This Restaurant May Serve The Best Hot Dogs In All Of New York

In a city with thousands of hot dog carts and restaurants with hot dogs on the menu, choosing the best frank in New York City seems like an impossible task. However, there's one restaurant that repeatedly tops all of the lists; it was even among Anthony Bourdain's favorite spots to eat and drink in the city. Gray's Papaya, which has operated and remained a New York City staple since 1973, is known for its iconic papaya-style dogs — and it's absolutely worth a try on your next trip to the Big Apple.

Located in the Upper West Side of New York City, Gray's Papaya is one of a handful of NYC restaurants serving papaya-style hot dogs. Although Gray's did not invent the papaya-style hot dog concept — that was Papaya King, another legendary NYC favorite — it is frequently cited as being the best iteration in the city, as well as the best hot dog in general. The name comes from the traditional food pairing of these savory dogs with a sweet and tropical papaya juice, although Gray's hot dogs are delicious with or without the fruity beverage. 

Gray's Papaya uses thin Marathon all-beef hot dogs, and instead of being steamed or grilled, they are cooked on the griddle. Griddling hot dogs might be an unconventional way to cook them, but it gives them a great flavor, crunch, and char that customers absolutely love. They have an excellent snap to them, too, which is essential to any good hot dog. And for toppings, you can order your favorite combination of ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut, onions, relish, chili, or cheese.

For decades, customers have loved Gray's Papaya not just for its delicious dogs, but also for its prices. It's a great place to go when you don't want to spend a fortune at a fancy sit-down restaurant; one hot dog with toppings goes for $3.25, but the specials are where you'll get the most bang for your buck. 

The Recession Special is, perhaps, the most beloved and well-known special on the menu. This was Anthony Bourdain's go-to order at Gray's, and it comes with two hot dogs and a medium tropical drink. He always ordered the hot dogs with mustard and sauerkraut, along with a papaya juice, and this is an excellent pick if you're undecided on what to order on your first visit. While it once cost under $2, today, you can purchase the Recession Special for $7.50, tax included. 

According to one Reddit user, Gray's Papaya serves the "best hot dogs on earth," while another Redditor writes that it "gets everything right." Of course, taste is entirely subjective — but that just means that you need to try them for yourself to see whether or not Gray's hot dogs are everything they're made out to be. Even though it's not open 24 hours a day like it once was, its doors are open seven days a week. If you find yourself looking for a quick midday lunch or a late-night comfort meal, eating a griddled hot dog from Gray's is a serious rite of passage you must experience on your next trip to the city.