Nathan's Famous   

1310 Surf Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11224
718-946-2202
www.nathansfamous.com

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Sure, Nathan's hot dogs have been the definitive summer lunch since 1916, when hot dogs went for a nickel. But Coney Island's proximity to the sea meant that its menu also included a raw bar with clams and oysters, as well as crispy, fried versions of both as well. Today you can't even get a squirt of mustard for a nickel, but the original Nathan's is still serving hot dogs and fresh seafood to boardwalk-bound crowds. Something about the salty sea air at Coney Island makes the hot dog taste better here than at any other Nathan's in the world. Maybe it's the proximity of Keyspan Park, which brought baseball and Brooklyn back together at last; maybe it's got something to do with eating in the shadow of the Cyclone; or maybe the staff just knows something we don't. Whatever the case, there's a reason that every July Fourth weekend, people try to eat as many hot dogs as they can in the Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest -- the dogs are just that good. -- Erin Franzman