This is the final “Week O’ Charlottesville Lunches” article. I will feature my favorite lunch places around the downtown mall. Monday, we covered Eppie’s, Tuesday, Rev Soup, Wednesday, Feast, Thursday, Bodo’s Bagels, Today, Hamdinger’s!
I looked through our archives for a Hamdingers review, but alas, none could be found. I recall there being at least three street vendors serving variations of hotdogs on the mall a few months back. Only one remains and today, Hamdingers sets up the stand near Central Place across the overpopulated row of pashminas and crap jewelry. Look for a fancy silver cart with a slightly broken umbrella.
Hamdingers prides itself on “Mobile Gourmet Food.” I revel in food places (is this even a place?) like this because the menu is so simple. It’s like the proprietor has nothing to prove. Sure, he might have four or five items on his menu, but he knows they are good, so if you don’t like them, tough luck, food noob. The cart is run solely by Patrick Critzer, so if you aren’t happy about something, you know who to go to.
Standard food choices are coriander, lemon grilled chicken, lamb sausages from the Organic Butcher and coconut curry. Sure you can ask for a hotdog, but you won’t get just any hotdog. Hamdingers has potato buns, avocado aioli, roasted vegetables and other toppings. Patrick will always let you know about what he’s got special for the day, so the surprise element makes thing interesting.
For food quality, Hamdinger’s really is gourmet. I freaking love almost everything that comes out of the little 2×3 shiny box of joy. Don’t be afraid of not having a seat, Blue Light’s patio doesn’t complain. Sub every condiment with the avacodo aioli. Did I mention you can spend less than $5 on a meal, including a drink? I hope the cart is there today; which is always an issue.. you never know if the cart is going to be there during lunch hours. Other than that, I have no complaints.
Enjoy!
Popularity: 43% [?]
Tagged as: awesome, cart, Charlottesville, Food, hamdinger, heady, hot dog, quick, review, sausage
Things tagged with “sausage” must be good, no?
This “place” goes by man names: Heady Hotdog Guy, Nersh Dog, to name a few.
The BBQ he offered a few weeks ago, was only okay, but man, the chicken and and sausages are great. He’s the best lunch deal on the mall.
The schedule is Tuesday through Thursday. Monday is shopping & cooking day.
/heard it from a reliable source
err tuesday through friday
This is great…I’ve been looking for a hot dog place in town, with no avail. Good work Thor! I love places like this…
/wish I lived downtown.
veggie option, or is it all gristle packed into intestinal lining and dead birds?
/not that there’s anything wrong with that.
@5 Jack & Jill hot dogs with chili- you must try them
Belmo, he’s got veggies in the cart, too.
@ 7 where? and i’m not a big fan of chili…just ketchup, relish, and occasionly mustard
/i have an unhealthy addiction to hot dogs
^ no pun intended
@9 Jack & Jill is on High Street heading down hill towards 250 from downtown. Footlong, chili,slaw, the works. Yum.
It has to be said… you don’t put ketchup on hot dogs.
Oh my gawd, don’t make this into a toasted vs untoasted cheese whiz vs provolone kinda thread LuLu. FFS.
You put chili and slaw on hot dogs.
Belmo, he’s got veggies in the cart, too.
And they would be…?
ketchup or catsup on hot dogs is like putting mayo on french fries- not american but done by many others
@14 and relish, and mustard. try it before ya knock it. Gourmet Hotdog is an oxymoron.
@13: I could just try and turn it into another “Hey, I’m Shen… why is nobody talking about me?!?!” thread. Would that work?
/snarc-le-bleu
Oh LeSnap, double Lu.
Oh somebody’s jealous because people don’t have an e-crush on her.
@15 - Sample menu on the Hamdinger’s website lists:
Mixed grilled spring veggies on baquette with avocado aioli and cheddar
Teriyaki tofu fried in olive oil
Coconut curry with lentils and cardamom , topped with mint yogurt
Cold rice noodle with mint, fresh corn and cucumber
I’d hope those are veggie options…putting meat into things described as such wouldn’t be very sporting.
Not to mention, they sound pretty good.
@18 you’re my new e-crush!
Thanks Chris! And yes, they do sound pretty tasty.
@14, one word—barfaroni! sounds disgusting.
It would be rad if he offered veggie dogs (or does he? it’s unclear from comments). Since hotdogs are already tubes of flavor resembling nothing else on this benighted earth, I’d happily enjoy a veggie one.
Hot dog man: you should totally do a Chicago-style hotdog, which according to the canon is like this, although in my Chicago burg they did in fact have ketchup, not to mention cucumbers, which are highly recommended as hot dog accoutrements.
Let us be not hot-dog prescriptivists but rather hot-dog descriptivists.
Does he toast the hotdog buns?
did somebody say sausage?
@5, @11 Jack-n-Jill footlong hotdog w/chili & onions = Best in town, imo
Bacon Wrapped Dates everyone. I order those with every meal and they rock. Just as good as those in Mas, but served to you in less than a minute for a $1.
/I love the menu too!
@ 25 - he tried veggie dogs back in the early days, but they turned to mush on the cart. try the veggie sandwich and ask him to throw some tofu on it, it’s addictive.
bacon-wrapped dates? oh no!
I have never wrapped a date in bacon but she could always wear this dress.
So sexy it sizzles
@32 How edible is the dress?
diets, someone posted this before you started commenting. If you like the dress, you’ll love the hats.
@33 you just can’t beat a meat hat,… can you?
@30: Thanks for the tip, phodoh!
Y’all realize Hamdingers was named one of the top ten food carts in the nation in the June issue of Bon Appetit Magazine. The coconut curry w/ a side of tofu is profoundly serious.
fake hot dogs are never as good as fake meat everything else.
@ 29 you can get those dates from a cart now?!?! excuse me while i faint from happiness…
i wish i’d seen that before i went elsewhere for lunch, but oh well. ’tis good to know.
@39. That’s what got me… and they’re really good.
/For those who haven’t tried bacon Wrapped Dates and aren’t vegetarians’, I strongly recommend. $1 satisfaction.
Just outa curiosity, does he need some kind of license to sell hotdogs on the mall?
@41 Yes you do need a license…. it’s called a Weiner Permit and it involves a short test, examination of your equipment and a $75 fee. Need one?
You got your $75 ready, flooze?
@ W8LUCMDK…..the day the Flooze has to pay for it, the devil will be sharpening his ice skates and duct taping Hot Hands™ thermal packs around his wizened blue scrotum.
Since when can’t you beat your meat…hat?
@44 LMAO
/feistyfloozeiloveyou
@18 From one Lulu to another, amen sister.
Patrick’s cart is super clean and his dogs rock. If you haven’t tried his chili and slaw on a dog, beat your feet over to Hamdinger’s pronto. The veggie options are great too.
Y’all realize Hamdingers was named one of the top ten food carts in the nation in the June issue of Bon Appetit Magazine
Thanks for the tip oniss. There’s no question that he has the simplest yet tasty and filling selections on any given day. I’m such a fan.
@47: Oh my. I didn’t realize I was infringing on a name. Since you were here long before me, if you want me to change it, I will. Sorry ’bout that.
@49 Lulu, you’re not infringing! I have no idea who was here first, nor do I care!
Although, around from the beginning, I post very infrequently, and admit that I never checked to see if there were any other Lulus first. However, I’m Lulu Fishpaw, which is different enough from Lulu that I’d hope there’s no confusion.