Pete's Hot Dog's dates back to 1920. I'm guessing that makes Pete's one of Birmingham's older restaurants. I know it has to be Birmingham's smallest. Since 1948 a guy named Gus has been running Pete's. That's Gus and wife Janet to the right.

Birmingham has it's own hot dog culture, sort of a Coney Island dog plus. The plus is sauerkraut, and a dog ordered "all the way" comes with kraut, fresh chopped onions, mustard and Pete's meat sauce - a spicier and meatier than normal version of Coney Island sauce.

For a history of Pete's Famous and the other Greek owned Birmingham restaurants check out the Southern Foodways Alliance's oral history here. Click

May 05