Lawton's Famous Frankfurts

When I was a kid my dad used to take us to this very out of the way hot dog stand in Lawerence, Massachusetts. It had been at least 20 years since we'd ventured to Lawton's Famous Frankfurts, but we set out one day last week to find out if it still existed and if it was as delicious as we remembered.

Lawton's is still in business in its original shack built out over the canal between two old mill buildings on the corner of rt. 28 and Canal Street in downtown Lawerence. The hot dogs are even more fabulous than remembered.

What makes a hot dog above average? Well, at Lawton's all hot dogs are a foot long. All hot dogs are cooked to order. And believe it or not all hot dogs are dropped in boiling oil to cook - yes, that is right, the hot dogs are deep fried. There, my friend, is the exact reason that these hot dogs have lived on in our memories for 20 plus years. The hot dog buns are buttered and toasted while your dog warms up in the simmering oil. And perhaps most exciting of all, the toppings include sauteed onions and sauerkraut. These were the best hot dogs any of us had ever tasted. Lawton's had spanned the varied tastes of three generations and satisfied everyone - no easy task, believe me!

Lawton's also serves hamburgers and lobster rolls, fries and onion rings, but I've never deviated from the basic Lawton's formula - hot dogs and lots of them. If one is planning on consuming two deep fried foot-long hot dogs - well, let's face it there just isn't room to try anything else.

Lawton's is a Pepsi only facility - bring your own diet Coke if, like me, that's what you want to drink. There is no inside seating either, although if the weather is good there are some benches along the canal. If it is raining you may end up eating those dogs in your car, but you won't mind - you won't even notice your surroundings - you'll be lost in happy hot dog contemplations.

This place is one-of-a-kind and highly recommended. Certainly well worth a detour on your next road-trip in northeastern Massachusetts.

Lawton's Famous Frankfurts
Established 1929

606 Canal Street
Lawerence, MA

phone: 978-686-9603

Lawton's opens at 11:00am all year round, but during the winter months closes at 6:00pm. In the summer they stay open until 8:00.

Call ahead if you are in a hurry and they'll have your order waiting.