Reveal of New Jersey’s top 10 hot dog joints. What's the best hot dog joint in New Jersey? Pete Genovese is about to reveal the top 10 finalists in his search for the best hot dog joint in the state. What's your favorite? Posted by NJ.com on Monday, July 30, 2018

Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

By Peter Genovese I NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

And then there were 10.

After much deliberation we have the 10 finalists in our N.J.'s best hot dog joint showdown.

To recap, we started last month with a call for nominations. More than 100 places were nominated; all were put on ballots, separated onto North I, North II, Central and South Jersey/The Shore.

The top six vote-getters in each region were 24 of our semifinalists; I picked the other 26, and visited all 50 semifinalists over three weeks. I alone picked the 10 finalists; no voting was involved in their selection.

Many legendary hot dog joints were left off the finalist list, and there were surprise newcomers. But as with all our previous N.J.'s best showdowns, this competition wasn't about popularity, ranking or reputation — it was about the hot dogs sampled at each place during the competition.

You can vote starting now for the Readers' Choice winner; the poll is below. I will pick the overall winner.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Hiram's Roadstand, Fort Lee

Hiram's is located at what was once the hot dog crossroads of New Jersey - hot dog landmark Callahan's was across the street. Callahan's is now in Norwood, but Hiram's remains, with its brick exterior, tiny parking lot and even tinier men's room.

There apparently never was a owner named Hiram, according to current co-owner Pete Demiris. When his boss went on vacation, he and Jeff Escudero, employees at the time, added chili dogs to the menu. They now own the place, and the chili dogs are recognized as among the state's best.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: The chili dog (right in photo) remains among the state's best; it's a Thumann's beef and pork dog. Eat inside, along the window or in the compact dining room, or take your order outside, to the picnic area. A 16-ounce beer goes for a measly $2.25, although that's not the reason they made the top 10.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Relish, Belmar

Relish, which opened in March, is a breath of fresh hot dog air. It's a cozy, cramped space (no seating, but there's an outdoor ledge to put your hot dogs). The owners, Martin Birdsall and Chris Delaney, own a tech company down the street.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: No hot dog stand in New Jersey has quite the range of creative condiments as Relish. Bacon dijon relish, chipotle lime glaze, beer kraut and fire roasted salsa are among the options. Another difference: The buns are placed on warming spikes, creating a hollowed-out roll. In the same-same New Jersey hot dog world you need to stand out, and Relish does.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Tommy's Italian Sausage & Hot Dogs, Elizabeth

Tommy Parrinello sold only sausage when he opened in 1969, but added hot dogs because Jerry's Famous Frankfurters, steps away, started selling sausage. Parrinello's son, also named Tommy (left in photo) now runs Tommy's Italian Sausage & Hot Dogs. A neon sign advertises "world's greatest chili hot dogs,'' but you go to Tommy's for the Italian hot dogs.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: Tommy's was named the state's best Italian hot dog in the Hot Dog Heaven issue of Inside Jersey magazine, and nothing on this most recent visit indicated they had fallen from the top perch. The potatoes are so good you can buy them by the cup, bypassing the hot dog, peppers and onions altogether.

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Destination Dogs, New Brunswick

No Jersey hot dog joint has a globetrotting menu quite like Destination Dogs; the hot dogs are inspired by cuisines from Spain, Chile, France, Argentina, Greece, Vietnam and elsewhere. You can get everything from the Cyclone (all-beef chili dog with spicy brown mustard and onions) and the Nicky Newarker (with fried potatoes, onions, peppers, mustard) to the Chilean-inspired Completo (avocados, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, cheese sauce) and the Hebrew Hammer (all-beef dog with potato latkes, spicy brown mustard, onions). There are also lamb, duck and other sausages on the menu.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: They really pulled out the stops for my arrival - a special sampling menu, launched that day, called The Genovese, "a hot dog tour of NJ on one plate,'' with eight themed dogs from around the state. The Trenton dog, with pork roll, egg and tomato pepper jelly. The Pinelands, with beef short ribs, coleslaw and scallions. The Newark, with potatoes, onions, bell peppers and mustard. And so on.

That's not why Destination Dogs is among the finalists, though; these are inventive hot dogs with a considerable dash of color and whimsy.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Andys' Roadside Dive, Mt. Arlington

A stop at Andys' Roadside Dive is a visit to the outer reaches of the hot dog universe. About the "Andys' in the name? There were once two guys named Andy running the trailer, parked on the shores of Lake Hopatcong; now there's just one, Andy Patin. You could just get a chili dog or one with mustard and kraut, but you can get those anywhere.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

What they made the top 10: Hot dog purists will cringe, or even faint, at the menu here. The Pig Dog, the most popular, combines pulled pork, BBQ sauce, cheddar and bacon. The Mac to the Future (photo) is an unlikely union of Kraft mac n cheese, pita chips, sliced jalapeno Jack, sriracha, cheddar "and lots of cheese sauce.'' You want ordinary hot dogs, visit your local hot dog vendor. You want to take a walk on the hot dog wild side, visit Andys'.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Hot Diggidy Dog, Chatsworth

A hot dog cart in the middle of the Pine Barrens? Hot Diggidy Dog does a brisk business in what many big-city folk might consider the middle of nowhere. Robin Bednar opened for business in 1989 outside her parents' house, putting herself through school in the process. She uses Dietz & Watson beef/pork dogs.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: The jalapeno cheddar chili dog was a juicy, cheesy delight, and the cranberry hot sauce, from a local purveyor, may be my new favorite topping.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Hot Grill, Clifton

There are older Texas weiner places in Passaic County - Libby's Lunch in Paterson comes to mind - but The Hot Grill is the undisputed king of Passaic Texas weiner joints. It opened on Friday the 13th in 1961. The interior is more cafeteria than hot dog joint. There are three hot dogs, all deep-fried, on the menu - Texas weiner "all the way'' (mustard, onions, chili), regular hot dog and a hot dog with cheese.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: The "world famous chili'' is distinctive and the hot dog nice and snappy/juicy. And you've got to love the counter staff shouting orders to the cooks - "one all the way one'' - and so on.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Randy the Hot Dog Guy, Hillside

No Jersey hot dog vendor is kookier or more colorful than Randy Pollack, AKA Randy the Hot Dog Guy, whose cart, boat, supply shed and soon-to-be-completed hot dog truck are crammed into a lot practically underneath Route 22. He is the dispenser of random wit and wisdom, and you strike up a conversation at your own risk. Don't forget to check out the first hot dog cart on the moon, out back.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: He's pretty much the only hot dog vendor in the state to offer three brands of dirty water hot dogs - Sabrett's, Thumann's and Best. You can get them with mustard, kraut or Thumann's horseradish, or you can add some sass and spice with a dash of Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Maui's Dog House, North Wildwood

Nobody calls Michael D'Antuono by his real name; everyone knows him as Maui, a nickname from his stint as a chef in Hawaii. When he opened Maui's Dog House in 1999, there were doubters and disbelievers galore - a hot dog joint just won't go in South Jersey, they said, even one located at a popular summer vacation spot. Well, nearly 20 years later, Maui is still around; his wife, Liz, and daughters, Kailan and Kiana, help out.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: If you like your hot dogs with a bit of attitude, you've come to the right place. The Horsey dog - "not for the weak,'' the menu warns - combines fresh ground horseradish and homemade spicy mustard. There are creative combinations up and down the menu; I really liked the Better Call Saul (left in photo), with a trio of tasty toppings: horsey mustard, hot cherry pepper relish and beer-soaked sauerkraut.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Rutt's Hut, Clifton

Is there a hot dog joint in the state - even the country - as renowned as Rutt's Hut? Abe Rutt opened the brick-walled roadhouse in 1928. A menu from the 30s advertised 3-Deck Sandwiches, a precursor of today's club sandwiches, for 65 cents. Rutt's reputation as a hot dog landmark developed over the years. The deep-fried dogs are known as Rippers for the way they split apart during cooking. Beer is on tap, and there's a sit-down restaurant with a separate entrance.

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Why they made the top 10: It's not just about the hot dog here, it's about the look, the feel, the classic ordinariness of the place - no chairs, white tables, guys behind the counter shouting orders - "one traveling'' for a to-go hot dog. You go for the Ripper, of course, and top it with the relish. Feeling brave? Order a Weller, a well-done Ripper, or a Cremator, which is pretty much a burnt dog.

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Ed Murray I The Star-Ledger

The 10 finalists again

Andys' Roadside Dive, Mt. Arlington

Destination Dogs, New Brunswick

Hiram's Roadstand, Fort Lee

Hot Diggidy Dog, Chatsworth

The Hot Grill, Clifton

Maui's Dog House, North Wildwood

Randy the Hot Dog Guy, Hillside

Relish, Belmar

Rutt's Hut, Clifton

Tommy's Italian Sausage & Hot Dogs, Elizabeth

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Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

What's next

Now it gets serious.

I'll visit our 10 finalists over five days starting tomorrow, Tuesday, July 31, through Saturday, Aug. 4. View the daily schedule here.

Assistant judges will act in an advisory capacity; I will decide the winner - N.J.'s best hot dog joint.

Watch for reports in the next week. The winner will be announced live on NJ.com Tuesday, Aug. 7.

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