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The World Famous Hot Dogs at Famous Lunch in Troy, New York. (Photo: Kenney Marlatt)

Welcome to the weekend!

We love regional food and we are constantly seeking out the dishes that make a place special. Over the years, American Weekender has written about Wisconsin’s Racine kringles; Maine’s lobster rolls; New Orleans po’boys; The Region burgers in Indiana; Connecticut’s New Haven apizza; West Virginia’s pepperoni rolls; and more. In today’s On the Road newsletter, we’re turning our attention to some of the fun regional items you’ll find in Upstate New York. We’re talking Buffalo wings, beef on weck, tomato pie, mini chili dogs, white hots, garbage plates, and chicken riggies. We’ll dig into what makes them special and where we like to try them. For more Upstate picks, check out our Weekend Getaway: Buffalo, New York newsletter (or snag the corresponding Field Guide) and our Overnight Stay: Rochester, New York newsletter.

This week, we’re also sharing the story behind one of our favorite cocktails from a recent visit to Kansas City. We loved Sagebrush, and while there, we had a terrific mezcal-based take on the classic Hanky Panky. Read more about it in The Order. You’ll find more Kansas City inspiration in last week’s Weekend Getaway newsletter; or you can snag our Field Guide to Kansas City (included with a paid subscription!).

Finally, before we sign off this Friday, our Weekend Reading list features a tip about a Charleston favorite, a guide to Litchfield County, a report on Chicago’s Rainbow Cone, and a meditation on corn dogs.

Thanks for reading!

— Amy Cavanaugh & Kenney Marlatt
Editors, American Weekender

Buffalo wings at Gabriel’s Gate. (Photo: Kenney Marlatt)

NEW YORK — New York is a state rich in great local specialties. Everyone knows bagels and pizza-by-the-slice in New York City, but today we’re heading north of the city to dig into those dishes that define the rest of the state. While the list of regional specialties in New York State is seemingly endless (Binghamton spiedies! Utica greens and beans! Rochester chicken French!), here are a few we very much enjoy. Let’s start out west in Buffalo.

Of all the foods we seek out Upstate, Buffalo wings have the widest range and are so popular and well known that they barely classify as a regional dish anymore. So while we likely don’t need to describe them, Buffalo wings are a mix of bone-in flats and drums that are deep fried, sauced with a mix of vinegary hot sauce (often Frank’s Red Hot) and butter, and served with celery and bleu cheese. You can find great wings pretty much anywhere in the country (I am still lamenting the loss of Quicky’s in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the defining wing spot of my youth that closed a decade ago), but it’s still fun to eat them in the place of origin.

Everyone in Buffalo has a different go-to wing spot, but you could start at Anchor Bar, which claims to have invented them in 1964. We like the wings at Anchor Bar, but really love the ones at Gabriel’s Gate. The wings are super meaty with a crispy exterior. We tend to opt for a medium heat level, and the ones here deliver just enough heat so your lips tingle. For a third option, visit Kelly’s Korner. They come highly recommended by the pitmaster at the great barbecue spot Southern Junction. The bar is warm and welcoming, so settle in with a Labatt Blue and watch a Bills game.

Charlie the Butcher. (Photo: Kenney Marlatt)

Kelly’s Korner also serves another Buffalo favorite, beef on weck. This sandwich features slices of rare roast beef that are tucked into a kummelweck roll that’s studded with crunchy salt and caraway seeds. Horseradish is the traditional condiment, and there’s a nice layering of tangy, herby, and salty flavors. It’s a great entry into the beef sandwich canon. Charlie the Butcher, which has multiple locations around the city, is a good option to try one. It was founded by Charles W. Roesch, who began selling the sandwiches in 1914 and later went on to become the mayor of Buffalo.

Now let’s head east to Rochester. We are big fans of Rochester’s food scene in general, and part of that is because of their local specialties. Stop in at Dogtown (“where the best hot dogs live”), where you can try two local signatures: White hots and garbage plates. The Rochester-based company Zweigle’s makes white hots, which are weisswurst-style sausages made with pork, beef, and veal. At Dogtown, try one with a squiggle of mustard or as the base for one of the specialty dogs — it’s great on the St. Bernard with sauerkraut, melted Swiss, and mustard. We are also fans of the white hots from the Syracuse-based Hofmann Sausage Company, which are made with pork and veal. We first had them at Heid’s of Liverpool, which has been open since 1917. Locally, white hots are also called “Coneys” (not to be confused with Detroit coneys — here, it simply refers to the sausage) or “Snappy Grillers.” Great name.

The Southern Hound Dog and a Junkyard Plate at Dogtown, plus white hots and gravy fries at Heid's of Liverpool. (Photos: Kenney Marlatt)

At Dogtown, you can also get your white hot on a “junkyard plate,” which is their version of Rochester’s beloved garbage plate (you can have a “garbage plate” at Nick Tahou Hots, which invented the dish back in 1918 and trademarked the name in the ’80s). As you might guess, it consists of a whole lot of stuff: it’s your choice of a hot dog, burger, or sausage served over two sides: home fries, macaroni salad, french fries, baked beans, or coleslaw. If you order it with “everything,” that means it all comes dressed with mustard, onions, and meat sauce. It’s a lot, though it’s not without appeal. I like mine with a white hot served over home fries and macaroni salad with “everything” on top.

During our Rochester visits, we’ve also enjoyed two other Upstate dishes, though both are more linked to Utica, two hours to the east. One is chicken riggies, a terrific Italian-American pasta made with chicken and rigatoni (“riggies”) and cooked with peppers and tomato sauce. Like many good regional items, there are multiple claimants to its invention, but nowadays you’ll see it on lots of menus in the region. We had a fantastic version at Restaurant Good Luck, which made it with smoked chicken, pancetta, and cherry peppers in vodka sauce.

Chicken riggies at Restaurant Good Luck. (Photo: Amy Cavanaugh)

Another great spot in Rochester is Vern’s, a cozy walk-in place with a menu of pastas and pizzas. You should start with the tomato pie, a rectangular slice of room-temperature pizza that’s topped with tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, and flaky salt. Tomato pies are a Central New York favorite, and mostly associated with Utica. We first had it at Roma Sausage & Deli, an Italian market where you can get cold and hot subs, a fantastic sausage roll (housemade sausage and mozzarella stuffed into dough and baked), and tomato pie. Whole pies are on offer, but if you just want a slice, you’ll find it packed to go in plastic wrap by the register. Utica tomato pies have a thick, chewy crust topped with rich tomato sauce and are finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Since they’re served at room temperature, they make good road trip snacks.

A fancy tomato pie at Vern's, a takeout tomato pie at Roma Sausage & Deli. (Photos: Kenney Marlatt)

Finally, let’s head further east to the Capital Region outside Albany, which is home to a mini chili dog scene. These little guys, which cost less than $2, are three inches long and topped with chili, onions, and mustard. We have stopped in at the three main spots to get them — Hot Dog Charlie’s in Cohoes, Rensselaer, and Troy; Famous Lunch in Troy; and Gus’s Hot Dogs in Watervliet. All three were founded by Greek immigrants, but each offers something a little different. Famous Lunch, which has been open since 1932, has the most ambiance. A diner with a red counter and stools, Famous Lunch’s dogs come topped with “Zippy sauce,” made with ground beef, garlic, and onions. Gus’s is just a stand, so you can take your pork and beef dogs to a picnic table (also get the sausage sandwich, with a grilled sweet Italian sausage patty, peppers, and onions). And Hot Dog Charlie’s is the most modern inside and serves their pork and beef dogs with the “works” of meat sauce, mustard, and onions, but also gives you the option to add ketchup, relish, or sauerkraut.

Regional eats can tell us a lot about a place. Upstate’s offerings speak to the Italian, German, and Greek populations that made their mark on the food scene, and the way newer restaurants are embracing what makes the region special. But more than anything, these bites, from mini hot dogs to garbage plates, are a whole lot of fun.

Hot Dog Charlie's, Gus's Hot Dogs, and Famous Lunch. (Photos: Kenney Marlatt)

What are your favorite Upstate New York dishes? Let us know in the comments!

SOUTH CAROLINA

Babas debuts affordable Sunday Suppers: When we visit Charleston, you’ll find us at Babas on Cannon or Babas on Meeting daily. We go for morning peanut lattes and quiche, lunchtime shrimp salads, and late afternoon orange spritzes and snacks. So a recent newsletter from Erin Perkins alerted us to two important things: First, that there is a third Babas location we have yet to visit, and second, that the new Babas is offering Sunday suppers for under $20 a plate. So far, they’ve served braised beef with salsa verde with a side of eggplant with feta, and Thai curry with potato and pineapple. Looking forward to checking it out the next time we’re in town. (Cooter Soup)

CONNECTICUT

Lauren Schofield’s Litchfield County, CT: For her East Coast Summer series, Emily Wilson asked pastry chef Lauren Schofield to share her picks for Litchfield County. I had my Google map out to mark all her suggestions, which include Clamp’s for grilled burgers and lemonade, Swyft for pizza, West Shore Seafood for Connecticut-style lobster rolls, and more. (The Angel)

ILLINOIS

Over The Rainbow: Jolene Handy hadn’t yet tried a Rainbow Cone, a signature Chicago food, so she decided to seek one out for the 100th anniversary of the treat. For the uninitiated, this is a tremulous stack of five flavors on a cone: Chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (vanilla with cherries and walnuts), pistachio almond, and orange sherbet. Jolene asked me for a comment on the ice cream’s importance, so you can also read my thoughts on it in her fun piece. (Time Travel Kitchen)

NATIONWIDE

A Word on Food: Corn Dogs: Chef Norman Van Aken recalls his experiences with corn dogs past in this homage to the dish — he had them while working at a carnival in the early 1970s, at the Texas State Fair, on the Jimmy Kimmel show, and elsewhere. One of the places that claims invention is Cozy Dog in Springfield, Illinois, where we recently stopped to sample them for lunch. Stay tuned for more favorites from Springfield next week! (Norman Van Aken)

— Compiled by Amy Cavanaugh

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7 Great Regional Specialties in Upstate New York