Hot dogs, like pizza, are a blank canvas for flavor. The early red hots were cheap eats, sometimes topped with mustard. Soon after their arrival, the the hot dog began evolving. There are well-known classics like the Chicago hot dog topped with relish and pickles and a side salad, and lesser known hot dogs like New Jersey’s Italian hot dog. And of course on Coney Island, Nathan’s Famous made hot dogs the flavor of summer. Today I’m here to talk about the Texas Weiner, a north Jersey original– or is it?

The Texas Weiner os a popular hot dog style centered around Paterson, New Jersey. The first was served in the pre-war years, allegedly invented in 1924 before it was popularized by another shop, Libby’s. There’s no shortage of hot dog stands and styles across north Jersey, but the Texas Weiner is local to Paterson and the surrounding Passaic County Suburbs. The typical recipe is a deep fried dog topped with onions, mustard, and thin chili.

Libby’s is the Johnny Appleseed of Hot Texas Weiners in the greater Paterson area with former employees launching numerous restaurants around Passaic County. Johnny and Hanges was opened in 1939 in Paterson by two men who worked at Libby’s. But there was also, Olympic Grill and Falls View Grill in the same Paterson neighborhood as Libby’s also started by former employees. And soon the Hot Grill followed in Clifton, founded by a fry cook who had worked at Falls View.

But while Texas Weiner joints can be traced back toLibby’s, the restaurant isn’t credited with actually creating the Texas Weiner. Chris Betts, who had operated the Olympic Grill across the street from Libby’s, is cited in several places for pinpointing the origin of the Texas Weiner. Betts claims a Greek gentleman who owned a hot dog stand created the hot dog recipe in 1924. In this version of the story, the mysterious Greek created the thin chili sauce drawing from various Greek spices.

Here’s where things don’t necessarily line up. While a Hot Texas Weiner may have been invented in Paterson, New Jersey, there are other sources that pre-date its existence in western New York state and Pennsylvania. A 1920 newspaper ad in Olean, New York advertises Texas Hot Weiners, touting “Something new in Olean” and promises “Specializing in hot wieners.” Another ad from Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1919, advertises Texas Hot Weiners. Another in Oil City, Pennsylvania describes them as “hot wieners with Mexican Chili Con carne,” available at the Texas Hot Weiner Shop.

Along these lines, Texas Hot Lunch in Kane, Pennsylvania, has a chili-topped hot dog called a Texas Hot, using a family recipe dating from 1914. There’s no original source evidence of this such as a dated newspaper ad, but it is hard to argue with a family-owned business that cites the year their famous recipe appears on the menu.

The Texas Hot Weiners appear to differ from the Paterson Hot Texas Weiner in one way – the cooking style. The progeny derived from Paterson are deep fried, similar to the “rippers” from New Jersey’s famous Rutt’s Hut. But otherwise, these alternative versions of the Texas Weiner are essentially the same thing.

However, each of these places has something else in common: Greek immigrants. According to Altoona’s Texas Hot Dogs, founder Peter George was born in Greece. Texas Hot Lunch in Kane was founded by James T. Bechakas, a Greek immigrant. And The Texas Hot in Wellsville was founded by Greek immigrants, Jim Rigas and George Raptis.

Is it possible then that another, now anonymous Greek, invented a similar hot dog in Paterson? Sure. The early 1920s saw many hot dog stands opening across the country. Hot dogs were cheap and versatile. Even the idea of topping them with chili isn’t unique. Nathan’s simply called it a chili dog. Elsewhere they’re called a Coney, perhaps a nod to Nathan’s. But none of this explains why a number of Greek-owned hot dog stands in the industrial northeast all have a Hot Texas Weiner. As a 1922 newspaper describes the spread of Texas Weiners to Harrisburg, “Just why they call them Texas Weiners, we are unable to fathom. Perhaps it is because the innocent bystander can smell the onion all the way to Texas.”

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A look at behind the counter at Johnny and Hanges. There’s a small window open to the kitchen

I took the train to New Jersey to visit my parents. I suggested we stop for lunch on the way back to their house. Johnny and Hanges is now a short drive from Radburn Station in Fair Lawn, their new restaurant, now almost three decades old. The Paterson location closed in 1998, shortly after this new spot opened. The restaurant, just off state highway 208, is a mere mile from the original location, but feels much further.

My father has long been the fan of Johnny and Hanges Texas Weiner. In his youth, he served on the Glen Rock Volunteer Fire squad with Hangie. “Hange” would bring the Texas sauce and hot dogs to the fire house frequently. Also, according to my father, when Hange sold the restaurant, he refused to give away the secret recipe for the sauce. Instead, he was contracted to make the chili in large batches, never intending to divulge the secret.

The interior dining room of Johnny and Hanges

Today, the interior of the “new” restaurant looks like a throwback to a midcentury grill, with a touch of Italian bistro. It’s north Jersey, so even a hot dog stand has a little bit of Italian in it, like the cannolis available for dessert and alter behind the counter with a statue of the Virgin Mary.

We ordered a feast. Fries are the traditional side dish, but I like onion rings too. My father ordered a thick chocolate shake. Who was I to argue with an expert, so I ordered one too. The shakes are thick and gloppy and made with real ice cream.

The onion rings are made with real whole onion slices

I have a soft spot for onion rings. These are crispy and mostly adhere to the batter when you bite into them.

All the Way Texas Weiners

I ordered my dogs All The Way. Working the kitchen requires understanding a complicated system of codewords to signify different orders. All the way includes the mustard, onions, and chili. Other options include sauerkraut, relish, and fried onions.

The menu here includes burgers and a number of subs. Chicken parmigiana is another nod to north Jersey’s Italian American heritage, and another under-the-radar sandwich is the hot roast beef with brown gravy.

One other item of note here, since this is New Jersey. Though they are not listed as disco fries, you can get fries with cheese and gravy.

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I’ve stopped by a few times on my own. Back in 2023 while I researching the Italian hot dog, I stopped in for a quick bite. The Italian Hot Dog is another New Jersey specialty dog created in Newark about the same time as the Texas Weiner. The Italian hot dog include fried potatoes, peppers, and typically two hot dogs.

An Italian hot dog from Johnny and Hanges topped with potatoes and peppers

In Newark, the bun is a unique Sicilian round bread, but Johnny and Hanges simply served it on a hero roll. The Italian hot dog though remains unique to New Jersey and is disappearing from the culinary lexicon as the stands that once made them close.

Hot dog joints across New Jersey — across the country, really — have been closing. There’s a lot of reasons the hot dog has fallen out of favor. There a new trends, like smash burgers and hot chicken sandwiches and vegetarian fast food. But also many of these old hot dog stands have owners who are retiring or looking to get out with no heir to take on the business.

Johnny and Hanges retains that classic mid-century hot dog stand feeling. The food is good and fresh and still relatively affordable. I just hope a new generation of north Jersyans can find it as appealing.

Johnny and Hanges

23-20 Maple Ave
Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Website

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