Spicy brown mustard, sauerkraut and red onion sauce — that is the only correct way to eat a New York City hot dog, at least according to Elizabeth Rossi. Her father, Dan Rossi — the Hot Dog King himself — operates one of the most iconic food carts in the city outside of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Elizabeth followed her father’s footsteps in cementing her expertise on hot dog making, with plans to continue his legacy.
Elizabeth and her three sisters grew up in the Bronx admiring their father and his work ethic. He started his own business building food carts in the 1980s, and eventually opened his own hot dog stand at this highly coveted vendor spot in 2007. Elizabeth has been helping him with the family business since 2011 when her father built her a cart to be placed directly next to his. Together, they have created a culinary legacy as one of the most recognizable hot dog vendors in the city.
Elizabeth took after her father in more ways than just the mastery of the hot dog as they both served in the Marine Corps. Their goal — in addition to serving the best hot dogs in New York City — is to empower veterans and counteract the effects of PTSD. In an effort to support fellow soldiers, they’ve employed many veterans at their carts, some even from Elizabeth’s own platoon. For the Rossis, their business isn’t just a taste of New York — it’s also a place for rehabilitation and community.
“Mayors always claim they’re going to help the veterans, and they never do,” Elizabeth said. “Veterans are people who want to work and need to make a living. We want to support them.”
The Rossis’ perseverance and prolonged residency at the bottom of The Met steps has established them as an icon of New York City, often appearing in the backgrounds of TV shows and movies, such as the Gossip Girl reboot. It has also been featured on popular social media accounts, like New York Nico’s TikTok and the Humans of New York Instagram, and have bolstered their stardom. Tourists and famished museum-goers specifically seek out the Hot Dog King’s cart knowing its established reputation.
“I love what I do,” Elizabeth said. “Meeting people from all around the world and getting to feed them — it makes me happy, and I hope it makes them happy too.”
Being situated at the bottom of The Met’s steps has allowed Elizabeth and her father to sustain their business and grow their work-family for the last 17 years, but having a prime vendor spot also comes with challenges. Elizabeth and her father have had to fend off other vendors, many of whom Elizabeth claims are illegally stationed nearby and have vandalized their carts.
The real threat, however, comes from the city’s multiple attempts to evict them. Dan and Elizabeth have vending permits that the New York City Health Department designates specifically for veterans, which allows them to sell outside The Met without having to pay exorbitant permit fees. However, over time, other vendors claiming to be veterans began setting up their carts outside The Met as well. At one point, the sidewalk became so congested with food carts that police began to arrest and ticket many of the vendors, including Dan, despite his legal permit. But he returned, and he has been fighting ever since for the city to recognize his right to sell in the spot he claimed 17 years ago.
To ensure his cart isn’t moved, vandalized or ticketed, Dan has slept in a lawn chair inside his hot dog cart or in his parked van nearby most nights for the past 10 years. His one exception is Sundays, the only day he gets to see his wife.
“It kills me that he stays here overnight,” Elizabeth said. “He always says, ‘We can’t afford to lose it,’ and I always say, ‘Well, we can’t afford to lose you either.’”
Despite the hardships they’ve endured, Elizabeth’s optimism is unwavering. Her hope is rooted in the pride she has for her family’s business and her genuine commitment to making “damn good hot dogs.” She hopes to continue to further her father’s renowned hot dog reputation into the new generation.
“We enjoy being here in New York — in this iconic place — and serving food to people,” Elizabeth said. “It’s all about the love we put into the food and love of meeting people from all over the world. We just love doing what we do.”
Contact Ronni Husmann at [email protected]
