Hots is a Rochester term for hot dogs. Hots come in different flavors: white hots, red hots and grey hots. Hots are great to adorn garbage plates. Rarely would you eat a hot with only a bun unless stumbling home from a bar and happen across a mobile hots stand. See Hot Dog Variations for a round-up of variations on the hot dog, including the white hot.

White Hots

A white hot is a pork hot dog primarily associated with Rochester, possibly dating back to the 1920's meat market turned Otmens Tavern on Front Street.


"Otmens was a jazz bar that had been a meat market and looked it. It was alleged to be the original home of the "white hot," the pork sausage that is part of local lore." ¹

Zweigle's is credited with popularizing the white hot by being first to bring it to the stadium. See their page for more details.

Red Hots

A red hot may also be a pork or beef hot dog. Many refer to the standard hot dog as a Red Hot - mostly to distinguish them from the white hot.

Grey Hots

Grey hots may refer to other sausage-like "hot dogs" such as the bratwurst and sometimes rumored that grey hots are turkey hot dogs.

Where to Find Hots - see also our Automated List

• Balsam Bagels
  

• Bayside Pub
  

• Bill Gray's
  

• Charlotte Hots
  

• Chili Pizza & Hots
  

• Dogtown
  

• Donna Daddy's
  

• East Ridge Hots
  

• Empire Hots
  

• Fairport Hots
  

• Greece Hots
  

• Gitsis Texas Hots
  

• Henrietta Hots
  

• Hungry's Grill
  

• Nick Tahou's
  

• Jimmie's World Famous Hot Dogs
  

• Irondequoit Hots
  

• Mark's Texas Hots
  

• Penfield Hots
  

• Sereno's Philly Steaks and Hots
  

• Street Meat
  

• Steve T's Hots and Potatoes
  

• Sullivan's Charbroil
  

• Tom Wahl's
  

• Webster Hots
  

• Wimpy's Burger Basket

Music

Dan Didsbury and Dr. Smoov wrote and recorded a song called "Rochester Hots (I want some Nick Tahou Hots)" filled with references to local businesses, foods, and slang. Listen to the song on YouTube (contains language)

Notes and References

• America's Regional Hot Dog Styles - good article with photos includes Rochester Hots

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