Huntington Area Hot Dog Joints - Griffith & Feil Pharmacy

Kenova, for the geographically challenged among us, is the furthest west one can go in the state of West Virginia without getting wet. The name of the town comes from Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia to reflect its location near the point where these three states intersect (although it seems to me that it would be more properly called "Kenovir") .

Located in the heart of this little community is Griffith and Feil Pharmacy and its magnificent soda fountain. From its beautiful wood floors to its amazing tin ceiling to its neon "pharmacy" sign that glares colorfully off of both, this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing little restaurants around. Its charm lies in its nostalgic decor, which is made up of some authentically old elements and some retro style new stuff. The old wooden booths and soda fountain look to be 100 years old; the jukebox is decidedly newer. A gleaming row of chrome swivel barstools stand guard before the oak and brass soda fountain bar. Behind the bar hangs an enormous clock with the Griffith & Heil name emblazened around the rim of the face. The whole place is clean, shiny and a wonder to behold.

My visit was made even better by the presence of my gracious host, The Film Geek. He's a regular at G&H and had recommended the place to me a while back. When I wrote him and told him I was planning a visit he good enough to meet me there. And then he paid for my lunch, which made it even better.

But would the hot dogs be able to measure up to the quality of its surroundings and my dining companion?

The first piece of good news came when I asked what "everything" meant. "Sauce, slaw, mustard and onions" was the reply. Slaw is standard!? In a Huntington area HDJ? I was impressed.

I was more impressed when the hot dogs were delivered to the table and I saw their breathtaking beauty. I am so glad I was carrying a better camera than usual because I was able to capture the picturesque presentation (note to self: Avoid alliteration. Always.)

OK, so the place looks great, the hot dogs look great. But how do they taste?

The slaw is great in quality and quantity. It's creamy, finely chopped and just about perfect. The sauce is sweet, too. It had a meaty texture but lacked the complex flavor that comes from extended cooking over high heat. I thought the sauce would make a nice spaghetti topping, or throw in some beans and you would have a nice bowl of chili. It is very good but not great. The onions, while not chopped quite as finely as I like, were fresh cut and must've been some species of sweet onion. The bun was soft and delicious. I'm going to give it a four-and-a-half weenie rating.

It is obvious that Griffith & Feil care about quality, and that quality is defintely present in their fine hot dogs. Even without the gorgeous setting this would be a great HDJ, but add the ambience back in and you have an essential, must-visit HDJ.

To get there, take the Kenova exit (Exit 1) of I64. Turn right off the exit and then left at the first stoplight past the railroad underpass and Griffith & Feil will be on your right. 1405 Chestnut Street.

Huntington Hot Dog Joint: Midway West

In order to assess the prodigal son of Huntington hot dogdom, Midway West, we've invited a guest reviewer and life-long Midway mark, Mrs. Film Geek, to giver us her take on the joint:

"Hey, how about we skip 4th period, and drive down to Midway for lunch?"

My friend, Teresa, would coax me into it now and again during my senior year in high school. Teresa and I had a bad case of senioritis in 1984. We'd sneak out of our senior study hall class, climb into my green 1976 Toyota Corolla and drive the short distance to the hot dog stand. It was worth the risk. Midway's hot dogs were the best in town, and their fries were tasty. Almost as good as the hot dogs--maybe on some days better--was the sweet Pepsi they served, from a fountain, and chilled with crushed ice.

Unfortunately, our occasional trips for dogs came to an abrupt end one summer day when, just after we'd placed our order, we spied Vinson High School teacher and coach Mr. Griffith enjoying his lunch two cars across the lot. He finished up his lunch, then walked over to ask us how we enjoyed ours.

We served detention each day the following week.

A regular since I was a toddler, Midway was really a significant part of my life. Better than Frost-Top and Stewarts, Midway was the place to go for curbside food that was consistently good. The hot dog sauce was the best in town--it was meaty, with a nice spicy (but not hot) flavor. The slaw was sweet and creamy. The slaw was so good, in fact, that it was the only place I ordered slaw on my hot dog. So, I was really saddened when my husband called one day to tell me Midway had been closed by the city because it's owners owed back taxes. It was like hearing that "The Sopranos" series was ending.

When I read recently that Midway was opening again, with new owners, I was excited to stop by and sample the food. Mostly I wanted to see if it was the same. The lot was full of cars--about 40 cars were crammed tightly onto the lot--and more than a dozen people were eating at the small bar inside. After finding a spot, I ordered my hot dog, fries and Diet Coke, sat back and crossed my fingers.

It was good. But, it wasn't the same.

The hot dog was fairly close to those served by the former owners. The slaw was sweet, chopped fine and there was plenty of it on the dog. The wiener tasted beefy, and sort of snapped when I bit into it. (I don't know much about wiener quality, but that seemed like a good thing.) The sauce was average. It didn't stand out as good or bad, really. It was just unremarkable. Add that the soda was less sweet and served over block ice rather than crushed, and the crinkle fries were sprinkled with steak fry seasoning (which was too spicy), and you realize the current Midway is something different than the previous Midway. My heart sank.

It was good, but not as good.

I am glad that in the Midway's absence, I discovered the perfect hot dog meal at the
Griffith and Feil Soda Fountain in Kenova. I'll be going there from now on.

Sadly for the new owners, I have to agree with Mrs. Film Geek. I have not heard so much buzz about a restaurant opening in town since, well, ever and the year-long torment of the "opening soon" sign sure didn't help. Midway has given itself, and ultimately suffers from, high expectations.

The slaw is tangy and had a dominant celery salt taste. Unfortunately, it is too dry and chunky.

The sauce is indeed pretty darn average and is quite similar to others based on ground beef that is browned rather than simmered. It is bit more sweet (ketchup?) that I like, but the sauce partially made up for a bit of the under-sweetened slaw. The taste of the two is more than the sum of its parts, but not by much.

The crinkle cut fries are a bit greasy, a sure-fire sign that the oil is not hot enough. They also taste like the oil had been in the vat for a few days.

I'm sure that Midway will find its niche of pedestrians in the area and nostalgic folk, but, in order to regain it's predecesor's place in Huntington's hot dog culture, Midway West needs to go back to the fundementals of what made Midway so great.

3 weenies.

101 Unique Places to Dine in W.Va.

This list was published a few months ago and since then it has definitely increased my desire to go on food road trips around the state. But I quickly found out that some of the places on the list aren't so unique and some might be qualified as "unique" but also are not very good.

Somebody has started a new web site that asks for input on the subject in the form of comments, and you can also complain about who was left off of the list. I would encourage you to head over there and post your thoughts about the places on the list. Your insight might save a fellow diner a lot of gas money.

Also, from that same list, here are the hot dog joints included on it (the numbers and descriptions are from the WV Tourism site and should not be construed as any kind of ranking or official WVHotDogBlog.com commentary):

8. Blues BBQ 1109 Jefferson Rd., South Charleston (304) 744-8335 Blues is famous for its mouth-watering barbecue and ribs, smoked fresh daily right on the premises and served in a casual dining atmosphere. Or, choose from a variety of specialty salads and sandwiches, then top off your meal with a delicious hand-spun milkshake.

10. Burger Carte Rt. 60, Smithers (304) 442-2071 This favorite has been serving up homemade hot dog chili and slaw, hand-patted hamburgers, pretzel dogs, sea dogs, funnel fries and broccoli bites for 40 years.

23. Der Dog Haus 2000 E. Seventh St., Parkersburg (304) 422-7703 Hot dogs, Thursday night ribs, great veggie soup, nightly specials, sandwiches, salads and much more.

32. Fatbob’s Roadhouse Diner4924 MacCorkle Ave. SW (inside Harley-Davidson of WV), South Charleston (304) 768-1600 http://www.wvharley.com/Pull up a seat and enjoy the camaraderie of the employees at Fat Bob’s. They’re sure to make your dining experience fun and enjoyable..

39. Griffith and Feil Soda Fountain 1405 Chestnut St., Kenova(304) 453-4192 Hailing from the western gate of the Mountain State, Griffith and Feil Soda Fountain in Kenova serves a unique blend of fine food and West Virginia history.

45. Hillbilly Hotdogs Lesage, Huntington and Lavalette locations(304) 762-2458 http://www.hillbillyhotdogs.com/Hillbilly Hotdogs is famous for its “Homewrecker” and “The Doublewide.” The unique décor and friendly wait staff make your experience at Hillbilly Hotdogs one you’ll want to come back for.

48. Jim’s Drive In Rt. 60 West, Lewisburg(304) 645-2590 This drive-in restaurant with homemade food and curbside service has been in business for more than 50 years.. This family eatery specializes in mouth-watering barbecue and hot dog chili.

52. King Tut Drive-In301 N. Eisenhower Drive, Beckley (304) 252-6353 http://www.kingtutdrivein.com/You won’t want to miss this Beckley hot spot that was voted one of the “Top 55 Must See Places in WV” in 2004. The mouth-watering menu consists of pizza and sandwiches as well as full dinners – all of which you can either take home or eat right there in the car. Top your meal off with a slice of King Tut’s famous homemade pie.

53. Kirk’s 215 Main St., Hinton (304) 466-4600 If you’re in the mood for traditional pub fare, Kirk’s is the place to be. Kirk’s also offers a full list of imported and domestic beers and wines, as well as pool tables, dart boards and televisions to give you the “full pub experience.”

62. Mayberry’s Restaurant 1481 MacCorkle Ave., St. Albans(304) 722-2660 Step back in time at Mayberry’s Restaurant where you can have the “best Coke floats in town.” The clean, friendly staff will make your visit a happy one.

65. Morrison’s Drive Inn 126 Stolllings Ave., Logan (304) 752-9872 World famous hot dogs, homemade onion rings and a glimpse of curb girl Sally Wall all await you at Morrison’s Drive Inn. Sally’s been serving some of the best hot dogs in the state for almost 60 years and still works a full schedule. Morrison’s earned the designations of “No. 1 Hot Dog Chili” and “No. 1 Hot Dog in the State of WV” in 2007 from http://www.wvhotdogBlog.com/.

71. Pinnacle Drive Inn Pinnacle Avenue and Rt. 16, Pineville(304) 732-7785 This long-established Pineville eatery may be best known for its hoagies and hot dogs. The Pinnacle Drive Inn never ceases to draw first-time visitors as well as its loyal clientele.

84. The Fresh Seafood Company 800 Smith St., Charleston (304) 344-1905 http://www.capitolmarket.net/Capitol Market, an old train station that was converted to a farmers market in downtown Charleston, houses The Fresh Seafood Market. Known for the “big fish sandwich,” The Fresh Seafood Market is a must-visit location for any seafood lover.

89. The Parkette Old Rt. 50/Old Bridgeport Hill Rd., Clarksburg(304) 623-0155 The Parkette has been a Bridgeport/Clarksburg area staple since the 1950s. Enjoy what generations of locals have enjoyed: great Italian and diner food.

97. Top Spot Country Cookin’7139 Sissonville Drive, Sissonville (304) 984-2816 http://www.topspotcountrycookin.com/If country cooking is what you’re looking for, then head to Top Spot in Sissonville. Award-winning chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, baked steak, fried chicken and cornbread are all on the menu. The waitresses are very friendly, courteous and considerate and will accommodate changes in orders without question.

The West Virginia Hot Dog Trail - Hitting The Trail!

The West Virginia Hot Dog Trail is a publication of the WV Hot Dog Blog and will provide food and culture tourists with a literal roadmap with which to explore the state's best hot dog joints (HDJs). The Trail will be revealed in its entirety on National Hot Dog Day, July 21, but we'll be releasing highlights and snippets of the route every couple of days beginning July 15. This is the first post in this series:

The Trail Begins 

It is fitting that our journey begins at a place that is as far west as one can be in West Virginia without getting wet. Kenova was named for the three states that came together there -- Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia -- back before "West" (and way before "By God") was added. 

If you find yourself in Kenova, there is really only one place you can get a true West Virginia Hot Dog, and that is Griffith & Feil Soda Fountain. Technically there might be other places in town that sell hot dogs, but Griffith & Feil is by far the best, and one of the coolest hot dog joint (HDJ) spaces in the state. Its old-school soda fountain vibe adds something to its 4 1/2 Weenie hot dogs, and it's hard to add something to a bonafide 4.5 Weenie hot dog. It is simply not to be missed, and being so close to the border, we felt it was the perfect place to begin our special journey. 

Heading any direction other than east from Kenova will land you in a river, either the Ohio or the Big Sandy, so there's nowhere to go except east, which fortunately is the direction of our next stop: Huntington's Midway West Drive In. 

Midway is Huntington's best hot dog, bar none. Being served by super friendly car hops while you remain seated comfortably in your vehicle is icing on the cake (or should we say slaw on the hot dog?). Of course, this is Huntington, and so "sauce" is what you get on your hot dog (even though it would be called chili in most of the state) and that sauce is phenomenal in taste and texture, even if it could use a bit more spice. 

Next up, and not too far away, are the Utilitarian Dogs of Frostop. In full disclosure, we hesitated including this HDJ because their quality has been inconsistent over the years, but lately we've heard nothing but good reports -- good enough for a 4 Weenie ranking -- and there's nothing
better with a West Virginia hot dog than a big mug of root beer. We still wish that Frostop's root beer had actual frost on top, like the name implies, but we'll take it even if it is frost-free. 

As we take Hal Greer Boulevard to Interstate 64, we'll leave Huntington in our rearview mirror and head for the suburbs of Putnam County. There are better hot dogs ahead and few miles of digestion to go before our next stop. 

Next: The Burbs - Putnam County and the Lower Kanawha Valley 

HDJ Re-Review - Griffith & Feil - Kenova

Consistency is the hallmark of a great Hot Dog Joint, and something we value at the WV Hot Dog Blog, because when we give a place a good review and our readers go and have a bad hot dog, it reflects poorly on us. So we celebrate consistency whenever possible.

It could be argued that Griffith & Feil Pharmacy is the King of consistency in the WV Hot Dog world. After visiting last week I went back and read the original review we did 12 years ago and I really don't need to alter a single word. Still great chili, better slaw and fantastic atmosphere in which to enjoy a hot dog. Still 4 1/2 Weenies, mainly due to the weenie size to bun ratio that limits the amount of toppings that the dog can hold. We also wish they'd steam their buns.

So rather than write another review, we'll just link to the one from January 2007 and tell you  that it's still great and still worth a visit.

PS: Also, the best onion rings I have had in many, many years.

The 2022 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail - The Narrative

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Hot Dogs!

We're starting this year's West Virginia Hot Dog Trail in the Capital City, and there's no place in the heart of Charleston to get a better hot dog than Super Weenie.

First Stop: Super Weenie!

We love hot dog joints that are serious about hot dogs, and Super Weenie is very serious about hot dogs. In fact, it is their motto, printed on the door of the HDJ. You can't find a better, more authentically West Virginia hot dog anywhere. Chili is great, slaw is perfection and everything else is just great. You can get other styles of hot dogs at Super Weenie too, but who cares? 

There are other places in Charleston to get a good hot dog, and we'll come back to them at the end of our tour, but for now it's time to hit the road and up the river to Marmet. Chum's Hot Dogs is the only place to get authentic yellow slaw hot dogs. Yellow slaw is sweeter that the white kind. That sweetness means that it needs a spicier chili to really bring out the flavor. Chum's accomplishes this well. Better than anyone. Period.

Heading Down Through Coal Country

West Madison Grocery was the last HDJ to be added to our trail last year, and it remains one of the best surprises on our tour. The hot dogs at West Madison Grocery are surprisingly good. Don't be afraid of this tired-looking building or the slightly disheveled interior. The hot dogs are fantastic, and it is a good example of ho
w great things can come from unexpected places, especially country grocery stores that have been slinging chili and slaw for decades and just know how to do it right. This is one of those places, for sure. It's a great warm-up for what awaits another half-hour down Corridor G in Logan. 

Parkway Drive In is technically in Justice, not Logan, but it's the first of the great HDJs you will come to heading into town, and most Loganites seem to rank it third. But this is Logan, where even the third best hot dog is still better than 95% of the rest of the state's offerings. Seriously, we don't see how you can give a demerit to Parkway. as its hot dogs are well-crafted and delicious, with some of the sweetest slaw we've found. 

The Perfect Utilitarian Dog of Morrison's

Next up, what many consider the King of West Virginia Hot Dogs, Morrison's Drive Inn in Stollings.

While we've noticed some variation in the quality over the years, we always come back to Morrison's when asked where the best hot dog in the state can be found. It is simply perfect. Chili, slaw, steamed bun wrapped in cellophane, the whole thing is perfection. 

Let's continue on to Pineville and Pinnacle Drive Inn. Other than Morrison's, we have received more emails about Pinnacle than any other HDJ in southern WV. While we found the hot dogs to be good but not great, and they only offer New England Style buns, which is nontraditional, Pinnacle's legion of fans convinced us to include it as a stop on the trail. 

After leaving Pineville, we head over to Bluewell to find the most southern HDJ on The Trail, Lynn's Drive In. This Five-Weenie classic with "Lynn's Famous Chili" and slaw that is made with finely shredded cabbage instead of the normal grated kind. See? Wasn't that worth the drive?

National Park Hot Dogs

Next we're heading back north to the New River Gorge and our very own National Park. Well, maybe not in the Park per se, but close. The Hinton Dairy Queen is one of two Dairy Queens on our list. There is no disputing the immense popularity of this HDJ, and its fans are vocal and loyal. This is also the first time -- but not the last -- we'll encounter upside-down toppings with the slaw buried under the chili. We'll save the arguments for another day, but according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, cool toppings always go on top. The Hinton DQ also has one of the best dining room views of any HDJ in the state, so check it out. 

Leaving the Gorge and heading up on the plateau we find Beckley, which for a city its size has remarkably few good hot dogs and no great ones. But the one place worth going just for the atmosphere is King Tut Drive In, whose coolness overcomes the mediocre hot dog. It's not a bad hot dog, its just not a great hot dog, and we struggled with the decision to include it on this list again this year.

Hank's Last Stop, or Skyline Drive In

But just a hoot and a holler from Beckley is
Skyline Drive In, or as locals know it, "Hank's Last Stop." This little roadside HDJ in Hilltop has delicious hot dogs and some great Hank Williams memo
rabilia to honor its most famous decedent.  

Just a little further up the road, in Oak Hill, is one of the best hot dogs on the list. Tom's Carry Out in Oak Hill has been selling great hot dogs since the dawn of time, apparently. At least that is the impression we get from the hundreds of people who live or have lived in Oak Hill and have been eating Tom's hot dogs their entire lives. 

Heading north on Rt. 19, just across the New River Gorge Bridge lies the community of Lansing, and a short distance down Ames Heights Road is the Swiftwater General Store. An offshoot of Charleston's Swiftwater Cafe -- which has some of the best hot dogs in the capital city -- this location keeps up the tradition and provides visitors to the New River Gorge National Park with the chance to sample an authentic and delicious West Virginia hot dog. 

Northward!

Back on Rt. 19 and continuing north, the next great HDJ you'll find is Fat Eddies. The Mt. Nebo HDJ is spittin' distance from the Summersville Dam, and considered by many to be the best in the state. To be sure, Fat Eddies serves up a 5 Weenie classic that is as good as any we have found. The chili has a nice little spice and the slaw is nearly perfect in texture. Every part of this hot dog is perfect. 

Settle in for the next part of the trip, because it's a long and winding country road to The Custard Stand in Webster Springs. Maybe the most famous hot dog chili in West Virginia because of its owners' drive and gumption to have it sold by national retailers (they even appeared on the Shark Tank TV show pitching their chili to investors!), when it's found in its native habitat it's better than the packaged-for-store stuff, and the rest of their toppings are also great. 

One more stop on this leg of our journey to the center of the state, and that is The Spot. Now we're not sure where The Spot got its name, whether it is because it is almost the dead-center spot on the WV  state map, or whether it is very close to the spot where the Braxton County Monster was first sighted in 1952. Maybe it's because it is the spot to get excellent hot dogs. Who knows? All of those fit, but serving up consistently great hot dogs for years, it is definitely deserving of a spot on our list. 

Above The Slaw Line

As we move north through Lewis County and into Harrison, our trek will take us across The Slaw Line into a land where some people stubbornly refuse to accept the truth that the rest of us hold as self-evident: A true West Virginia Hot Dog always includes coleslaw. The main promulgators of this resistance are from Marion County, but their brainwashing efforts have reached down into Harrison County as well. Never fear though, there are HDJs that offer slaw -- and some of it quite good -- in this otherwise land of slawlessness. 

But before we actually cross the Slaw Line, we have a stop to make in Jane Lew. Flying Dogs is the first HDJ on our entire journey in which we will need to specially request coleslaw as an add-on. Located just a few miles south of the Slaw Line, it's not completely surprising that an "everything" dog does not include slaw. This is pretty normal for what we think of as kind of the Slaw Line DMZ - that gray area that extends for a few miles in each direction where slaw availability is unpredictable, but it is available and it is very good. We gave this hot dog a 4 1/2 Weenie rank even with having to ask for slaw; it's that good.

Ritzy Lunch

Back out on I79 and heading north, we'll cross the Slaw Line on our way to our next stop, Ritzy Lunch in downtown Clarksburg. You'll have to ask for slaw on their everything dog, but you won't get a side-eye for doing so. This venerable establishment knows what its customers like, and proudly serve up delicious slaw when out-of-towners show up for lunch. They pile it on, too, and the heft of their hot dogs is as good as anywhere we've reviewed. Just a great HDJ living dangerously on the slawless frontier. 

On the way back to I79, make a stop at T&L Hot Dogs in Bridgeport.  The great thing about T&L is that right there on their menu, even in the mostly slaw-denying Harrison County, is a "West Virginia Dog" with sauce (oh yeah, forgot to mention we're back in "sauce" territory), slaw, mustard and onions, just like God intended. 

Next up is Hometown Hot Dogs on the outskirts of Fairmont, in White Hall near the Middletown Mall. There are numerous Hometowns in North Central, but we've found this one to be the most consistent location. A word to the wise about Marion County sauce: Even the mild is spicy, so be careful ordering up. "Medium" is pretty darned hot by southern West Virginia standards. Of course, coleslaw helps moderate the heat, so make sure you ask for it. 

Moving on into Fairmont proper, our next stop is Woody's. One of Fairmont's favorite HDJs, Woody's -

Fairmont's Woody's -
Where Slaw Runs Free

-while optional and must be asked for -- offers coleslaw as a topping. While this must confound those Marion County anti-slaw purists, it is a welcome offering to the vast majority of West Virginians. Woody's sells great hot dogs in a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere. What more could we ask for? we were tempted to stop the Trail right here just to make a point with those anti-slaw activists, but we decided to take the high road. Which leads to Morgantown.

 For some reason, great HDJs just don't seem to last in Morgantown, but one exception is Town Hill Tavern, a watering hole at the top of Willey Street that proclaims "Best chili dogs in town" (see? We're back to chili!). On their menu is the "Mountaineer Dog" which has chili and slaw standard, but you'll have to specify mustard and onions to make it right. 

Under The Mason Dixon Line, Just Barely

From Morgantown we're going to venture into new territory this year. Heading northwest to the little town of Blacksville, we're going to make a stop at Weezer's Hot Dogs. Quite literally, this is the most north you can go in North Central West Virginia, and its hot dogs have a distinct northern flavor, but thankfully you can still get slaw on your chili dog. 

From Weezer's, the fastest way to our next official stop is north through Washington Pennsylvania, but let's instead take the low road through the town of Hundred so we can stay in the confines of our state. While in Hundred, we might suggest stopping at Dairy Dream, who serves hot dogs but we can't include them on the list because we've not tried them. Maybe someone can give us a report from the road.

So the next official stop is in Wheeling. Now we thought we'd never include a Wheeling HDJ on our list, because the city is culturally more Pennsylvania and Ohio than WV, but Tito's Sloppy Doggs changed our mind by putting a hot dog named "West Virginia" on their menu that has all the right fixin's. 

From Wheeling we'll head down the Ohio Valley to New Martinsville and Bigfoot Hot Dogs. Even with an upcharge for slaw -- a definite no-no for us -- we had to include this place for its uniqueness. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

We spent some time in the Parkersburg area recently trying to find HDJs worthy of inclusion this year. We like the hot dogs at Mr. Diggity in Vienna, and where else can you get a side of lobster bisque with your hot dog?

Of all the HDJs in Parkersburg proper, it was The Root Beer Shack that impressed us the most. The hot dogs were great, and washing them down with frosty frozen root beer is a definite plus. 

Pete's in Ripley 

From Parkersburg down to Ripley we go to visit Pete's Hot Dogs, a venerable old HDJ that has hands-down the best hot dogs in Jackson County. 

Next stop is in Mason County. Point Pleasant has a few HDJs to choose from, but the one the locals rave about is Tom Tom's. If you can catch them open, you'll want to grab a couple for the road, because the next stop is a ways down Rt. 2, all the way to Kenova.

On the way to Kenova, you will pass a place that looks like a junkyard that caters to negative stereotypes of Appalachian culture. They sell hot dogs there, but we recommend looking off to the right and keep driving. Much better hot dogs await. 

There is really only one place you can get a true West Virginia Hot Dog in Kenova, and that is Griffith & Feil Soda Fountain. Technically there might be other places in town that sell hot dogs, but Griffith & Feil is by far the best, and one of the coolest hot dog joint (HDJ) spaces in the state. Its old-school soda fountain vibe adds something to its 4 1/2 Weenie hot dogs, and it's hard to add something to a bonafide 4.5 Weenie hot dog. It is simply not to be missed.

Heading any direction other than east from Kenova will land you in a river, either the Ohio or the Big Sandy, so there's nowhere to go except east, which fortunately is the direction of our next stop: Huntington's Midway West Drive In.  Midway is Huntington's best hot dog, bar none. Being served by super friendly car hops while you remain seated comfortably in your vehicle is icing on the cake (or should we say slaw on the hot dog?). Of course, this is Huntington, and so "sauce" is what you get on your hot dog (even though it would be called chili in most of the state) and that sauce is phenomenal in taste and texture, even if it could use a bit more spice. 

Next up, and not too far away, are the Utilitarian Dogs of Frostop. There's nothing

better with a West Virginia hot dog than a big mug of root beer. We still wish that Frostop's root beer had actual frost on top, like the place in Parkersburg and as their name implies, but we'll take it even if it is frost-free. 

As we take Hal Greer Boulevard to Interstate 64, we'll leave Huntington in our rearview mirror and head for the suburbs of Putnam County. There are better hot dogs ahead and few miles of digestion to go before our next stop. 

Our next stop on the Trail is Farley's Famous Hot Dogs in Hurricane. The hot dogs at Farley's are delicious with sauce that is nearly the perfect texture and decent slaw to boot (oh, and this is the last time it'll be called "sauce" for a while - nothing but "chili" ahead). It's another drive-in with root beer, too so that's a bonus.

Next, we'll head on down Route 34 all the way to and through Winfield to stop at The Dairy Freeze. The Freeze (as locals call it) feature great tasting weenies and classic tasting Southern W.Va. hot dog chili (see, I told you it would be called "chili") with a little spice and a whole lotta taste. The slaw is a little coarse but tastes great. 

From Winfield we'll stay on the south side of the Kanawha River and travel down the road that used to be Rt. 35 to St. Albans and Bammy's Chili Dogs. Bammy's knows how to make a great WV hot dog. The spicy chili is perfectly balanced by excellent slaw; creamy and sweet and applied in perfect proportion.

Next we'll jump over the Nitro/St. Albans Bridge to the Nitro Dairy Queen, our second DQ on the trail. 

Leaving Nitro, we have one more stop before we breach the city limits of Charleston, and that is

Ridgeview BBQ in Institute. Located right across Rt. 25 from the WV State University Campus - this BBQ joint also offers great hot dogs with smoky chili. Time your visit well, though, since they aren't open weekends. 

Continuing on Rt. 25 into Charleston, the next HDJ you will encounter is the venerable Huskey's Dairy Bar. Huskey's has been selling delicious hot dogs on this corner for decades, and they are still just as good today. If you have room, make sure you get one of their famous chocolate shakes too. 

Hot Diggity Dog - Our final stop

You barely need to get back in the car to drive one block to the last stop on this year's West Virginia Hot Dog Trail, Hot Diggity Dogs. Take our advice, though, and don't get the yellow slaw. Their regular slaw is superior, and the yellow stuff pales in comparison with that you already tried at Chums. Hot Diggity Dogs hosts regular cruise-in events, so try to time your visit to coincide with one for a nostalgic atmosphere.

So that's it, Hot Dog fans. 38 Four or Five Weenie Hot Dog Joints in just a little over 800 miles. Sure you'll be tired, but shame on you if you are still hungry!

Click Here to see the entire West Virginia Hot Dog Trail Map on Google Maps

Click Here to see the Official 2022 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail Page with links to the map, driving directions and the complete list of Hot Dog Joints.

Belle HDJ Review - Mator's Family Grill

Sitting alongside DuPont Avenue just outside the Belle city limits is this little HDJ that seems to want to be a family restaurant but is essentially a sports bar with a family section. The inside, especially the sports bar section, is much nicer looking than is the exterior which is bland cinder block painted with bland colored paint.

I'm taking a complete guess here, but from the look of the decor in the interior of the family section I would imagine that Mator must have played football for the old DuPont High School since the place is covered with photos and memorabilia of people like Corky Griffith, Danny Williams and yes even Randy Moss. "Mator" sounds like an offensive lineman's name, doesn't it?

Hot dogs were listed on the menu and so I inquired as to what constituted "everything" and was predictably told chili, slaw, mustard, onions and ketchup. I say "predictably" because I am developing a new theory about the upper Kanawha Valley and its unexplainable attachment to the red stuff on hot dogs. Not sure why this is, but almost every HDJ between Malden and Montgomery seems to include it. Of course I asked them to hold mine.

The weenie was split and grilled and heavily salted. The chili was a good texture, but way too salty. The slaw was nicely creamy and tasted heavy of celery salt. The New England Style bun was grilled in what I can only imagine was salted butter. I'm not positive that the mustard wasn't salty, but by the time I paid attention to it my salt-sensing taste buds were overloaded.

So what I am trying to say with some subtlety, is that Mator's hot dogs are kind of salty.

I'll generously give Mator's a 3 Weenie score, only because I know that there are people out there who like their food much saltier than do I, and also because they have a picture of an old river tug boat that is named "Stanton".

The West Virginia Hot Dog Trail - The Complete List and Map

Click here for the complete map for the 2021 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail! 

If that doesn't work, copy this text into your browser:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1m9J7pIUTlpFKcXALBkWREeH3tZ7FhJdI&usp=sharing

Below is all the information on HDJs that you need to plan your trip. 

Please send us your pictures and stories from the road! 

Email us at WVHotDogs@gmail.com or post them to our Facebook Page.

Here's the list:

Griffith and Feil Drug 1401 Chestnut St, Kenova 

(304)453-5227
Mon-Sat 10am - 3pm, Sunday 12:30pm - 3:30pm
https://gfsodafountain.com

Midway West Drive In  445 6th Ave. W, Huntington

(304) 697-3644
Mon-Sat 10am - 8pm
https://midwaydriveinwv.com

Frostop Drive In 1449 Hal Greer Blvd, Huntington

(304) 523-6851
Mon-Sat 9am - 8pm, Sunday 10-3
https://www.facebook.com/Frostop-Drive-In-165888996796186

Farley's Famous Hot Dogs 201 Midland Trail, Hurricane,

(304) 562-7038
Mon-Sun 11am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Farleyshotdogshurricane

Winfield Dairy Freeze 3229 Winfield Rd, Winfield,

(304) 586-4410
Mon-Sun 10:30am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/WinfieldDairyFreeze

Bammy's 54 MacCorkle Ave, St. Albans

(304) 722-6220
Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 11am-5pm
https://www.facebook.com/bammyschilidogssa

Nitro Dairy Queen 3601 36th St, Nitro

(304) 755-4690
Sun-Sat 11am - 10Ppm
https://www.dairyqueen.com/en-us/locations/wv/nitro/3601-36th-st/415/

Ridgeview BBQ 5010 Fairlawn Ave Institute

(304) 400-4650
Mon-Fri 11am - 7pm
https://www.ridgeviewbbq.com

Huskey's Dairy Bar 2422 7th Ave, Charleston

(304) 342-6875
Mon-Fri 7am - 7pm, Sat 11am - 5pm
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Huskeys%20Dairy%20Bar/108120049229033

Hot Diggity Dogs 2313 7th Ave, Charleston

(304) 346-3647

Mon-Fri 10:30am - 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/HotDiggityDogsCharleston

Super Weenie 805 Quarrier St, Charleston

Mon-Fri 11am - 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/superweenieWV

Chum's Hot Dogs 8315 McCorkle Ave, Marmet

(304) 949-2486
Mon-Fri 10:30am - 6pm
https://www.facebook.com/ChumsHotdog

West Madison Grocery 302 Riverside Dr, Madison 

(304) 369-1500
Mon-Fri 5:30am-6pm, Sat 9am-4pm
https://www.facebook.com/westmadisongrocery

Parkway Drive In 401 Justice Ave, Logan

(304) 752-7703
Mon-Sat 8am-9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Parkway-Drive-In-233540399996268

Morrison's Drive Inn 126 Stollings Ave, Stollings

(304) 752-9872
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12pm-9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Morrisons-Drive-Inn-Offical-Site-114921678593024

Pinnacle Drive Inn 88 Pinnacle Ave, Pineville 

(304) 732-7785
Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 12pm-6pm
https://www.facebook.com/pinnacledriveinn

Lynn's Drive Inn 3705 Coal Heritage Rd, Bluewell

(304) 589-6279
Mon-Sat 9am - 9:50pm, Sunday 11am-9:50pm
https://www.facebook.com/Lynns-Drive-Inn-238419363026848

Dairy Queen State Hwy 3, Hinton

(304) 466-1700
Sun-Sat 7am-10pm
https://www.facebook.com/DQ12566

King Tut Drive-In 301 N Eisenhower Dr, Beckley

(304) 252-6353
Thu-Tue 10:30am-11pm
http://kingtutdrivein.com

Tom's Carry Out 554 Jones Ave, Oak Hill

(304) 469-6260
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
https://tomschili.com

Swiftwater General Store - New River 464 Ames Heights Road, Lansing

(304) 900-1000
Mon-Sun 8am-8pm
https://www.facebook.com/pepperonirollwv

Fat Eddie's 2243 Summersville Lake Rd, Mt. Nebo

(304) 872-0788
Sun-Sat 11am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/FatEddiesAtTheDam

The Custard Stand 51 S Main St, Webster Springs

(304) 847-7774
Sun-Sat 11am-10pm
https://custardstand.com/restaurant/webster-springs-west-virginia

The Spot Dairy Bar 922 Gauley Turnpike, Flatwoods

(304) 765-7466
Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
https://www.facebook.com/FlatwoodsWvTheSpot

Flying Dogs 6009 Main St, Jane Lew

(304) 884-7249
Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7am-4pm
https://www.facebook.com/FlyingDogsJaneLew

Ritzy Lunch 456 W Pike St, Clarksburg 

(304) 622-3600
Mon-Sat 7am-3pm
http://www.ritzylunch.com

Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs,1202 E. Pike St, Clarksburg

(304) 622-3994
Sun-Sat 10am-9pm
https://www.tandlhotdogs.com/clarksburg-wv-old-bridgeport-hill

Hometown Hotdogs 37 Middletown Rd, Fairmont 

(304) 367-0143
Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-3pm
https://www.facebook.com/Hometown-Hotdogs-367511880217

Woodys Restaurant 801 Morgantown Ave, Fairmont

(304) 366-4009
Mon-Sat 10am-6;30pm, Sun 11am-5:30pm
https://www.facebook.com/Woodys-Restaurant-111658262206301

Town Hill Tavern 998 Willey St, Morgantown

(304)284-8104
Mon-Sat 11am-2am
https://www.townhilltavern.com

Wallzy's Hotdogs 512 Ashebrooke Square, Morgantown

(304) 435-3445
Sun-Sat 11am-8pm
https://www.facebook.com/WalzzysHotdogs

WVHotDogBlog.com 2007 Weenie Awards Honorable Mentions

As part of the 2007 Weenie Awards, a few special honorable mentions need to be brought up. Chris discusses the Huntingon HDJs, while Stanton has the Charleston and At-Large beat covered: Huntington Area

• Hillbilly Hot Dog was a close runner-up for both the best sauce and best HDJ and was also in the running for best hot dog. Look for them to rack up some silverware in 2008.
• That lil' pharmacy in Kenova, Griffith & Feil, really impressed WVHotDogBlog.com. and quite possibly would have been the best HDJ for "WV At Large" if it weren't solidly in the Greater Huntington region.
• Frostop's root beer also deserves special commendation for being the best beverage served at a HDJ or any other sort of restaurant in the known universe.

Charleston Area

• Clendenin Dairy Queen is the best DQ I have found anywhere. If it were 5 miles further from Charleston it would have been judged as an "At Large", but it probably wouldn't have made a difference since it still would have been beaten by Morrison's.
• Hillbilly Gourmet would win hands-down if there was a category for best hot dog cart, and not only becuase they are the only cart currently operating in Charleston. Their hot dogs are great, but a mobile cart has too many limitations to seriously contend with real restaurants with coolers and bun steamers. Maybe next year.

W. Va. At Large

• Hanks Deli - Here's a lone outpost in Marion County that should be rewarded for having the courage to boldly go where no Fairmont HDJ has gone before: Slaw as a standard item on their great hot dogs.

We received so many great recommendations this year but we couldn't get to all of them because of time and distance. I'd bet that a few of them will be contenders next year.

Well, there you have it: The Second Annual WVHotDogBlog.com Weenie Awards is in the book. Our congratulations to all the winners. Here is the list one more time:

Best Chili/Sauce

Greater Charleston - Skeenie's Hot Dogs

Greater Huntington - Sam's Hot Dog Stand, Piedmont Road

At Large - Morrison's Drive Inn, Logan

Best Slaw

Greater Charleston- The Swiftwater Cafe, Washington Street

Greater Huntington - Austin's Homemade Ice Cream - Ceredo

At Large - T&L Hot Dogs, Buckhannon

Best Hot Dog Joint

Greater Charleston - Chris' Hot Dogs, West Washington St.

Greater Huntington - Dairy Belle, Chesapeake, OH

At Large - D.J.'s 50's and 60's Diner, Fairmont Best Hot Dog

Greater Charleston - Romeo's Grill, South Charleston

Greater Huntington - Sam's Hot Dog Stand, 8th Street

At Large - Morrison's Drive Inn, Logan

St. Albans HDJ Review - OSKEES Family Restaurant

OSKEES Family Restaurant is a recent addition to the Kanawha Valley. Sitting alongside MacCorkle Avenue in the very same space where Mayberry's began, this little restaurant claims to have "comfort food with a twist." The menu has some interesting looking sandwiches and entrees, but obviously I wasn't after any of those. I walked in and picked up a menu and my eyes quickly found not only a hot dog, but a whole hot dog section! They have a regular dog, a foot long, a New England Style and a big 'ol hot dog with kraut and other strange toppings. The section heading brags that OSKEES has home made chili and slaw. This is a serious HDJ!

I settled for the regular dog which has chili, slaw, mustard, onions and ketchup. I had a strong urge to lecture my waitress on the inappropriateness of the red stuff, but I held my tongue. Instead I just ordered my dogs without it. Since it was dinnertime I went all out and got two dogs and an order of onion rings.

While I waited on my order I had a chance to look around and see how the place was decorated. In its Mayberry days it was all decked out in a 50's motif and had a television in the corner that played Andy Griffith Show DVDs non-stop. The TV is gone and a boombox now sits on the TV wall mounting bracket. Miscellaneous stuff is stuck to the walls and one entire wall seems to be dedicated to grade school writing papers. I tried to discern from the decor where the name "OSKEES" came from, but apart from a set of old snow skis on the wall I saw nothing that could explain it.

It seems that the name "OSKEES" is always printed in caps, so it could be "O'Skee's" or an acronym formed by the first initial of the names of the owners. It's really hard to tell.

While I was pondering this, my hot dogs arrived and they flanked the most gorgeous order of onion rings you can imagine. The tasted as good as they looked. But that' not why I came, was it?

The first thing I noticed was the deep brown color of the chili. This is a trademark of a cook that is serious about hot dogs, and with my first bite I knew that these were serious hot dogs. The chili was utterly delicious. I have been trying to come up with words to describe the flavor, but I simply can't describe it. It is rich, meaty, complex but only a tiny bit spicy. The flavor is so good that I would not be surprised to find out they had ground up a New York strip for the meat.

The slaw, while a little more coarsely chopped than I typically like, was creamy and flavorful. It was just slightly sweet and worked perfectly, I mean perfectly, with the chili. This is a hot dog put together by a hot dog lover that knows how to cook! Add a nicely steamed bun to the mix and you have a really good hot dog. But...

I have often written that we West Virginians don't care as much about the weenie as our hot dog colleagues in other parts of the country. I've even said that great chili and slaw can't be ruined by a bad weenie. Well, the weenie keeps this hot dog from a Five-Weenie rating from me. It was a small caliber frank, waterlogged from being kept in a pot of water no doubt. Perhaps because it was late in the day, but the weenie was yucky. No chili and slaw could completely overcome it, but OSKEES chili and slaw comes close. I'm going to give it a 4 1/2 Weenie rank in spite of the substandard wiener.

The 2022 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail

It's Here! The 2022 edition of the West Virginia Hot Dog Trail is live. 

Starting and ending in the Capital City, Charleston, the route takes you to 38 of the best Hot Dog Joints in West Virginia in over 800 miles of driving through the beautiful Mountain State! 

Click here to go to the map in Google Maps

Here is this year's list in driving order. Hours and websites are based on published information and not guaranteed to be accurate:

Super Weenie
805 Quarrier St, Charleston
304) 410-0364
Mon-Fri 11am- 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/superweenieWV

Chum's Hot Dogs
8315 McCorkle Ave, Marmet
(304) 949-2486
Mon-Fri 10:30am - 6pm
https://www.facebook.com/ChumsHotdog

West Madison Grocery
302 Riverside Dr, Madison
(304) 369-1500
Mon-Fri 5:30am-6pm, Sat 9am-4pm
https://www.facebook.com/westmadisongrocery/

Parkway Drive In
401 Justice Ave, Logan
(304) 752-7703

Mon-Sat 8am-9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Parkway-Drive-In-233540399996268/

Morrison's Drive Inn
126 Stollings Ave, Stollings
(304) 752-9872
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12pm-9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Morrisons-Drive-Inn-Offical-Site-114921678593024/

Pinnacle Drive Inn
88 Pinnacle Ave, Pineville
(304) 732-7785
Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 12pm-6pm
https://www.facebook.com/pinnacledriveinn

Lynn's Drive Inn
3705 Coal Heritage Rd, Bluewell
(304) 589-6279,"Mon-Sat 9am - 9:50pm, Sunday 11am-9:50pm
https://www.facebook.com/Lynns-Drive-Inn-238419363026848

Hinton Dairy Queen
State Hwy 3,Hinton
(304) 466-1700

Sun-Sat 7am-10pm
https://www.facebook.com/DQ12566/

King Tut Drive-In
301 N Eisenhower Dr, Beckley
(304) 252-6353

Thu-Tue 10:30am-11pm
http://kingtutdrivein.com/

Skyline Drive In
6329 Legends Hwy, Oak Hill
(304) 469-1025,Mon-Sat 10:00-9:00
No Website

Tom's Carry Out
554 Jones Ave,Oak Hill
(304) 469-6260

Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
https://tomschili.com/

Swiftwater General Store - New River
464 Ames Heights Road, Lansing
(304) 900-1000

Mon-Sun 8am-8pm
https://www.facebook.com/pepperonirollwv

Fat Eddie's
2243 Summersville Lake Rd, Mt. Nebo
(304) 872-0788
Sun-Sat 11am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/FatEddiesAtTheDam

The Custard Stand
51 S Main St, Webster Springs
(304) 847-7774
Sun-Sat 11am-10pm
https://custardstand.com/restaurant/webster-springs-west-virginia/

The Spot Dairy Bar
922 Gauley Turnpike, Flatwoods
(304) 765-7466
Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
https://www.facebook.com/FlatwoodsWvTheSpot/

Flying Dogs
6009 Main St, Jane Lew
(304) 884-7249
Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7am-4pm
https://www.facebook.com/FlyingDogsJaneLew/

Ritzy Lunch
456 W Pike St, Clarksburg
(304) 622-3600
Mon-Sat 7am-3pm
http://www.ritzylunch.com/

Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs
1202 E. Pike St, Clarksburg
(304) 622-3994,

un-Sat 10am-9pm
https://www.tandlhotdogs.com/clarksburg-wv-old-bridgeport-hill/

Hometown Hot Dogs

37 Middletown Rd, Fairmont

(304) 367-0143

https://www.facebook.com/Hometown-Hotdogs-367511880217/

Woodys Restaurant 
801 Morgantown Ave, Fairmont
(304) 366-4009
Mon-Sat 10am-6;30pm, Sun 11am-5:30pm
https://www.facebook.com/Woodys-Restaurant-111658262206301/

Town Hill Tavern
998 Willey St, Morgantown
(304)284-8104

Mon-Sat 11am-2am
https://www.townhilltavern.com/

Weezer's Hot Dog Shop
5992 Mason Dixon Hwy, Blacksville
(304) 432-8187,

Tues-Saturday 10:30-4:00
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057396012188

Tito's Sloppy Doggs
1068 Market Street, Wheeling
(304) 650-6252
Mon-Fri 8-3
https://www.facebook.com/titossloppydoggs

Bigfoot Hot Dogs
520 3rd St, New Martinsville
(304) 455-4441
Sun-Sat 9-5
https://www.facebook.com/people/WV-Original-Bigfoot-Hotdogs/100057627391891/

Mr Diggity
2904 Grand Central Ave, Vienna
(304) 295-3320
Tues-Saturday 10:30-3:00
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063670445168

The Root Beer Shack
1420 Staunton Ave, Parkersburg
(304) 420-1180
Tues-Saturday 11:00-4:00
https://www.facebook.com/TheRootBeerShack

Pete's Hotdogs
230 S Church St, Ripley
(304) 372-4068
Mon-Sat 10:30 - 4:00
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057773825254

Tom Tom's
2407 Jackson Ave, Pt. Pleasant
304-857-6526
Mon-Sat 10:00-8:00
https://www.facebook.com/tomsnurserythompson

Griffith and Feil Drug
1401 Chestnut St, Kenova
(304)453-5227
Mon-Sat 10am - 3pm, Sunday 12:30pm - 3:30pm
https://gfsodafountain.com/

Midway West Drive In
445 6th Ave. W, Huntington
(304) 697-3644,Mon-Sat 10am - 8pm
https://midwaydriveinwv.com/

Frostop Drive In
1449 Hal Greer Blvd, Huntington
(304) 523-6851
Mon-Sat 9am - 8pm, Sunday 10-3
https://www.facebook.com/Frostop-Drive-In-165888996796186/

Farley's Famous Hot Dogs
201 Midland Trail, Hurricane,
(304) 562-7038,
Mon-Sun 11am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Farleyshotdogshurricane/

Winfield Dairy Freeze
3229 Winfield Rd, Winfield
(304) 586-4410
Mon-Sun 10:30am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/WinfieldDairyFreeze/

Bammy's 
54 MacCorkle Ave, St. Albans
(304) 722-6220
Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 11am-5pm
https://www.facebook.com/bammyschilidogssa/

Nitro Dairy Queen
3601 36th St,Nitro
(304) 755-4690
Sun-Sat 11am - 10Ppm
https://www.dairyqueen.com/en-us/locations/wv/nitro/3601-36th-st/415/

Ridgeview BBQ
5010 Fairlawn Ave,Institute
(304) 400-4650
Mon-Fri 11am - 7pm

https://www.ridgeviewbbq.com/

Huskey's Dairy Bar
2422 7th Ave, Charleston

(304) 342-6875
Mon-Fri 7am - 7pm, Sat 11am - 5pm
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Huskeys%20Dairy%20Bar/108120049229033/

Hot Diggity Dogs
2313 7th Ave,Charleston
(304) 346-3647
Mon-Fri 11am - 5pm
https://www.facebook.com/HotDiggityDogsCharleston

Hot Dogs and the Fourth of July

Perhaps there is nothing more American than the idea of eating hot dogs on the Fourth of July, but every hot dog joint I know of is closed today. I guess I'll have to revert to home made or abstain. All things considered I prefer abstinence.

An old Andy Griffith Show comes to mind: The Pickle Contest. In this classic episode Aunt Bea is determined to win the Mayberry Pickle Contest even though she makes the worst pickles ever. They are so bad that Barney and Andy go to enormous lengths to keep her from entering her "Kerosene Cucumbers" (as Barney calls the pickles behind Aunt Bea's back) into the contest. Andy makes a very wise observation about home made pickles and says he can't figure out why people go to all the trouble making pickles when store-bought pickles taste better. Home made doesn't necessarily mean better.

And so it is with hot dogs. You can make a good West Virginia hot dog at home, but it is extremely time consuming. And since the National Hot Dog Council's Hot Dog Etiquette guide says that you should finish a hot dog in five bites or less, it's hardly worthwhile to spend hours making chili and slaw just to wolf down your creation in thirty seconds.

It's also expensive to make your own: Unless you are feeding a small army the economics of buying eight buns, ten weenies, a pound of ground beef and a head of cabbage just don't make sense. A premium hot dog at a good HDJ costs about $1.50. To buy the raw materials in the minimum packaged amounts costs a good $6-7 not counting the incidentals you should have on hand (mustard, mayo, spices, etc.).

Of course there is always the possibility of reverting to the hot dogs of my childhood. There is something charming about roasting a weenie on a stick over an open fire and slapping the charred and whistling little frank onto a bun straight out of the Heiner's bag and chomping into it while it is still sizzling. No chili. No slaw. No mustard or onions. Maybe some ketchup for nostalgia's sake but otherwise plain. If the festivities today involve an open fire I just just might indulge.

Charleston Area Hot Dog Joints - Mayberry's in St. Albans

Mayberry's started out in a little storefront location along MacCorkle Avenue near the St. Albans Mall. It seemed very successful in this spot but about eight months ago it moved to a much more obscure location on Sixth Avenue. I'm not sure how well they are doing in the new spot, but the new building has the same old charm - and I mean old.

It's called Mayberry's, I presume, to evoke the image of the idyllic fictional town of the old Andy Griffith TV Show, which by the way plays continuously on the wall-mounted TV in the restaurant. Nostalgia reigns supreme with old fashioned ice-cream parlor equipment, signs and Coca-Cola logos on nearly everything in the place. It is a very nice, clean and friendly place.

The hot dogs are also a throwback to simpler times. The sweet chili is just like grandma used to make. The excellent sweet cole slaw has a slight yellow tint and is piled high and the sweet onions on top add up to a hot dog that is, well, sweet! The weenies are good and the buns are toasted. I uncharacteristically ate inside the restaurant, mainly because it is a very nice place to spend some time, so I can't report how the "to go" dogs are packaged.

In the new location Mayberry's seems to have graduated from an ice cream shop to a real restaurant. Now in addition to fast food and sandwiches they also offer such things as steak and chicken alfredo. I wouldn't be surprised if all of their food is excellent because they seem to really care about quality.

If you find yourself in St. Albans you should at least stop for an ice cream.