The **Italian Hot Dog** is a New Jersey gem that's as polarizing as it is overstuffed. Invented in 1932 in Newark by Jim "Buff" Racioppi, the core features are as follows:

* A fried, all-beef frank (typically [Best's](https://bestprovision.com))
* Fried potatoes, onions, and peppers, with mustard and often ketchup
* Served in a "pizza bread", a quartered (for a single) or halved (for a double) circular roll made of pizza dough and shaped like a fat bagel. 

These hot dogs are usually fork-and-knife affairs, and in some ways resemble a sausage and pepper street sandwich more than a typical hot dog. 

The original and iconic option is [Jimmy Buff's](https://www.jimmybuffs.com/display.php?page=home), which retains two locations in West Orange and in Kenilworth. Open 7 days a week, JB's has been sourcing their franks from Best's since they started making hot dogs, and uses pizza bread from Sorrento Baker. 

[Tommy's](https://www.facebook.com/TommysItalianSausageHotDogs/) is another great IHD stop, located in Elizabeth since 1969 near other local icon Jerry's. They serve their potatoes as fat, scalloped slices, and pack so many into a double that the bread bursts. Total fork-and-knife situation, and some of the nicest owners I've ever met. 

Rounding out North Jersey, [Dickie Dee's](https://www.dickiedees.net) in Newark has operated in the Upper Roseville neighborhood since the 1950s and fries their franks and toppings in peanut oil, giving a notably less greasy experience than some of the other IHD's out there. I loved how perfectly browned the potatoes here were. 

The style shifts farther South in the state. While die-hards will hold that a true Italian Hot Dog has to be served on a pizza roll, Trenton-style IHD's are served on hoagie rolls and typically don't have onions. Also known as "Casino Dogs" for the restaurant that invented them, the longest running purveyor is probably [Ray's Market ](https://raysmarketcafe.com)in the Trenton Farmer's Market. My favorite is at [Jeppy's II](https://jeppyspizza.com), a small family-run pizza shop in Hamilton, NJ. With garlic-forward Nathan's beef franks and a long sub roll, this substyle is far easier to eat handheld than the traditional Newark variant. 

Finally, there's nonconformists in the style that deserve mention too. [Maui's Dog House](https://www.mauisdoghouse.com) in North Wildwood NJ breaks almost every Italian Hot Dog rule but does it so superbly that it'd be a terrible omission. Starting with a super premium beef-pork-veal frank from [Hofmann](https://hofmannsausage.com), they crank up the fancy with a white-wine deglaze, perfectly fried potatoes, and a sprinkle of sharp provolone. It is truly remarkable. 

Whether you want a Newark original, an easier-to-eat Trenton variant, or a fancied-up version like Maui's, if you are in NJ and interested in hot dogs, you owe it to yourself to try the Italian Hot Dog. 

Style Overview: Italian Hot Dog