A natural-casing pork and veal frank with no added red dye, grilled until charred. Zweigle's has produced white hots in Rochester since 1880. The canonical protein on a Garbage Plate.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Zweigle's was founded in Rochester in 1880 by the Zweigle family. The white hot, made from pork and veal without the red nitrate dye used in standard beef hot dogs, became the Rochester-specific style. The product is not fully cooked during processing, which means it requires proper grilling. Zweigle's also produces a red hot (natural beef casing), but the white hot is what put Rochester on the hot dog map.
Common allergens: None
Tip from the editors. Do not steam or boil. Grilling is the only acceptable method for white hots; steaming loses the snap.
Nick Tahou Hots on W. Main St in Rochester serves the original trademarked Garbage Plate for under $10, one of the best cheap meals in Upstate New York.
Tip: A two-item plate runs $8-$10 depending on protein. White hots, cheeseburgers, or eggs over the top. Cash preferred. Closed Mondays.
Dogtown on Monroe Ave in Rochester serves 18 gourmet hot dog varieties for under $6 each on locally-baked rolls, with handcut fries for a filling budget meal.
Tip: Most dogs are under $6. Handcut fries are an additional $3-4. Closed Sundays. The German-style frank with mustard and sauerkraut is the fastest order.
Genesee Brew House on Cataract St is the pilot taproom for Genesee Brewing (est. 1878), America's oldest continuously operating brewery, with river views.
Tip: Second-floor dining room has the best river view. The pilot batch section of the tap list changes weekly. Museum space covers the brewery's history since 1878.
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