It’s all about wurst with The Best Hot Dogs From Each of the 50 States from First We Feast. After a quick history of hot dogs, writers Bruce Kraig and Hawk Krall allowed for various meat varieties for inclusion with and “eye towards those places that best represented local traditions”.

With at least six different hot dog styles in the state, each with their own competing outlets, it was hard for the two to make a decision, however they went with the “most original”: the Italian hot dog. Created by the Racioppi family in 1930s Newark for their factory worker friends, this signature dog is a tribute to multi-ethnic, urban America.

This deep fried all-beef sausage is set in a specially made half-moon shaped bun, then covered in mustard and loaded with fried green pepper strips, onions, and fried sliced potatoes – the best being at Jimmy Buff’s in West Orange.

Jimmy Buff’s
60 Washington Street
West Orange, NJ
Website

[photo source: Yelp]