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George's Famous Hot Dogs, Elizabeth, NJ

 
On 8/22/2018 9:51 PM, Curt wrote:

Hello,

There used to be a place in Elizabeth, NJ on Elmora Avenue, back in the 80 and 90s 
called George's Famous Hot Dogs.  I went there a lot until i moved to NC.  I heard 
they moved to Virginia.  Do you know where?  I would like to find them.?. 
Best hot dog chili i ever had.  Any info. Would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Hello Curt,

While I had no success finding a recipe or a copycat recipe or a "tastes-like" recipe for the chili from George's, I did find some information.

First, the solid information about George's in Elizabeth, according to the Elizabeth, NJ Chamber of Commerce:

Elizabeth, NJ Chamber of Commerce
George's Hot Dog Drive-In was located at the address 943 S Elmora Ave in Elizabeth, New Jersey 07202. Lucas Rigas is listed as the owner.

I found these comments on message boards:

Roadfood Forum
I'm pretty sure the place you are talking about was George's. It was on Elmora Ave. near the circle. George and Jerry (of Jerry's Famous Frankfurters) were brothers. Each served the same dog the same way. Jerry has a meat chili while George's was meatless. Jerry never sold his to go, but George's always did. It's a Subway now.

Roadfood Forum
In reply to Georges Hot dogs in Elizabeth, NJ. on elmora ave. I have been going there since the 1960's. The last 20 years or so it was owned by Lucas Rigas. I too used to buy his chili by the gallon. One day I arrived hoping to get my fix for a great dog with onions and chili only to find that Lucas sold out to Subway. I asked the manager where Lucas had gone to and he told me that he retired to the Virginia Beach, VA. area to be closer to his kids. I guess the only way to be sure would be to contact the Subway corporation and inquire. If anybody finds out what happened to Lucas please let me know so I can try and get the receipe for that great chili.

I found a statement on another board that the brand of wieners that George's and Jerry's used was Always Tasty until that source went out of business. They then switched to a brand called Best wieners.

Curt, it appears likely that when George's in Elizabeth closed, Lucas Rigas retired from the hot dog business. He may have moved to Virginia, but he apparently did not open a restaurant in Virginia. There is a restaurant in Virginia Beach, VA called Papou George's Hot Dogs. However, I could not find any indication that there was any connection between it and George's in Elizabeth, NJ.

Papou George's Hot Dogs
303 Oyster Point Rd
Newport News, Virginia 23602

The message board statement above indicates that George's and Jerry's in Elizabeth were originally owned by brothers. Jerry's is still in business and their chili might be similar except that Jerry's chili has meat, while George's was meatless.

Jerry's Famous Frankfurters
Address: 906 2nd Ave, Elizabeth, NJ 07201
Phone: (908) 355-4242

I found at least one comment that "Johnny Price's" in Linden, NJ has a hot dog chili that is very similar to that of George's:

Johnny Prince's Famous Bayway Diner
2019 S Wood Ave, Linden, NJ

I could not find any evidence that there was a connection between these places and George's on Elmora in Elizabeth:

George's Lunch
107 Trumbull St # 110, Elizabeth, NJ 07206
Phone: (908) 352-0551

George's Hot Dogs, Mobile Food Truck
Isabella Ave., Bayonne, NJ  07002
Phone: (201) 503-6475

George's Hot Dogs
546 Broadway Ste B, Bayonne, NJ 07002
(201) 436-0974

George's Hot Dogs
2200 Broadway
Bayonne, NJ 07002

This is all of the information that I could find about George's Famous Hot Dogs. I'll post this for reader input.

Phaed