How is it that the places you’re least likely to go to in your hometown are the ones that everyone talks about? Well, thankfully, I can no longer say that about the delicious, long-running Newest Lunch.
Newest Lunch has been around since 1921, making it 100 years old this year. Current owner George Plakas doesn’t know the exact date that the Newest Lunch opened but the building it’s in dates back to at least 1894, according to the Times Union.
You go into the small diner-looking space and find yourself surrounded by pictures of the thousands of people who have eaten their famous hot dogs over the years. I’ve lived in Schenectady my whole life, how was this my first time having a famous Newest Lunch hot dog? I went with my mother who told me that I have to get meat sauce on it or I’m doing it wrong. We decided to order their special which is two hot dogs with either soup, potato or macaroni salad, or fries for just $6.95.
There’s just something about this space that no matter if it’s your first time or 1000th time, they make you feel like you’re part of their community. There’s a reason this place has been around for 100 years and it isn’t just the delicious food they have. You haven’t “done” Schenectady if you haven’t yet stopped at Newest Lunch!
