Funviralpark In Dogtown, it’s all about dogs
dog town
691 Monroe Ave | 585-271-6620
dogtownhots.comA beloved hot dog shack in the heart of Monroe Avenue, Dogtown has become a local institution since it opened in 2006.
Owner Fran Basile had a simple idea. Take the Cincinnati Red Dog, for example. Topped with cheddar cheese and Cincinnati-style chili, it’s an homage to Cinchy and much like Rochester’s revered meat heat.
The concept quickly evolved into 18 different hot dogs. There is Hawaiian poi topped with pineapple, BBQ sauce and bacon. Fido Castro is a wiener version of the Cuban sandwich. Chihuahua topped with coriander lime sour cream, roasted corn and black beans.
The dish names have an obvious pattern, and the decor inside Dogtown is even more subdued. Virtually every wall space is decorated with pictures of customers with their dogs.
“It’s unique,” Basil said. “When we first opened, there was no other place with such a wide variety of toppings and hot dogs. Quality and price.”
The basis of all Dogtown dogs is Zweigl’s hot and split French bread instead of traditional bread.
But Dogtown is more than just hot dogs. It offers a full menu of burgers, chili, various sandwiches, and vegetarian options including veggie spins on nearly every joint’s dog.
Then there’s the Junkyard Plate. There’s a reason Dogtown consistently wins the best plates, and there’s a reason Rochester-deserving Rochesters send visitors to Dogtown for their first plate experience. Despite common misconceptions, a good plate isn’t a jumble of greasy food piled high on a plate, but a delicately balanced texture, flavor, and texture inside a Styrofoam to-go container. , and an array of temperatures.
The Junkyard Plate is a perfect mashup of French fries, flavorful macaroni salad, and piping hot thin, generously spiced meats that are draped all over the box. Crispy, starchy, spicy, salty, hot and cold all at once.
Basile believes the Dogtown menu and its fanfare say it all.
“We don’t spend money on advertising. We focus on providing quality products and quality service,” says Basile. “We are word of mouth.” — Gino Fanelli
Best Comfort Food Finalist: Le Petit Poutine | Red Fern | Photo Red Fern Cheeky Chef
