Gray's Papaya

The dish: Hot dogs
While hot dog carts can be found throughout the five boroughs, typically, they’re strategically located in tourist-heavy areas. For the majority of residents here, hot dogs are often relegated as a warm weather bite for sports stadiums, cookouts, 4th of July, and the beach. But when a craving for a good frank comes throughout the year, head to Gray’s Papaya, a family owned and operated business since 1974 that’s a hit across all spectrums of locals. The most popular order is the Recession Special, a deal that’s been running for more than 35 years. The price was $1.95 throughout the ‘90s, but currently it will set you back $6.95, and comes with two Franks and a medium sized tropical drink in flavors like Banana, Coconut, Papaya, or Piña Colada.