Fried in the big pan. Peppers, onions and potatoes. Stuffed into a quarter of a fresh pizza bread. Mary Racioppi invented it in her Newark kitchen in 1932, and her family still makes it the same way at 60 Washington Street.
Aug 1, 2032 · The 100th100 years of the Italian hot dog“We promise you something BIG on our 100th anniversary.”
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“Best dog this side of the Milky Way” — Capt. Scott Kelly, NASA astronaut“Grandpop of them all” — Star-Ledger Munchmobile“Best of the Wurst” — Star-Ledger“1 of 500 best eateries in the country” — Roadfood, Jane & Michael Stern“Best dog this side of the Hudson” — Lee Thomas, Channel 7“Newark's signature dish” — Star-LedgerVoted best hot dog in America — ParadeRated #1 — New Jersey MonthlyTop Dog 2020 — Weird NJ readers“Best dog this side of the Milky Way” — Capt. Scott Kelly, NASA astronaut“Grandpop of them all” — Star-Ledger Munchmobile“Best of the Wurst” — Star-Ledger“1 of 500 best eateries in the country” — Roadfood, Jane & Michael Stern“Best dog this side of the Hudson” — Lee Thomas, Channel 7“Newark's signature dish” — Star-LedgerVoted best hot dog in America — ParadeRated #1 — New Jersey MonthlyTop Dog 2020 — Weird NJ readers
Why it exists
Born at a poker table.
Grandpa got his nickname from his style at the card table. “Bluff” became “Buff.” Grandma made the sandwiches.
In the 1920s and '30s everybody in Newark had a nickname. James Racioppi bluffed so well at cards that his became “Jimmy Buff.” While the men played, his wife Mary heated her skillet, fried hot dogs, and packed them into a split pizza bread with fried peppers, onions and sliced potatoes.
It started as a treat for close friends and family. It went over so big that the Racioppis opened a shop downstairs at 14th Avenue and 9th Street in 1932. The fresh onions, peppers and potatoes with a hot dog made it the first of its kind: the Italian hot dog. Ninety-four years later, the hot dog and the sausage still take turns outselling each other.
🔊 Racioppi = “ra-CHEE-oh-pee”
Mary, the inventorJimmy “Buff”9th St & 14th Ave, Newark · 1950s
1932 → 2032
94 years in one scroll
Roots
Roots
Teora, Italy
The Racioppi family traces back to Teora, a hill town east of Naples. Like thousands of their neighbors, they landed in Newark's West Side, the Italian neighborhood of the early 1900s.
1932
The card table
James Racioppi played poker so boldly they called him “Bluff.” Translated through Newark-Italian, it became “Buff.” His wife Mary fried hot dogs in her kitchen skillet, then stuffed them into pizza bread with peppers, onions and potatoes for his card buddies. Soon people came for the sandwiches, not the cards.
Aug 1, 1932
14th Ave & 9th St, Newark
Mary and Jimmy opened a shop downstairs from their apartment at 202 14th Avenue. First people called it the “Newark Hot Dog.” Then just the Italian hot dog. It was born right here.
1938
The Best's connection
Best Provision of Newark opens. Jimmy Buff's has fried Best's beef franks ever since, back when hot dogs ran 25¢ a pound.
c. 1950
Family behind the counter
Mike Racioppi, his mother Mary, and Tommy Racioppi run the corner store. A kid at St. Ann's remembers it well: “Mom would give me 15 cents for a JB hot dog for lunch.”
1960
West Orange opens
The new Jimmy Buff's drive-in opens at 60 Washington Street, West Orange. Your host: Thomas “Tommy Buff” Racioppi. It's the same corner you walk into today.
1963–2012
The Jersey empire
Irvington, North Plainfield, Scotch Plains, East Hanover, North Arlington, Randolph and more. About twenty Jimmy Buff's came and went across Essex, Union and Morris, all run by the Racioppi and Loikith families.
1974
Farewell, Newark
Newark's West Side never recovered from the 1967 riots, and James sold the landmark corner store in 1974. The recipe moved west with the family.
2001
Gourmet calls
Gourmet Magazine features Jimmy Buff's in its April 2001 issue. Roadfood's Jane & Michael Stern name it one of the 500 best eateries in the country.
2007
75 years & The Rock
Governor Jon Corzine sends a 75th-anniversary letter. At the new Prudential Center's “Taste of Newark,” Buff's has the longest line between periods (New York Times).
2010s
Kenilworth & the cameras
Cousin Mike Loikith reopens Jimmy Buff's of Kenilworth at 506 Boulevard, with the original 1932 sign hanging inside. The cameras keep coming: Travel Channel, Rachael Ray, Man v. Food.
Orbit
A shirt in space
West Orange's own NASA twins are fans. Astronaut Scott Kelly took a Jimmy Buff's T-shirt aboard the International Space Station, then walked into the shop and gave it to Jim. His verdict: “Best dog this side of the Milky Way.”
2020
Weird NJ Top Dog
Readers crown Jimmy Buff's of West Orange Weird NJ's Top Dog with 1,129 votes. “They are the true judges,” says Jim Racioppi.
Aug 1, 2022
90 years, 5¢ dogs
For the 90th anniversary, extra hot dogs cost a nickel. The West Orange line wrapped around the block all day. The town presents a proclamation to Tom Racioppi and Mike Loikith.
Today
Four generations, shipped nationwide
Over 2,000 pounds of potatoes are cut by hand every week in West Orange. Jersey expats get the Italian hot dog kit shipped anywhere in the country.
Aug 1, 2032
The 100th
“We promise you something BIG on our 100th anniversary.” That's Jim Racioppi in 2020. The countdown is on, see the top of the page.
Keep scrolling ↓ to travel through time
Four generations
Same family. Same pan.
I
Mary & James “Jimmy Buff” Racioppi
The originators. Newark's West Side, 1932. She made the sandwich and he gave it his name.
II
Tommy “Buff” & Mike Racioppi
Grew up behind the Newark counter. Tommy hosted the brand-new West Orange drive-in in 1960.
III
Jim Racioppi
The grandson. He ran West Orange for decades and now calls himself “retired and relegated to social media duty.”
IV
Tom Racioppi & Mike Loikith
Tom runs West Orange and the tent catering. Mike Loikith, also family, runs Kenilworth. In Jim's words, they're “continuing in their great grandfather's footsteps.”
Interactive
Build your Italian hot dog
Pick your meat, single or double, and order it the way the regulars do. Watch it stack up, then add it to your order.
Single · Hot dogAnatomy view
1 · The meat
2 · Size
3 · Order like a regular
Insider tip from Jimmy himself: ask for it “dry” with the potatoes well done if you like them extra crispy.
Comes with peppers, onions & potatoes$9.45
Order online · pickup or delivery
The menu
We ship nationwide 📦
Moved away from Jersey? The Jimmy Buff's Classic kit ships anywhere in the US: 8-pack $99.95, 16-pack $159.95.
Jimmy Buff's: Shrine to the Italian Hot DogStar-Ledger Munchmobile · Peter Genovese
Putting a Jimmy Buff sandwich togetherWatch the build, start to finish
Queen Latifah on Jimmy Buff'sJersey's own queen weighs in
Jimmy Buff'sInside the West Orange shop
Jimmy Buff's Italian Hot DogsA Jersey original on camera
Please enjoy the Jimmy Buff song 🎶
The shop's own blues tribute, rescued from the old Flash player.
2:40
Word on the street
Jersey has spoken
4.7★Google · 2,582 reviews
94%recommend · Facebook, 2,077 reviews
#4of 64 West Orange restaurants · Tripadvisor
94%“love this shop” · nationwide shipping customers
★★★★★
Easily the best Italian hot dog we've ever had. The double had excellent snap on the casing… and double fried potatoes to maintain crispy edges.Brick City BiteInstagram food reviewers, West Orange visit
★★★★★
New Jersey is the center of the hot dog universe and the Italian hot dog from Jimmy Buff's is the holy grail of hot dogs!Jimmy Buff's customervia Mr. Local History Project
★★★★★
The food is made fresh and hot. The service is efficient.Yelp reviewerJimmy Buff's, West Orange
★★★★★
Nestled under a nice pile of soft fried onions and peppers were two fried hot dogs. They had just the right snap and spices.Roadfood member “Akavar”Roadfood forum
★★★★★
Mom would give me 15 cents for a JB hot dog for lunch… When I come back to NJ, I always stop.Bob PastoreGrew up on South 10th St, Newark
★★★★★
A fried hot dog, onions, peppers and potatoes… all stuffed into a pizza roll the size of a baby's head.Joel KellerThe New York Times, 2005
★★★★★
Good fresh pizza bread that was hard and chewy… It was excellent.John FoxChowhound
Press & honors
Famous since forever
“Best dog this side of the Milky Way.”
Capt. Scott Kelly, NASA astronaut
“Newark's signature dish is a Jimmy Buff's Italian hot dog.”
Brooke Tarabour, The Star-Ledger
“One of the 500 best eateries in the country.”
Jane & Michael Stern, Roadfood
Gourmet MagazineApr 2001Travel ChannelRachael RayAmerica's best hot dogMan v. FoodDiners, Drive-Ins & DivesRoadfoodTop 500ParadeBest in AmericaNew Jersey MonthlyRated #1The New York Times2005 · 2007The Star-LedgerNJ.comBest of N.J.ZagatWeird NJTop DogFood & WineFun in a BunWNYC 93.9News 12 New JerseyFirst We FeastOnly In Your StateNJ 101.5The Culture TripYahoo FoodChannel 7 Eyewitness NewsThe Jersey Journal94.3 The Point
West Orange proclamation, 90th anniversary (2022)Governor Corzine's 75th-anniversary letter (2007)A visit from the Italian policeMr. Local History wooden keepsake (2024)
Jersey lore
Things only regulars know
The record
6 doubles + 6 singles
Orange's heavyweight “Two Ton” Tony Galento holds the record for Italian hot dogs eaten in one sitting. Nobody has topped it.
The ketchup question
“Tommy blames the potatoes.”
Jimmy Buff's had no ketchup at first. Today it goes through three times as much ketchup as mustard, mostly on the potatoes.
It's not a fryer
It's a big pan
The dogs, peppers, onions and chip-style potatoes are fried in one big pan, in cholesterol-free soybean oil, like Grandpa Buff did in 1932. The pizza bread comes from local bakeries like Sorrento in East Hanover and Nicolo's in Montclair.
Fat Tuesday
Doubles at the single price
Every Tuesday at West Orange, any double costs the same as a single.
Throwback Thursday
Pay the year you were born
Buy a single hot dog at the regular price and get a second single at the price of the year you were born. West Orange only.
Join the crew
Now hiring
Want to work the pan? Stop by 60 Washington St or call the shop to ask about openings.
