Bill Doyle’s pilgrimage to supposedly amazing Rutt’s Hut

Whenever the subject of hot dogs in New Jersey comes up, someone will invariably mention Rutt’s Hut in Clifton. It is a Jersey institution, having opened in 1928, and has a unique method of cooking the hot dogs: it deep fries them.

This process causes the casing to rip, hence the name for the Rutt’s Hut dog, the “Ripper.” They also make their own relish, which is mustard based, but I found it too sweet for my taste. The Rippers themselves were pretty good, though. There are no chairs. You stand at various counters with strangers to eat. I don’t know that I would make the trek to Passaic County just for Rutt’s Hut again, but if I were already there, I would definitely go again.

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