Gray's Papaya

"A popular hot dog restaurant in New York City, known for its affordable and delicious hot dogs, featured in 'You've Got Mail'."

"The quintessential Upper West Side snack is not a slice of pizza. It’s a hot dog from Gray’s Papaya. The iconic counter-service spot opened in 1973, and there’s always crowds of people outside scarfing down dogs. You can get a singular, snappy, Sabrett frank for $3, or go for the Recession Special, which comes with two dogs and a drink for $7.50. Wash it down with a neon-orange papaya drink, make sure you don’t have any lingering mustard on your face, and then move on with your day. " - bryan kim, willa moore, neha talreja, hannah albertine, will hartman

"Distance from the start: 7.6 miles  Bathroom: No A walk from the top to the bottom of Manhattan without at least one stop for NYC’s most walkable snack? We wouldn't dare, and neither should you. Choose Gray’s Papaya on 72nd Street, an iconic spot for highly processed meat on the Upper West Side. Order a few dogs with relish, mustard, and sauerkraut, plus a papaya juice—it’s the perfect amount of sweet for seven miles in. Two hot dogs and a drink will run you $7.50. " - willa moore

"The Dish: Frank Around the corner from La Dinastia is this overwhelmingly yellow “hot doggery”—a 72nd Street landmark founded and little-updated since 1973. It’s OK to be slightly dubious about the $3.25 franks glistening behind a counter next to random buckets of relish, and the dispensers of florid, tropical fruit-flavored drinks. A single bite of a snappy Sabrett dog, buried under condiments, will put you at ease. In it’s spongy bun, drizzled with condiments and accompanied by a sweet papaya shake, Gray’s hot dog reminds you that this ubiquitous NYC food is—just like the city itself—actually kind of weird, and still kind of wonderful." - bryan kim, sonal shah, willa moore, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja

"Gray’s Papaya is a part of New York City lore. The founder was originally affiliated with Papaya King, but he opened his spot on the Upper West Side in 1973, and it’s been there ever since. Like Papaya King, this place is known for relatively cheap hot dogs (which used to cost 50 cents) and tropical drinks, such as the namesake beverage. These days, you can get a snappy Sabrett frank for about $3, or you can go for a Recession Special that comes with two dogs and a drink for $7.50. Service is lightning quick, the ambiance is pure 1970s nostalgia, and there are a couple of counters where you can hang out and shove some food in your mouth before picking up your dry-cleaning or grabbing your kids from school." - Bryan Kim