Until recently, if you said “Callahan’s” to a long-time Bergen resident, chances were you’d see a wistful look in their eyes and a personal recollection of the famous hot dog joint that resided in Fort Lee for more than 50 years.
For me, it was sitting with my family in their restaurant, underneath Tiffany-style lamps emblazoned with the Callahan’s logo, and enjoying their signature combination of a Yoo Hoo and a deep-fried hot dog. This was so much a part of my family’s culture growing up in Bergen, I’m pretty sure I still partially bleed Callahan’s to this day.
I’m sure I wasn’t alone in feeling a deep sense of loss when the Fort Lee location closed in 2006, followed by the Little Ferry location in 2008. So when the revival of Callahan’s in the form of a food truck was announced by Daniel DeMiglio, the grandson of the original owner, I was alternately optimistic and cautious. Could these hot dogs be as good as I remember?
When I learned they were returning to their roots at the Fort Lee Street Festival this past Sunday, I packed up the kids and drove to Main Street filled with hope. Once we arrived, I seized upon a poor construction worker who was holding what looked like a very familiar reminder of my past. “Is that a Callahan’s hot dog?” He looked a bit freaked out as he waved me over to where the truck was, “There! There!” I immediately hustled my kids onto the line. My heart was pounding. This was it. This was the moment of truth.
Thankfully, the line wasn’t long, and the staff worked fast. In a matter of minutes, I had that precious Yoo Hoo and two glorious Callahan’s hot dogs, one of which I handed over to my kids to share. I bit in. I immediately was transformed back to the five-year-old version of myself, screaming at my brother for sneaking bites of my hot dog when my parents weren’t looking. This was most definitely like I remembered.
My younger daughter broke my reverie by demanding her own hot dog, so back on the line we went. The owner Daniel didn’t seem surprised to see us again. And one more time after that, when I grabbed another Super Dog to go for my husband. And yet one more for my girls, who were devouring them like they were going out of style.
My dad was out of town this past weekend, so when the Callahan’s food truck hits the Closter Farmer’s Market on Father’s Day June 15th, you can guess where we will be. In fact, we’ll all be there, keeping the tradition alive into my family’s next generation.
Callahan’s, it’s good to have you back.
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Follow Callahan’s Food Truck on Facebook or visit their website for updates on where you can find them next.
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About The Author
Michele Langer is a marketer, foodie, dog-lover, traveler, enthusiast of words and, most importantly, a mom. She grew up in the Northern New Jersey area until setting off for college in New York City, before returning back to the area in 2011. She loves to show her husband and two young daughters many of the experiences she had and places she went to as part of her childhood in Bergen County, while discovering with them the new experiences, places and activities the area now has to offer. After living in the city for nearly 20 years only to come back to her roots, she has realized that you can take a girl out of Jersey, but you can't take Jersey out of a girl.
