller-sized franks also made for an affordable snack, which helped skyrocket their popularity during the tight times of the Great Depression.
Meet Upstate New York’s Hot Dog Landmarks
Founded more than a century ago and now with three locations in the Capital Region, Hot Dog Charlie’s is often touted as the original. Sibling owners Florence Dimitriadis and Charles Fentekes say their family has a storied history singling hot dogs. “Our grandfather Strates Fenetekes started the place as New Way Lunch in 1922,” says Dimitriadis. “We were the first ones. When he passed away, my father took over, then eventually my brother and I took over.” According to company lore, the original Fentekes was known to line up the mini hot dogs on his forearm by the dozen, where they would then be dressed in mustard, onions, and his proprietary sauce. Need proof? Check out the affectionately dubbed “hairy arm” technique captured in old photos decorating the walls of each Hot Dog Charlie’s location.
Scott Vasil, the third-generation owner of Famous Lunch in Troy, remembers growing up with the original Hot Dog Charlie’s location right down the street. While Vasil’s family business may not have been the first, the striped-awning landmark has served the lunchtime favorite for 94 years (and even ships the dogs nationwide). And they might just be the most well-known, thanks to a hot dog-loving soldier.
Famous Lunch
Originally named Quick Lunch, the spot was a favorite of 20-year-old Marine Corporal Gordon Gundrum, who was stationed at the US Embassy in Moscow in the 1950s. In fact, says Vasil, Gundrum spoke so fondly of them that the US Ambassador flew several dozen in for his gala birthday celebration in 1958. Local newspapers and the Associated Press got wind of “Operation Hot Dog,” and from then on, the spot was appropriately renamed Famous Lunch.
For Gus’s Hot Dogs owner Steve Haita, loyalty to local tradition is a no-brainer. With its hand-painted sign and compact, faded red storefront, Gus’s was opened by Haita’s dad in 1954 and still serves the classic dog alongside burgers and a grilled sausage sandwich. He says he’s stuck with the miniature size partly because bite-sized products have always been readily available from local suppliers and partly because of history. “It boils down to this,” he says. “It’s a niche. The mini hot dogs are a tradition in the Capital Region.”
The Secret Isn’t Just in the Sauce
Vasil says it’s the details that make these regional dogs special. “We all use a German-style natural casing frankfurter,” he says. Dimitriadis shares that Hot Dog Charlie’s gets its franks from another institution: Sabrett in New York City, which also makes the dogs sold at Madison Square Garden. “Sabrett makes them special for us and only for us,” she says.
To cradle those custom-sized hot dogs, a scaled-down bun is a necessity and the source of another classic family business in the region: Bella Napoli Bakery in Troy. Second-generation owner Dominic Mainella says the Italian bakery, founded by his father in 1954, has been supplying specialty rolls for 25 to 30 years. Mainella says he doesn’t play favorites among the icons. “Gus’s, Famous Lunch, Charlie’s; they all use our rolls,” he says.
Finally comes the chili meat sauce, the true signature of every upstate dog spot. Hot Dog Charlie’s bottles its meat sauce, which means fans can buy it online or at local markets. “It’s not going to be the same as if you come into the store,” Dimitriadis says, “but as long as you have the meat sauce, you can get pretty close to the classic Hot Dog Charlie’s taste,” Haita says his dad came up with the sauce recipe at Gus’s, and it’s been a mainstay since day one. And top secret. “The meat sauce, well, that’s like Area 54,” he says. “You’re not getting the recipe, sorry.”
Hot Dog Charlie’s