Watched a show on PBS sometime back about the great hot dog shops in New York City. I'll be there this weekend and, wouldn't you know, I can't remember any of the famous Dawg Houses...can you help?

Also, are the dawgs sold by vendors on the street o.k.? Reasonably sanitary, etc? (Yes, I Understand that by their very nature there's nothing too safe about a hot dawg to begin with...)

Thanks!

Just a friendly suggestion: you might want to put NY City in your title so that more people will respond....

Just a friendly suggestion: you might want to put NY City in your title so that more people will respond....
Also, PBS has a web site (pbs.org?) that might have info from past shows.

Can't say this is the one your speaking of but Gray's Papaya in Greenwich Village is [supposed to] have the best hot dogs (according to Zagat's). I know there is a group that rates the hot dog vendors but for the life of me, I can't remember the name.

Also, although it sound horribly disgusting, dirty water dogs (as native New Yorkers affectionately refer to them) are for the most part fabulous - but I wouldn't say they're sanitary. Trust me, once you try one, you'll know what we mean.

Welcome to NYC!
Gray's Papaya has a branch at 79 & Broadway, also.
Though as a born and bred NYCer nothing beats a Hot dog form the "Umbrella Room"
aka street carts. I have been eating them all my life with not adverse effects. Please don't have it plain. Try the onions and kraut!

Hot dogs off the carts are the best!

Hotdogs from the carts can be great but they're not all the same. I like the Hebrew National beef franks better than the Sabrett's but the best deal is Papaya King. They have several locations - the one I'm familiar with just opened on 8th Avenue around 37th Street. 75 cents each for a dog and they're cooked on a grill - IMO this makes them tastier than the "dirty water" dogs but each to their own. I wouldn't be concerned about "sanitary". Commerical hotdogs are full of enough preservatives that it's not an issue - eat and enjoy!

The street vendors have great dawgs, have it slathered with mustard.

The "papaya" stores mentioned above also have good dawgs, but I don't eat there because lately they've been using their store windows to push their opinions and political agendas (I want food, not rhetoric).

Stop by any of the branches of the drugstore Duane Reade and buy a bottle of Pepto Bismol. The dawgs in NYC are great, but they will be with you for awhile.

Check out the archives on Fodor's for a post on hot dogs. Had numerous responses up until just a few weeks ago. Just enjoy those "dirty hot dogs!!!"

There is a Gray Papaya in Greenwich Village and a Gray's Papaya on Broadway at 72nd Street. Different name, same ownership - I don't know. Can tell you the one on 72nd (not 79th as indicated in another note) it one of the most popular hot dog places in the city. Prices just went up - 2 franks and a dring for $2.45

if you buy a 'street' dog, go for the grilled not boiled. also look for the 100% beef, hebrew nat'ls.

Gray's is great and open all night. Hot dogs were 50 cents, but just went up to 75 cents (still a bargain). Don't get the drinks though, they are horrible.

Another vote for Gray's Papaya (I like the one on 72nd). The dogs are fab, but skip the icky sweet drinks.