Last summer, I spent some time down on the East Coast of Florida. I wasn’t camping on that trip. I was just poking around and exploring with my children and my sister. My highly energetic “big” sister has this fabulous knack for finding neat quirky little joints, so she was generous in tipping me off to fabulous road side places that offered excellent food for a good value.
One day when my children and I were driving along US Highway 1 in Fort Pierce, I decided to try a quirky little ice cream and hot dog shop called Di-Z’s. We had been exploring the beautiful Fort Pierce Inlet State Park and my children were hankering for a little snack afterwards.
My sister had told me that Di-Z’s makes great meatballs, but I wasn’t in the market for “Mama’s Meatballs” that hot July afternoon, so I started to ask about their Hot Dog Menu while the children waited for their ice cream cones. The chatty congenial owner, who is originally from New York, told me that they only used Hofmann dogs because they are “the best.” The menu was quirky and the dogs themselves hailed directly from Hofmann’s, which was founded in 1879 in Syracuse, New York. I had never had a Hofmann dog.
So, I was pressed to choose between Di-Z’s many choices–The Chicago Dog, The Syracuse Dog, The Bronx Dog, or The Poor Man Dog. Ultimately, I played it safe and simply ordered the Hofmann Beef Hot Dog. It set me back $2.55 and the owner tossed in a side of his special macaroni salad as an accompaniment. I haven’t had a hot dog that delicious in ages. The dog itself was juicy, tender and flavorful. The bun was toasted just right. And, the mustard was squeezed on in the traditional zigzag pattern. My daughter and I split that dog. I was contemplating buying another one, but a crowd of guys showed up and the kitchen thus went into a backlog.
So, I’m wondering if you’ve found any fabulous quirky road side joints that offer great food for a great value? Hot dogs, Poor Boys? Barbecue? Ice cream? If so, I’d love to hear about them!
Photo by Carolyn B. Trainer
–Melissa A. Trainer
Cheryl Merrell
Pulled Pork Barbecue. AdaBlue @ Sunset Isle RV Park and Motel, Cedar Key FL – Best Pulled Pork Barbecue you have ever tasted. And the fudge isn’t too shabby either.
Take a little trip to the far side of the world (Gulf coast of Florida) and check it out. Trust me, you will find no chains or McDonalds. Just Olde Florida and great barbecur at AdaBlue. And, you must stay at Sunset Isle’s. Staying there is just like being with family. And, you don’t even have to cook !
butterbean carpenter
Howdy Melissa,
Thought you had frozen to death this winter!!!!!!! Glad you didn’t!!!!!!! HOW IS $2.55 FOR A WEENIE A VALUE PURCHASE???????? Out here we get’em 8 for $.89!!!!!!!!!! The REALLY GOOD ones are only
$1.49, ALL BEEF!!!!!!!!! Of course, you were buying New york ‘dogs in Florida, so, the price of fuel had to be included.. I’ll bet they were made by a little ol’ German, out of his home-raised hogs, hand made
and organic… (That’s who makes the good sausages!!) I wish we could get some out here in Texas,
to try them, but we’ll just stick with our own home-raised, hand-made, organic sausages from New Braunfels…